Blood Red Skies: US Ace Pilot – 'Pappy' Boyington

Major Gregory “Pappy” Boyington (Medal of Honor, Navy Cross) learnt his deadly trade during a year’s tour in China as a member of the 1st American Volunteer Group (The Flying Tigers). Upon returning to the US, In 1943, he was charged to take a group of twenty-seven young men and form the new Marine Attack Squadron 214.

VMA214 (Black Sheep) would earn its reputation and the Presidential Unit Citation for extraordinary heroism in action under Pappy's command; fighting for 84 days achieving a record 203 Japanese planes destroyed or damaged, produced nine fighter aces with 97 confirmed air-to-air kills (22 by Boyington), several troop transports and supply ships sunk, destroyed many installations, in addition to numerous other victories.

—description from the publisher