Eagle Biography
Joseph J. "Joe" Foss
The first American to tie Eddie Rickenbacker's World War I record of 26 aerial combat
victories was Joe Foss, the "Flying Marine." Born in a farmhouse just east of
Sioux Falls, South Dakota, he graduated from the University of South Dakota and then
joined the Marine Corps. He was considered too old to fly fighters and was initially
assigned to reconnaissance aircraft. He doggedly pursued being a fighter pilot and on 1
August 1942, he reported in with VMF-121 as the executive officer. Flying F4F-4
Wildcats, he deployed along with the squadron to Henderson Field as part of
Guadalcanal's "Cactus Air Force" (named after the Navy code word for the
besieged island).
In the heated contest for Guadalacanal between 9 October and 19
November 1942, he shot down 23 Japanese aircraft. Following a month-long break from
combat, he closed out his scoring record with three additional kills. On 25 January 1943,
he led his "Flying Circus" flight of eight F4Fs plus four Army P-38
Lightnings in a clever ruse against the enemy. Facing upwards of 100 fighters and
bombers, the 12 Americans moved in and out of the clouds refusing to fight. The Japanese,
believing the Wildcats to be merely the bait for a much larger American force, aborted
their attack, jettisoned their bombs harmlessly into the sea, and headed home.
Altogether, Captain Foss led his flight's two divisions--the "Farm Boys" and the
"City Slickers"--to a total of 73 combat victories. In May 1943, President
Roosevelt awarded him the Congressional Medal of Honor for his extraordinary combat
record during the Guadalcanal operation. Additionally, in 1943, Foss was selected as one
of that year's "Ten Outstanding Young Men in America" and was featured in the
cover story of a leading magazine. Major Foss left the Marine Corps after the war and
returned to his native South Dakota.
He helped organize that state's Air National Guard.
In 1953, he was promoted to brigadier general and named Chief of Staff, South Dakota Air
National Guard. Elected Governor of South Dakota in 1954, he served two terms of office,
and in 1960 he became the first Commissioner of the newly organized American Football
League. A leader with unbridled enthusiasm, he has served as Director of Public Affairs
for KLM Airlines, as President and Chairman of the Board of the Air Force Association, and
is a member of the National Aviation Hall of Fame.
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On 15 January 1943, while escorting dive bombers on a mission against an
enemy transport and destroyer, Foss' flight of F4Fs and Army P-39 Airacobras
were attacked by a flight of new square-winged Zeros. He destroyed the first
Zero with a single short burst and then quickly shot down a wingman. His final
kill of the day was a Zero dueling nose-to-nose with him. As the Zero
descended, Foss climbed "into him" and fired a burst into the side
of the cockpit as the pilot tried to turn right and away from Foss' Wildcat.
The Zero crashed in flames, and this victory made Foss the second ranking
Marine ace of World War II.
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