How Much Do You Know About the Black Sheep Squadron?

During WWII, the Black Sheep Squadron (now officially named VMA-214) became known for its exploits in the Pacific Theater of the war, downing many Japanese planes.

In the late '70s, Hollywood concocted a TV series based on the Flying Tigers. "Baa, Baa, Black Sheep" was an action/war show that lasted for two seasons.

Maj. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington served with distinction throughout WWII. He was in his 30s during the war, making him a decade older than many of the men under his command.

The Black Sheep Squadron consisted of "black sheep," pilots gathered from the remnants of other groups. They banded together and eventually became an ultra-deadly squadron.

In "Small War," T.J. inadvertently shoots down his own commander. Pappy parachutes behind enemy lines and must figure out a way to survive on his own.

The Sheep were cocky fellows -- they publicly announced that they'd blast one Zero for every autographed baseball cap they received from a World Series pro baseball player. The tally? More than 20 caps, and a whole lot more downed Zeroes.

The Black Sheep were cobbled together from other units, and they were very, very green -- just three pilots had combat experience. On paper, these men were not likely to be a very effective fighting force.

Robert Conrad, of "The Wild Wild West" fame, is Pappy in "Baa, Baa Black Sheep." His most recent movie was 1996's "Jingle All the Way."

Pappy was a loose cannon who was often in trouble with his superiors. During one night of heavy drinking, he wrestled with another man and wound up breaking his own ankle, leaving him temporarily without an assigned unit.

It's no wonder that Pappy helped to inspire a TV show. He was a real character, drinking all night and then causing misery for the Japanese all day. He was an excellent pilot.

In "High Jinx," we learn that the Japanese have upgraded some of their Zeroes to make them deadlier, and Air Force commanders don't want the Black Sheep to be shot down. The pilots, of course, are not happy about this development.

In "Up for Grabs," General MacArthur is scheduled to pay a visit to the Black Sheep. But the Japanese show up and cause all sorts of ruckus in hopes of kidnapping the American leader.

Thanks to savvy public relations and a swashbuckling leader in Pappy, the papers loved the Black Sheep, detailing their exploits in breathless accounts. Millions of Americans recognized Pappy and his men as heroes.

The Black Sheep weren't especially nuts -- at least, not any more than other Air Force units. They were a regular squadron that happened to be very good at their jobs.

Normally, the Black Sheep have their leader's back, but this mission seems to be guaranteed suicide. No one volunteers to join Pappy, a fact that angers him.

Pappy is fond of his little bull terrier. Meatball is sometimes mocked as "ugly," but he's actually cute as a button.

Pappy's leadership was legendary -- he wanted his men to stay alive. The pilots often gathered to discuss dogfighting tactics, a fact that eventually made the Black Sheep a cohesive fighting unit.

In "Operation Stand-Down," the men are told that they much re-qualify for combat, and that they must do so using detailed political rules instead of the real rules of war that have already formed their tactics and strategies.

The Black Sheep flew the Vought F4U Corsair, a fighter known for its speed, but not for its climbing ability. The Corsair was a carrier-capable fighter that saw action until the end of the Korean War.

The new pilot in "Forbidden Fruit" is way too young to be serving in the war. But he's so good at his job that no one wants to stop him.

In their first tour, the roughly 30 pilots of the Black Sheep went wild, destroying or damaging more than 200 Japanese planes. And their war was not yet over.

In the "Deadliest Enemy of All: Part 2," Pappy's heart is broken. He finds out that the nurse he loves is actually already married.

The Black Sheep were outnumbered more than two-to-one when Pappy went down in flames. He survived but was captured a Japanese submarine and then remained in a prison camp until the end of the war.

Pappy's captured signaled the end of the Black Sheep. The unit was disbanded and the pilots were redeployed into other units.

Pappy and two other pilots are stranded behind enemy lines just before the start of a major American offensive. They have to survive while also pondering the fate of civilians in the area.

Pappy's capture temporarily disbanded the unit, but it reformed for more combat duty near the Japanese mainland.

In March 1944, a Japanese bomber blasted the USS Franklin, killing nearly 800 servicemen, including dozens of Black Sheep. Between the loss of men and airplanes, the Black Sheep were done for.

In "The Fastest Gun," Pappy faces off with a single Japanese pilot. The two fight in what looks like an Old West gunfight in the skies.

The Black Sheep reformed and relocated almost immediately. They've seen action all over the world, from the Korean War to the modern-day war on terror.

Pappy was a true ace during WWII. He shot down at least 28 Japanese planes and his expertise and leadership earned him the Medal of Honor.