Medal of Honor Fighters – The highest award for extreme service

Medal of Honor pilots 1st Lt. Kenneth A. Walsh, Maj. Gregory Boyington, and 1st Lt. Robert M. Hanson al l flew the venerable F4U Corsair. (Photo by Paul Bowen)

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Captain Henry T. Elrod did it all. In the 16-day defense of Wake Island in December 1941, the 36-year-old Marine shot down at least one Japanese aircraft, sank an enemy warship, and conducted the ground defense on his part of the 1,400-acre sandspit when the invaders got ashore. A native Georgian, Elrod had enlisted in the Corps in 1927, received a commission, and won wings of gold in 1935. He was an experienced fighter pilot...

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