US Marine Corps LtCol
WWII & Korean War Veteran
The Times-Picayune 14 Nov 2009
Henry Mayo "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88.
Mr. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended Louisiana State University. He lived in Abita Springs for the past 12 years.
He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War and retired from the military after 20 years, but the duty for which he was best remembered was as a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 214.
Serving under Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the unit became known as the Black Sheep Squadron between August 1943 and January 1944 in the South Pacific. The squadron shot down 94 Japanese planes during combat over the Northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul.
The unit was the subject of a television series titled "Baa Baa Black Sheep" from 1976 to 1978, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.
As a pilot in the squadron, Mr. Bourgeois sometimes flew two missions per day. He retired in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.
He hosted a reunion of Black Sheep pilots in 2000, and 15 other former members of the squadron traveled to Abita Springs to join him for the event.
Survivors include three sons, Gerard "Gerry" Bourgeois, Thomas Bourgeois and Stephen Bourgeois; and three grandchildren.
A funeral was held Friday at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs. Burial will be in Maryland.
Serenity Funeral Home in Covington handled the arrangements.
WWII & Korean War Veteran
The Times-Picayune 14 Nov 2009
Henry Mayo "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88.
Mr. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended Louisiana State University. He lived in Abita Springs for the past 12 years.
He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War and retired from the military after 20 years, but the duty for which he was best remembered was as a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 214.
Serving under Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the unit became known as the Black Sheep Squadron between August 1943 and January 1944 in the South Pacific. The squadron shot down 94 Japanese planes during combat over the Northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul.
The unit was the subject of a television series titled "Baa Baa Black Sheep" from 1976 to 1978, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.
As a pilot in the squadron, Mr. Bourgeois sometimes flew two missions per day. He retired in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.
He hosted a reunion of Black Sheep pilots in 2000, and 15 other former members of the squadron traveled to Abita Springs to join him for the event.
Survivors include three sons, Gerard "Gerry" Bourgeois, Thomas Bourgeois and Stephen Bourgeois; and three grandchildren.
A funeral was held Friday at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs. Burial will be in Maryland.
Serenity Funeral Home in Covington handled the arrangements.
US Marine Corps LtCol
WWII & Korean War Veteran
The Times-Picayune 14 Nov 2009
Henry Mayo "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88.
Mr. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended Louisiana State University. He lived in Abita Springs for the past 12 years.
He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War and retired from the military after 20 years, but the duty for which he was best remembered was as a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 214.
Serving under Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the unit became known as the Black Sheep Squadron between August 1943 and January 1944 in the South Pacific. The squadron shot down 94 Japanese planes during combat over the Northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul.
The unit was the subject of a television series titled "Baa Baa Black Sheep" from 1976 to 1978, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.
As a pilot in the squadron, Mr. Bourgeois sometimes flew two missions per day. He retired in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.
He hosted a reunion of Black Sheep pilots in 2000, and 15 other former members of the squadron traveled to Abita Springs to join him for the event.
Survivors include three sons, Gerard "Gerry" Bourgeois, Thomas Bourgeois and Stephen Bourgeois; and three grandchildren.
A funeral was held Friday at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs. Burial will be in Maryland.
Serenity Funeral Home in Covington handled the arrangements.
WWII & Korean War Veteran
The Times-Picayune 14 Nov 2009
Henry Mayo "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88.
Mr. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended Louisiana State University. He lived in Abita Springs for the past 12 years.
He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War and retired from the military after 20 years, but the duty for which he was best remembered was as a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 214.
Serving under Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the unit became known as the Black Sheep Squadron between August 1943 and January 1944 in the South Pacific. The squadron shot down 94 Japanese planes during combat over the Northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul.
The unit was the subject of a television series titled "Baa Baa Black Sheep" from 1976 to 1978, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.
As a pilot in the squadron, Mr. Bourgeois sometimes flew two missions per day. He retired in 1961 as a lieutenant colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.
He hosted a reunion of Black Sheep pilots in 2000, and 15 other former members of the squadron traveled to Abita Springs to join him for the event.
Survivors include three sons, Gerard "Gerry" Bourgeois, Thomas Bourgeois and Stephen Bourgeois; and three grandchildren.
A funeral was held Friday at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs. Burial will be in Maryland.
Serenity Funeral Home in Covington handled the arrangements.
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