Peppy Hare's Black Sheep

Alright, I don't know how many people actually read these journals, and from my track record, not enough to keep writing them, but that's not gonna stop me.  After doing a little historical TV watching, as one of my favorite past times is I think I may have discovered a little coincidence in the video game industry, revolving around one of my favorite game series, Star Fox.  I want you to pay attention to little asterisks that I place near key words.  See if you can piece it together before I finish.  I would however appreciate it if you read it all through, but enough slack-jawing, let's begin.

For those of you unfamiliar with WWII history, on July 1, 1942, an American fighter pilot squadron* was formed, known as the 214 Black Sheep.  These pilots were lead by none other, than Major "Pappy"* Boyington.  Boyington was a trouble maker for most of his military career, constantly butting heads with commanding officers.  He originally had resigned* his post as a Marine Corps pilot in late 1941, while still continuing mercenary work over China, but was reinstated* as a Major in spring of 1942.  He then proceeded to, intentionally, misfile court martial papers, impersonate medical personnel, form a squadron without Pentagon approval, steal a squadron number, drink on duty, steal aircraft, threaten commanding officers, and a list of other crimes that should have had him a life sentence.  However, with approval from General Moore, he still formed the Black Sheep Squadron, out of men who were destined to be court marshaled.  During WWII the Black Sheep were one of the best and most effective fighter squadrons ever formed, flying then, the latest* aircraft, the Vought F4U Corsair, to victory time and time again, shooting down 18 Japanese Zeros in their first official dogfight and 28 victories overall.  At the age of 31, he was the oldest* combat pilot in the air at the time, and eventually received the Navy Cross and the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Fast forward to 1993, the start of the Star Fox series.  The official story behind Star Fox, if you aren't aware, is that James McCloud was the leader of a Conrerian fighter pilot squadron along with Peppy* Hare, but went missing in action.  Devistated, his son, Fox McCloud, forms a mercenary squadron with Peppy, Falco, and Slippy known as Star Fox.  At the break out of the Lylat War, between Corneria and Venom, General Pepper, exiles the Star Fox squadron, revoking* their military statuses, and placing them as rogues on Papetoon; it is assumed that during this time that the team commits petty Robin Hood-esque crimes such as stealing loaves of bread and the like to give to the people of Papetoon as a small form of revenge against the Venomian Empire.  However, when Andross orders his armada to attack Corneria, General Pepper realizes that the only squadron skilled enough to give them the edge in this war is said Star Fox, he calls them back and reinstates* them with their full military ranking.  But he doesn't stop there, he also gives them brand new* prototype spacecraft known as the Space Dynamics Arwing.  Through out the Lylat War, and the video game, you take down countless numbers of enemy task forces and fighter squadrons.  All the while, Peppy is one of the oldest* pilots in the Lylat System during this time.

This may seem like a mere coincidence to do so, given the fact that Nintendo is a Japanese company, and Japan as a whole seems to act ashamed of their role and defeat in WWII, and seem to shun many references to this fact much less naming a video game character after a person who was pivotal in their downfall; even still look at the parallels.  Their both the oldest pilots in the sky, riding in new aircraft, after having their military statuses revoked then reinstated, and fly themselves and their squadrons to victory countless of times in circumstances that would have vanquished most of even the best pilots.  Even the names are similar, Pappy and Peppy.  Now like I said, while the two probably have nothing to do with each other, and this is probably as invalid as a fake ID, it's still one hell of a coincidence.  Too much of one, in my opinion, to just go unnoticed.  Feel free to way in and give your opinions and thoughts.

For more information one what you've read above or your interested in watching the TV show made about the Black Sheep, I've listed links below:

Article on the 214 Black Sheep: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_Sh…

Article on Major "Pappy" Boyington: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pappy_Bo…

Black Sheep TV Show: www.youtube.com/watch?v=db27Wt…

Information on Peppy Hare: starfox.wikia.com/wiki/Peppy_H…

Original Star Fox Comic detailing the reformation of Star Fox: arwinglanding.net/gallery/thum…