  Joseph (Joe) Jacob Foss is a remarkable American whose dedicated
service and selfless devotion to his Country spanned almost ninety
years!Although his most notable service was as a combat
aviator and Medal of Honor recipient, Joe Foss continued
to serve his Country throughout his remarkable life.
His personal motto of "There's nothing I would not do
for this Country" is a testimony to his life and
serves to establish his lasting legacy as a "Great
American Patriot."
Born on a farm near Sioux Falls, South Dakota
on April 17, 1915, Joe became captivated with flight at
the age of eleven following a visit to a local air show
which featured aerial maneuvers performed by Charles
Lindberg.
Impressed by what he had witnessed, Joe
set his goal on becoming an aviator. Within a a
few years, Joe got his first airplane ride and from that point, "the sky was the limit."Following graduation from high school, Joe
enrolled in the University of South Dakota. However, due
to the death of his father in 1934 Joe had to delay his studies
in order to help his mother run his family's farm. With
the onset of the great depression, Joe's personal drive and
determination carried him through difficult times. Working
at a service station, Joe managed to earn enough to continue his
college studies and to take flying lessons. By 1940 Joe
had received his pilot's certificate and a Bachelor of Science
in Business Administration from the University of South Dakota.
In order to pursue his passion for aviation,
Joe enlisted into the Marine Corps Reserves, then applied for
and was accepted as a Naval Aviation Cadet. Following
flight training, Joe was designated a naval aviator and
commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps
Reserve where he served in various capacities including that of
a flight instructor.Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Joe
served as a fighter pilot with Marine Fighting Squadron
121 on Guadalcanal in the early days of the Pacific
Campaign.
Despite the overwhelming numerical superiority of the
Japanese, Joe's skill in flying, tactics and aerial
gunnery became legendary, earning him the distinction as
the second highest Marine Corps ace with 26 confirmed
aerial victories. His bravery in aerial combat and
skills during the dark days of World War II proved
instrumental to victory in the campaign for the Solomon
Islands.
Joe was recognized in 1943 for these acts of valor when
he was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Franklin
D. Roosevelt for service as set forth in the following
citation:
 "For outstanding
heroism and courage above and beyond the
call of duty as Executive Officer of a
Marine Fighting Squadron, at Guadalcanal,
Solomon Islands. Engaging in almost daily
combat with the enemy from October 9 to
November 19, 1942, Captain Foss personally
shot down twenty-three Japanese planes and
damaged others so severely that their
destruction was extremely probable. In
addition, during this period, he
successfully led a large number of escort
missions, skillfully covering
reconnaissance, bombing and photographic
planes as well as surface craft. On January
15, 1943, he added three more enemy planes
to his already brilliant successes for a
record of aerial combat achievement
unsurpassed in this war. Boldly searching
out an approaching enemy force on January
25, Captain Foss led his eight F4F Marine
planes and four Army P-38s into action and,
undaunted by tremendously superior numbers,
intercepted and struck with such force that
four Japanese fighters were shot down and
the bombers were turned back without
releasing a single bomb. His remarkable
flying skill, inspiring leadership and
indomitable fighting spirit were distinctive
factors in the defense of strategic American
positions on Guadalcanal."
For the remainder of the Second World War,
Joe served stateside at the request of President Roosevelt,
helping to lead campaigns to sell U.S. War Bonds—a
necessary and vital task in support of the war effort.
With the end of the war in
1945, Joe returned to
South Dakota
and opened a flight instruction school and a charter flying
service. Concurrent with this, he accepted a commission in
the Air National Guard and assisted in the establishment and
organization of the South Dakota Air National Guard—an
organization from which he eventually retired as a Brigadier
General.
In 1948 Joe was elected to the South Dakota legislature, a post
which he held for five years. Never to be left behind
during a period of crisis, Joe was recalled to active duty in
the Air Force in 1950 during the Korean War, serving as the
Director of Operations and Training for the Central Air Defense
Command. Following the end of the Korean War, Joe returned
to the political arena and was elected in 1954 as the Governor
of South Dakota—becoming a very popular Governor and gaining
re-election to a second term.
Departing politics in 1958, Joe became Commissioner of the
newly-formed American Football League the following year.
During his tenure as Commissioner, Joe oversaw the emergence of
the American Football League, and his efforts proved
instrumental in the establishment of a national title game—the
Super Bowl. Joe left this position in 1966, just two
months prior to the National Football League agreeing to merge
with the American Football League. During this period Joe
also became involved in television, hosting the ABC-TV weekly
program "The American Sportsman"
from 1964 through 1967 and the syndicated program "The
Outdoorsman: Joe Foss" which aired from 1967 through 1974.
Over the next 18 years, Joe continued an active professional
life serving as the Director of Public Affairs for the Royal
Dutch Airlines, Chairman of the U.S. Air Force Association,
Director of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Chairman of the Campus
Crusade for Christ International, and as President of the
National Rifle Association. In April 2001 at the age of 86, Joe founded
the Joe Foss Institute with the mission of the
“Restoration of patriotism, integrity, and an
appreciation for America's freedoms.”
The Joe Foss Institute accomplishes this objective
through a variety of means including a Scholarship
program and a "Veterans Inspiring Patriotism" program in
which volunteer veterans visit schools and youth groups
promoting patriotism through personal contact with young
people.
Even at his advanced age, Joe continued to travel and
share his message of patriotism and his enduring faith.Our Country lost a great American on January 1, 2003 when Joe
Foss died following a stroke he had suffered three months
earlier. Joe was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
with full military honors, however his legacy as one of
America's great patriots lives on.
Semper Fi Joe Foss! Written by
Robert Yanacek
USMC Retired |
