[Joseph J. Foss oral history interview]

Fighter ace Joseph J. Foss is interviewed about his military service with the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He describes his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot, including his time with Marine Fighting Squadron 121 (VMF-121) in the Pacific Theater. Topics discussed include Foss’s first encounter with Japanese forces in October 1943 and a combat mission in November 1942 in which Foss was shot down and rescued by missionaries.

The interview is conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia

Joseph J. Foss was born on April 17, 1915 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He enrolled in flight training with the United States Marine Corps in 1940 and received his commission the following year. After serving as a flight instructor at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Foss joined a reconnaissance squadron, then transferred to Marine Fighting Squadron 121 (VMF-121). From 1942 to early 1943, he flew missions in Guadalcanal, the Solomon Islands, and other areas of the South Pacific. After his promotion to major in June 1943, he assumed command of Marine Fighting Squadron 115 (VMF-115). Foss left active duty in 1946 and afterwards served in the South Dakota Air National Guard. As a civilian, he served several terms as a South Dakota legislator and governor, as commissioner of the American Football League, and as president of the National Rifle Association. Foss passed away in 2003.