High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! John C. "Pappy" Herbst (September 25, 1909 – July 4, 1946) was an American flying ace who was officially the second highest-scoring fighter pilot in the China Burma India Theater with 18 confirmed victories made during 7 months with the 23d Fighter Group. 23d FG Commander David Lee "Tex" Hill said of Herbst that he was "one of the greatest fighter pilots I ever saw."