Thomas George Lanphier Jr.

Allied codebreakers determined the route and time schedule of the two Mitsubishi G4M bombers carrying Admiral Yamamoto and his staff by breaking the Purple code and Lanphier was selected for the mission to shoot it down. The mission was a success with both of the "Betty" bombers being destroyed. Officially, the after-action report gave Captain Lanphier and his wingman First Lieutenant Rex T. Barber each half-credit for the kill. While the USAF did not reverse its 1991 decision giving half-credit to each pilot,[4] a retired lawyer / historian[5] and state of Oregon politicians credit Barber with the sole kill.[6] Lanphier's claim does not stand up to the accounts given by every other battle participant including American Lightning pilots Besby Holmes, Doug Canning and Rex Barber, and Japanese Zero pilot Kenji Yanagiya.[2]

Promoted to lieutenant colonel in February 1945, Lanphier served as director of operations of the 72nd Fighter Wing of the Second Air Force until late 1945. Leaving active duty following the war, he transferred to the National Guard which became the Air National Guard with the establishment of the U.S. Air Force as a separate service in 1947. He was promoted to colonel in the Air National Guard with concurrent federal recognition at the same rank in the Air Force in 1950.

Lanphier died November 26, 1987, in San Diego, California, of cancer. He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.[11][1]

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain (Air Corps) Thomas George 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.[14]