The Aviation Medals of Honor

Latest Episodes:

Bud Day Part 2, The Hanoi Hilton Dec 01, 2025

Show notes

After recapture following his shootdown and epic escape attempt. Bud Day is marched north to Hanoi, where he will spend the next five plus years as a guest of the North Vietnamese at the infamous Hanoi Hilton.

Bud Day, F-100 Super Sabre Misty FAC, Vietnam Feb 20, 2025

Show notes

Bud Day was the commander of Detachment One of the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron, the top secret group of F-100 Forward Air Controllers officially known as Commando Sabre, but better known by their callsign "Misty". Bud was shot down over North Vietnam, escaped, and came within two miles of freedom before being recaptured. This is part 1 on Bud Day, covering Bud's early life, the origins of forward air control, the F-100, the standing up of the Mistys, and Bud’s shootdown and subsequent escape.

Selected references:

Return With Honor by George E. Day

American Patriot, the Life and Wars of Colonel Bud Day by Robert Coram

Hit My Smoke! Forward Air Controllers in Southeast Asia by Jan Churchill

Finally, yes I did say DMV instead of DMZ once!

Semper Fi,

Kelly “Beavis” Ramshur

AviationMoH@gmail.com

S1 addendum: The Bloody 100th - Masters of the Air May 13, 2024

Show notes

I started this episode as an extra to the first season on B-17s in the 8th AF, but put it away halfway done. With the release of Apple TV’s Masters of the Air I decided to revive it. This is the story of The Bloody 100th, the 100th Heavy Bomb Group, who operated over Europe from June 1943 until the end of the war. Probably the most famous of the 8th Air Force bomb groups, what set the 100th apart was the losses it suffered, in particular the huge losses it seemed to suffer over and over again. While other groups may have suffered the same fate on a mission or two, the 100th had eight separate missions in which it was almost wiped out. Rumor was among the men of the 8th that the Luftwaffe had targeted the 100th for destruction. Several topics hit on in this episode are covered more in-depth in my earlier season one podcasts on B-17s and the 8th. I recommend listening to those episodes prior to this one. I can be reached at aviationmoh@gmail.com Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

S3E5: VF-17 The Jolly Rogers in the Solomons Feb 06, 2024

Show notes

VF-17 is likely the most famous of all the US Navy squadrons. Their history started back with their deployment to the Solomon Islands in 1943 and participation in the campaigns around Bouganville and Rabul and continues to this day. This episode covers their time in the South Pacific as well as the trials involved in the use of the F4U Corsair as a carrier aircraft.

S3E4: USMC Corsairs up the Slot: 1st Lt Robert Hanson Sep 01, 2023

Show notes

Continuing the series of episodes on the Corsair and the fight for aerial supremacy in the Solomon Islands. In January 1944, the Japanese defenders at Rabul still had some fight in them. Robert Hanson, a 23 year old Marine Corsair pilot, would rack up an impressive string of victories in January, ending with 25 kills at the time of his death. This episode wraps up the Solomon Islands Campaign with the neutralization of Rabul and a brief summary of the Corsair.

Selected references:

The Fighting Corsairs, the Men of Marine Fighting Squadron 215 by Jeff Dacus

History of Marine Corps Aviation in WW2 by Robert Sherrod

Time of Aces, MarinePilots in the Solomons 1942-1944 by Cdr Peter Mersky

S3E3: Pappy Boyington Part 2: The Blacksheep May 23, 2023

Show notes

This episode covers Pappy’s time in the South Pacific, his command of VMF-214, The Blacksheep, and their run through the Solomons in late 1943 and early 1944, and finally his time as a prisoner of war. Initially two parts, I condensed it down cutting much of Pappy’s postwar life. If you’re interested in that, there are many books that cover that, including Pappy’s own autobiography which ends with “Just name a hero and I’ll prove he’s a bum.” A difficult episode to do. A lot has been written about Pappy and trying to do him justice while not ignoring his faults was not easy, especially when you’re dealing with your childhood hero. Had to learn a new editing software as well which involved a long process of which I’m still learning. I hope you enjoy the result and hopefully the next episode one won’t take so long. Let me know at AviationMoH@gmail. Selected readings: Baa Baa Black Sheep by Greg Boyington Black Sheep One, the Life of Gregory “Pappy” Boyington by Bruce Gamble The Black Sheep, the Definitive Account of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in WW2 by Bruce Gamble Black Sheep, the Life of Pappy Boyington by John Wukovitz Once They Were Eagles by Frank Walton

S3E2: Pappy Boyington Part 1: The Flying Tigers Nov 02, 2022

Show notes

Part 1 on Greg "Pappy" Boyington. Before he led the world famous VMF-214 Blacksheep over the Solomons, Pappy Boyington was a broke, sometimes violent, drunk, about to get kicked out of the Marine Corps. He’s given a second chance when he joins the American Volunteer Group, the Flying Tigers. This episode covers Pappy’s early life and time before his time with VMF-214, the Blacksheep squadron, as well as the history of the AVG.

