Desperate for new pilots in the
South Pacific, in August 1943 the First Marine Wing appointed
the
unconventional fighter ace Major Greg Boyington to pull together
a newly formed squadron from a mix of
experienced combat veterans and untested novice pilots. The Marine
Corps gave him just four weeks to turn this motley group into
a fighting force ready for combat - Boyington succeeded beyond
all expectations and the rest is history.
Equipped with the Chance Vought F4U Corsair, they called themselves
'The Black Sheep', and under
Boyington's leadership, saw action at Guadalcanal, Munda, the
northern Solomons,Vella Lavella, Bourganville, and Tokokina;Kahili,
and were the first to lead fighter sweeps over the major Japanese
base of Rabaul.
In a period of just eighty-four days Boyington's pilots recorded
273 Japanese aircraft destroyed or
damaged, 97 confirmed air victories producing eight fighter Aces,
sank several ships, destroyed many ground
installations and numerous other victories. With typical mastery,
Robert Taylor has brought to life an
encounter over Rabaul in late December 1943, paying tribute to
one of the US Marine Corps'most famous
fighter squadrons, and its outstanding leader. With the Japanese
airbase at Rabaul visible in the distance, 'Pappy' Boyington
and his fellow pilots of VMF-214 tear into a large formation
of Japanese Zekes and a series of deadly dogfights have started,
one Zeke already fallen victim to their guns. |