Jack E. Conger
Conger, c. 1944, following his promotion to major
Birth nameJack Eugene Conger
BornApril 6, 1921
Orient, Iowa, U.S.
DiedApril 22, 2006(2006-04-22) (aged 85)
Havelock, North Carolina, U.S.
Buried
Arlington National Cemetery
AllegianceUnited States
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service1941–1964
Rank Colonel
Battles/warsWorld War II Korean War
AwardsNavy Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (2)
Air Medal (5)

Jack Eugene Conger (April 6, 1921 – April 22, 2006) was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer. He was a flying ace credited with shooting down 10 enemy aircraft and was awarded the Navy Cross during World War II.

Early life

Jack E. Conger was born on April 6, 1921, in Orient, Iowa.[1] While in high school, he worked at a movie theater in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. One day, Conger escorted another future Marine flying ace, Joe Foss, out of the theater after he had snuck in.[2]

World War II

Conger enlisted into the Marine Corps from Des Moines in March 1941. He was designated as a Naval Aviator and assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 212 (VMF-212) with the outbreak of World War II.[3]

VMF-212 arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in October 1942. Henderson Field was being bombed daily by Japanese aircraft, and the squadrons operating from the airfield were dubbed the Cactus Air Force. First Lieutenant Conger began flying combat missions on October 16, intercepting and shooting down Japanese bombers and strafing enemy ships and ground positions.[4]

On October 25, First Lieutenant Conger shot down three A6M Zeros during a dogfight. Conger then pursued a fourth Zero, piloted by flying ace Petty Officer Second Class Shiro Ishikawa. Expending the last of his ammunition and determined to knock the plane out of the sky, Conger attempted to use his propeller to chop the tail rudder off Ishikawa's plane. Conger, misjudging the distance between his and Ishikawa's plane, rammed into it and ripped the entire tail off. Both planes then began falling out of the sky, and both pilots bailed out and parachuted into the sea.[2][5]

A Marine rescue boat picked Lieutenant Conger up out of the water, and Conger convinced the Marines not to shoot Ishikawa. Conger reached his hand out to pull Ishikawa aboard the boat, but Ishikawa attempted to shoot Conger with his Nambu pistol. When the waterlogged pistol misfired, Conger threw himself backward and injured his back. Ishikawa then attempted to shoot himself and the pistol misfired again. Conger hit Ishikawa over the head with a gas can and pulled him into the boat.[2][5]

VMF-212 left Guadalcanal in November 1942. For his bravery in shooting down 10 enemy aircraft at Guadalcanal, First Lieutenant Conger was awarded the Navy Cross.[4][6]

In March 1944, Major Conger was assigned to Marine Fighter Squadron 114 (VMF-114). Conger participated in strafing missions in the Solomon Islands and Western Caroline Islands until February 1945. In March of 1945, he strafed Japanese equipment and positions in the Philippine Islands. Conger was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses during this period.[4]

Later career and life

Conger later saw action during the Korean War. He retired from the Marines with the rank of colonel in 1964.[3]

In April 1990, Conger met with Ishikawa at the National Museum of the Pacific War at Fredericksburg, Texas. Ishikawa thanked Conger for saving his life 48 years earlier at Guadalcanal, which allowed him to raise a family.[2][7]

Jack E. Conger died on April 22, 2006, in Havelock, North Carolina. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[1]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Col Jack Eugene Conger". Find A Grave.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Stephen Coonts (29 April 2003). War in the Air. Simon and Schuster. ISBN 9780743464529.
  3. 1 2 "Col Jack E. Conger". Military Hall of Honor.
  4. 1 2 3 "Jack Eugene Conger". Military Times.
  5. 1 2 "World War II: The Cactus Air Force Fought at Guadalcanal". Historynet. 12 June 2006.
  6. ↑ Barrett Tillman (20 May 2014). US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 235–. ISBN 978-1-78200-953-5.
  7. ↑ Diane Stoneback (2001-12-02). "Pearl Harbor to be recalled and relived at Texas museum". The Morning Call.
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