Jefferson J. DeBlanc
Jefferson Joseph DeBlanc (born in
Lockport, Louisiana, on
15 February 1921) is a
World War II Marine Corps flying ace — shooting down nine enemy aircraft during his two tours of duty in the Pacific at
Guadalcanal and
Okinawa — and a
Medal of Honor recipient.
He enlisted in the
Naval Reserve as a Seaman, Second Class on
29 July 1941 and received flight training at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in
New Orleans, for two weeks, before going to the Naval Air Station in
Corpus Christi, Texas, to continue his training. His Naval enlistment was terminated under honorable conditions on
15 October 1941 and he was appointed an Aviation Cadet, USNR, on the following day.
Commissioned a second lieutenant in the
Marine Corps Reserve on
4 May 1942, 2dLt DeBlanc moved to San Diego to join Headquarters Squadron,
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
World War II
In July he was assigned to the Advance Carrier Training Group, where he remained under instruction until 6 August. He was placed in the new pilot's pool until he joined
VMF-112,
Marine Aircraft Group 11,
1st Marine Aircraft Wing in October. Two weeks later he left for overseas and arrived at Guadalcanal on 1 November. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 19 December 1942.
Solomon Islands action
On
31 January 1943, he was flying over enemy-held
Kolombangara Island in the
Solomons as a section leader of six fighter planes of Marine Fighting Squadron 112. Their mission was to escort a strike force of
dive bombers and
torpedo planes out to attack Japanese surface vessels.
Leading his section directly to the target area, 1stLt DeBlanc and the strike force encountered a large number of
Japanese Zeros, the premier Japanese fighter aircraft of World War II, protecting the enemy's surface craft. Immediately engaging the Zeros at 14,000 feet, he aggressively countered their repeated attempts to drive off the Marine
bombers and waged fierce combat until he received a call for assistance from the dive bombers which were under attack at 1,000 feet.
Diving to that altitude, he plunged into the formation of enemy
float planes and practically single-handedly disrupted their attack, thus enabling the Marine dive bombers to complete their runs on the enemy ships and to escape. His escort mission thus completed, 1stLt DeBlanc nevertheless remained on the scene, despite his rapidly diminishing fuel supply, and challenged the superior number of float planes.
His aggressiveness against these tremendous odds paid off as he destroyed three of the enemy planes and dispersed the remainder. Preparing to maneuver his damaged plane back to Guadalcanal, the lieutenant had climbed aloft and set his course before he noticed two more Zeros closing in upon him from behind. In a short, bitterly-fought contest, 1stLt DeBlanc sent two more Japanese planes crashing into the sea. However, his own plane was so badly damaged in the encounter that the new Marine ace was forced to bail out at a perilously low altitude atop the trees of Japanese-held Kolombangara.
Landing in the sea, 1stLt DeBlanc discovered that he was badly wounded in the back, arms and legs, and that he was a long way from shore. Supported only by his
life jacket, he headed for the beach. After six hours in the water he crawled up on the enemy beach, and for more than two days subsisted on coconuts while his wounds went unattended. He was found by a party of friendly natives who hid him and cared for him. The
coast watcher in that locality was notified and immediately attempted to contact the Allied authorities by clandestine radio. After 15 days on Kolombangara, one of the Navy
PBY's (a type of seaplane) landed in the surf off the island and the natives paddled 1stLt DeBlanc out to it in a canoe. He was flown back to his base and to the hospital.
Return to U.S.
Promoted to captain on
1 June 1943, he was transferred to
VMF-122, Marine Aircraft Group 11, in July, and his return to the United States followed about six weeks later.
Assigned to Headquarters Squadron 41, Marine Base Defense Air Group 41,
Marine Corps Air Station El Toro,
Santa Ana, California, he remained in that unit until December 1943, when he was transferred to Headquarters Squadron,
Marine Aircraft Group 32. Two months later he rejoined Marine Base Defense Air Group 41. After one month with them, the captain was assigned to
VMF-461, Marine Base Defense Air Group 43 in
El Centro, California.
