My friend Jeanette was cleaning out her bookshelves and I was rearranging them for her.  One book caught my eye and she said, “Take it.”  I am reading “Baa Baa Black Sheep.”  

I had bought a copy of that book in 1968 when it was published.  Pappy (Gregory) Boyington was sitting outside a bookstore in Santa Ana California signing books so I  bought one.  He asked me how I wanted it signed and I told him.  He said, “I know Ken...”  

Pappy was the World War II ace in the Pacific, a Marine fighter pilot.  I never read the book.  I didn’t have time back then...and to tell the truth, I didn’t know much about what fighter pilots did....even though  I was married to one.  If I had read it, I would have had a better idea of what flying a Corsair in combat was all about.

They were the airplanes that were left over from World War II that Ken flew in Korea.  Prop planes...replaced after Ken flew 27 missions and was hit 7 times.  They went to jets.  F-9’s.  Ken had been in the first class of jet aviation--I think Corpus Cristi?  So he was immediately qualified for F-9’s in Korea.

Anyway.  I took the book home with me from my friend’s house, and am reading it, and wish I could tell Ken “Thank You” for what he went through.  The Corsair was able to take enormous flac damage and keep flying.  They ran out of gas, lost parts of their planes, and kept getting back alive.  At least, some of them did.

I am halfway through the book and can’t lay it down.  Ken never talked about it---so I didn’t know.  Sadly, I gave the book away that was signed by Pappy. I wonder where it is?