VF-17 is likely the most famous of all the US Navy squadrons. Their history started back with their deployment to the Solomon Islands in 1943 and participation in the campaigns around Bouganville and Rabul and continues to this day. This episod

S3E4: USMC Corsairs up the Slot: 1st Lt Robert Hanson

Sep 1st, 2023 32m 41s

Continuing the series of episodes on the Corsair and the fight for aerial supremacy in the Solomon Islands. In January 1944, the Japanese defenders at Rabul still had some fight in them. Robert Hanson, a 23 year old Marine Corsair pilot, would

S3E3: Pappy Boyington Part 2: The Blacksheep

May 23rd, 2023 1h 16m

This episode covers Pappy’s time in the South Pacific, his command of VMF-214, The Blacksheep, and their run through the Solomons in late 1943 and early 1944, and finally his time as a prisoner of war. Initially two parts, I condensed it down c

S3E2: Pappy Boyington Part 1: The Flying Tigers

Nov 2nd, 2022 58m 54s

Part 1 on Greg "Pappy" Boyington. Before he led the world famous VMF-214 Blacksheep over the Solomons, Pappy Boyington was a broke, sometimes violent, drunk, about to get kicked out of the Marine Corps. He’s given a second chance when he joins

S3E1: USMC Corsairs up the Slot, WW2: Part 1 - 1st Lt Kenneth Walsh, VMF-124

May 16th, 2022 42m 26s

1st Lt Kenneth Walsh was the first F4U Corsair ace and a pilot in VMF-124 during the Solomon Islands campaign. He would earn his Medal of Honor over the course of two missions in August of 1943 and finish the war with 21 victories. In addition

S2E6: 67th Fighter Squadron at Guadalcanal

Jan 24th, 2022 30m 14s

Arriving just two days after John L. Smith and VMF-223, the pilots of the 67th Fighter Squadron quickly learned their P-400 Airacobras were woefully inadequate for the air to air mission. Unable to climb quickly or high enough to intercept the

S2E5: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 5 - 1st Lt Jefferson DeBlanc, USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot

Oct 19th, 2021 40m 41s

In part 5 of 5 in the Guadalcanal series, 1st Lt Jefferson DeBlanc of VMF-112 becomes the first Marine to achieve 5 victories on a single mission. This episode covers DeBlanc's combat experiences from November 1942 through January 1943, his Med

S2E4: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 4 - Captain Joe Foss (continued), USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot

Apr 24th, 2021 45m 13s

Conclusion of Captain Joe Foss' story. Following their defeat in October, the Japanese gear up for another push to take Guadalcanal. The fate of the island will be decided over the course of several days of intense air and naval action from 12-

S2E3: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 3 Captain Joe Foss, USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot

Jan 1st, 2021 37m 7s

On October 9th, 1942, VMF-121 arrived on Guadalcanal in the midst of a major Japanese offensive to take back the island. Over the next two weeks, Captain Joe Foss would rack up 16 of his eventual 26 aerial victories while surviving 2 shootdowns

S2E2: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 2 Captain Marion Carl, USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot

Oct 3rd, 2020 34m 25s

While not a Medal of Honor recipient, Marion Carl was twice decorated with the Navy Cross during a combat career that spanned Midway to Vietnam. This episode looks at the life of one of the Corps most accomplished aviators. Along the way, I’ll

S2E1: Marines over Guadalcanal, WW2: Part 1 - Major John L. Smith, USMC, F4F Wildcat pilot

Jul 9th, 2020 48m 46s

Major John L. Smith was the Commanding Officer of VMF-223, the first fighter squadron to operate off Henderson Field on Guadalcanal. Facing almost daily Japanese raids, 223 fought from the 20th of August, 1942 until relieved on the 13th of Octo

S1E6: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW 2: Part 6 - BGen Frederick Castle, USAAF, B-17 Flying Fortress pilot, 8th Air Force, World War 2

Feb 5th, 2020 40m 44s

Part 4 of 4 on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the 8th Air Force. Brigadier General Frederick Castle was the commanding general of the 4th Combat Bomb Wing. On 24 December 1944 he led the 8th Air Force's largest strike of the war in support of gro

S1E5: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW 2: Part 5 - Maj James Howard, USAAF, P-51B Mustang

Oct 24th, 2019 36m 13s

The only fighter pilot to be awarded the Medal of Honor from the European Theater of Operations, Maj James Howard took on 30 plus Luftwaffe fighters while protecting 8th Air Force bombers over Oschersleben, Germany on January 11th, 1944. This e

S1E4: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW2: Part 4 - Thunderbolt! The P-47 and 8th Air Force Fighter Command 1943

Aug 2nd, 2019 37m 23s

Addendum to the 8th Air Force B-17 series, this episode covers the early history of 8th Air Force Fighter Command focused on the introduction of the P-47 Thunderbolt in 1943. Selected Readings: Wolfpack Warriors: The Story of World War IIs M

S1E3: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW2: Part 3 - 1st Lt William Lawley, USAAF, B-17 Flying Fortress pilot

Apr 30th, 2019 53m 44s

Part 3 of 4 on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the 8th Air Force. 1st Lt William Lawley is the aircraft commander of a B-17G on February 20th, 1944, day 1 of "The Big Week". This episode takes us through the battle for air supremacy over Europe in

S1E2: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW2: Part 2 - 1st Lt Jack Mathis, USAAF, B-17 Flying Fortress bombardier

Jan 13th, 2019 22m 40s

Part 2 of 4 on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the 8th Air Force. 1st Lt Jack Mathis was a bombardier with the 303rd Bomb Group killed in action on 18 March 1943. He was the first recipient of the Medal of Honor in the 8th Air Force and in the Eur

S1E1: 8th Air Force in Europe, WW2: Part 1 - SSgt Maynard Smith, USAAF, B-17 Flying Fortress gunner

Dec 17th, 2018 53m 49s

Part 1 of 4 on the B-17 Flying Fortress and the 8th Air Force. Staff Sergeant Maynard Smith was a ball turret gunner and the first enlisted aircrewman to receive the Medal of Honor for a May 1st, 1943 mission to St Nazaire, France. This episode

Introduction to Aviation Medals of Honor

Dec 17th, 2018 1m 35s

This podcast covers the men and machines behind the Aviation Medals of Honor from World War 1 to Vietnam. This episode is just a brief introduction to my background as a Marine attack pilot and my intent with the podcast. I can be reached at: a

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