When retired Air Force officer Greg Boyington Jr. decided to preserve some of his famous father's possessions, the choice of what to do with them was easy.
He gave them to a squadron assigned to the Marine Corps Air Station in Yuma.
"It just seemed to me that is where they belonged," Boyington said.
Possibly the most-fabled Marine Corps fighter squadron is VMF-214, and it is forever linked with its legendary leader, Maj. Greg Boyington, better known by his nickname, "Pappy."
Greg Boyington's father, a World War II ace who shot down 28 enemy Japanese planes, was a prisoner of war and a Medal of Honor winner who also formed the legendary Black Sheep Squadron in 1943.
The squadron, composed of 49 replacement and inactive pilots, shot down in 84 days of combat 98 Japanese planes over Bougainville, Rabaul and other areas of the South Pacific and annihilated or damaged at least 130 other enemy aircraft on the ground.
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The modern-day Black Sheep have been based at the Marine air station in Yuma since 1987.
Boyington recently added to its history by donating his father's golden aviator wings.
In addition to the aviator wings, Boyington gave his father's wristwatch to the squadron.
Retired Lt. Col. Jim Hill, one of five living members of the squadron's original 49 pilots, thought Boyington's gifts were appropriate.
"It was mighty nice of him," said the 90-year-old Hill, who served two tours of duty with the Black Sheep with "Pappy" as his commanding officer.
Lt. Col. Robert Schroder, the squadron's current commander, said it was an honor to receive the items.
Schroder said that when Boyington gave them the items, he requested that they be incorporated in the squadron's ceremonies, which they have already done.
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