Swashbucklers and Black Sheep : A Pictorial History of Marine Fighting Squadron 214 in World War II

"A stunning portrait of incredibly courageous men and their awesome flying machines." —Alex Kershaw, author of The Few Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 214 is the world's most famous fighter squadron. Its second wartime squadron commander was the legendary Greg "Pappy" Boyington. Boyington and the squadron were the loose inspiration for the late-seventies NBC television series Baa Baa Black Sheep, which was later syndicated under the name Black Sheep Squadron. Swashbucklers and Black Sheep is a comprehensive illustrated history of the squadron from its formation and first two combat tours on Guadalcanal as the Swashbucklers, which included their transition to the iconic gull-winged Corsair, to the arrival of their second commander, Pappy Boyington, after which they became the Black Sheep. The squadron's combat over Bougainville and Rabaul and the story of Boyington being shot down are covered, as are the squadron's exploits in the latter part of the war (while Boyington was a POW), which culminated in the heavy losses suffered aboard the carrier USS Franklin. The squadron's service in Korea, Vietnam, and the Global War on Terror complete the storied history of VMF 214. In addition to a rich collection of historical photography, Swashbucklers and Black Sheep features combat aviation artwork from four of America's top aviation artists: John Shaw, Jim Laurier, Craig Kodera, and Bob Rasmussen. "A stunning portrait of incredibly courageous men and their awesome flying machines."—Alex Kershaw, author of The Few Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 214 is the world's most famous fighter squadron. Its second wartime squadron commander was the legendary Greg "Pappy" Boyington. Boyington and the squadron were the loose inspiration for the late-seventies NBC television series Baa Baa Black Sheep , which was later syndicated under the name Black Sheep Squadron . Swashbucklers and Black Sheep is a comprehensive illustrated history of the squadron from its formation and first two combat tours on Guadalcanal as the Swashbucklers, which included their transition to the iconic gull-winged Corsair, to the arrival of their second commander, Pappy Boyington, after which they became the Black Sheep. The squadron's combat over Bougainville and Rabaul and the story of Boyington being shot down are covered, as are the squadron's exploits in the latter part of the war (while Boyington was a POW), which culminated in the heavy losses suffered aboard the carrier USS Franklin. The squadron's service in Korea, Vietnam, and the Global War on Terror complete the storied history of VMF 214. In addition to a rich collection of historical photography, Swashbucklers and Black Sheep features combat aviation artwork from four of America's top aviation artists: John Shaw, Jim Laurier, Craig Kodera, and Bob Rasmussen. A stunning portrait of incredibly courageous men and their awesome flying machines. Alex Kershaw, author of The Few Marine Fighting Squadron (VMF) 214 is the worlds most famous fighter squadron. Its second wartime squadron commander was the legendary Greg Pappy Boyington. Boyington and the squadron were the loose inspiration for the late-seventies NBC television series Baa Baa Black Sheep , which was later syndicated under the name Black Sheep Squadron . Swashbucklers and Black Sheep is a comprehensive illustrated history of the squadron from its formation and first two combat tours on Guadalcanal as the Swashbucklers, which included their transition to the iconic gull-winged Corsair, to the arrival of their second commander, Pappy Boyington, after which they became the Black Sheep. The squadrons combat over Bougainville and Rabaul and the story of Boyington being shot down are covered, as are the squadrons exploits in the latter part of the war (while Boyington was a POW), which culminated in the heavy losses suffered aboard the carrier USS Franklin. The squadrons service in Korea, Vietnam, and the Global War on Terror complete the storied history of VMF 214. In addition to a rich collection of historical photography, Swashbucklers and Black Sheep features combat aviation artwork from four of Americas top aviation John Shaw, Jim Laurier, Craig Kodera, and Bob Rasmussen.

 

The Black Sheep pilots under Greg “Pappy” Boyington were America’s most famous fighter squadron of World War II. The press paid close attention to them in 1943 as Boyington vied for the existing record of twenty-six aerial victories. On the same day he tied the record, Boyington was shot down and spent the rest of the war as a prisoner of the Japanese. The Boyington era was later popularized by the television series Baa Baa Black Sheep. Although Boyington himself served as an advisor, the show was entertainment, not history. Nevertheless, it brought wider attention to Boyington and the squadron, introducing new generations to their exploits in the South Pacific. But there was more to the Black Sheep than their record under Pappy Boyington. The squadron’s reputation was already growing before his arrival, when they were the Swashbucklers. After Boyington was lost, the squadron was assigned to the carrier Franklin and endured its tragic bombing near Japan. Swashbucklers and Black Sheep provides the first-ever pictorial record of these fighting Marines, with spectacular photos, full-color aircraft profiles, and fine art from several of America’s top aviation studios. It also includes a tribute to the squadron’s combat history from the Korean War to the present day.

 

Out of the Ashes On Hallowed Ground Bent-Wing Birds The Swashbucklers at Munda Legends in Waiting Gunfights Over Bougainville Sojourn Slugfest Over Rabaul New Sheep Big Ben The Legacy of Heroes Appendices. "The first fully illustrated history of the world's most famous fighter squadron, Greg "Pappy" Boyington's Black Sheep"--Provided by publisher. An illustrated history of the famous American fighter squadron, Greg "Pappy" Boyington's Black Sheep