{"id":254911,"date":"2026-10-22T21:34:07","date_gmt":"2026-10-23T02:34:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/?p=254911"},"modified":"2026-10-22T21:34:15","modified_gmt":"2026-10-23T02:34:15","slug":"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\/","title":{"rendered":"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-estimated-reading-time yoast-reading-time__wrapper\"><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__icon\"><svg aria-hidden=\"true\" focusable=\"false\" data-icon=\"clock\" width=\"20\" height=\"20\" fill=\"none\" stroke=\"currentColor\" style=\"display:inline-block;vertical-align:-0.1em\" role=\"img\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\"><path stroke-linecap=\"round\" stroke-linejoin=\"round\" stroke-width=\"2\" d=\"M12 8v4l3 3m6-3a9 9 0 11-18 0 9 9 0 0118 0z\"><\/path><\/svg><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__spacer\" style=\"display:inline-block;width:1em\"><\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__descriptive-text\">Estimated reading time: <\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__reading-time\">11<\/span><span class=\"yoast-reading-time__time-unit\"> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Two young Marine F4U Corsair pilots entered a savage Pacific dogfight and somehow survived the impossible. One met a Japanese Zero&#8217;s propeller. The other fell 2,000 feet without a working parachute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1.jpeg\" alt=\"Vought F4U Corsair in flight, the Marine fighter known to the Japanese as Whistling Death\" class=\"wp-image-254912\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1-400x265.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1-150x99.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1-768x509.jpeg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The F4U Corsair was one of the most graceful flying machines ever produced. The Japanese called it the &#8220;Whistling Death&#8221; due to the distinctive sound it made when the wind was roaring through the oil coolers in the wing roots. Wikipedia photo by Gary Wetzler.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-yoast-seo-table-of-contents yoast-table-of-contents\"><h2>Table of contents<\/h2><ul><li><a href=\"#h-the-pacific-dogfight-that-set-the-trap\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">The Pacific Dogfight That Set the Trap<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-the-japanese-zero-ruled-early-pacific-skies\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Why the Japanese Zero Ruled Early Pacific Skies<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-a-long-way-down-samuel-logan-bails-out\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">A Long Way Down: Samuel Logan Bails Out<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-cold-blooded-code-a-zero-circles-back\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Cold-Blooded Code: A Zero Circles Back<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-fish-in-a-barrel-a-zero-hunts-logan-under-canopy\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Fish in a Barrel: A Zero Hunts Logan Under Canopy<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-a-fine-mess-wounded-in-the-pacific\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">A Fine Mess: Wounded in the Pacific<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-one-wild-ride-j-g-percy-falls-2-000-feet\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">One Wild Ride: J.G. Percy Falls 2,000 Feet<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-why-a-2-000-foot-fall-turns-water-into-concrete\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Why a 2,000-Foot Fall Turns Water Into Concrete<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-brace-for-impact-percy-hits-the-pacific\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Brace for Impact: Percy Hits the Pacific<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-two-marine-pilots-who-simply-refused-to-die\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Two Marine Pilots Who Simply Refused to Die<\/a><\/li><li><a href=\"#h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" data-level=\"2\">Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-the-pacific-dogfight-that-set-the-trap\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Pacific Dogfight That Set the Trap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The summer of 1943 was a busy time in the azure blue skies above the Pacific. Allied pilots battled their Japanese counterparts to the death over control of tiny spits of sandy jungle jutting up out of the ocean. If war had ever truly been chivalrous and gentlemanly, any pretense of that was gone some 18 months after the surprise attack at Pearl Harbor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">7 June 1943 saw brutal aerial combat over the Russell Islands in the Solomons. Marine F4U Corsairs and Army Air Corps P40 Warhawks mixed it up with Japanese Zeroes until the sky was dirty with smoke and death. One particular engagement produced two comparably extraordinary tales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-the-japanese-zero-ruled-early-pacific-skies\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why the Japanese Zero Ruled Early Pacific Skies<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-1024x683.jpeg\" alt=\"Japanese A6M Zero fighter, the agile opponent of American F4U Corsair pilots in World War 2\" class=\"wp-image-254914\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-1024x683.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-400x267.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Zero_N712Z_1-1.jpeg 1600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Japanese A6M Zero was a scourge early in World War 2, but American designs soon eclipsed its performance. 10,939 examples were produced. Only one remains flyable today with its original engine. Wikipedia photo by Kogo.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At the onset of the war in the Pacific, the Japanese Zero and the men who flew it seemed unstoppable. Japanese naval aviators in particular were some of the most well-trained pilots in the world. However, their bench was shallow. While the United States tooled up to produce combat aircraft and pilots at a rate not seen before or since, Japanese aviators killed in combat could not readily be replaced. This attrition was beginning to be felt over the battlefield by mid-1943.