| Major
Donald Hooten Sapp |
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Credited with ten "sure" Japanese aircraft
destroyed in aerial combat, VMF-222's highest scoring ace
in the photo above is 27 year old Captain Sapp who has yet
to score his first "kill". The Miami, Florida
native became a naval aviator in 1942 and retired in 1969
as Colonel Donald H. Stapp (he added the "t" soon
after the war) in Orange County, California. where he resided.
The photo, taken in the Russell Islands, Solomon Islands
on September 15, 1943 presaged his death of natural causes
at the age of 72, some 45 years later.
Ranked as the 23rd highest scoring Marine Corps ace of
the war, Don Sapp was a very skilled and agressive fighter
pilot who scored most of his "hits" by using 'deflection
shooting' also known as 'leading the target'. Sapp was an
expert with this difficult and 'nervy' technique because
he could usually manouever his F4U during a "dog
fight" into a position that would cause his adversary
to have to bisect his own trajectory. Having only a few
seconds to "set the trap", Sapp would mentally
calculate the arc and speed of his 'prey' and wait to fire
his six, .50 calibre machine guns early enough so that his
bullets and the enemy fighter would intersect simultaneously,
often at a distance.
The affable aviator, nicknamed "Good Looking"
by his squadron mates, had chosen as his wingman 2nd Lt.
Charles D. "Charlie" Jones, a "Mustang Marine"
who joined the "Flying Deuces" at the beginning
of their first combat tour as a "Flying Sergeant"
but was soon awarded a field commission. Sapp and Jones
were such a successful fighting team that Jones became the
only other Ace in the squadron with six "sures"
to his credit. A wingman's job was to be his section leader's
'body guard' as they engaged the enemy but Don Sapp often
shared the "fun" with Charlie Jones.
An insightful postscript regarding probaably not only Don
Sapp in particular but to fighter pilots in general is notable.
After the first cadre of veteran VMF-222 pilots returned
stateside for reassignment the author's father, W. O. Reid
and Don Sapp were both sent to MCAS, El Toro in California
to be gunnery instructors in the Marine Corps' first "Top
Gun" school for new fighter pilots. The two veterans
gave lectures about attack approaches on enemy aircraft
including, of course, deflection shooting, Don's signature
technique.
After the classroom came the 'lab' where the class took
to the air in 'live fire' practice runs on a canvas 'sheet'
pulled behind another aircraft. As was the procedure, the
two instructors made first made a few passes on the tow-sheet
to show the students how the manouvers were done. The bullets
of each fighter- both instructor and student, had been painted
with a different color to help identify afterwards who was
hitting the target successfully.
Upon inspecting the technicolored, bullet riddled sheet
afterwards none of Major Sapps' color had stained the canvas.
After the next domonstration, the outcome was identical
and a third attempt had identical results for the nonplused
double ace. When asked by his buddy Pappy why he was having
trouble "shooting down" an oversized, passive,
white sheet when he was perfectly able to make a smaller,
acrobatic Zero explode in a ball of fire with a short burst
of bullets, Sapp replied: "the difference is my lack
of adrenellin; that bed-sheet isn't trying to kill me".
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| The scores for some pilots should be lowered. of these is
Donald H. Sapp, who appears on the Sherrod list with 11 victories.
This should be 10. One of his victories was a "Helen"
on 20 November, 1943. Because ACA reports at the time were
supposed to be filled out in Greenwich or "GCT"
time, this claim appeared in the ACA report on 19 November
and in the war diary, prepared in local time, on 20 November.
Thus, the Helen was counted twice. Some additional confusion
as occurred since the war because he changed his name to Stapp. |
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| Jones 73rd w/6 |
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure
in presenting the Navy Cross to Major Donald Hooten Sapp (MCSN:
0-6843), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism
and distinguished service in the line of his profession as
Division Leader and a Pilot of Marine Fighting Squadron TWO-HUNDRED
TWENTY-TWO (VMF-222), Marine Air Group TWELVE (MAG-12), FIRST
Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese
forces in the Solomon Islands and Bismarck Archipelago Areas,
from 18 November 1943 to 19 March 1944. Courageously leading
his division in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and
aerial opposition, Major Sapp boldly participated in a total
of ninety-nine strike escorts, strafing missions and fighter
sweeps over enemy territory, inflicting severe damage on Japanese
aircraft, barges, gun emplacements and shore installations.
Flying escort for bombers over Tobera Airfield, New Britain,
on 3 February, he shot down one and probably destroyed two
other enemy fighters and, maneuvering his plane with determined
aggressiveness during a dive-bomber attack against Simpson
Harbor, Rabaul, on 17 February, he personally shot two Zeroes
from the sky and severely damaged a third. Engaged in a daring
fighter sweep over New Britain on 12 March, he succeeded in
destroying two Japanese fighter planes and probably a third
which were circling Tobera Airfield at approximately three
hundred feet altitude. A brilliant airman and leader and a
daring fighter, Major Sapp contributed vitally to the success
of his squadron throughout these and other extremely hazardous
missions and his great personal valor in the face of grave
peril was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United
States Naval Service.
General Orders: SPOT AWARD, Commander, South Pacific: Serial
001776 (SofN Signed November 14, 1947)
Action Date: November 18, 1943 - March 19, 1944
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Major
Company: Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222)
Regiment: Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12)
Division: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing |
Distinguished Flying Cross
See more recipients of this award
Awarded for actions during the World War II
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Major Donald Hooten Sapp
(MCSN: 0-6843), United States Marine Corps, was awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross for heroism and extraordinary
achievement while participating in aerial flight as a Pilot
of a Fighter Airplane in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO-HUNDRED
TWENTY-TWO (VMF-222), Marine Air Group TWELVE (MAG-12),
FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy
Japanese forces in the Pacific Theater of Operations during
World War II.
General Orders: Heroes U.S. Marine Corps 1861 - 1955 (Jane
Blakeney)
Action Date: World War II
Service: Marine Corps
Rank: Major
Company: Marine Fighting Squadron 222 (VMF-222)
Regiment: Marine Air Group 12 (MAG-12)
Division: 1st Marine Aircraft Wing |
| April 15, 1947-November 19, 1948 Major D. H. SAPP co vmf-214 |
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| 383 NA to fly a jet: 26 Oct 48 TO-1 El Toro |
| co vmf-122 Peleliu 28 may- vj day |
| He received a bar to his DFC and 3 Air Medals. Stapp also
served in Vietnam and retired as a full Colonel. |
9th Marine Ereditionary Brigade 8Mar-6May
9th MEB Headquarters
Commanding General
BGen Frederick J. Karch 8Mar-6May
Deputy Commander
Col Donald H. Stapp 8Mar-3Apr 1965 |
Combat
Reports of Major Don Sapp |
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| Sptember 14, 1943:
“At approximately 0915 and SE of Ballale about 15 miles
while flying at 25,000 feet, my wingman Lt. Jones, spotted
Zeros below at 18,000 feet. Not being able to spot the bogey,
I turned the lead over to Jones to make the attack. He initiated
the attack by diving down out of the sun on the leading plane
and overran him after firing at him. He made a hard turn to
the right followed by the two zeros, one behind the other
at about 1,000 feet apart. I closed on the tail of the second
zero and gave him a short burst and observed his right wing
to disintegrate and the ship went out of control. His engine
flared up and smoked and I saw the plane going down out of
control.” |
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