Original Black Sheep Impart History To The New Herd
(April 25, 2011) |
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| MARINE CORPS AIR STATION YUMA, Ariz. (MCN - 4/21/2011) —
Marine Attack Squadron 214 welcomed three of its founding
members, along with the son of its legendary commander, to
the station April 14, 2011, for a reunion with each other
and the squadron they helped create and name. |
Jim Hill, Ed Harper and Harry Johnson, all original
Marine Attack Squadron 214 pilots and three of the
only five still remaining, catch up with each other
before speaking with media in the squadron's ready
room April 14, 2011.
Jim
Hill, original Marine Attack Squadron 214 pilot,
stands in front of an F4U-Corsair, the model he flew
during World War II, during a reunion at the
squadron's hangar April 14, 2011.
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Jim Hill, Ed Harper and Harry Johnson were all Black
Sheep pilots who fought against the Japanese during
World War II in the Pacific and are three of the
only remaining five original Black Sheep still
alive. They were joined by Greg Boyington Jr., son
of VMA-214's first commanding officer and Medal of
Honor recipient, Gregory “Pappy” Boyington.
For the first time since 1994, each man traveled
from various areas of the country to reunite with
the men they once inhabited tight, wartime quarters
with and also to see what has been built on the
foundation they laid almost 70 years ago.
“I'm absolutely stunned to see what they are now,”
said Johnson, who initially joined the squadron as a
replacement pilot near the end of its Pacific combat
tour in 1943. “This is so plush. This is like a
palace,” joked the outgoing Johnson when speaking
about the squadron's hangar. “The Marine Corps was a
tent somewhere that smelled real bad, and now we've
come into a place that you don't want to mess up,
and you don't see too many cigarette butts around
anymore. I remember lots of cigarette butts.”
Within minutes of their arrival to the squadron,
both Hill and Harper were enlightening current Black
Sheep Marines about the origin of their squadron's
name. |
“The initial idea was to call ourselves ‘Boyington's
Bastards,'” said Harper, a retired colonel who later
in his career played an intricate role in the
development of the AV-8A Harrier, which led to the
AV-8B that VMA-214 and other Marine attack squadrons
currently fly. “But the press didn't think that'd be
too good an idea and suggested we get something
else, so we backed down to Black Sheep.”
The
founders' misfit moniker originated in the unusual
circumstances in which they were formed.
Instead of forming their unit and training in the
states like most squadrons at the time, the men were
hastily assembled at Boyington's request and trained
in the Pacific, said Bruce Gamble, a author and
original Black Sheep historian who accompanied the
men to the station.
The squadron was far
from underdogs in the air, however. Throughout their
two six-week combat tours of 1943 they destroyed a
record 97 confirmed enemy aircraft as well as
another 35 probable kills, damaged 50 enemy
aircraft, 27 enemy ships and saw nine pilots claim
the title of ace, which required five or more
confirmed kills.
Much of the squadron's
overwhelming success and accompanying fame has been
credited to Boyington who led the squadron in
confirmed kills with 26 before being shot down and
kept as a Japanese prisoner until the end of World
War II.
“He seemed to not have any fear. He
was a fine leader, not conventional at all,”
recalled Harper fondly. “The difference between
Pappy and the other great leaders in the Pacific was
his courage. Other's idea was to always cover the
guy in front of you, no matter what. He didn't see
it that way. He would say, ‘If you see something,
shoot at it. Don't worry about me; I can take care
of my own butt.' He made young men braver than they
should've been and built confidence in them. That
was the difference, and I think that's why we had so
much success and why he was so respected.”
Hearing the anecdotes and recollections from their
forefathers left current VMA-214 Marines, from the
top to the bottom of the chain of command, reminded
more strongly than ever of their rich heritage.
“I tell every Marine that checks into this
squadron, ‘This is your proudest day,'” said Lt.
Col. Robert Schroder, VMA-214 commanding officer.
“We're very close to the top with any military unit
in our country's history. No squadron in the world
is more renowned than the Black Sheep, and every
Marine can be proud of that.”
Though the
shadow casts by these history-making aviation giants
is huge, they all agree that the Black Sheep and
Marines of today are not only continuing their
legacy but improving it.
“Every solid Marine
gives a damn and performs when called on,” said
Harper. “I'm an old Marine, and when I see them
today I'm just as proud as I've ever been of
anyone.” |
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Article and photos by USMC Cpl. Graham J. Benson
Marine Corps Air Station Yuma
Copyright 2011 | |
Reprinted from
Marine Corps News
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