John Franklin Bolt (19 May 1921 – 8 September 2004) was a naval aviator in the United States Marine Corps and a decorated flying ace who served during World War II and the Korean War. He remains the only U.S. Marine to achieve ace status in two wars and was also the only Marine jet fighter ace. He rose to the rank of lieutenant colonel during his military career.
Born to a poor family in Laurens, South Carolina, Bolt was a self-described "workaholic" and was involved in numerous groups and social activities throughout his life. After dropping out of the University of Florida for financial reasons in 1941, he joined the US Navy and trained as a Marine Corps pilot. Sent to the Pacific Theater of Operations, he flew an F4U Corsair during the campaigns in the Marshall Islands and New Guinea, claiming six victories against Japanese A6M Zeros.
Bolt continued his service through the Korean War, entering combat through an exchange program with the United States Air Force (USAF) in late 1952. Over a period of several weeks in mid-1953, he led flights of F-86 Sabres into combat with MiG-15s of the Chinese Air Force, scoring six victories during fights along the northern border of North Korea, commonly known as "MiG Alley," giving him a total of 12 victories over his career.
Bolt stayed in the Marine Corps until 1962, serving as an analyst and instructor in his later career, before retiring and earning a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Florida. He subsequently settled down in Florida and began a private real estate law practice; he continued to be active in law until 1991. He died from leukemia in 2004.
Early years John Bolt was born on 19 May 1921 in Laurens, South Carolina, to Thomas Crews Bolt and Emma Bruce Bolt (née Bagwell). John had a younger brother, Bruce. In 1924 the family moved to Sanford, Florida. In his youth, John Bolt gained the nickname "Jack" from his friends and family. His family was poor and he was for the most part responsible for providing his own clothes and social expenses from the time he was ten years old. He worked several part-time jobs, at one point working 30 to 40 hours a week at a local creamery in addition to attending school. He also enrolled in the Boy Scouts, eventually attaining the rank of Star Scout.
In June 1939, Bolt began attending Seminole High School. Described as modest and hardworking by his high school classmates, he was elected class president in his final two years in school.
Bolt attended the University of Florida, majoring in accounting and meeting most of the costs himself using money that he had saved while working through high school. He joined Phi Eta Sigma, an honor society and professional fraternity, and Alpha Tau Omega, a social fraternity. In 1941, his brother Bruce also enrolled at Florida, straining the family's expenses; John dropped out after his second year so that his brother could complete his degree. Bolt enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve in April 1941 to train as a pilot, but deferred his training when the Marine Corps offered him the chance to finish college and attend law school, paying him 500 a year to do so.
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.
Around this time, Bolt began dating Dorothy E. Wiggins, whom he knew from Sanford. The two married after two years of dating, and they eventually had two children together, Robert and Barbara. 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.
Formation of VMF-214 On his way to the front lines, Bolt traveled to a number of islands as the Rochambeau stopped at New Caledonia and New Hebrides to avoid Japanese submarines. Upon arrival at Espiritu Santo, Bolt was placed in a pool of new officers who were intended to replace casualties in several squadrons. Casualties at this time proved to be less than expected, so the replacement pool was used to form a new squadron. The new unit was designated VMF-214, and became known as the "Black Sheep" because its pilots had originally not been assigned to a squadron. Under the command of Major Pappy Boyington, the unit was equipped with F4U Corsairs. Moved after several months to the Russell Islands, they were ready for combat by 13 September. 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.
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.
A self-described "workaholic" 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.
Vella Lavella
When the squadron returned from its R&R, Bolt had been promoted to captain and the squadron had been relocated to Vella Lavella. The new base was within of Rabaul, which was the center of Japanese activity on New Britain, and was the squadron's next primary target. Defended by 98,000 Japanese troops, the island was of great strategic importance as it had a harbor and several airfields and was within striking distance of the Marshall Islands, defended by 400 Japanese aircraft.
On 23 December, 16 Corsairs from VMF-214 formed part of a force of 120 U.S. fighters and bombers that undertook a mission over Rabaul. The strike against the city and harbor areas was countered by a large force of Japanese aircraft. While defending the bombers, Bolt shot down two more Japanese aircraft, making him the squadron's sixth flying ace. Two days later, he took part in another mission during which his squadron mates claimed four victories, bringing VMF-214's tally of confirmed aerial victories to 76.
On 3 January 1944, VMF-214 was among 75 U.S. aircraft raiding near Rabaul when they were surprised by 300 Japanese aircraft. Boyington was shot down and parachuted into the St. George's Channel. The next day, Bolt led a flight of four Corsairs from VMF-214 in search of Boyington. Despite hazy weather and the need to take an indirect route to avoid Japanese radar, Bolt managed to lead the flight to the area where the battle had taken place the day before. Although they did not spot Boyington, they discovered and engaged a flotilla of Japanese barges, destroying six of them. Bolt also claimed his sixth victory against a Japanese aircraft attempting to defend the barges.
Bolt's tour, along with the rest of VMF-214, came to an end on 8 January 1944, five days after Boyington was shot down and captured by the Japanese. VMF-214 was disbanded and its pilots assigned to other units. 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