Marion Eugene Carl

After a short rest, Carl was reassigned to Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (

In 1943, then-Major Carl returned to the Pacific and led VMF-223 until the following summer. During combat in the Solomon Islands, he claimed two more enemy planes, finishing as the Corps' seventh-ranking ace with 18.5 victories.

Aerial victory credits

Test pilot

In 1945, Carl graduated in the first

In 1947, Carl was one of two pilots selected to fly the Douglas D-558/I Skystreak in record-setting speed attempts. That August, he was recorded at 650 miles per hour (1,050 km/h), establishing a new world record for a conventional aircraft. When Air Force Captain Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in October, he also broke Carl's record.

At Patuxent River on April 1, 1952, Carl had a close brush with death. He was performing a series of check spins in the new Grumman AF-2S Guardian anti-submarine attack aircraft. The anti-spin parachute that had been fitted in earlier tests had been removed. Climbing to 10,000 feet (3,000 m) over Chesapeake Bay, Carl commenced the spin. The aircraft entered a flat spin with strong centrifugal forces. Carl could not break the spin and rode it down to 4,000 ft (1,200 m). He tried to operate the ejection seat, but the face blind ripped away in his hands and the seat failed to fire. He climbed out at 3,000 feet (910 m). He then tried the wind-tunnel approved method of getting out on the inside of the spin, but was forced back due to airflow. He finally got out on the other side and felt his parachute open as he fell into the splash of the aircraft. The success of this proved bailing out on the inside of the spin to avoid being hit by the tail was an incorrect theory.^[4]

During a second test pilot tour in 1953, Carl set an unofficial altitude record of 83,000 feet (25,000 m) in the

Between test pilot duties, Carl commanded other units including a

Though still a

Carl received his second star as a

Murder

Carl returned to his native Oregon, where he and his wife Edna settled near Roseburg. Marion Carl's memoir, Pushing the Envelope, coauthored with his friend Barrett Tillman, was published in 1994.^[5] In 1998, at age 82, he was shot to death during a robbery, defending Edna from a home invader.^[6] Carl had entered his living room late one evening and had found an intruder pointing a shotgun at his wife and demanding money and car-keys. Carl lunged at the intruder who fired his weapon, the shot grazing Edna's head and leaving her injured. The attacker then turned the weapon on Carl, fatally shooting him and then fleeing, stealing cash and the couple's car.^[7] Carl was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery.^[8]

His murderer, 19-year-old Jesse Fanus, was apprehended one week later. In April 1999, he was convicted on two counts of aggravated murder (and 11 additional felony charges) and sentenced to death. In 2003, his conviction and death sentence were upheld by the Oregon Supreme Court. In December 2011, the sentence was overturned based on the prisoner's inadequate legal representation.^[9][10] Fanus was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on May 7, 2015.^[11]

Carl's widow Edna passed away in 2007.^[7] His two children were Bruce and Lyanne.

Awards and legacy

Carl's decorations include (having declined any personal medals for service in Vietnam):^[12]

First Navy Cross citation

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Captain Marion Eugene Carl (MCSN: 0-6053), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving Section Leader and a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMF-221), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942. Leading his section in a dauntless and aggressive attack against a vastly superior number of Japanese bomber and fighter planes, Captain Carl aided in the disruption of enemy plans and lessened the effectiveness of their attack. As a result of his daring tactics, he succeeded in destroying one OO Isento KI Navy Fighter. The courageous leadership and utter disregard for personal safety displayed by Captain Carl in this attack were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.^[13]

Second Navy Cross citation

Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Captain Marion Eugene Carl (MCSN: 0-6053), United States Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-THREE (VMF-223), Marine Air Group TWENTY-THREE (MAG-23), FIRST Marine Aircraft Wing, in aerial combat against enemy Japanese forces in the Solomons Islands Area from 24 August 1942 to 9 September 1942. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, Captain Carl, during the period of sixteen days, shot down ten enemy aircraft unassisted, and with the help of another Marine Corps pilot, succeeded in shooting down the eleventh plane. His brilliant daring and conspicuous skill as an airman served as an inspiration to other pilots of his squadron and contributed greatly to the security of the positions of the United States Forces in the Solomon Islands. His courageous and loyal devotion to duty is in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.^[13]

• In 1992 Carl was inducted into the Lancaster Aerospace Walk of Honor.^[14]
• On July 21, 2001, Carl was enshrined at
  Albert Ueltschi.^[15]

• In 1984, 1986, 1989, and 1992, Carl was honored at the Air Command and Staff College's Gathering of Eagles at Maxwell Air Base, Montgomery Alabama. This program encourages the study of airpower history by emphasizing the contributions of air and space pioneers.^[16]
• Roseburg Regional Airport, in Roseburg, Oregon, was named the Marion E. Carl Memorial Field in his honor.^[17]
• MATSG-23 holds an annual "Mud Run" in honor of Carl at the Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California. The 5-mile run includes mud pits, climbing walls, and other military obstacles to challenge the runners. The 13th Annual Mud Run was held on June 6, 2006.^[18][19]
• The airfield at Marine Corps Air Station Kaneohe Bay was named for Carl.^[20]

See also

• United States Marine Corps Aviation

References