Guy Bordelon is the only United States Navy ace from the Korean War. Bordelon was born in Ruston, Louisiana, in 1922. He became an Eagle Scout and in 1939 graduated from high school in Alexandria. He began pre-law studies at Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, and later enrolled in Louisiana State University, where he remained until mid-1942. He joined the Navy and in September began pre-flight training in Georgia as an aviation cadet. He first flew the Boeing N2S Kaydet from Hensley Field near Dallas, Texas, and then moved south to Corpus Christi for advanced training. He received his wings and commission to ensign in May 1943, then became an instructor. In the spring of 1944, he checked out in the Grumman FM-2 Wildcat and before the end of World War II went to a squadron on the USS Corregidor.
Bordelon never saw combat, but had found his future, naval aviation, and soon applied for the regular Navy. He joined Fighter Squadron 11 to fly the Grumman F6F Hellcat and made an around-the-world cruise aboard the USS Valley Forge. He served in various fighter squadrons, and command and staff billets until 1950. As the Korean War began, Bordelon was a staff officer aboard the cruiser USS Helena. In April 1952, he reported to Moffett Field, California, and took charge of a detachment flying an all-weather radar-equipped Vought F4U Corsair. Cruising off Korea, on the USS Princeton, Bordelon and “team dog” performed night interdiction over the rugged peninsula. He flew 41 low-level missions against Communist transportation systems and earned three air medals.
In the summer of 1953, Fifth Air Force requested his team’s services to combat slow, low-flying Communist aircraft harassing United Nations forces at night. Several USAF jets had been lost trying to engage the “Bed Check Charlies.” Bordelon and three other pilots went ashore to the U.S. Marine Corps base at Pyongtaek, south of Seoul, and got into action quickly. Shortly before midnight on 29 June 1953, Bordelon shot down two Yakovlev 18s. The next night he destroyed two Lavochkin fighters. At 0100 on 17 July, he knocked down another Lavochkin while dodging anti-aircraft fire. Bordelon scored all his victories in the same Corsair, named “Annie Mo” for his wife. In November 1953, he went to Europe to instruct pilots of the French Aeronavale to fly Corsairs. He returned to the United States in 1954 and served in various command and staff positions in the United States and Pacific. Before he retired, Bordelon served on the staff of Commander, Task Force 140, supporting Apollo recovery missions. In a 27-year career, Bordelon flew over 15,000 hours, earned the Navy Cross, and two Silver Stars. He and Anne later returned to Louisiana.
