Loren_D._Everton--_WWII_Flying_Ace

Loren D. Everton-- WWII Flying Ace Loren D. Everton A pilot from VMF-212 who saw early service with -223, 'Doc' Everton had been flying for 12 years, since the age of 17. Because of his flying and leadership skills, Col. Bauer sent him with the other seven -212 pilots that went with -223 to Guadalcanal on August 20, 1942. As they came in, Captain Everton was struck by the deceiving beauty of the Island, and how inviting-looking green meadows could really be soggy marshes. The Marines already on the ground welcomed the fliers as saviors. "It looked so damn good to see something American circling in the sky," one of them said. Nonetheless, while Everton was busy with getting his tail wheels changed, from hard carrier types to softer ones better suited to grass strips, someone made off with his food supplies. He was directed to a coconut grove and to set up his campsite with captured a Japanese tent, blanket, and bedding. The only tent he could find had a roof, but no sides. That night the Battle of Tenaru started, and Doc was up all night with a .45 in one hand and a helmet in the other. It might have been the next morning everton, plane, zeros, side, out, bombers, started, smoke, pilots, off, flight, above, zero, three, tail, smith, six, sent, over, one, machine, landing, jap, ground, first, engine, came, bettys, behind, began, bauer, back, about, 223, 212