Newton Buford Blount

Newton Blount, a burly boxer from Mississippi, joined the Marine Corps shortly after graduating from college. He earned his pilot’s wings in Jacksonville, Florida, and spent several months flying patrols over the Caribbean Sea. In 1943, Blount – nicknamed “Zombie” – was reassigned to a brand-new fighter squadron, VMF-321. The “feisty boxing champ” was “always challenging officers and enlisted men alike to arm-wrestling contests, which he usually won.”

In late 1943, the “Hell’s Angels” deployed overseas and took up residence at Torokina Airstrip on the newly captured island of Bougainville. The squadron began flying escort missions over the Northern Solomons, and joined in “sweep” missions over the major Japanese base at Rabaul. Captain “Zombie” Blount flew a few ferry flights, test hops, and one mission escorting bombers to Rabaul before the end of the year.

At 1020 on 2 January 1944, twelve “Hell’s Angels” pilots took off for a sweep over Rabaul. Blount, in F4U-1 BuNo 03828, led a division of three other Corsairs on the ninety-minute flight over Cape St. George and into Simpson Harbor, arriving at 1145. The Marines were immediately set upon by an estimated thirty or forty Japanese fighters which dove down from 20,000 feet.

Later that day, the Hell’s Angels claimed a hefty score from the dogfight: four “sure” and three “probable” kills. However, they returned one man short. Zombie Blount was last seen “spiraling downward after enemy aircraft.” His wingman, Lieutenant Hames, reported that Blount’s Corsair appeared to be under control.

Captain Blount was reported as missing in action after the mission; he would never be seen again. His loss was the first for the fledgling squadron and left a lasting impression.