John F. Bolt

World War II Bolt left for basic training in June 1941. Though he intended to join the US Marine Corps, he signed up for the US Navy Flight Training Program, which would allow him to fly for the Marines. On completion of his basic training in November 1941, he was selected as a pilot, and moved to Naval Air Station Atlanta, Georgia in February 1942. He was placed on active duty just before the attack on Pearl Harbor and the United States' entry into World War II. Completing his initial pilot training and transferring to Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida for the next phase, he started flight training in the SNJ Texan. He also qualified to fly in the N3N Canary trainer aircraft. His final phase of flight lessons occurred in Naval Air Station Miami in Miami, Florida, where he flew the Grumman F3F, a biplane which was the navy's most advanced trainer at the time. Bolt completed this training on 18 July 1942, and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, receiving his aviator wings that day as well. Years later, during the Korean War, Bolt had the words "Darling Dottie" stencilled on the side of his North American F-86 Sabre jet as a tribute to his wife.

After commissioning, Bolt was assigned as a cadet training instructor, training aviation cadets at Naval Air Station Jacksonville and at Naval Auxiliary Air Station Green Cove Springs, Florida, until December 1942, when the unit was deactivated. Until May 1943 he was trained on the F4F Wildcat, a carrier-based aircraft, in preparation for movement to a front-line combat unit. Over the next few months, Bolt was stationed at Naval Air Station Glenview in Glenview, Illinois, where he trained for 60 hours aboard the paddlewheel aircraft carrier USS Wolverine. After qualifying to operate carrier-based aircraft, he was assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, California, until June 1943, when he and his class departed for the Pacific Theater aboard the USS Rochambeau. Bolt flew the aircraft every chance he got, and although new to the war in the Pacific, Bolt had over 700 hours flying in the F4U Corsair by September, more than many combat pilots accrued in two combat tours.

alt=A young-looking man in pilot gear standing in front of a group of trees.

On 14 September, the squadron began flying missions to escort B-24 Liberator bombers. The Japanese had 200 aircraft at Kahili Airfield and Balalae Island, opposed by only 50 aircraft from the U.S. squadrons in the area. The first couple of missions that the squadron undertook were relatively quiet but, on 16 September, VMF-214 was attacked by a group of 35 Japanese A6M Zeros. The squadron repelled the strike, destroying 11 Japanese aircraft for the loss of only one of their own. Several costly engagements with the strong Japanese forces in the area followed. Bolt did not score any victories during this time, but was promoted to first lieutenant that month.

Marshall Islands

Bolt got his first victories of the deployment on 23 September when he was with a flight of 15 VMF-214 aircraft escorting B-24 Liberators back from a raid on Kahili. The bombers had been followed by 20 to 30 Zeros, and a dogfight quickly ensued. During the course of the engagement over Bougainville, Bolt scored two victories. His wingman, Ed Harper, also claimed a victory. For the next several weeks, the squadron operated out of Munda in the Solomon Islands. Bolt was considered by the other pilots to be the most energetic member of the squadron. He took to collecting and sending home keepsakes from daily life on the front lines; he and two other pilots were known as the "Quartermaster Kids" because they collected so many souvenirs and shipped them home. He could often be found in the harbor near their airstrip dynamiting fish and was known to organize many of the squadron's pig roasts and beer parties. Bolt also took it upon himself to test out many different ammunition configurations for the .50 caliber guns on the F4U during his free time. His research was conducted by firing rounds into 50-gallon drums partially filled with gasoline and at abandoned aircraft in the Espiritu Santo boneyard. He found that incendiary rounds were more effective, and convinced his squadron, and eventually most of the aircraft squadrons in the Pacific Theater, to begin firing six incendiary rounds for every one armor-piercing or tracer round, rather than firing one for one.

Bolt became well known—but also drew the ire of his squadron's commanding officer—during what began as an escort mission for B-24 Liberators. The bombers were lost in the clouds and the flight ran into poor weather, forcing them to turn back. During the flight home, the U.S. pilots noticed much Japanese surface traffic but did not engage because of the weather. On their way back to Munda one of the aircraft had a mechanical problem, and a group including Bolt had to land at Barakoma Airfield on Vella Lavella. He tried to convince others to go with him to attack the ships they had seen, but they refused. He refueled and took off, against Boyington's orders, and destroyed four enemy barges and strafed several ground concentrations in the vicinity of Tonolei Harbor before returning to Munda. Disobeying a direct order drew Boyington's wrath until the next day, when a telegram was received from Admiral William "Bull" Halsey: "That one man war ... conducted by Lieut Bolt against Jap stuff in Tonolei, warm heart (stop) Halsey."