2nd overseas tour
In November 1944, Capt DeBlanc embarked upon his second tour of overseas service. He joined
VMF-422 in the
Marshall Islands and remained in that area until May 1945, when he flew northward to participate in the
Okinawa campaign with
VMF-212. He continued operating in the Ryukyus until the end of the war, bagging one more Japanese plane to raise his total to nine. He returned to the United States again in October and was detached to Naval Air Station in Seattle, Washington.
Reserve duty
Captain DeBlanc was discharged from active duty on
31 December 1945. He returned to his home in St. Martinville, Louisiana, and was assigned to the 8th
Marine Corps Reserve District.
He retired from the
Marine Corps Reserve as a colonel on
1 July 1972.
Decorations
On
6 December 1946, Capt DeBlanc stood before President
Harry S. Truman in the
White House and had the Medal of Honor hung around his neck "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.
In addition to the Medal of Honor, Col DeBlanc holds the
Distinguished Flying Cross; the
Purple Heart; the Air Medal with four gold stars in lieu of second through fifth award; Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars; American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
Medal of Honor citation
The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to
FIRST LIEUTENANT JEFFERSON J. DEBLANC
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVEfor service as set forth in the following CITATION:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as Leader of a Section of Six Fighter Planes in Marine Fighting Squadron ONE HUNDRED TWELVE, during aerial operations against enemy Japanese forces off Kolombangara Island in the Solomons Group, 31 January 1943. Taking off with his section as escort for a strike force of dive bombers and torpedo planes ordered to attack Japanese surface vessels, First Lieutenant DeBlanc led his flight directly to the target area where, at 14,000 feet, our strike force encountered a large number Japanese Zeros protecting the enemy's surface craft. In company with the other fighters, First Lieutenant DeBlanc instantly engaged the hostile planes and aggressively countered their repeated attempts to drive off our bombers, persevering in his efforts to protect the diving planes and waging fierce combat until, picking up a call for assistance from the dive bombers under attack by enemy float planes at 1,000 feet, he broke off his engagement with the Zeros, plunged into the formation of float planes and disrupted the savage attack, enabling our dive bombers and torpedo planes to complete their runs on the Japanese surface disposition and to withdraw without further incident. Although his escort mission was fulfilled upon the safe retirement of the bombers, First Lieutenant DeBlanc courageously remained on the scene despite a rapidly diminishing fuel supply and, boldly challenging the enemy's superior number of float planes, fought a valiant battle against terrific odds, seizing the tactical advantage and striking repeatedly to destroy three of the hostile aircraft and to disperse the remainder. Prepared to maneuver his damaged plane back to base, he had climbed aloft and set his course when he discovered two Zeros closing in behind. Undaunted, he opened fire and blasted both Zeros from the sky in short, bitterly fought action which resulted in such hopeless damage to his plane that he was forced to bail out at a perilously low altitude atop the trees on enemy-held Kolombangara. A gallant officer, a superb airman and an indomitable fighter, First Lieutenant DeBlanc had rendered decisive assistance during a critical stage of operations, and his unwavering fortitude in the face of overwhelming opposition reflects the highest credit upon himself and adds new luster to the traditions of the United States Naval Service.
/S/ HARRY S. TRUMAN
After returning to the U.S., DeBlanc continued his education — earning a
B.S. degree in physics and math in from
Southwestern Louisiana Institute in 1947; an
M.A. Education (physics) from
Louisiana State University in 1951 and a second master's degree in Education (mathematics) in 1963; and earning a
doctorate (Ed.D) in Education from
McNeese State University in 1973. During this time, he remained in the Marine Corps Reserves, serving as commander of Marine Air Reserve Group 18.
This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps.*
Colonel Jefferson Joseph De Blanc, USMCR,
Who's Who in Marine Corps History, History Division, United States Marine Corp.
*
Medal of Honor citation*
"Marine Corps Aces of WW II", AcePilots.com.
*
"Pilot - Jefferson DeBlanc", Guadalcanal VMF-112 Wolfpack website.
*Buckman, Robert.
"Medal of Honor Winner Recalls South Pacific Saga",
Times-Picayune, January 31, 1993. (URL accessed
April 23,
2006)
*Mersky, Commander Peter B.
Time of the Aces: Marine Pilots in the Solomons, Marines in World War II Commemorative Series, Marine Corps History and Museums Division, United States Marine Corps, 1993. (Retrieved on
2006-07-15)
