Foss, Joe, 1915-2003

Variant names

Hide Profile

Joseph Jacob Foss (b. April 17, 1915, Sioux Falls, S.D.-d. Jan. 1, 2003, Scottsdale, Ariz.), U.S. Marine Corps officer, enlisted in the Marine Reserves and joined the Naval Aviation Cadet program after graduating from college in 1940. By 1942 he was deployed with Marine Fighting Squadron 115 to the South Pacific, participating in the Battle of Guadalcanal. He led a group of “Wildcat” aircraft called “Foss's Flying Circus,” which shot down seventy-two Japanese planes, twenty-six of them by Foss personally. For this and other feats, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. Following his discharge from the Marines in 1945, Foss served as a general in the state Air National Guard, as a member of the state legislature, and as Governor of South Dakota.

From the description of Foss, Joe, 1915-2003 (U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). naId: 10580236

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn South Dakota. Governor (1955-1959 : Joseph Jacob Foss). Records, 1955-1959. South Dakota State Archives
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. FIFTIETH ANNIVERSARY NAVAL AVIATION National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Thomas S. Power Papers, 1928-1970 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. US Army engineers complete Oahe Dam with dedication ceremonies, on the Missouri River near Pierre, South Dakota National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Arthur J. Lacy Papers, 1891-1975 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. AFA CONVENTION, LAS VEGAS AND NELLIS AFB, NEVADA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of U.S. Air Force Commands, Activities, and Organizations. 1900 - 2003. Moving Images Relating to Military Aviation Activities. 1947 - 1984. AFA CONVENTION, DALLAS, TEXAS National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. Events surrounding the second inauguration of President Dwight D. Eisenhower and Vice President Richard M. Nixon, Washington, D.C. National Archives at College Park
Role Title Holding Repository
Place Name Admin Code Country
Subject
Occupation
Activity

Person

Birth 1915-04-17

Death 2003-01-01

English

Information

Permalink: http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6sx7mmf

Ark ID: w6sx7mmf

SNAC ID: 61356618