▁the ▁nick name ▁of ▁R ale igh ▁" D ust y " ▁Rh odes , ▁was ▁an ▁American ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁combat ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁and ▁the ▁third ▁leader ▁of ▁the ▁Blue ▁Ang els ▁flight ▁team . ▁ ▁Pil ot ▁ ▁Rh odes ▁was ▁a ▁f ighter ▁pilot ▁based ▁on ▁board ▁the ▁USS ▁Enter prise ▁( CV - 6 ) ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁II . ▁He ▁was ▁shot ▁down ▁and ▁captured ▁by ▁Japanese ▁forces ▁during ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Santa ▁Cruz ▁Islands ▁in ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 ▁in ▁the ▁Sol omon ▁Islands . ▁ ▁Rh odes ▁spent ▁in ▁the ▁next ▁three ▁years ▁in ▁a ▁Japanese ▁prison ▁camp . ▁He ▁we ighed ▁ 8 8 ▁pounds ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁released ▁from ▁his ▁capt ivity , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁was ▁star ved ▁and ▁be aten . ▁ ▁Rh odes ▁joined ▁the ▁Blue ▁Ang els ▁precision ▁flying ▁team ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 7 ▁after ▁his ▁recovery , ▁and ▁soon ▁after ▁became ▁the ▁flight ▁leader . ▁Rh odes ▁helped ▁the ▁Blue ▁Ang els ▁perfect ▁the ▁diam ond ▁bar rel ▁roll , ▁a ▁complicated ▁aer ial ▁man eu ver ▁in ▁which ▁four ▁Blue ▁Ang els ▁j ets ▁perform ▁a ▁loop ▁in ▁a ▁tight ▁diam ond ▁formation ▁before ▁becoming ▁invert ed ▁at ▁the ▁top ▁of ▁the ▁formation . ▁The ▁Blue ▁Ang els ▁became ▁extremely ▁popular ▁with ▁the ▁public . ▁ ▁Rh odes ▁returned ▁to ▁an ▁active ▁combat ▁role ▁with ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Navy . ▁He ▁fle w ▁f ighter ▁plane ▁miss