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Contact Info
Home Town McCall, Idaho
Last Address La Jolla, California
Date of Passing Nov 26, 1987
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Even though some sources say he had either 9 or 17 aerial victories in WWII, official sources only credit him with 5.5. He also damaged 8 enemy aircraft on the ground. He was on the Apr 18, 1943 mission that shot down Japanese Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto, the architect of the Pearl Harbor attack. He was at first given sole credit for shotting down the "Betty" bomber that Yamamoto was in; later it was reduced to half credit, and finally to no credit after it was determined another pilot had shot it down. However, he was given credit for downing 1.5 enemy aircraft in the same engagement.
After the war he was the main founder of the Idaho Air National Guard, as well as a newspaper editor, special assistant to both the Secretary of the Air Force and the chairman of the National Security Resources Board, and vice president of the Convair division of General Dynamics.
His brother, 1st Lt. Charles Cobb Lanphier, USMC, died from disease and neglect while a prisoner of the Japanese on May 15, 1944.
His Navy Cross citation:
Awarded for actions during World War II
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Thomas G. Lanphier, Jr., United States Army Air Forces, for extraordinary heroism while serving as Pilot of a P-38 fighter airplane in the 339th Fighter Squadron, 37th Fighter Group, THIRTEENTH Air Force, U.S. Army Air Forces, attached to a Marine Fighter Command in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands on 18 April 1943. Leading a division of fighter planes at dangerously low altitude in the longest planned interception mission ever attempted, Captain Lanphier contacted the assigned objective, consisting of two enemy bombers and six escort fighters, with complete tactical surprise and launched a fierce, determined attack. In the ensuing engagement he operated with such daring courage and excellent marksmanship that he sent the leading bomber crashing in flames, and subsequently shot down one of the hostile fighters when it furiously attacked his plane. The outstanding professional skill and inspiring leadership displayed by Captain Lanphier under extremely adverse conditions contributed greatly to the remarkable success of this vital mission and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Armed Services.
WWII - Pacific Theater of Operations/Central Pacific Campaign (1941-43)
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
December / 1943
Description (Central Pacific Campaign 7 December 1941 to 6 December 1943) The war in the Central Pacific began with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941. Six months later an AAF task force took part in the Battle of Midway, in which a great Japanese fleet was defeated. But another year and a half elapsed before American forces began an offensive against Japanese positions in the Central Pacific. It was then, on 20 November 1943, that landings were made in the Gilberts, on Makin and Tarawa, with the Marines at the latter place becoming engaged in one of the bloodiest battles of the war.
