Alphabetical List of WW2 Marine Aces
118 USMC pilots who shot down 5+ Japanese planes
By Stephen Sherman, June, 1999. Updated June 30, 2011.
The Marine Corps aces fought some of the hardest battles of the Pacific War, most notably the grinding struggle for Guadalcanal, where the few pilots of the 'Cactus Air Force' saved the beachhead from Japanese counter-attacks. Several fliers from this period, Joe Foss, John L. Smith, Harold Bauer, and Robert Galer earned the Medal of Honor in this period.
The Marine fliers also figured in the drive up through the Solomons, and achieved many great successes in late 1943 and early 1944, when, equipped with powerful F4U Corsairs, aces like Pappy Boyington and Robert Hanson drove the Zeros from the skies of the Northern Solomons. Later in the war, many Marines 'made ace' over Okinawa, shooting down Japanese Kamikazes.
Here is a complete list of all the USMC aces of World War Two, with links to relevant pages, where available. When I have been able to find it, I have also listed the "highest" medal earned.
Name | Kills | Comments | Medals | Unit | Plane |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Donald N. Aldrich | 20.0 | first enlisted in RCAF | NC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Stuart C. Alley Jr. | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-323 | F4U |
George C. Axtell | 6.0 | CO, ace in a day 4/22/45 | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Robert Baird | 6.0 | only USMC night fighter ace | NC | VMF(N)-533 | F6F |
Robert M. Baker | 7.0 | - | DFC | VMF-121 | F4U |
Donald Luther Balch | 5.0 | 2 in Solomons 3 from Bunker Hill |
DFC | VMF-221 | F4U |
Frank B. Baldwin | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-221 | F4U |
Harold W. Bauer | 11.0 | KIA, C.O. | MH | VMF-212 | F4F |
John F. Bolt Jr. | 6.0 | Black Sheep, also 6 in Korea | NC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Gregory Boyington | 22.0 | C.O. Black Sheep Sqn. POW Jan '44 |
MH | VMF-214 | F4U |
Richard Lane Braun | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
William P. Brown Jr. | 7.0 | - | NC | VMF-311 | F4U |
Marion Eugene Carl | 18.5 | at Midway with VMF-221, first USMC ace |
NC | VMF-223 | 16.5 in F4F 2 in F4U |
William A. Carlton | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-212 | F4U |
William Northrop Case | 8.0 | Black Sheep | DFC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Dean Caswell | 7.0 | - | SS | VMF-221 | F4U |
Creighton Chandler | 6.0 | - | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Arthur Roger Conant | 6.0 | betw. Aug. 43 - Jan. 44 | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Jack E. Conger | 10.0 | TDY with VMF-223 | NC | VMF-212 | F4F |
William E. Crowe | 7.0 | - | NC | VMF-124 | F4U |
James N. Cupp | 13.0 | - | NC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Leonard K. Davis | 5.0 | Guadalcanal, C.O. | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Philip Cunliffe De Long | 11.2 | between Jan.-Feb, 44 | SS | VMF-212 | F4U |
Jefferson J. DeBlanc | 9.0 | 5 kills, then bailed out | MH | VMF-112 | F4F |
Joseph V. Dillard | 6.3 | - | SS | VMF-323 | F4U |
Eugene Dillow | 6.0 | - | DFC | VMF-221 | F4U |
John Francis Dobbin | 8.0 | Evac 10/16/42 | NC | VMF-224 | F4F |
Archie Glenn Donahue | 14.0 | Twice ace in a day | NC | VMF-112 VMF-451 |
2 in F4F 12 in F4U |
