Jefferson J. DeBlanc
Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc (February 15, 1921 – November 22, 2007) was an American World War II Marine Corps fighter pilot and flying ace, credited with shooting down nine Japanese aircraft during two tours of duty in the Pacific at Guadalcanal and Okinawa.On 29 January 1943, DeBlanc was forced to ditch his Wildcat and luckily landed in the wake of an American destroyer that was fleeing across Ironbottom Sound due to a Japanese air raid.En route to the target area, DeBlanc discovered and reported to Guadalcanal that his fighter had developed a serious fuel leak which made return to base unlikely and he requested that rescue forces be alerted.By this time, night was falling, but DeBlanc observed a formation of Nakajima Ki-43 "Oscar" Imperial Japanese Army fighters headed for the dive bombers.DeBlanc himself was saved when a third Wildcat flown by Lt. James Lavell Secrest, approaching from head-on, overflew his aircraft and forced a pursuing "Oscar" to dive away.Rounds struck his aircraft, ripped his wrist watch from his arm, smashed the instrument panel, and set afire the Wildcat's engine.The tribal members carried DeBlanc by outrigger canoe to the home of an Anglican missionary, who forwarded him to two Coastwatchers, who immediately attempted contact with the Allied authorities by clandestine radio.On 12 February, three days before his 22nd birthday, a Navy PBY Catalina patrol bomber landed in the sea off the island and tribal members paddled DeBlanc out to it in a canoe.On December 6, 1946, DeBlanc was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman in the White House "for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty" for his actions in the Solomon Islands on January 31, 1943.[4] On the morning of Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007, Jefferson DeBlanc died in Lafayette, Louisiana, age 86, from complications due to pneumonia.
Lockport, LouisianaLafayette, LouisianaUnited States of AmericaUnited States NavyUnited States Marine CorpsUnited States Marine Corps ReserveColonelVMA-112World War IIMedal of HonorDistinguished Flying CrossPurple HeartAir MedalAmericanMarine Corpsflying aceJapaneseGuadalcanalOkinawashot down five Japanese aircraft in minutesUnited States Navy ReserveNew OrleansNaval Air StationCorpus Christi, TexasMarine Corps Reserve2nd Marine Aircraft WingF4F WildcatVMF-112Marine Aircraft Group 111st Marine Aircraft WingMitsubishi G4MtorpedoIronbottom SoundKolombangaraSolomons IslandsF4F WildcatsSBD Dauntlessdive bombersMitsubishi F1MNakajima Ki-43Imperial Japanese ArmyThach Weavewrist watchVella Gulflife jacketAnglicanmissionaryCoastwatchersPBY CatalinaA6M ZerocaptainVMF-122Marine Corps Air Station El ToroSanta Ana, CaliforniaMarine Aircraft Group 32VMF-461El Centro, CaliforniaVMF-422Marshall IslandsVMF-212Okinawa campaignSolomon IslandsAichi D3AYokoate-jimaF4U CorsairHarry S. TrumanWhite HousePresidential Unit CitationUnited States Naval Aviator BadgeCombat Action RibbonNavy Presidential Unit CitationAmerican Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalNavy Occupation Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalArmed Forces Reserve MedalhourglassMarine Corps Reserve RibbonHarry TrumanUnited States Naval ServiceB.S. degreeSouthwestern Louisiana InstituteLouisiana State UniversitydoctorateMcNeese State UniversitySt. Martinville, LouisianaAllied Joint Force Command BrunssumHistory ChannelDogfightsace in a dayList of Medal of Honor recipientsGeorge C. AxtellArchie G. DonahueJeremiah J. O'KeefeJames E. SwettJohn L. SmithThe Times-Picayunepublic domain materialThe History Channel