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Zero was considered invincible because of an intentional mechanical compromise. Where American fighters were fat with armor, self-sealing fuel tanks, and .50-caliber heavy machine guns, the A6M5 Zero was a stripped-down, lightweight thoroughbred. The Zero\u2019s lack of armor and amenities made it nimble and fast but vulnerable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"740\" height=\"600\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M2_Cockpit.jpeg\" alt=\"Cockpit of an A6M2 Japanese Zero downed during the attack on Pearl Harbor\" class=\"wp-image-254915\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M2_Cockpit.jpeg 740w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M2_Cockpit-370x300.jpeg 370w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M2_Cockpit-150x122.jpeg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 740px) 100vw, 740px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">This is the cockpit of an A6M2 Zero downed during the attack on Pearl Harbor. Many Japanese pilots had little use for their radios and removed them from their planes. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Zero\u2019s radios were rubbish. Unreliable, heavy, and quirky, Japanese radios of the day often pummeled Zero pilots with mind-numbing static. As a result, a great many Japanese pilots pulled the heavy radio gear out of their machines to improve their performance. This left tactical control up to such primitive stuff as hand signals and wing waggling. American tech would soon play a huge part in our coming overwhelming tactical superiority.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a result, Japanese combat aircraft often flew in huge mixed formations. On 7 June, some 50 Japanese Zero fighters and single-engine bombers were droning along above the Russell Islands. Army P40\u2019s bounced this huge gaggle of Japanese warplanes. The resulting frenetic dogfight devolved into a swirling maelstrom of aerial violence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-a-long-way-down-samuel-logan-bails-out\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Long Way Down: Samuel Logan Bails Out<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"682\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-1024x682.jpeg\" alt=\"F4U Corsair showing the large, powerful gull-winged profile flown by Marine pilot Samuel S. Logan\" class=\"wp-image-254916\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-1024x682.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-400x267.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-150x100.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-768x512.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02-1536x1024.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/CF15_Corsair_ZK-COR_040415_02.jpeg 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The F4U Corsair was fast and powerful. However, it also made for a big target. Wikipedia photo by Oren Rosen.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">22-year-old Marine aviator LT Samuel S. Logan was flying an F4U Corsair when he came upon a solitary Zero hot on the tail of an Army Warhawk. Logan unleashed his half-dozen .50-caliber machine guns on the Japanese plane only to have another Zero get the jump on him. He felt his heavy gull-winged machine shudder and realized that the control surfaces in his tail were shredded. With the big Marine fighter now beginning to come apart, Logan slid his canopy back, unfastened it, and crawled out of the cockpit.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of the biggest threats to a successful egress from a crippled WW2-era fighter was being struck by one\u2019s own plane during the jump. As a result, Sam Logan worked his way hand-over-hand down the length of his stricken machine and leapt clear from the damaged empennage. In moments, he was falling free. Once away from his airplane, Logan pulled the ripcord and found himself suspended underneath his parachute.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-cold-blooded-code-a-zero-circles-back\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cold-Blooded Code: A Zero Circles Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"538\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1-1024x538.jpeg\" alt=\"Japanese A6M3 Zero fighter representing the deadly Pacific air combat faced by downed Allied pilots\" class=\"wp-image-254917\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1-1024x538.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1-400x210.jpeg 400w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1-150x79.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1-768x404.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/A6M3_Model22_UI105_Nishizawa-1.jpeg 1392w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Japanese pilots in WW2 more often than not gave no quarter in combat. American flyers fed that right back to them. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Zero pilot who had shot him down was not satisfied simply to have destroyed Logan\u2019s airplane. He torqued his nimble little fighter around in a tight circle and lined up for a firing pass on the helpless Marine aviator. LT Logan knew what was coming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Killing pilots while under canopy was illegal per the laws of war, but there wasn\u2019t anybody around to enforce those laws. American pilots machine-gunned their helpless opponents on rare occasions, usually in response to barbarity such as this, but the Japanese did it quite a lot. This practice stemmed from the weird Bushido code that drove the Japanese war machine.