Jefferson D. Dorroh | 6.0 | XO, ace in a day 4/22/45 | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Cecil J. Doyle | 5.0 | MIA Nov '42 | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Charles W. Drake | 5.0 | - | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Frank C. Drury | 6.0 | TDY with VMF-223 | NC | VMF-212 | F4F |
Dewey F. Durnford | 6.3 | - | DFC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Hugh McJ. Elwood | 5.2 | - | DSC | VMF-212 | F4U |
Loren D. Everton | 12.0 | 10 on TDY with VMF-223 | NC | VMF-212 | 10 in F4F 2 in F4U |
William Farrell | 5.0 | - | NC | VMF-312 | F4U |
Howard J. Finn | 6.0 | - | DFC | VMF-124 | F4U |
Don Horns Fisher | 6.0 | Black Sheep | DFC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Paul John Fontana | 5.0 | - | NC | VMF-112 | F4F |
Kenneth M. Ford | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-121 | F4U |
Joseph Jacob Foss | 26.0 | active for 3 months, X.O. | MH | VMF-121 | F4F |
Robert B. Fraser | 6.0 | See Porter's book | DFC | VMF-112 | F4F? |
Kenneth D. Frazier | 12.5 | Evac 10/12/42 | NC | VMF-223 | F4F |
William B. Freeman | 6.0 | - | DFC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Robert E. Galer | 13.0 | C.O., 11 kills in 29 days | MH | VMF-224 | F4F |
Fred E. Gutt | 8.0 | - | DFC | VMF-223 | 4 in F4F 4 in F4U |
Roger A. Haberman | 7.0 | Guadalcanal, Wildcat | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Albert C. Hacking | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-221 | F4U |
Sheldon O. Hall | 6.0 | - | AM | VMF-213 | F4U |
Henry B. Hamilton | 7.0 | KIA, TDY with VMF-223 | NC | VMF-212 | F4F |
Herman Hansen Jr. | 5.5 | C.O. of sqn? | NC | VMF-122 | F4U |
Robert Murray Hanson | 25.0 | Top Corsair ace KIA Feb '44, New Ireland |
MH | 2 w/ VMF-214 23 with -215 |
all in F4U |
Edwin James Hernan Jr. | 8.0 | - | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
George L. Hollowell | 8.0 | Evac 10/16/42 | DFC | VMF-224 | F4U |
William L. Hood | 5.5 | - | DFC | VMF-323 | F4U |
John C. Hundley | 6.0 | - | DFC | VMF-211 | F4U |
Julius W. Ireland | 5.3 | all in Jan. 44 | DFC | VMF-211 | F4U |
Alvin J. Jensen | 7.0 | Swashbuckler | NC | VMF-214 | 2 in F4F 5 in F4U |
Charles David Jones | 6.0 | - | SS | VMF-222 | F4U |
Charles Kendrick | 5.0 | KIA 10/2/42 | DFC | VMF-223 | F4F |
Floyd C. Kirkpatrick | 5.5 | 3 on Okinawa | DFC | VMF-441 | F4U |
Charles M. Kunz | 8.0 | Evac 10/16/42 | NC | VMF-224 | F4F |
Wayne W. Laird | 5.0 | - | - | VMF-112 | F4F |
Gregory. K. Loesch | 8.5 | KIA Sept. '43 | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Herbert H. Long | 10.0 | - | LM | VMF-121 | 3 in F4F 7 in F4U |
Joseph P. Lynch | 5.5 | - | DFC | VMF-112/155/224 | 3.5 in F4F 2 in F4U |
John B. Maas Jr. | 5.5 | - | DFC | VMF-112/322 | 3 in F4F 2.5 in F4U |
Christopher L. Magee | 9.0 | Black Sheep | NC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Thomas H. Mann Jr. | 10.0 | TDY with VMF-224 | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
William P. Marontate | 13.0 | KIA Jan. '43 | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
H. Allen McCartney Jr. | 5.0 | Black Sheep | LM | 4 w/ VMF-251/121 1 with VMF-214 |
1 in F4F 4 in F4U |
Robert W. McClurg | 7.0 | Black Sheep | DFC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Selva E. McGinty | 5.0 | 3 on Okinawa | DFC | VMF-441 | F4U |
John McManus | 6.0 | - | SS | VMF-212 | F4U |
John L. Morgan Jr. | 8.5 | - | DFC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Paul A. Mullen | 6.5 | Black Sheep | DFC | 1.5 with VMF-122 5 with VMF-214 |
F4U |
Joseph L. Narr | 8.0 | - | NC | VMF-121 | F4F |