Selected readings:

Black Sheep: The Life of Pappy Boyington by John Wukovitz

Baa Baa Black Sheep by Greg Boyington

The Flying Tigers: Claire Chennault and the American Volunteer Group by Daniel Ford

I can be reached at aviationmoh@gmail.com Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

S3E1: USMC Corsairs up the Slot, WW2: Part 1 - 1st Lt Kenneth Walsh, VMF-124 May 16, 2022

Show notes

1st Lt Kenneth Walsh was the first F4U Corsair ace and a pilot in VMF-124 during the Solomon Islands campaign. He would earn his Medal of Honor over the course of two missions in August of 1943 and finish the war with 21 victories. In addition to Ken Walsh and VMF-124, this episode covers the development of the F4U Corsair and the initial moves of Admiral Halsey up the Solomon Island chain.

Selected readings:

Harnessing the Sky: Frederick "Trap" Trapnell, the US Navy's Aviation Pioneer, 1923-1952 by Frederick Trapnell Jr and Dana Tibbitts

Corsair, the F4U in World War II and Korea by Barrett Tillman

History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War II by Robert Sherrod

Time of Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944 by Cdr Peter Mersky

I can be reached at aviationmoh@gmail.com Feedback and reviews are appreciated. Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur

S2E6: 67th Fighter Squadron at Guadalcanal Jan 24, 2022

Show notes

Arriving just two days after John L. Smith and VMF-223, the pilots of the 67th Fighter Squadron quickly learned their P-400 Airacobras were woefully inadequate for the air to air mission. Unable to climb quickly or high enough to intercept the Japanese Zeros and Betty bombers, the P-39 variants were pressed into an air to ground role. From September to December of 1942, this group of Army Air Forces pilots would go about the dirty business of air to ground killing. They would never get the publicity of the Marine fighter aces, but in the words of 1st Marine Division commander General Vandegrift, on the morning of 14 September they “saved Guadalcanal”. This episode will look at the development of the Bell P-39 and why it struggled as a fighter over Guadalcanal as well as the history of the 67th Fighter Squadron.

Next episode: Up the Slot with the Marines and the mighty F4U Corsair

*Correction* After 5 episodes on Guadalcanal, I somehow managed to say the landings took place on 8 August instead of the actual date of 7 August.

Selected readings:

Guadalcanal, the Island of Fire: Reflections of the 347th Fighter Group by Robert Ferguson

Pacific Counterblow - The 11th Bombardment Group and the 67th Fighter Squadron in the Battle for Guadalcanal

P-39/P-400 Airacobra vs A6M2/3 Zero-sen: New Guinea 1942 by Michael Claringbould

S2E5: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 5 - 1st Lt Jefferson DeBlanc, USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot Oct 19, 2021

Show notes

In part 5 of 5 in the Guadalcanal series, 1st Lt Jefferson DeBlanc of VMF-112 becomes the first Marine to achieve 5 victories on a single mission. This episode covers DeBlanc's combat experiences from November 1942 through January 1943, his Medal of Honor mission and recovery following his shootdown, as well as the conclusion of the Guadalcanal campaign.

Selected readings:

The Guadalcanal Air War Colonel Jefferson DeBlanc's Story, Jefferson DeBlanc

History of Marine Corps Aviation in World War 2, Robert Sherrod

Wildcat, the F4F in WW2, Barrett Tillman

Time of Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, 1942-1944, Cdr Peter Mersky

Fire in the Sky, The Air War in the South Pacific, Eric Bergerud

Guadalcanal 1942-43: Japan's Bid to Knock Out Henderson Field and the Cactus Air Force, Mark Stille

*Kolombangara is the name of the island I kept fumbling over

I can be reached at aviationmoh@gmail.com Feedback and reviews appreciated! Semper Fi, Kelly "Beavis" Ramshur