In proud landing, it’s Pappy Boyington Field

World War II Marine Corps fighter ace Gregory “Pappy” Boyington got his due on Saturday when the Coeur d’Alene Airport was officially dedicated as Coeur d’Alene Airport/Pappy Boyington Field.

Hundreds of people, including a strong contingent of military veterans, gathered along the tarmac at the western edge of the Kootenai County-owned airport for an afternoon ceremony that paid homage to the late Boyington, a North Idaho native, and all veterans.

“Those who fought with him also deserve esteem,” said U.S. Rep. Bill Sali, one of several dignitaries to address the crowd.

Two first-year Kootenai County commissioners – Rich Piazza and Todd Tondee – also appeared after they were credited with gaining approval last month of a long-standing request by veterans to honor Boyington with the airport name.

“This is a good thing we’ve done,” Piazza told the gathering.

Near the end of the ceremony, Boyington’s son, Greg Boyington Jr., stood before the microphone on the bed of a small trailer and said, “I want to thank every one of you for coming out here this afternoon. It’s really quite a day.”

“It’s a proud day,” Boyington said about the renaming effort pushed by the Marine Corps League’s Pappy Boyington Detachment 966 in North Idaho.

“It proves they (fellow Marines) never leave their men behind,” he said, and then quickly added, “Semper fi.”

The decision to rename the airport for Boyington came last month when Piazza and Tondee tossed aside opposition from the county’s Airport Advisory Board and airport manager, who were concerned that the name change might confuse visiting pilots and increase safety risks.

But Piazza and Tondee countered by saying that a check with the Federal Aviation Administration produced no such concerns.

State Rep. Marge Chadderdon gave the two commissioners a photograph of Boyington framed inside a star, a legacy print she and her late husband, Keith, purchased in 1991.

It will initially be hung in a memorial at the Kootenai County Courthouse and may later be moved to the airport when the facility is improved, one of the commissioners said.

For those in the crowd, Saturday was a day of triumph.

“This is a very great thing for Coeur d’Alene and the state of Idaho,” said retired Air Force Capt. Allan Hagelthorn, who fought for the renaming and is a North Idaho leader in the Distinguished Flying Cross Society.

Boyington, who was shot down and rescued by a Japanese submarine during the latter part of World War II, was credited with destroying 26 enemy aircraft dating back to his service with the Flying Tigers over China. However, four of those “kills” may have been planes destroyed on the ground and later credited to Boyington. Other sources give him 22 and 28 kills, but Boyington is generally recognized as having tied the American fighter record at 26.

Regardless, Boyington, a Sioux Indian, was presented with the Congressional Medal of Honor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt for his valor with the famed Black Sheep Squadron in the Pacific theater. He was also awarded the Navy Cross, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.

He died in 1988 at age 76 and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Noelan McCormack, senior vice commandant of the Boyington detachment, said he is proud to have met Boyington once and to share the same birthday, Dec. 4. McCormack was one of the veterans who pushed for recognition of the North Idaho ace.

“What do I think Pappy’s saying?” McCormack said, and then answered the question: “Thank you. It’s about time.”