Joe Foss

[inline]

Yesterday, Joe Foss died. He shot down 26 Japanese airplanes in WW11. He also was a former NRA president and Governor of South Dakota.

 

[bobbysamd]

As well as the above, Mr. Foss was also the first commissioner of the American Football League, with which the NFL merged.

 

[Typhoon1244]

He shot down 26 Japanese airplanes in [World War II].

Oh, but you need to give the details: he shot down twenty-six airplanes in thirty-three days in a clunky F4F Wildcat. Twenty of his kills were A6M's which, at that stage of the war, were still being flown by crack Japanese pilots.

He earned the Medal of Honor at Guadalcanal.

 

[SDF2BUF2MCO]

If (big if) I remember correctly, last year he was going through security at an airport and his Congressional Medal of Honor set off the alarm. He didn't want to give it up - good for him!
Appeared he lived a very full and active life.
Does anyone know of any other big Aces still alive from WWII (Yankee or Brit)? Johnnie Johnson of the RAF died last year.

 

[bobbysamd]

WWII aces

For openers, how about Chuck Yeager? Among other things, he shot down five German fighters in one mission and shot down an ME-262 in his P-51. He shot down eleven aircraft in all. I understand that he took his last flight in an F-15 last year.

General Robin Olds shot down 13 German aircraft during WWII.

 

[Skyrunner]

Be like Joe!!

Joe Foss was a true warrior.

I also admired his goatee that he had in WWII. I don't think I could get away with that in todays military.

Adios,

SR

 

[Kaman]

Hello,
Chuck Yeager's life long friend and ex-WWII squadron mate is still alive . Unfortunately, our nations leading ace of all time passed away about a year ago. Colonel Gabraski shot down 28 aircraft in WWII ( a total cut short, because he was shotdown in 1944 and was a "guest" of the German's in Luftstalag I) and he was credited with 6.5 aircraft in Korea flying the F-86A "Sabre". Colonel Gabreski retired as the Wing Commander of the 52nd Figher Wing flying the F-101B "Voodoo" interceptor. His total flight time was 5000, of which 4000 were in jets.

Regards,

ex-Navy rotorhead

 

[Typhoon1244]

Yeager's friend "Bud" Anderson is still around, I think. And don't forget Robin Olds, who also flew in Korea and Vietnam.

 

[jetexas]

I actually had a chance to meet Chuck Yeager and "Bud" Anderson in '97. I remember Mr. Anderson as being about as nice you can get. Everyone kept asking for Yeager's autograph and he would do it while pointing at Anderson and saying "go get his autograph, he's the real hero here!". I think he shot down 15 German planes while flying P-51's..

 

[B52GUNNER]

Leading Ace

The US leading ACE was Richard (Dick) Ira Bong. 40 kills in a P-38 (named Margie for his wife) during WWII. He was killed in a crash just after WWII flying as a test pilot in a P-80..aka the F-80 aka T-33.

This is not to take any glory from Gabraski.

Also... had the pleasure of meeting Yeager back in 88 at the Independence Bowl when I was still flying on B-52's.