On 17 October, during a mission over Kahili Airfield, Bolt's squadron was ambushed by Japanese fighters. Bolt downed one of the Japanese aircraft in his last mission before a scheduled rest and recuperation (R&R) in Sydney, Australia. In his time with VMF-214, Bolt developed a reputation among his peers as a leader and an accomplished pilot. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross twice, and scored a total of six confirmed victories and one probable victory and two aircraft damaged in his 92 missions with the squadron.

Subsequent assignments Bolt was reassigned to VMF-211, at an airfield on Nissan Island in the Green Islands, north of Bougainville and west of Rabaul. The aircraft there were primarily concerned with the destruction of convoys and ships. The missions, nicknamed "Truck Busters", were very successful, but at the cost of damaged aircraft and wounded crewmen, including Bolt's wingman. This tour lasted until May 1944 when Bolt returned to Marine Corps Air Station Santa Barbara with his squadron. Diving in Florida's Tampa Bay on leave, Bolt (then a captain) set a world spearfishing record when he caught an Atlantic goliath grouper weighing hundreds of pounds.

Korean War In May 1950, Bolt was reassigned to VMF-224 at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, and he remained there until May 1951. The squadron flew the F2H Banshee and within three months of joining the unit he had flown more hours on the aircraft than any other pilot in the squadron. This was followed by a quick four-month tour on the staff at the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing. During this time, the US Air Force was operating its first squadron of F-86 Sabre aircraft. The Sabres were the only U.S. aircraft which performed well against the MiG-15s operated by China and North Korea in the Korean War. Bolt used his connections to enter an exchange program with the USAF in September 1951, becoming an exchange officer with the 318th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at McChord Air Force Base in Washington flying the F-94 Starfire. Soon after, he began piloting the F-86F Sabre which had been transferred to the squadron. He continued training with the squadron and was promoted to major in December 1951. Ruddell assigned him to First Lieutenant Joseph C. McConnell, who would be the top ace in the war. Bolt and McConnell quickly established a close friendship in spite of Bolt's superior rank, and he attributed his success in Korea to McConnell's guidance. Ruddell sent a request to Lieutenant General Glenn O. Barcus, commander of the Fifth United States Air Force, that Bolt's tour with the squadron be extended. The request was granted, and McConnell and Bolt began going on combat missions together as wingmen in MiG Alley, the area in northwestern Korea where air-to-air combat was most frequent. Bolt's Sabre, tail number 52-2582, was named Darling Dottie. On 24 June, he flew his 31st combat mission, during which he engaged a single MiG and shot it down after a quick battle in the vicinity of the Yalu River.

On 11 July, Bolt led another flight of four fighters in a reconnaissance mission above Sinuiju, his 37th combat mission of the deployment. Soon after, the two pilots spotted a formation of four MiGs taking off from Antung airfield on the Chinese side of the Yalu River. Despite being low on fuel, Bolt ordered an attack. He made a head-on dive toward the formation, which was attempting to gain altitude, and downed the leading airplane with four machine gun bursts. He then banked his aircraft and aimed for the second aircraft in the formation, continuing the attack and scoring hits on its fuselage. The pilot bailed out, and the remaining two MiGs fled. Within the first five minutes of the engagement, Bolt shot down two of the MiGs. This brought his tally of confirmed victories during the war to six. Shortly after this final mission, his tour of duty ended and he was rotated back to the United States for an extended rest and vacation, which he spent with his family.

Bolt subsequently lived a quiet life and kept frequent contact with his children. Robert became a lawyer in Tampa, Florida, and Barbara wrote for Reader's Digest. In 2003, he was inducted into the American Combat Airman Hall of Fame at the American Airpower Heritage Museum in Midland, Texas. and remains the only U.S. Marine Corps pilot to be an ace in two wars.

Bolt is one of seven U.S. pilots who achieved ace status as both a piston-engined pilot in World War II and as a jet pilot in Korea. The others are all USAF pilots: Francis S. Gabreski, James P. Hagerstrom, William T. Whisner, Vermont Garrison and Harrison Thyng, as well as George A. Davis, Jr.

Military awards Bolt was decorated during World War II and the Korean War. His military decorations and awards include:

Naval Aviator BadgeNavy CrossDistinguished Flying Crosswith two gold 5/16 inch starsAir Medalwith one gold 5/16 inch starCombat Action Ribbonwith one gold 5/16 inch starNavy Presidential Unit CitationNavy Unit CommendationAmerican Defense Service Medal American Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign Medalwith two bronze campaign starsWorld War II Victory MedalArmy of Occupation Medalwith 'Japan' claspNational Defense Service Medalwith one bronze service starKorean Service Medalwith three bronze campaign starsRepublic of Korea Presidential Unit CitationUnited Nations Korea MedalKorean War Service Medal

Navy Cross citation