When fighter pilot Jefferson DeBlanc survived being shot at in a crazy dogfight over the Solomon Islands in World War Two, his adventure was only beginning. What happened after he parachuted out of his burning plane is a story of grit, blind optimism, and against-all-odds survival.

We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey

Episode bibliography:

DeBlanc, Jefferson. The Guadalcanal Air War: Col. Jefferson DeBlanc's Story. Pelican Publishing, April 15, 2008. https://www.amazon.com/Guadalcanal-Air-War-Jefferson-DeBlancs/dp/1589805879 

Torres, Rivers. “Jefferson DeBlanc and the Air Battle for Guadalcanal.” The National WWII Museum, July 10, 2024. https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/jefferson-deblanc-and-air-battle-guadalcanal 

Lord, Walter. “Ordeal At Vella Lavella.” American Heritage, June 1997. https://www.americanheritage.com/ordeal-vella-lavella

Kwai, Anna Annie. Solomon Islanders in World War II: An Indigenous Perspective. Australian National University Press, 2017. https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/481b8b20-5e35-4b66-bc3e-f8489e0745dc/643776.pdf

When fighter pilot Jefferson DeBlanc survived being shot at in a crazy dogfight over the Solomon Islands in World War Two, his adventure was only beginning. What happened after he parachuted out of his burning plane is a story of grit, blind optimism, and against-all-odds survival.
We&rsquo;re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at <a href="http://bit.ly/mohsurvey">http://bit.ly/mohsurvey</a>
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Episode bibliography:
DeBlanc, Jefferson.&nbsp;The Guadalcanal Air War: Col. Jefferson DeBlanc's Story. Pelican Publishing, April 15, 2008. <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Guadalcanal-Air-War-Jefferson-DeBlancs/dp/1589805879">https://www.amazon.com/Guadalcanal-Air-War-Jefferson-DeBlancs/dp/1589805879</a>&nbsp;
Torres, Rivers. &ldquo;Jefferson DeBlanc and the Air Battle for Guadalcanal.&rdquo; The National WWII Museum, July 10, 2024. <a href="https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/jefferson-deblanc-and-air-battle-guadalcanal">https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/jefferson-deblanc-and-air-battle-guadalcanal</a>&nbsp;
Lord, Walter. &ldquo;Ordeal At Vella Lavella.&rdquo; American Heritage, June 1997. <a href="https://www.americanheritage.com/ordeal-vella-lavella">https://www.americanheritage.com/ordeal-vella-lavella</a>
Kwai, Anna Annie.&nbsp;Solomon Islanders in World War II: An Indigenous Perspective. Australian National University Press, 2017. <a href="https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/481b8b20-5e35-4b66-bc3e-f8489e0745dc/643776.pdf">https://library.oapen.org/bitstream/id/481b8b20-5e35-4b66-bc3e-f8489e0745dc/643776.pdf</a>

Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ top military decoration. The stories we tell are about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, uncover what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you’ve become a hero.

Special thanks to series creator Dan McGinn, to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Adam Plumpton.

Medal of Honor begins on May 28. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear ad-free episodes one week early.  Find Pushkin+ on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm.

Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkin
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Rewarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States&rsquo; top military decoration. The stories we tell are about the heroes who have distinguished themselves by acts of heroism and courage that have saved lives. From Judith Resnik, the second woman in space, to Daniel Daly, one of only 19 people to have received the Medal of Honor twice, these are stories about those who have done the improbable and unexpected, who have sacrificed something in the name of something much bigger than themselves. Every Wednesday on Medal of Honor, uncover what their experiences tell us about the nature of sacrifice, why people put their lives in danger for others, and what happens after you&rsquo;ve become a hero.
Special thanks to series creator Dan McGinn, to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and Adam Plumpton.
Medal of Honor begins on May 28. Subscribe to Pushkin+ to hear ad-free episodes one week early.&nbsp; Find Pushkin+ on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at&nbsp;<a href="http://pushkin.fm/" data-stringify-link="http://Pushkin.fm" data-sk="tooltip_parent">Pushkin.fm</a>.
Subscribe on Apple:&nbsp;<a href="http://apple.co/pushkin" data-stringify-link="http://apple.co/pushkin" data-sk="tooltip_parent">apple.co/pushkin</a> Subscribe on Pushkin: <a href="http://pushkin.fm/plus" data-stringify-link="http://pushkin.fm/plus" data-sk="tooltip_parent">pushkin.fm/plus</a>

Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage

The Optimism of Jefferson DeBlanc

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/084bef36-3a0b-49a4-8780-b2ea00e9ac7b/transcript

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