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Japanese troops were indoctrinated to sacrifice everything for their Emperor. Surrender was a disgrace worse than death. As a result, enemy troops who had willingly saved themselves under such circumstances were not considered worthy of basic human protections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-fish-in-a-barrel-a-zero-hunts-logan-under-canopy\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Fish in a Barrel: A Zero Hunts Logan Under Canopy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"426\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/USMC_Paratrooper.jpeg\" alt=\"US Marine paratrooper descending beneath a parachute, illustrating the distinction between paratroopers and downed aviators\" class=\"wp-image-254918\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/USMC_Paratrooper.jpeg 426w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/USMC_Paratrooper-197x300.jpeg 197w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/USMC_Paratrooper-98x150.jpeg 98w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 426px) 100vw, 426px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Paratroopers under canopy are considered hostile combatants. Downed aviators are not. This is an important distinction. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is actually tougher to engage an essentially stationary aerial target from a fast-moving fighter plane than you might think. The Japanese pilot lined up on LT Logan and fired a long burst but missed. Logan lifted his legs as the enemy plane passed mere feet below him. The Zero then circled around for another try.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The second effort ended about the same as the first. Logan again had to lift his feet in an effort to avoid the attacking fighter. Miraculously, the Japanese pilot failed to connect a second time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">By the third pass, Logan was pulling madly at his risers in an effort to make himself a tougher target. Now focused entirely on killing the American flyer, the Japanese pilot loosed another burst at close range. Misjudging the distance, the Zero pilot actually struck the dangling Marine with his propeller. The Zero removed most of Logan\u2019s right foot as well as his left heel. As the Japanese fighter wheeled around for a fourth pass, a nearby American P40 noticed the carnage, engaged the enemy plane, and drove it away.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-a-fine-mess-wounded-in-the-pacific\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">A Fine Mess: Wounded in the Pacific<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"772\" height=\"680\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.52.44.jpg\" alt=\"B2 pararaft survival raft issued to American military aviators during World War 2\" class=\"wp-image-254919\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.52.44.jpg 772w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.52.44-341x300.jpg 341w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.52.44-150x132.jpg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.52.44-768x676.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 772px) 100vw, 772px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The B2 pararaft issued to American aviators during WW2 wasn&#8217;t much of a boat. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">LT Logan was now in a bit of a spot. The murderous Japanese pilot was no longer actively trying to kill him, which was great. However, he had just had his legs run through an airplane propeller. It was in this sordid state that he touched down in the warm waters of the Pacific.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Logan somehow got his life raft inflated and pulled himself out of the water. Clawing through his survival gear, he managed to get a tourniquet around his mangled right foot and liberally covered the wound in sulfa powder. He then injected himself with a morphine syrette to dull the pain. Despite his injuries, Logan retrieved his signal mirror and successfully attracted the attention of an American floatplane. The friendly aircraft landed nearby and successfully effected a rescue. Logan was medevac\u2019d to a Naval hospital where his right stump was dressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-one-wild-ride-j-g-percy-falls-2-000-feet\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">One Wild Ride: J.G. Percy Falls 2,000 Feet<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"812\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-1024x812.jpeg\" alt=\"Brewster F3A-1 Corsair representing the damaged fighter abandoned by Marine aviator J.G. Percy\" class=\"wp-image-254921\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-1024x812.jpeg 1024w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-378x300.jpeg 378w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-150x119.jpeg 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-768x609.jpeg 768w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair-1536x1219.jpeg 1536w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Brewster_F3A-1_Corsair.jpeg 1882w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">LT Percy&#8217;s Corsair met the same fate as that of LT Logan. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During this same engagement, one of Sam Logan\u2019s fellow Corsair pilots, a Marine aviator named J.G. Percy from San Francisco, downed one Zero and damaged another. In the melee, Percy\u2019s Corsair was also riddled with bullets and cannon shells. At 2,000 feet, the 21-year-old Marine aviator dove out of his dying plane.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The parachutes used by military aviators of that era were last-ditch survival tools. They were designed to be lightweight and portable. There were no reserves. When LT Percy yanked his ripcord, the white nylon chute malfunctioned into a worthless ribbon. He had no other options except simply to fall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">From nearly half a mile up, Percy accelerated to a ridiculous speed. Once he neared the water, he oriented himself feet-first and twisted his head skyward. In this configuration, he hit the water like a rocket.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-why-a-2-000-foot-fall-turns-water-into-concrete\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why a 2,000-Foot Fall Turns Water Into Concrete<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"844\" height=\"678\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-04.59.34.png\" alt=\"Physics illustration explaining why water behaves almost like concrete during a high-speed fall\" class=\"wp-image-254956\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-04.59.34.png 844w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-04.59.34-373x300.png 373w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-04.59.34-150x120.png 150w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-10-at-04.59.34-768x617.png 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 844px) 100vw, 844px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\"><br \/>Gases can be compressed to do stuff for us. Liquids cannot. