Black Sheep One: The Life of Gregory Pappy Boyington by Bruce Gamble

Author:Bruce Gamble
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Published: 2009-01-15T22:00:00+00:00

*One pilot, 1st Lt. James Swett, shot down seven Vals and probably an eighth in a span of minutes before ditching his F4F. He later received a Medal of Honor.

13

Boyington's Bastards

While Boyington fretted over the bad luck that had plagued him for years, he simultaneously discovered that Auckland wasn't a terribly difficult place in which to endure a month's recovery. Better off than most patients on the physical therapy ward at Naval Mobile Hospital Number 4, he became adept at getting around on crutches, and learned to hobble down the road to the nearest watering hole. Getting back to the hospital drunk and on crutches proved a different story. Tony Eisele, sent down to MOB-4 to recover from malaria, supported Boyington during the hike back, “once with a broken cast on his leg after another friendly brawl.” When he was required to be in the hospital, Boyington occupied his time with poker games; when he could get away, he dallied with a divorcée named Carrie, “a truly fine woman” who made his stay “worthwhile.”

On Independence Day, appropriately enough, his cast came off and was replaced with a heavy bandage for support. After two more weeks of physical therapy he could put full weight on his ankle, so the hospital discharged him. He flew to New Caledonia, got his orders straightened out, then hooked up with SCAT for a ride to Turtle Bay.

The flight aboard the transport led to another stay in a hospital. Fast asleep when the R4D began a rapid descent to land at Espíritu Santo on July 25, Boyington awoke in pain, unable to equalize his right ear fast enough to offset the sudden pressure change. It was aching when he reported to MAG-11 upon arrival, where his day took another turn for the worse. Smoak was now in command of the air group.

Boyington was in too much pain to fuss. His sinusitis developed into a full-blown tropical cold, then his ear became infected, and he was admitted to the field hospital at Turtle Bay for three days of bed rest. By the time he was discharged on the last day of July, he had nothing to show for six months in the South Pacific except a sore ankle. He was also out three hundred dollars thanks to Smoak.

There could be no doubt that Smoak had been furious over Boyington's visit to “Nuts” Moore on the night of May 29; that sort of subterfuge was intolerable to his type. Conveniently, Boyington had punished himself by breaking his leg, but Smoak managed to add insult to injury. Ever mindful of the regulations, he suspended Boyington's flight status as soon as he was medically grounded, thereby cutting his pay by $150 per month.

Ironically, Boyington was given command of another squadron upon his return to duty, which must have come as a surprise, though it turned out to be a squadron in name only. Furthermore, his duties required nothing more than shuffling papers, which he dreaded. He was stuck on the ground until he could pass a flight physical.

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