Gregory Boyington

Gregory “Grandpa” Boyington (December 4th 1912 - January 11th 1988), was a pilot of hunting American of the US Marine titular Body of 28 approved victories including 6 with the AVG (American Volunteer Group or Flying Tigers of Claire Chennault) in China.

Its history and that of its flotilla (VMF-214 alias The Black Sheep), were at the origin of the American Televised series entitled in France the burned Heads , where the pilots under its orders call it “Grandpa” and where he is interpreted by Robert Conrad.

Greg " Pappy" Boyington was born in 1912. In 1936 it joined the body of the Navy and becomes pilot, but its escapades oblige it to resign. It engages then at the side of the Chennault general and his flying tigers in China, where it is credited with 6 victories. After the attack of Pearl Harbor, it again joined the Marines, it is always undisciplined, drinker and amateur of women, it gathers around him rebels in flotilla VMF 214, installed on Vella Lavella and which takes the nickname of " quickly; Black sheep" (black sheep). It is called there " Pappy" because it has, at the time, 30 years is 10 of more than the average of its pilots. Its flotilla asserts 97 air victories of which 28 are allotted to " Pappy".

In January 1944 Greg Boyington is cut down and declared died, one decrees to him then on a purely posthumous basis, the Medal off Honor , the highest American distinction. In fact, it had been captured by Japanese and will be released only 20 months later. Raised with the row of Colonel and returned to the civil life, he writes his memories in the book Baa baa blacksheep of which the series the burned Têtes is inspired. He dies in 1988 and rests from now on with the national Cimetière of Arlington.

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