photo #2347232

Brig. Gen. Joseph J. Foss, Marine CorpsHometown: Sioux Falls, South Dakota Aka: Smokey Joe, Old Joe, Old Foss Years of Service: 1939 to 1955 War: World War II Confirmed Kills: 26Joseph Foss dreamed of being a fighter pilot, but at the age of 26, he was considered too old, so the Navy sent him to the School of Photography to become an aerial photographer. Foss continued to make numerous requests to join a fighter pilot qualification program before finally being assigned to a training squadron to learn to fly the F-4F Wildcat. There he logged more than 150 hours in two months. He then joined Marine Fighter Squadron 121 (VMF-121), a U.S. Marine Corps F-4F squadron. Foss eventually became famous for his close-up gunnery skills. In the battle of Guadalcanal, he shot down 26 enemy aircraft with his team of eight Wildcats. His team, which was dubbed “Foss’ Flying Circus,” shot down 72 Japanese aircraft during that battle. His 26 victories made him the first American pilot to match Ace Eddie Rickenbacker’s record from WWI.Upon returning from war, Foss was awarded the Medal of Honor and dubbed America's first WWII "Ace of Aces." He later became the youngest governor of South Dakota at the age of 39, the first commissioner of the American Football League (which eventually merged with the NFL) and a president for the National Rifle Association.