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Liquids are incompressible. Gases are not. What that means is that you can compress a volume of air or similar gas into a tank to be used at your convenience. By contrast, no matter how much pressure you put on a liquid like water, that volume will not get appreciably smaller.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">What that practically means in this case is that the Pacific Ocean had no give to it. Jumping into the water from a diving board allows the human body to slip into the water such that this potential energy is dissipated gradually and safely. At LT Percy\u2019s speed, however, the water acted almost like concrete.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The fastest a human body can typical strike water without injury is between 35 and 40 mph. That equates out to a jump height of around 40 to 50 feet. Terminal velocity for a human being dropped from 2,000 feet is closer to 120 mph when falling belly-first. Percy was more like a pencil. Something had to give.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-brace-for-impact-percy-hits-the-pacific\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Brace for Impact: Percy Hits the Pacific<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"448\" height=\"584\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.59.13.jpg\" alt=\"World War 2 Mae West life vest like the one that kept Marine aviator J.G. Percy afloat\" class=\"wp-image-254923\" style=\"width:448px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.59.13.jpg 448w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.59.13-230x300.jpg 230w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-16.59.13-115x150.jpg 115w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 448px) 100vw, 448px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">The Mae West life vest, so named after the buxom actress, saved many a life during World War 2. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Percy later said that he \u201cLanded in the water feet-first and felt something break.\u201d That something was his pelvis, but he was, against all odds, still alive. The young Marine got his Mae West life jacket inflated, and that kept his head above water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite his grievous injuries, LT Percy swam for three hours until he reached a jagged reef. Pulling himself over the coral, he made his way with difficulty to the nearby beach. Percy remained on the beach throughout the night, unable to stand or walk. The following day, he attracted the attention of four passing natives who summoned aid and got him to safety. Once stabilized in an American military hospital, Percy recovered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-two-marine-pilots-who-simply-refused-to-die\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Two Marine Pilots Who Simply Refused to Die<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"436\" height=\"650\" src=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-15.19.07.jpg\" alt=\"Marine F4U Corsair pilot Samuel S. Logan, who survived being struck by a Japanese Zero propeller\" class=\"wp-image-254920\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-15.19.07.jpg 436w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-15.19.07-201x300.jpg 201w, https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Screenshot-2026-08-09-at-15.19.07-101x150.jpg 101w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 436px) 100vw, 436px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Sam Logan miraculously survived his trip through the spinning propeller of a Japanese Zero. Public domain.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">World War 2 was the most expansive conflict in human history. Between 70 and 85 million people lost their lives. 16 million Americans served. One in every 39 perished. Those are the raw numbers. However, the real drama of WW2 was not found in these cold statistics. It was embedded within the individual stories.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sam Logan and JG Percy were two young Americans who answered the call to go and fight in defense of democracy. When faced with the prospect of violent, gory death, these two brass-balled jarheads simply said not today. One man ran through an airplane propeller, while the other fell from a burning fighter plane without a parachute. Both Marines survived the war and miraculously lived to build lives and families back home. Our great nation is built upon such amazing stuff as this.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"h-related-reads-from-gunsamerica-digest\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Related Reads from GunsAmerica Digest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/the-f4u-corsair-the-gull-winged-whistling-wife-killer\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">The F4U Corsair: The Gull-Winged Whistling Wife Killer<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/robert-johnson-and-his-indestructible-thunderbolt\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Robert Johnson and His Indestructible Thunderbolt<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/james-ward-crawled-onto-a-burning-bomber-at-13000-feet\/\" target=\"_blank\" class=\"clickTracking\" campaign=\"f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\" title=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">James Ward Crawled Onto a Burning Bomber at 13,000 Feet<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Two young Marine F4U Corsair pilots entered a savage Pacific dogfight and somehow survived the impossible. One met a Japanese Zero&#8217;s propeller. The other fell 2,000 feet without a working parachute.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":66,"featured_media":254912,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_specdata_upc":"","_specdata_placement":"manual","footnotes":""},"categories":[7,772],"tags":[102,636,2836],"featured":[],"hunt365":[],"class_list":["post-254911","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-gunsamerica-authors","category-will-dabbs","tag-feature-articles","tag-history","tag-will-dabbs"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v28.7 (Yoast SEO v28.7) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die - Authors\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Two young Marine F4U Corsair pilots entered a savage Pacific dogfight and somehow survived the impossible. 