Kenneth L . Reusser Kenneth L . Reusser ( – ) was a United States Marine Corps aviator who was considered the most decorated Marine Aviator , having flown 253 combat missions , earning 59 medals , including two Navy Cross es while flying in World War II , the Korean War , and the Vietnam War . He is the only aviator to survive being shot down in all three wars . Early years . Reusser was born in 1920 , the son of a minister . He enjoyed racing motorcycles , the winnings from which helped him to pay for college and eventually earn a pilot ' s license just prior to World War II . World War II . Reusser first saw combat as part of VMF - 122 , assigned to Guadalcanal flying the F4F Wildcat . While assigned to the squadron , he was forced to ditch his aircraft in the Pacific after an encounter with the enemy . Injured severely , he was rescued by local islanders who nursed him until word could be passed and a recovery made . Reusser served as a Captain in Marine Fighting Squadron 312 ( VMF - 312 ) , and earned his first Navy Cross in combat off Okinawa . While there , on May 10 , 1945 , he and a squadronmate , Robert R . Klingman , flew F4U Corsair fighters to intercept a Japanese observation plane at a much higher altitude than usual . When his guns seized up , he and Klingman flew their airplanes into the Japanese plane , destroying its tail with their planes ' propeller . Korean War . On August 5 , 1950 , Major Kenneth L . Reusser became the first Marine aviator , and for that matter the first Marine , to be decorated for gallantry during the Korean War . Flying from the aircraft carrier USS Sicily ( CVE - 118 ) , Maj Reusser led a four - plane flight of Vought F4U Corsairs from Marine Fighter Squadron ( VMF ) 214 , the " Black Sheep , " in a low - level attack . They attacked a North Korean truck park and tank repair facility in the occupied port city of Inchon . With his aircraft heavily damaged by ground fire , he returned to the USS Sicily for repairs and rearmament , then made his way back to Inchon . In the face of fierce ground fire , he destroyed an oil storage facility . With his bombs and rockets expended , Maj Reusser next attacked a camouflaged oil tanker at anchor in the harbor , raking it with 20 mm gunfire until the ship exploded , almost blowing him out of the air . For his actions Reusser was awarded for the second time in his career the naval service ' s second highest award for gallantry , the Navy Cross . Vietnam . During the war Reusser served as commanding officer of Marine Aircraft Group 16 . While leading a rescue mission , his Huey was shot down . He needed skin grafts over 35 percent of his body . Retirement . After retiring as a Colonel from the Marine Corps , Reusser resided in Milwaukie , Oregon . He worked for Lockheed Aircraft and the Piasecki Helicopter Corp . and was active in veterans ' groups . Reusser died on June 20 , 2009 . He is survived by his wife , Trudy ; and sons , Richard C . and Kenneth L . Jr . Military decorations and awards . Reusser received the Navy Cross , the Navy and Marine Corps second highest military award , Twice . He also received five purple hearts , having been shot down at least once in each of the three wars he flew combat missions in