Joe Foss was a former South Dakota Governor, top World War II Ace and Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient. Joe was also a retired Brigadier General in the U.S. Marine Corps and Past President of the National Rifle Association.

Joe was born and grew up in rural Sioux Falls. He gained fame between October 1942 and January 1943 as a Marine fighter pilot in the South Pacific. Joe is thought to be the first to break the 1918 aerial record of Eddie Rickenbacker, who shot down 25 planes during WWI. National Aviation Hall of Fame

Joe led a Marine air unit known as Joe's Flying Circus. The unit shot down 72 Japanese planes. He destroyed 26 of them. The entire squadron shot down 164 Japanese planes during 122 days of fighting at Guadalcanal, losing twenty pilots.

Joe was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor, the Bronze Star, Silver Star and Purple Heart for his military service.

Joe also gained the distinct honor of gracing the cover of "LIFE" magazine in June of 1943, for being America's #1 Ace. 

Joe returned to active duty as a Colonel in the Air Force during the Korean War, becoming Director of Operations for the Central Air Defense Force.

Later, he helped organize the Air National Guard in South Dakota, retiring from the guard as a Brigadier General.

Joe served in the South Dakota Legislature from 1948 to 1953 and became the state's youngest Governor at age 39, serving from 1955 to 1959.

After serving as Governor, Joe challenged incumbent Congressman George McGovern for the state's First District seat in 1958 and lost. Foss tried to re-enter politics in 1962 in a campaign to succeed the late Sen. Francis Case. In a move the Republican central committee decided, Foss and several others lost to Joe Bottum, who filled out Case's term. Bottum then lost to McGovern in the general election.

Between 1960 and 1966, he served as the first Commissioner of the American Football League.

Among Joe's many honors are The Joe Foss Field Airport (descriptive link) and The Joe Foss High School in Sioux Falls, South Dakota and the State Building in Pierre.

Joe was also the host of two network outdoors shows, "The American Sportsman" and "The Outdoorsman: Joe Foss," and between 1988 and 1990, was president of the National Rifle Association.

Joe helped organize what is now the Children's Care Society in Sioux Falls and was President of the National Society of Crippled Children and Adults from 1956 to 1961.

Joe lived in Scottsdale until his passing on January 1, 2003. Joe was an Honorary Member of The Rotary Club of Scottsdale and was the first "Big Clown" of the El Riad Shrine.