Evening star., 1944-02-21
Rickenbacker's Mark
Proves Deadly Jinx
10 Flyers in Pacific

(The tolloioing, distributed by
the Associated Press, aDdS ,Uritten
oy Stat Sergt. Benz Price, a Mo-
rtne Corps combat correspond
ent.)
Three men, all marines, have
tried to break the jinx of No. 26.
Only one, Maj. Joseph ]. Foss of
Sioux Falls, S. D., is on hand today
to tell of his exploits. Twenty-six
Is the record Capt. Eddie Ricken-
hacker set in the last war for enemy
aircraft shot down by an American
pilot; 26 is record twice tied in
this war, but never broken.
Dead or missing are Maj. Greg
ory Boyington of Okanogan, Wash,
leader of the famed, d-flying
BLACK Sheep Squadron" and 1t.
Robert M. Hanson of Newtonville,
Mass, member of "The Fighting
Corsairs."
Most conscious of the fact he was
out to break the jinx was 1t. Han
son. His commanding officer, Mai
Robert S. Owens of Greenville. S.
c., said, after the flyer was reported
missing:
HE was magnificent flyer and
fighter, but he would have been
better If he had known a little fear"
The record was set by Capt Rick
enbacker, now president of Eastern
Air Lines, as member of the Gath
Aero Squadron in France. Capt.
Rickenbacker shot down five bal
looms and 81 planes. Two of his
victories over planes were shared.
Hanson Rescued.
Until January IA, say 1t. Han
sons mates, the missing fighter was
just an average aviator, though in
two previous tours of combat duty
he had become an ace.
On November 4, 1943, 1t. Hanson
crash-dived into the ocean after
shooting down two Zeros and an
enemy dive bomber. He was rescued
by destroyer. That was his most
spectacular performance until mid
January, when he suddenly found
his shooting eye.
Overnight he became the hottest
one-man Jap killer in the whole war.
In a 17-day period he shot down 20
enemy planes in fighting over Bou-
gainville and Rabaul's Simpson
Harbor.
With Is planes to his credit, the
former Hamline University (St. Paul.
Mlnn) student was bent on break
Ing the record. He took off with
flight of Corsairs on February 3. He
didn't come back.
Boyington Was ColorfuI.
Probably the most colorful of the
three was Maj. Boyington, who just
plain didn't care about anything at
any time, save his mother and his
three children and the welfare of
his men.
The flying career which ended
with his disappearance began when
he was 6 years old. Clyde Pangborn,
'round-the-world flyer, arrived in
the little town of st. Marys, Idaho,
on transforming tour. Maj. Boy
lngton somehow scraped together
the SIS fee and Mr.. Pangborn took
him for a ride.
The family moved to Tacoma and
then to Okanogan, Wash, but the
fascination held, and Maj. Boying-
ton entered the University of WASH
ington and emerged with a degree in
aeronautical engineering. After
graduation he worked for Boeing
Aircraft for a year before joining
the marines.
When the Chinese government
was recruiting United States pilots
to fly for Claire V. Chennault's
American Volunteer Group in China
Maj. Boyington resigned his COM
mission and sailed for China in
September, 1941.
D0wned Six Japs in China.
He saw his first Jap plane as he
was about to sit down for Christ
mas dinner. The enemy came over
to raid the Flying Tigers base at
Running. From then on, he was
on fighter sweep after fighter sweep.
Before the United States Army alb
sorbed the Flying Tigers, Maj. Boy
1ngton had more than 300 hours
in the air, knocked down six Jap
fighters and destroyed 80 on the
ground.
When he returned to the States
he Immediately applied for read
mission into the marines. He was
recommissioned major in Novem-
ber, 1912, and two months later was
on his way to the Solomons, where
he was put in command of hastily
assembled assortment of casual,
transfer and replacement pilots.
Thus was born the BLACK Sheep
Squadron"
The first time Maj. Boyington
and his outfit went into action, he