'Hank' Bourgeois, one of last surviving aviators of World War II's Black Sheep Squadron, is
dead at 88
Times Picayune 11-14-2009


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Henry Mayor "Hank" Bourgeois, one of the last surviving aviators from World War II's famed
Black Sheep Squadron, died Monday at St. Tammany Parish Hospital in Covington. He was 88.

Mr. Bourgeois was born in New Orleans, graduated from St. Aloysius High School and attended
Louisiana State University. He lived in Abita Springs for the past 12 years.

He joined the Marine Corps in 1940, served during both World War II and the Korean War and
retired from the military after 20 years, but the duty for which he was best remembered was
as a member of Marine Fighting Squadron 214.

Serving under Lt. Col. Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the unit became known as the Black Sheep
Squadron between August 1943 and January 1944 in the South Pacific. The squadron shot down 94
Japanese planes during combat over the Northern Solomon Islands and Rabaul.

The unit was the subject of a television series titled "Baa Baa Black Sheep" from 1976 to
1978, starring Robert Conrad as Boyington.

As a pilot in the squadron, Mr. Bourgeois sometimes flew two missions per day. He retired in
1961 as a lieutenant colonel and pursued a subsequent career in the aerospace industry.

He hosted a reunion of Black Sheep pilots in 2000, and 15 other former members of the
squadron traveled to Abita Springs to join him for the event.

Survivors include three sons, Gerard "Gerry" Bourgeois, Thomas Bourgeois and Stephen
Bourgeois; and three grandchildren.

A funeral was held Friday at St. Jane de Chantal Catholic Church in Abita Springs. Burial
will be in Maryland.

Serenity Funeral Home in Covington handled the arrangements.