We Lost Another Great Hero

Ken McCracken • July 6, 2009

I hope Colonel Reusser forgives me for using a picture of a Navy Corsair since I couldn’t find a Marine bird.
This is impossible to imagine.

During one mission, Reusser was assigned to attack a Japanese reconnaissance plane that was gathering intelligence on the location of U.S. forces. He followed the Japanese plane at altitudes that the U.S. plane was not made to withstand.
When his guns froze, Reusser used the propellers of his F4U-4Corsair to rip through the Japanese plane’s tail section, sending it crashing to the sea.

A hero in three wars. Flew with Pappy Boyington and the Black Sheep in the Pacific. Awarded his second Navy Cross in Korea for flying low so he could see what was going on INSIDE SOME ENEMY BUILDINGS. Shot down flying a helicopter on a rescue mission in Vietnam. His injuries were so severe he had to retire.
God Bless Colonel Kenneth Reusser. He passed away June 20th at the age of 89.
Where do we get such men?

Tags: General, Military

http://Array Jackass Jimmy

It’s upsetting that this Hero’s efforts are lost today on a generation of increasingly socialist, entitleist ingrates.

Thank you for Everything, Colonel.
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ proof_positive

I don’t think it hurts to mention it an extra time.

I agree! I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Men like this are not celebrated enough. I just didn’t want you to think that maybe some here didn’t share your admiration of the man if they didn’t happen to comment again!
AR-15

A true American hero. Men like this don’t grow on trees, they are a rare breed.
http://SayAnythingBlog.com The_Whistler_ofnd

Sorry I missed that one Proof. I don’t think it hurts to mention it an extra time.
sayanything-4625

I don’t think it hurts to mention it an extra time.

I agree! I didn’t mean to imply otherwise. Men like this are not celebrated enough.

Hear, hear!

Semper Fi, Marine! Thank you for your service!
http://www.dartemis.net/blog/ sayanything-42

We missed the passing of another Marine F4U pilot…

Colonel Ed McMahon, USMC.
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry/homosexuality_is_wrong_-_a_compendium move_zig

Where do we get such men?
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ proof_positive

Just so you don’t think we are under appreciating the good Colonel, Whistler, a few of us did note his passing here, and noted that he had a pair of big brass ones like nobody else!
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry/homosexuality_is_wrong_-_a_compendium move_zig

Well shut my mouth.

Check it out.

The end of the Pacific War did not bring about the end of F4U combat operations. The F4U-4 and -5, more advanced models of the Corsair, saw heavy action during the Korean War.

For the most part, the former served in the ground-attack role hauling bombs, napalm and air-to-ground rockets against Communist forces while the -5 variant was modified into a night fighter. Later, Corsairs saw action with the French in Indo-China and the Mid-East, and in numerous Latin American conflicts of the 1950′s and ’60s.

Aircraft insignia
http://sayanythingblog.com/readers/entry/homosexuality_is_wrong_-_a_compendium move_zig

Toot,

You posted a mystery of a photo.

Why?

Because I was under the impression that the F4U-1D Chance-Vought Corsair was initially given to the Navy, but when the pilots complained that seeing around the huge nose was nearly impossible (very dangerous on the close quarters of a carrier deck and when the wrong turn took you into the drink) and thus the Marines magically got an aircraft nearly 100 knots faster than the Zeke. This was during wartime.

The Navy, instead, got the F6F Hellcat, more than a match for the Zeke / Zero and far more suited for carrier deck operations.

Also, the red stripe in the wings of the national insignia weren’t added until 1947. So what you are seeing is a Corsair in Navy, post-1947 markings. There are always exceptions to the rule, but it was my understanding that the Corsair was pretty much a land-based Marine aircraft by then.

(Also, wasn’t the Navy transitioning to the F8F by then?)

Interesting.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

This guys sounded like one tough hombre. These WWII vets are a treasure and the greatest generation.
http://lunaticg.blogspot.com/ lunaticg

Wish all his story already written somewhere. If not you will lost a great history.
http://www.rcplaneslovers.com/ RC Planes

Well, i have never heard of him before, but i read something about him, and he was a honest hero, 59 medals.
http://proof-proofpositive.blogspot.com/ proof_positive

We missed the passing of another Marine F4U pilot…
Colonel Ed McMahon, USMC.

Not all of us, Rodney…

SayAnythingBlog.com

We Lost Another Great Hero

Create a SAB Readerblog

Recent Comments