World War II Honoree

Gregory Boyington

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Coeur D'Alene, Idaho

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. MAJOR, U.S. MARINE CORPS RESERVE, MARINE SQUADRON 214. CENTRAL SOLOMON ISLANDS AREA SEPTEMBER 12, 1943 TO JANUARY 3, 1944. NAVY CROSS. CITATION: 'FOR EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM AND VALIANT DEVOTION TO DUTY AS COMMANDING OFFICER OF MARINE 214TH FIGHTING SQUADRON IN ACTION AGAINST ENEMY JAPANESE FORCES IN THE CENTRAL SOLOMON ISLANDS AREA SEPTEMBER 12, 1943 TO JANUARY 3, 1944. CONSISTENTLY OUTNUMBERED THROUGHOUT SUCCESSIVE HAZARDOUS FLIGHTS OVER HEAVILY DEFENDED HOSTILE TERRITORY, HE STRUCK AT THE ENEMY WITH DARING AND COURAGEOUS PERSISTENCE, LEADING HIS SQUADRON INTO COMBAT WITH DEVASTATING RESULTS TO JAPANESE SHIPPING, SHORE INSTALLATIONS AND AERIAL FORCES. RESOLUTE IN HIS EFFORTS TO INFLICT CRIPPLING DAMAGE ON THE ENEMY, HE LED A FORMATION OF 24 FIGHTERS OVER KAHILI ON OCTOBER 17 AND PERSISTENTLY CIRCLED THE AIRDROME WHERE 60 HOSTILE AIRCRAFT WERE GROUNDED, BOLDLY CHALLENGED THE JAPANESE TO SEND UP PLANES. UNDER HIS BRILLIANT COMMAND, OUR FIGHTERS SHOT DOWN 20 ENEMY CRAFT IN THE ENSUING ACTION WITHOUT THE LOSS OF A SINGLE SHIP. A SUPERB AIRMAN AND DETERMINED FIGHTER AGAINST OVERWHELMING ODDS, HE PERSONALLY DESTROYED 26 OF THE MANY JAPANESE PLANES SHOT DOWN BY HIS SQUADRON AND BY HIS FORCEFUL LEADERSHIP, DEVELOPED THE COMBAT READINESS IN HIS COMMAND WHICH WAS A DISTINCTIVE FACTOR IN THE ALLIED AERIAL ACHIEVEMENTS IN THIS VITALLY STRATEGIC AREA.'