"I knew exactly what I was worth that day: one bag of rice!"
Colonel, U.S. Marine Corps
Jefferson DeBlanc was fascinated by airplanes from an early age when a pilot let him sit in the cockpit of his airplane. He was born in Lockport, Louisiana, in 1921 and grew up in St. Martinville, Louisiana. When World War II began, DeBlanc left college and, in July 1941, enlisted in the Naval Reserve (USNR) as a Seaman Second Class. He received flight training at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base in New Orleans, Louisiana and was appointed an Aviation Cadet, USNR. DeBlanc was one of approximately 24,500 Cajun G.I.s to serve during World War II.
Commissioned as a Second Lieutenant, DeBlanc was assigned to VMF-112, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. He had about 10 hours of flight time in the F4F Wildcat that he flew into his first combat.
In early 1943, over the skies of Guadalcanal, he shot down three Japanese bombers. Later, DeBlanc was forced to ditch his Wildcat and luckily landed in the wake of an American destroyer that was fleeing across Ironbottom Sound. He was rescued by the destroyer and returned to flight status immediately.
On January 31, 1943, 1st Lieutenant DeBlanc was flying a Wildcat over Japanese-held Kolombangara Island in the Solomon Islands leading eight F4F Wildcats from VMF-112 on an escort mission for a strike force of 12 Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers sent to attack Japanese shipping. DeBlanc discovered that his fighter had developed a serious fuel leak that made his return to base unlikely, and he requested that rescue forces be alerted.
He continued with the other Wildcats and observed a pair of Japanese float planes attacking the dive bombers. DeBlanc fired on the first, exploding it, then shot down the second and despite a critically low fuel supply, he remained in the target area to cover the withdrawal of the Dauntlesses. His wingman was shot down. DeBlanc was attacked by two more planes and he destroyed both for his fourth and fifth victories, making him an “Ace-in-a-Day.”
During the dogfight, DeBlanc was injured in his back and arms, and his Wildcat's engine was on fire. He bailed out near Japanese-held territory, landing in shark-infested waters, and after six hours, he reached an island. A group of natives discovered him and traded him to another tribe for a sack of rice! They took him by canoe to a missionary and two coast watchers. Finally, he was picked up by Navy aircraft and returned to his base and the hospital.
He returned to the United States, recovered from his wounds and returned to the Central Pacific for a second tour of overseas duty. He shot down one more Japanese plane over the Marshall Islands, bringing his career total to nine.
On December 6, 1946, DeBlanc was presented the Medal of Honor by President Harry S. Truman in the White House “for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty…” for his actions in the Solomon Islands on January 31, 1943.
“Ace-in-a-Day” Medal of Honor recipient DeBlanc also received the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Purple Heart; the Air Medal with four gold stars; the Presidential Unit Citation with one bronze star; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with three bronze stars; the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal.
After the war, DeBlanc became an educator. He earned a bachelor’s degree in physics and math from Southwestern Louisiana Institute in 1947, a master’s degree in education from LSU in 1951, a second master's degree in education (mathematics) in 1963 and a doctorate in education from McNeese State University in 1973. He was a math and science teacher in the St. Martin Parish schools, where he also served as supervisor of school transportation.
DeBlanc retired as a Colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in 1972.
In 2006, DeBlanc appeared on an episode of the History Channel series “Dogfights.” In the episode Guadalcanal, DeBlanc's “Ace-in-a-Day” action is depicted. DeBlanc humorously declared that on the day he was rescued and traded back to the Navy by natives: “I knew exactly what I was worth that day: one bag of rice!”
On the morning of Thanksgiving Day, November 22, 2007, Jefferson DeBlanc died in Lafayette, Louisiana. He was the last surviving World War II recipient of the Medal of Honor from Louisiana. His story is recounted in his book The Guadalcanal Air War: Colonel Jefferson DeBlanc’s Story.”