and it was over rabaul. a bullet came in the side of the canopy. >> he yelled, "i'm hit," and we pulled off the target and started taking it back. we couldn't see the round that had hit him. >> it went through my lungs, hit my spine and paralyzed my legs and screwed me up thoroughly. >> his back muscle was shot away. you could put your fist through the hole in his back. he was grounded for three, four years. >> ed harper recovered and went on to a distinguished military career, retiring as a colonel in 1969, and then worked for mcdonald aircraft in st. louis. but he never thought what pappy taught him during those 12 weeks in the south pacific. >> he made young fighter pilots brave. he made me feel aggressive. he gave me confidence. he was an honest-to-god leader. >> john bolt would go on to achieve the extraordinary feat to become an ace in world r ii and korea. in april of '44, president roosevelt awarded pappy boyington the medal of honor. in the summer of '45, pappy was once again front page news. that's