Jack Conger Marine Ace! Captures First MIG Fighter Pilot In WW2 Shot Down 10 Japanese Fighter Planes!

Jack Eugene Conger (April 6, 1921 – April 22, 2006) was a highly decorated United States Marine Corps officer. He was a flying ace credited with shooting down ten enemy aircraft and was awarded the Navy Cross during World War II. VMF-212 arrived at Henderson Field on Guadalcanal in October 1942. Henderson Field was being bombed daily by Japanese aircraft, and the squadrons operating from the airfield were dubbed the Cactus Air Force. First Lieutenant Conger began flying combat missions on October 16, intercepting and shooting down Japanese bombers and strafing enemy ships and ground positions. In October 25, First Lieutenant Conger shot down three A6M Zeros during a dogfight. Conger then pursued a fourth Zero, piloted by flying ace Petty Officer Second Class Shiro Ishikawa. Expending the last of his ammunition and determined to knock the plane out of the sky, Conger attempted to use his propeller to chop the tail rudder off Ishikawa's plane. Conger, misjudging the distance between his and Ishikawa's plane, rammed into it and ripped the entire tail off. Both planes then began falling out of the sky, and both pilots bailed out and parachuted into the sea. A Marine rescue boat picked Lieutenant Conger up out of the water, and Conger convinced the Marines not to shoot Ishikawa. Conger reached his hand out to pull Ishikawa aboard the boat, but Ishikawa attempted to shoot Conger with his Nambu pistol. When the waterlogged pistol misfired, Conger threw himself backward and injured his back. Ishikawa then attempted to shoot himself and the pistol misfired again. Conger hit Ishikawa over the head with a gas can and pulled him into the boat. VMF-212 left Guadalcanal in November 1942. For his bravery in shooting down ten enemy aircraft at Guadalcanal, First Lieutenant Conger was awarded the Navy Cross. In March 1944, Major Conger was assigned to Marine Fighter Squadron 114 (VMF-114). Conger participated in strafing missions in the Solomon Islands and Western Caroline Islands until February 1945. In March of 1945, he strafed Japanese equipment and positions in the Philippine Islands. Conger was awarded two Distinguished Flying Crosses during this period. Conger later saw action during the Korean War. He retired from the Marines with the rank of colonel in 1964. In April 1990, Conger met with Ishikawa at the National Museum of the Pacific War at Fredericksburg, Texas. Ishikawa thanked Conger for saving his life 48 years earlier at Guadalcanal, which allowed him to raise a family. Conger died on April 22, 2006, in Havelock, North Carolina. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery. shikawa became the first Zero Pilot to be captured by Allies. Lieut. Jack Conger of VFM-212 shot down a Zero and rammed the tail of another on the Dugout Sunday. Conger parachuted but the Japanese pilot crashed with his plane. While Conger was in the water waiting to be rescued the pilot of another enemy plane, Shiro Ishikawa, drifted down and landed within half a mile of him. After the boat picked up Conger the crew went on to rescue Shiro Ishikawa, who had determined not to be rescued. He swam away but the boat overtook him. When he was being hauled on board, he whipped out his pistol to shoot Conger but it did not go off. Then Ishikawa tried to shoot himself, but the pistol again failed to fire. By this time Conger's patience was exhausted so with the help of an enlisted man, knocked Ishikawa unconscious and pulled him into the boat and so the first Zero Pilot was taken prisoner of war. Shiro Ishikawa passed away in December 2002.
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Notes: As received by consignor from association and signed by Conger

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