What do you think?
Rate this book
The Guadalcanal Air War: Col. Jefferson DeBlanc's Story
A Marine flying ace and Medal of Honor recipient’s firsthand account of aerial combat in World War II’s Pacific theater.
Young Jefferson J. DeBlanc always played cowboys and Indians dressed in a Captain Eddie Rickenbacker flying suit and Sam Browne belt and goggles. From his early childhood, he was fascinated with planes, and when he enrolled in Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), he studied and excelled in pilot training.
DeBlanc first saw action in World War II at the island of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. From his very first day there, he proved himself as a talented fighter pilot. He shot down two Betty bombers on his first day and soon began to lead his own squadron in the air. Within weeks, he was part of the flying elite, the Marine Fighter Aces.
The Guadalcanal Air War is DeBlanc’s firsthand account of his training and the events on Guadalcanal. It is DeBlanc’s journey as a man as he discovers the value of life, including his own. Because of the efforts of men like DeBlanc, the battles fought on and above Guadalcanal marked a turning point in the war and ended Japanese expansion.
“A gallant officer, a superb airman, and an indomitable fighter . . . [He] rendered decisive assistance during a critical stage of operations.” —Harry S. Truman, Medal of Honor Citation
Young Jefferson J. DeBlanc always played cowboys and Indians dressed in a Captain Eddie Rickenbacker flying suit and Sam Browne belt and goggles. From his early childhood, he was fascinated with planes, and when he enrolled in Southwestern Louisiana Institute (now the University of Louisiana at Lafayette), he studied and excelled in pilot training.
DeBlanc first saw action in World War II at the island of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. From his very first day there, he proved himself as a talented fighter pilot. He shot down two Betty bombers on his first day and soon began to lead his own squadron in the air. Within weeks, he was part of the flying elite, the Marine Fighter Aces.
The Guadalcanal Air War is DeBlanc’s firsthand account of his training and the events on Guadalcanal. It is DeBlanc’s journey as a man as he discovers the value of life, including his own. Because of the efforts of men like DeBlanc, the battles fought on and above Guadalcanal marked a turning point in the war and ended Japanese expansion.
“A gallant officer, a superb airman, and an indomitable fighter . . . [He] rendered decisive assistance during a critical stage of operations.” —Harry S. Truman, Medal of Honor Citation
252 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 15, 2008
1 person is currently reading
3 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 of 1 review
November 8, 2025
This is a bit disjointed, and there may be some inaccuracies (I wasn't able to do the research needed to check) due to the age at which Colonel DeBlanc wrote this account. The book is clearly written primarily for the third section - to support the maintenance of battle sites in the Solomon Islands as well as the natives who rescued then LT DeBlanc from the sea and delivered him back to his squadron. It's a quick read. If you are interested in the air war over Guadalcanal, give it a quick read.
Displaying 1 of 1 review