Medal of Honor Monday: Marine Corps Col. Gregory Boyington
Oct. 18, 2021 | BY Katie Lange , DOD News
Medal of Honor Monday graphic
If you're a Marine Corps aviator, you've likely heard tales of Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, one of the service's greatest pilots. Boyington's exploits during World War II became so famous that they were made into a TV show. But behind the scenes, his leadership vastly helped the Allies in the Pacific, and it was that persistence that earned him the Medal of Honor.
Boyington was born Dec. 4, 1912, in Coeur D'Alene, Idaho. His parents divorced when he was very young, so he grew up with his mother and stepfather, Gregory Hallenbeck, who raised him with the Hallenbeck surname.
Boyington's interest in flying began early in life. He built model airplanes as a boy and even talked famed stunt pilot Clyde Pangborn into taking him and a friend for a ride when Pangborn was performing at a nearby flying exhibition.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Feature-Stories/Story/Article/2808842/medal-of-honor-monday-marine-corps-col-gregory-boyington/
