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After shooting down five enemy aircraft Jan. 31, 1943, Col. Jefferson J. Deblanc was forced to bail out of his damaged plane to land off the shores of the Japanese-held Kolombangara Island. After six hours in the water wading to shore, Deblanc was picked up by locals and traded for a sack of rice to another tribe that helped get Deblanc back into the Allies hands. Deblanc received the medal of honor for his actions during the mission.
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