Friend was talking to me about Boyington. He had talked to him before a radio interview some years ago here. He was a POW in Japan for a year plus. Said that he actually felt better when he was a POW because there was no alcohol in his 'diet'. (BS?) He was also aparently a draftsman at Boeing for a while after the war. Wonder if Bob ran across him. I knew he also flew P-40's for Chennalult's Flying Tigers. My wife's father did also... left college to go. I met him at an airshow here; he autographed his book for me. I confess that I've seen every episode of "Baa Baa Black Sheep"... knowing it was mostly fiction. The planes were fantastic.
Met him a couple of times. He lived near a friend in Fresno CA. Also read all I have ever found on him. Interesting character, pretty out of control his whole life but a hell of a combat pilot. Never heard the part about working for Boeing but if true I suspect it was not a happy ending. Good example of someone the military has no need for except in time of war. He cheated death a number of times. He must have had an angel because it is a true miracle he died of natural causes at 76. He looked 98.
I never knew that Boynton was at Boeing. I didn't start there until 1950 and I would imagine that he was there before me. I can't imagine him being a draftsman...for very long.
I think I was wrong... he probably worked for Boeing before the war, after college. From a bio: "Boyington attended the University of Washington, where he graduated with a B.S. in Aeronautical Engineering. He would then go on to work for the Boeing Company as a draftsman and engineer."
Bob, https://web.archive.org/web/20110615072415/http://www.tecom.usmc.mil/HD/Whos_Who/Boyington_G.htm It was in 1935 that he went to work for Boeing, according to this biographical notice. A french source (!) give him as having qualified for his degree in Mechanical Engineering from the University of the state of Washington in 1934. Rgds
That makes more sense...was Aero even a degree option in 1934...let alone starting college in 1930 or '31?
Well, I have no clue for the United States of America, but the french Institute for Aeronautical Engineers opened in 1909, so it would seem possible indeed... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/%C3%89cole_nationale_sup%C3%A9rieure_de_l%27a%C3%A9ronautique_et_de_l%27espace https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Institut_sup%C3%A9rieur_de_l%27a%C3%A9ronautique_et_de_l%27espace Rgds
Well, that means there is no way that Bob was there when Boyington was. Bob's pic on the back of his book, taken in '32, shows a kid in overalls on the farm with his sister, that looks about 10 years old.
Using my E6B, the Cray Computer, and my hand held calculator I figured out that I was 6 years old when that photo was shot. I was born in 1926. Where that farm was is now some of the most spendy real estate in the country and I wondered what happened to the log cabin that was in the barnyard. It was built in 1860 to house slaves.
When I met Boyington, he did NOT strike me as an aeronautical engineer type. Did not even have a slipstick (sliderule, kids) in his pocket.
He was one of my childhood heroes. I read his autobiography several times and have seen every episode of the TV show many times. I recall going as him to 7th grade "hero" day. I borrowed a naval aviator leather jacket and Captain's hat from my neighbor, a retired naval officer, to wear to school that day for my presentation as Major Greg Boyington. I had poster boards put together with Boyington's history and pictures of the P40 and Corsair that he flew. I was one popular kid in that outfit on that day at school. This thread brought back a nice memory from that day nearly 40 years ago.
