How many victories was Pappy Boyington ultimately credited with?

Boyington claimed six victories in China flying P-40s with the American Volunteer Group, but the Flying Tigers only credited him with two. He was officially credited with two Japanese aircraft destroyed in the air and one and a half on the ground. He always maintained he had shot down six in the air, and the Marine Corps accepted that claim. Both the total of 26, which matched Rickenbacker, and the total of 28, which made him on paper the top Marine ace of the war, depend on numbers the Flying Tigers never confirmed. If the four disputed kills are removed, Boyington is left with 24 aerial victories.

By 27 December 1943 his tally had risen to 25. He was within reach of 26 victories, the American record standing since the First World War. On his last mission he claimed two more Zeros before going down into the sea. Those final two kills, which raised the total to 28, were confirmed after his return.

He is credited with having personally destroyed 26 of the many Japanese aircraft shot down by his squadron. Today official sources variously credit him with between 24 and 28 victories.