Jeremiah J. O'Keefe | 7.0 | ace in a day 4/22/45 | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Edwin L. Olander | 5.0 | Black Sheep | DFC | VMF-214 | F4U |
Edmund F. Overend | 8.3 | 5.3 Ki-21 bombers 3 with USMC |
DFC | AVG VMF-321 |
5.3 in P-40 3 in F4U |
Donald C. Owen | 5.0 | 2.5 in F4U, Not Cactus? | DFC | VMF-212/112 | F4U/? |
Robert G. Owens Jr. | 7.0 | C.O. of 215, all kills betw. Aug.43 - Jan. 44 |
NC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Frederick R. Payne | 7.5 | TDY with VMF-223 | NC | VMF-212 | F4F |
Gilbert Percy | 6.0 | - | NC | VMF-112 | 5 in F4F 1 in F4U |
Hyde Phillips | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-223 | F4F |
Francis E. Pierce Jr. | 6.0 | NC story in Hammel | NC | VMF-212 | 5 in F4F 1 in F4U |
Jack Pittman Jr. | 7.0 | 3 in F4U | SS | VMF-221 | F4U/? |
Zenneth A. Pond | 6.0 | KIA 9/10/42 | NC | VMF-223 | F4F |
Robert Bruce Porter | 5.0 | only Marine aviator to score kills in both Corsair and Hellcat |
NC | VMF-121 VMF(N)-542 |
3 in F4U 2 in F6F |
George H. Poske | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-212/215 | F4U |
Nathan T. Post | 8.0 | 5 in F4U | LM | VMF-221 | F4U/? |
Ernest A. Powell | 5.0 | 4 in F4U | NC | VMF-122 | F4U/? |
Frank H. Presley | 6.0 | - | NC | VMF-121 | F4U? |
Orvin H. Ramlo | 5.0 | - | NC | VMF-223 | F4F |
J. Hunter Reinburg | 7.0 | 4 in F4U | SS | VMF-121 | F4F/F4U |
John W. Ruhsam | 7.0 | - | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Donald H. Sapp | 11.0 | 10 kills? | NC | VMF-222 | F4U |
Hartwell V. Scarborough | 5.0 | Swashbuckler | DFC | VMF-214 | 1 in F4F 4 in F4U |
Robert Byron See | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-321 | F4U |
Harold E. Segal | 12.0 | fished out of Pacific | DFC | VMF-221 | F4U |
Edward O. Shaw | 13.0 | 14.5 kills? | DFC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Perry L. Shuman | 6.0 | - | LM | VMF-121 | F4U |
Wallace E. Sigler | 5.3 | 4.33 in F4U | DFC | VMF-112/124 | F4F/F4U |
John L. Smith | 19.0 | all in 7 weeks, C.O. | MH | VMF-223 | F4F |
William N. Snider | 11.5 | 8.5 in F4U | SS | VMF-221 | F4U/? |
Harold L. Spears | 15.0 | - | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Robert F. Stout | 6.0 | TDY with VMF-224 | NC | VMF-212 | F4F |
James E. Swett | 15.5 | 7 Vals on 7Apr43 | MH | VMF-221 | 7 in F4F 8.5 in F4U |
Stanley T. "Chief" Synar | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-112 VMF-214 |
2 in F4F 3 in F4U |
Francis A. Terrill | 6.1 | - | DFC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Franklin C. Thomas Jr. | 9.0 | - | NC | VMF-112? | F4F |
Wilbur J. Thomas | 18.5 | 4 Zeroes on Jun 30 '44; 2 from Essex in Feb. 45 |
NC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Eugene A. Trowbridge | 12.0 | Evac 9/14/42 | NC | VMF-223 | F4F |
Herbert J. Valentine | 6.0 | - | NC | VMF-312 | F4U |
Milton N. Vedder | 6.0 | 4 in Corsair | DFC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Robert Wade | 7.0 | - | NC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Kenneth A. Walsh | 21.0 | Solomons, first Corsair ace | MH | VMF-124 | F4U |
Arthur T. Warner | 8.0 | - | NC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Gregory J. Weissenberger | 5.0 | C.O. ; all kills June - July 43 | DFC | VMF-213 | F4U |
Albert P. Wells | 5.0 | - | DFC | VMF-323 | F4U |
Gerard M.H. Williams | 7.0 | - | DFC | VMF-215 | F4U |
Donald K. Yost | 8.0 | VMF-121 in late '42 VMF-351 in mid '45 |
SS | VMF-121 VMF-351 |
6 in F4F 2 in F4U |
Michael R. Yunck | 5.0 | 2 in F4U | SS | VMF-311 | F4U/? |