George Malcolm Ashmun
Captain George M. Ashmun was a Marine fighter pilot with VMF-214 – the “Black Sheep” Squadron.
He was shot down in a dogfight over Rabaul on 3 January 1944.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-11906
Current Status
Remains Not Recovered
Pursuit Category
The DPAA has not publicized this information.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
April 21, 1919
at Newark, NJ
Parents
Charles Knapp Ashmun (d. 1931)
Mary Watts (Belcher) Ashmun
later Mrs. Mary B. Young
Education
Newark Academy (1937)
Hobart College (1941)
Occupation & Employer
Enlisted out of college.
Service Life
Entered Service
June 24, 1941 (enlisted)
July 17, 1942 (officer)
Home Of Record
Lo-An-Oak Farm
Far Hills, NJ
Next Of Kin
Mother, Mrs Mary B. Young
Military Specialty
Pilot
Division Leader
Primary Unit
VMF-214
Campaigns Served
Solomon Islands (two tours)
Individual Decorations
Distinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
Captain Ashmun was credited with one aerial victory.
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
George Ashmun enlisted in the United States Navy in June, 1941, on the heels of graduation from Hobart College. A “quiet, introspective, professorial type” by nature, he was well suited to an instructor’s role, and after earning his Marine Corps commission and pilot’s wings, helped train new pilots at Naval Air Station Jacksonville quickly advanced up the ranks. By the time he deployed overseas in mid-1943, he held the rank of captain. He joined VMF-214 – the “Black Sheep” – in the summer of 1943.
Captain Ashmun accumulated nearly 150 combat hours in the cockpit – including 67 separate missions – but was still scoreless at the end of the year. “George Ashmun, popular and experienced, had led his own division for the entire tour, but had never been on the ‘gravy train,'” relates author Bruce Gamble. “In fact, after two tours with the Black Sheep, he had not so much as damaged an enemy plane in the air.” Knowing that Ashmun was keen to get on the squadron scoreboard, Boyington tapped him for a fighter sweep on Rabaul. The “Black Sheep” were supposed to have a day off, but Boyington – knowing that a rotation to the States awaited his veteran pilots – wanted to seize any opportunity to raise the squadron’s kill count. Ashmun would have the chance to fly wing on Pappy himself. “He looked upon that trip as an opportunity,” noted fellow pilot Ed Olander, “and thought he just might get a kill.”
I'll never forget George Ashmun's thin, pale face when I mentioned where I was going, and he insisted that he go along as my wingman. Maybe George knew that I was going to have to take little particles of tobacco from a cigarette, placing them in the corners of my eyes to make them smart so I'd stay awake.
Boyington also had a chance to break the record for most kills credited to a Marine pilot. This was a point of honor for the squadron: “Go ahead and shoot all you want, Gramps,” Boyington remembered Ashmun saying. “All I’ll do is keep them off your tail.”
Eight Black Sheep took off from Torokina early on 3 January, part of a 46-plane force under Boyington’s command. Mechanical problems plagued the American force, and by the time they reached Rapopo only four -214 aircraft were still in formation. Waiting in the air were nearly seventy “Zekes” belonging to the 204th and 253rd Kokutai. The two sides joined in combat, and Boyington quickly shot down an adversary – his twentieth kill. Moments later, Boyington and Ashmun dropped into an overcast and out of sight of friendly planes.
What happened next was only known years later, when Pappy Boyington was liberated from a Japanese POW camp. Overwhelmed and outnumbered, the two Marines did their best to cover each other. Each knocked down a Japanese plane – number 21 for Boyington, and number one for Ashmun. And then their luck ran out.
It was then that I saw George's plane begin to throw smoke, and down he went in a half glide.... Time and time again I screamed at him: "For God's sake, George, dive straight down!" But he didn't even flutter an aileron to answer me.
I climbed in behind the [Zekes] that were plugging at him all the way down to the water. There were so many of them I wasn't even bothering to use my electric gun sight consciously, but continued to seesaw back and forth on my rudder pedals, trying to spray them all in general, trying to get them off George to give him a chance to bail out or dive – or do something, at least.
But the same thing that was happening to him was now happening to me. I could feel the impact of the enemy fire against my armor plate, behind my back, like hail on a tin roof. I could see enemy shots progressing along my wing tips, making patterns.
George's plane burst into flames and a moment later crashed into the water. At that point there was nothing left for me to do. I had done all I could. I decided to get the hell away....
A few minutes after Ashmun’s plane hit the water, Boyington’s Corsair was hit and disabled. The wounded ace bailed out in the nick of time, and was picked up by a Japanese patrol boat. The war was over for both Marines..
“We lost a superb leader in Boyington and a real nice guy in Ashmun,” commented Wallace B. Thompson (VMF-211), a pilot who survived the Rabaul sweep. “A real shock wave went through the pilots’ camp in the jungle above Torokina. Most of us assumed that Pappy and George were dead, although the possibility that they were prisoners was also thought about. The bulk of 214 squadron was due to be shipped back to the States in one week.”
Pappy Boyington told of seeing Ashmun’s Corsair go down in flames – but, perhaps due in part to his own good fortune, believed there was a chance Ashmun might have escaped. These hopes ultimately proved fruitless, as Captain George Ashmun was officially declared dead on 15 January 1946.
George's death bothered me more than any. We instructed together in Jacksonville, we qualified aboard a carrier together, we went on the Santa Fe Chief across the country together, we bunked together out there. When we got through that second tour and returned to Espiritu Santo, I'd be heading over for chow at the mess hall and be halfway across the coconut grove when I'd remember something I wanted to tell George, and I'd literally start back before the realization hit me that George wasn't there.
Burial Information or Disposition
None; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Mary B. Young.
Ashmun’s extended family lived at Lo-An-Oak Farm in Far Hills.
Location Of Loss
Ashmun was shot down into St. George’s Channel near Rapopo, New Guinea.
I wish every American took the time, several times a year, to read a bio like this one on George. Truly the greatest generation. These people should be remembered forever. Say their Names!!!
What a man. Flys 67 missions and is eager for more. He had the heart of a real warrior. I was watching a multi part documentary on the Black Sheep and his name came up as MIA on Boyington’s last mission. I started digging around and found this article. A pleasure to learn more about this American hero.
LTC William Schuchman
California State Guard
I have the photo of George as my profile pic after reading about him as Boyington,s wingman in both of their final combat plus reading Boyingtons book and also watching the TV show as a kid. He was a brave man who died protecting his leaders wing. RIP George.