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1
00:00:08,965 --> 00:00:11,489
[engine puttering]
2
00:00:11,576 --> 00:00:14,101
[eerie music]
3
00:00:14,188 --> 00:00:15,928
[engine starting]
4
00:00:16,016 --> 00:00:17,713
[electricity zapping]
5
00:00:21,108 --> 00:00:23,414
[plane soaring]
6
00:00:23,501 --> 00:00:26,461
[explosions]
7
00:00:26,548 --> 00:00:29,159
[gunfire]
8
00:00:30,943 --> 00:00:33,076
[explosions continue]
9
00:00:34,817 --> 00:00:36,427
[gunfire continues]
10
00:00:44,957 --> 00:00:46,394
-Careful, it'’s hot!
-I need something!
11
00:00:46,481 --> 00:00:47,830
[frantic]
The damn thing is jammed!
12
00:00:47,917 --> 00:00:49,136
-You have to pull the release!
-I can'’t!
13
00:00:49,223 --> 00:00:50,441
-There'’s a piece of flak!
-Hey!
14
00:00:50,528 --> 00:00:52,008
-It'’s wedged!
-This one'’s out!
15
00:00:52,095 --> 00:00:53,183
-Pull the release!
-I am!
16
00:00:53,270 --> 00:00:55,272
Get me something to pry this!
17
00:00:55,359 --> 00:00:56,534
[Airman]
It'’s coming loose! It'’s loose!
18
00:00:56,621 --> 00:00:58,449
That'’s got it!
19
00:00:58,536 --> 00:00:59,842
[Lloyd]
I can'’t get the rear
20
00:00:59,929 --> 00:01:01,365
bomb bay doors to close!
21
00:01:01,452 --> 00:01:03,411
The flak must have damaged
the Pneumatics!
22
00:01:03,498 --> 00:01:06,762
We'’ll have to close them
by hand!
23
00:01:06,849 --> 00:01:08,938
[ratchet crank clicking]
24
00:01:09,025 --> 00:01:11,419
[dramatic music]
25
00:01:11,506 --> 00:01:13,334
[plane roaring]
26
00:01:13,421 --> 00:01:14,335
Nothing!
27
00:01:14,422 --> 00:01:15,640
No movement!
28
00:01:15,727 --> 00:01:17,033
Nothing!
29
00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:19,601
Flak! FUBAR!
30
00:01:19,688 --> 00:01:22,212
What about the bomb hoist?
31
00:01:22,299 --> 00:01:23,866
[Tancreti]
Yeah! We can strap it
32
00:01:23,953 --> 00:01:25,781
to the doors
and winch them up,
33
00:01:25,868 --> 00:01:27,739
like McCaskill'’s crew!
34
00:01:27,826 --> 00:01:32,440
♪
35
00:01:32,527 --> 00:01:34,964
[fire extinguisher spraying]
36
00:01:35,051 --> 00:01:37,140
Patitucci, status?
37
00:01:37,227 --> 00:01:38,402
[Patitucci]
Electrical fire!
38
00:01:38,489 --> 00:01:39,490
[Tancreti]
How bad?
39
00:01:39,577 --> 00:01:41,231
Bad. Real bad.
40
00:01:41,318 --> 00:01:45,322
♪
41
00:01:45,409 --> 00:01:47,107
[Lloyd]
Bombardier to tail gunner:
42
00:01:47,194 --> 00:01:49,805
Wright, we'’ve just extinguished
a fire in the radar compartment.
43
00:01:49,892 --> 00:01:51,633
Heavy flak damage
to the electrical system.
44
00:01:51,720 --> 00:01:52,895
Be advised. Over.
45
00:01:52,982 --> 00:01:55,158
You alright back there?
46
00:01:55,245 --> 00:01:57,291
Wright, please respond, over.
47
00:01:57,378 --> 00:02:01,208
♪
48
00:02:01,295 --> 00:02:02,600
[fire roaring]
49
00:02:02,687 --> 00:02:04,689
[coughing]
50
00:02:04,776 --> 00:02:06,778
Get every available
fire extinguisher back here!
51
00:02:06,865 --> 00:02:07,910
-Understood?
-Yeah!
52
00:02:07,997 --> 00:02:09,999
Go, go, go!
53
00:02:10,086 --> 00:02:12,044
Wright?
54
00:02:12,132 --> 00:02:14,612
Wright? Wright?
55
00:02:14,699 --> 00:02:17,006
♪
56
00:02:17,093 --> 00:02:19,139
[Cody] Ship'’s interphone,
non-functional, Captain!