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The other fell 2,000 feet without a working parachute.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gun Reviews and News | GunsAmerica.com\/Digest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:author\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/will.dabbs.9\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T02:34:07+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-10-23T02:34:15+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1.jpeg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"678\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Will Dabbs\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@gunsamerica\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Will Dabbs\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"11 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Will Dabbs\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/4b818f415191c071a88bdc0d8cb33eca\"},\"headline\":\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T02:34:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T02:34:15+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/\"},\"wordCount\":2033,\"commentCount\":0,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1.jpeg\",\"keywords\":[\"Feature Articles\",\"History\",\"Will Dabbs\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Authors\",\"Will Dabbs\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/#respond\"]}],\"accessibilityFeature\":[\"tableOfContents\"]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/\",\"name\":\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\\\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1.jpeg\",\"datePublished\":\"2026-10-23T02:34:07+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2026-10-23T02:34:15+00:00\",\"description\":\"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die - 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However, shooting guns and claiming it was work seemed like a pretty sweet hustle. As a result, Will serendipitously transformed an avocation into a vocation. Raised in the Mississippi Delta, Will flew UH1H, OH58A\\\/C, CH47D and AH1S helicopters operationally as an Army Aviator. He is SCUBA-qualified and has parachuted out of perfectly good airplanes at 3 o'clock in the morning. Will has summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times\u2026always at the controls of an Army helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains. Will has delivered sixty babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has three awesome adult children. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal and the movie \u201cAliens.\u201d www.word-monkey.com Experience: -Professional Writer-thousands of publishing credits for dozens of titles -Mechanical Engineer\\\/Practicing Physician -Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot -Sunday School Teacher\",\"sameAs\":[\"http:\\\/\\\/www.word-monkey.com\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.facebook.com\\\/will.dabbs.9\",\"https:\\\/\\\/www.instagram.com\\\/drwildmanmd\\\/\"],\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/gunsamerica.com\\\/digest\\\/author\\\/willdabbs\\\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die","description":"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die - Authors","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/f4u-corsair-pilots-survival-pacific\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"F4U Corsair Pilots Who Refused to Die","og_description":"Two young Marine F4U Corsair pilots entered a savage Pacific dogfight and somehow survived the impossible. 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However, shooting guns and claiming it was work seemed like a pretty sweet hustle. As a result, Will serendipitously transformed an avocation into a vocation. Raised in the Mississippi Delta, Will flew UH1H, OH58A\/C, CH47D and AH1S helicopters operationally as an Army Aviator. He is SCUBA-qualified and has parachuted out of perfectly good airplanes at 3 o'clock in the morning. Will has summited Mount McKinley, Alaska, six times\u2026always at the controls of an Army helicopter, which is the only way sensible folk climb mountains. Will has delivered sixty babies and occasionally wrung human blood out of his socks. He is married to his high school sweetheart and has three awesome adult children. Turn-ons include vintage German machineguns, flying his sexy-cool RV6A airplane, Count Chocula cereal and the movie \u201cAliens.\u201d www.word-monkey.com Experience: -Professional Writer-thousands of publishing credits for dozens of titles -Mechanical Engineer\/Practicing Physician -Instrument-rated Commercial Pilot -Sunday School Teacher","sameAs":["http:\/\/www.word-monkey.com","https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/will.dabbs.9","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/drwildmanmd\/"],"url":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/author\/willdabbs\/"}]}},"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Vought_F4U_Corsair_USMC-1-150x99.jpeg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254911","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/66"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=254911"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254911\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":259617,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/254911\/revisions\/259617"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/254912"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=254911"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=254911"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=254911"},{"taxonomy":"featured","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/featured?post=254911"},{"taxonomy":"hunt365","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gunsamerica.com\/digest\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/hunt365?post=254911"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}