Ira C. Kepford

Kepford first made headlines in local papers as a promising high school football player. He went on to become a starting halfback for Northwestern University before signing up as a Navy reservist in anticipation of World War II. Kepford ultimately attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander before his discharge from the Navy and his entrance into the private sector. He worked his way up from trainee at a Liggett Drug Company store to President of the company, retiring in 1960. Kepford died in 1987, aged 67.

Kepford remained in the US Naval Reserve until 1956, when he retired from the service. Upon retirement he was promoted to lieutenant commander on the strength of his combat citations. Kepford worked for more than 10 years at the Liggett-Rexall company, where he climbed from store associate to Vice President of Marketing and finally, in 1960, to President of Liggett Drug Co. He retired the same year. After dabbling in investments for a time, in 1978 he moved to Harbor Springs, Michigan, where he lived until his death in 1987. He was 68 years old.

Between 26 and 27 January 1944, VF-17 flew escort for Navy SBD dive bomber and Avenger torpedo bomber planes attacking Lakunai airdrome. On each of these days the strike groups encountered around 60 enemy aircraft. In spite of this, no bombers were lost on either mission. Kepford flew on the second day and shot down two Mitsubishi A6M Zero aircraft, bringing his total to 6 aerial victories and flying ace status.

From 19 February to 8 March, when the squadron departed Piva, no significant fighter interception was encountered. The squadron was decommissioned 10 April 1944.

At the end of his two tours, Kepford was the Navy's ranking ace with 16 credited victories. Likewise, VF-17 returned to the United States as the highest scoring squadron to date, credited with 154 enemy planes definitely destroyed in 79 days of combat. News of the squadron's success spread quickly. Newspapers celebrated Kepford's achievement and the Freedom of Opportunity program aired a dramatization of Kepford's life on coast-to-coast radio. In June 1944, Kepford spoke at a war rally in Illinois while his squadron commander, Blackburn, flew above the audience.

VF-84 carried the lineage forward. Kepford joined a number of VF-17 alumni in the newly formed squadron and stayed on from summer through early December 1944 while the men trained in the use of rockets, completed carrier qualifications, etc. Kepford was detached and given a post at Naval Air Station San Diego as a carrier air group fighter instructor. He was selected to assist in the inspection of the newly commissioned USS Boxer, evaluating the performance of the ship's air group.

1 November 1943 inaugurated the Bougainville Campaign proper with the Battle of Empress Augusta Bay. VF-17 was tasked with flying CAP for the ships supporting this assault. The Japanese response to troop landings on Bougainville was swift and strong. Lt. Comdr. Blackburn's two divisions (8 planes) intercepted around 40 enemy aircraft intent on destroying the invasion fleet. Kepford was assigned to the second 8-plane patrol. After two hours with no enemy contact, Kepford's 4-plane division broke off to strafe installations on Shortland Island before returning to Ondonga. Later that same day Kepford flew again with similar results: no enemy aircraft, divert to strafe Shortland.

Kepford's first big day occurred on 11 November 1943 while VF-17 was providing CAP for Sherman's carriers. Blackburn's Corsairs patrolled the carrier task groups while they launched and subsequently recovered aircraft conducting strikes against Rabaul. A massed Japanese counterattack was launched in response, and upwards of 110 fighter and bomber planes were able to follow returning strike aircraft back to their carriers. Outnumbered approximately 3:1, the Jolly Rogers were able to shoot down 18 enemy aircraft and damage a half dozen more while suffering themselves 3 damaged planes, 1 injured pilot and no combat losses. Kepford himself shot down 3 Aichi D3A "Val" dive bombers and 1 Nakajima B5N "Kate" torpedo bomber.

VF-17's first combat tour was heralded in the press as a runaway success. For the period 1 – 29 November 1943, the squadron claimed 47 enemy aircraft downed with only 1 pilot lost. One news clipping, touting the squadron's two high-scorers, Kepford and Blackburn, referred to the "Skull and Crossbones" squadron as the "deadliest land-based Navy fighter outfit that ever operated in the South Pacific..."

On April 29, 1942 Kepford was appointed aviation cadet, and by November 5, 1942 he earned his wings. His first operational assignment was to John Blackburn's VF-17 "Jolly Rogers" squadron. "Blackburn's Irregulars" earned a reputation as troublemakers at NAS Norfolk, where the men actively sought to sharpen their skills against servicemen in other branches of the military. Notably, Kepford engaged in a dogfight directly over the town of Norfolk with a P-51 Mustang flown by a United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) pilot. Tension brought about by such antics expedited the squadron's move to Manteo, where they completed training.

"Ike" Kepford continued to play football at the collegiate level at Northwestern University, where he enrolled in the university's Dental School and picked up an interest in aeronautics. He served as one of two starting halfbacks on the Wildcats football team. Convinced that war was coming and that he would be drafted, Kepford enlisted in the United States Navy Reserve. He publicly "signed up" during the halftime ceremony of the season's final game on November 22, 1941.

Ira Cassius Kepford (May 29, 1919 – January 19, 1987) was an American flying ace of World War II who served with a land-based unit of the United States Navy. In 76 days of combat flying with the VF-17 "Jolly Rogers," he was credited with shooting down 16 enemy aircraft. At the close of his combat service in April 1944, Kepford was the Navy's leading ace.

Ira C. Kepford was born on May 29, 1919 in Harvey, Illinois. He grew up in Muskegon, Michigan, and attended Muskegon High School. In 1937 he was selected as an All-State athlete and as captain of the high school football team, which he led to an undefeated 9–0 season and state title victory.