Medal of Honor: John Lucian Smith World War II – Solomon Islands, August–September 1942

John Lucian Smith
World War II – Solomon Islands, August–September 1942

In the early months of the Guadalcanal campaign, the skies above the Solomon Islands burned with dogfights that determined the fate of the island’s airfield—and with it, the course of the war in the Pacific. At the center of this furious struggle stood Major John L. Smith, commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 223.

Smith was not content to sit back and direct from a distance. He led from the front, flying headlong into superior Japanese formations, often outnumbered several times over. Between August 21 and September 15, 1942, he personally shot down sixteen Japanese aircraft, a tally that made him one of the most lethal fighter pilots of the campaign. But his greatest contribution was not simply in kills—it was in the leadership and training he provided to his young, inexperienced squadron. Under his command, VMF-223 destroyed eighty-three enemy planes in that short span, a record that forced the Japanese to pay dearly for every attack and helped secure Guadalcanal’s precious airfield.

Smith’s aggressive tactics and unbreakable spirit inspired his men to fight with a ferocity that belied their inexperience. Again and again, they rose to meet enemy bombers and fighters, shattering formations and sending burning planes into the sea. Every victory bought time for the Marines and soldiers fighting on the ground below, every interception keeping supplies flowing and preventing Japanese forces from driving the Allies off Guadalcanal.

To his squadron, Major Smith was more than a commander—he was the embodiment of the Marine Corps fighting ethos: daring, decisive, and unyielding. His courage in the air helped turn the tide of one of the most desperate battles of the Pacific War, proving that superior skill, leadership, and determination could overcome overwhelming odds.

Medal of Honor Citation

For conspicuous gallantry and heroic achievement in aerial combat above and beyond the call of duty as commanding officer of Marine Fighting Squadron 223 during operations against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomon Islands area, August–September 1942. Repeatedly risking his life in aggressive and daring attacks, Maj. Smith led his squadron against a determined force, greatly superior in numbers, personally shooting down 16 Japanese planes between 21 August and 15 September 1942. In spite of the limited combat experience of many of the pilots of this squadron, they achieved the notable record of a total of 83 enemy aircraft destroyed in this period, mainly attributable to the thorough training under Maj. Smith and to his intrepid and inspiring leadership. His bold tactics and indomitable fighting spirit, and the valiant and zealous fortitude of the men of his command not only rendered the enemy’s attacks ineffective and costly to Japan, but contributed to the security of our advance base. His loyal and courageous devotion to duty sustains and enhances the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.