Captain Foss, USMC, LIFE Magazine find!

[Gaige]

Found this on the 'bay with a $12.80 Buy-It-Now and thought it was a great find.

June, 1943. LIFE Magazine; Captain Joe Foss, USMC Ace.

Just wanted to share a pic of the cover... I think it's phenomenal.

Here's a wonderful link with a bit of Captain Foss' history: http://www.acepilots.com/usmc_foss.html

 

[PADDY]

Nice Find!

Those old Life covers are great aren't they!!:eusa_clap And you'll find 'more' super little finds inside too!

 

[Gaige]

True enough!

I was just thrilled to find this issue; Captain Foss is an absolute legend and hero.

 

[Starius]

fftopic:

Hmmmm, I had a uncle who was a Foss. Wonder if he was related. Not a stretch of the imagination, Sioux Falls is only 2 hours away from here.

I should look into that.

 

[Gideon Ashe]

General Joe Foss

FYI, in 2002 the TSA stopped General Foss enroute to a formal event for Medal of Honor recipients. The TSA attempted to confiscate the 86 year old Marine General multi-Ace five pointed star medal placed around his neck by FDR, because it resembled a "Ninja throwing star"(shurikin).

The TSA Supervisor stated he never heard of either General Foss or the Medal of Honor. The General who was given towards wearing cowboy boots, western clothing and large brimmed hats, refused to give up the medal and eventually AFTER a series of telephone calls, he was allowed to procede. The medal was allowed to be kept in the cockpit by the A/C until completion of the flight.
General Foss passed away last year.
He was awarded the MOH for shooting down 26 enemy aircraft in combat engagements.

 

[Gaige]

I recall hearing about that (the TSA fiasco) when it happened and was mortified.

He kept telling them to look at the back, which would explain everything about it, but for some reason... they didn't, or wouldn't.

It's sad.

 

[Twitch]

That's cool. Hang onto that! I met him on several occassions and was impressed with his commanding presence. And when he'd walk into a room in his formal dress uniform with the MOH around his neck he was godly.

 

[The Wingnut]

One of the nicest guys I've ever met. He was known for constantly chomping on a cigar, so much, in fact, that the art on the side of his Corsair had a cartoon Corsair chewing a cigar!

 

[BegintheBeguine]

Interesting. Thanks for posting. (Still can't get over the person who never heard of the Medal of Honor.)

 

[dhermann1]

Some of the people hired for these jobs are fourth grade dropouts. Keep in mind history is not taught, civics is not taught. Kids are taught touchy feely hoo ha. They can't even add or subtract. I raed a blog recently about a guy at a political rally talking to a 35 year old woman who says to him "Who won World War II, anyway?" Never underestimate the utter abysmal ignorance of vast huge numbers of Americans.
Oh dear. Was that a rant? So sorry!

 

[The Wingnut]

Shortly after 9/11 I nearly had my belt buckle confiscated. This was before I dressed well while traveling.

It looks like this:

...the TSA agents were concerned that the 'sharp' pointed feathers could injure someone if it were used as a weapon. Well, yeah, sure...but considering a guy who tried to light a shoe full of semtex on fire got the ever-loving crap beat out of him by his fellow passengers, you'd have to be a complete twit to try to start swinging a belt around on a plane these days.

People have no concept of acceptable risk or common sense anymore. 'Zero tolerance' is overriding them.

 

[PADDY]

Capt Foss, USMC (on the front page of LIFE...wow!!)

fftopic: Capt. Foss, USMC. Please?
(I get distracted too in my enthusiasm gents, so you're not alone )

 

[imoldfashioned]

"The TSA Supervisor stated he never heard of either General Foss or the Medal of Honor..."

Gosh, that statement makes me proud to be an American! :eusa_doh:

Even if was true that the TSA idiot didn't realize he was speaking with a war hero he should still have treated the man with respect because he was an elder.

I hope the TSA supervisior (and ain't that the kicker; supervisor!) was reprimanded, though I'll bet you dollars to doughnuts he wasn't.

Sorry, can you move over on that rant bench dhermann1?

 

[Twitch]

Mr Hermann- there is a woman in my wife's office who didi not know who Hitler was.

Joe Foss would give guys like me interviewing him and asking endless questions all the time in the world as if he was at your command. And when the topic of his time at the NRA came up he bristled with resolve concerning the anti weenies.

Seems like so short a time ago I was asking him about the vices and virtues between the 4 and 6 gunned Wildcat.