57
00:02:19,226 --> 00:02:20,879
Ship'’s radio still transmitting
and receiving,
58
00:02:20,966 --> 00:02:22,185
but I don'’t know for how long!
59
00:02:22,272 --> 00:02:23,534
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.
60
00:02:23,621 --> 00:02:24,927
This is Mashnote,
this is Mashnote,
61
00:02:25,014 --> 00:02:26,624
this is Mashnote, over.
62
00:02:26,711 --> 00:02:27,973
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.
63
00:02:28,060 --> 00:02:29,410
This is Mashnote,
this is Mashnote,
64
00:02:29,497 --> 00:02:30,411
this is Mashnote.
65
00:02:30,498 --> 00:02:31,847
Transmitting for fix.
66
00:02:31,934 --> 00:02:33,979
We will be Davy Jones,
Davy Jones, over.
67
00:02:34,066 --> 00:02:35,764
[Cody] Captain,
all radio facilities are out.
68
00:02:35,851 --> 00:02:40,116
We have A channel VHF only,
again, A channel VHF only.
69
00:02:40,203 --> 00:02:42,379
Copy, Sparks!
Switching to A channel VHF.
70
00:02:42,466 --> 00:02:43,206
[switch clicks]
71
00:02:43,293 --> 00:02:44,773
Mayday, Mayday, Mayday.
72
00:02:44,860 --> 00:02:46,905
Wing, this is Dragon Lady,
this is Dragon Lady,
73
00:02:46,992 --> 00:02:49,691
this is Dragon Lady,
two-seven-seven, respond, over.
74
00:02:49,778 --> 00:02:50,866
[Radio Voice]
Copy, Dragon Lady,
75
00:02:50,953 --> 00:02:52,172
go ahead, over.
76
00:02:52,259 --> 00:02:53,695
We are heavily damaged
from flak.
77
00:02:53,782 --> 00:02:55,305
Electrical fire
in our tail section.
78
00:02:55,392 --> 00:02:56,872
Inform Playmate
of our condition.
79
00:02:56,959 --> 00:02:58,526
[Radio Voice]
Copy, Dragon Lady.
80
00:02:58,613 --> 00:03:00,528
Damage due to flak,
electrical fire, aft.
81
00:03:00,615 --> 00:03:02,399
Informing Playmate. Over.
82
00:03:02,486 --> 00:03:03,835
Roger, Wing.
Shutting down power
83
00:03:03,922 --> 00:03:05,750
until this fire
is under control.
84
00:03:05,837 --> 00:03:07,317
Copy, Dragon Lady.
85
00:03:07,404 --> 00:03:08,927
[intense music]
86
00:03:09,014 --> 00:03:10,929
Out.
87
00:03:11,016 --> 00:03:12,844
Gibbs! Cut power!
88
00:03:12,931 --> 00:03:14,237
Copy! Cutting power!
89
00:03:14,324 --> 00:03:15,673
♪
90
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:18,415
[fire extinguisher spraying]
91
00:03:18,502 --> 00:03:20,025
♪
92
00:03:20,112 --> 00:03:21,462
Wright!
93
00:03:21,549 --> 00:03:32,734
♪
94
00:03:32,821 --> 00:03:35,215
Find a place and get
yourself secure!
95
00:03:35,302 --> 00:03:36,738
♪
96
00:03:36,825 --> 00:03:38,566
Captain, the fire'’s
under control.
97
00:03:38,653 --> 00:03:40,785
It'’ll stay out as long
as the power stays off.
98
00:03:40,872 --> 00:03:43,005
It'’s fighting us. Everything
on this ship is electrical!
99
00:03:43,092 --> 00:03:44,311
That shell blast
under the cockpit
100
00:03:44,398 --> 00:03:45,529
has everything
shorting out on us.
101
00:03:45,616 --> 00:03:47,009
Sparking wires started it.
102
00:03:47,096 --> 00:03:49,054
We need power back
to get us home.
103
00:03:49,141 --> 00:03:51,361
The wiring,
it'’s got to be shredded!
104
00:03:51,448 --> 00:03:52,623
-Gibbs!
-Sir?
105
00:03:52,710 --> 00:03:53,755
[Captain West]
I need power back!
106
00:03:53,842 --> 00:03:55,452
Can you give it to me?
107
00:03:55,539 --> 00:03:57,889
[dreary music]
108
00:03:57,976 --> 00:03:59,761
Standby, Captain.
109
00:03:59,848 --> 00:04:01,458
♪
110
00:04:01,545 --> 00:04:03,025
[clicking]
111
00:04:03,112 --> 00:04:04,200
♪
112
00:04:04,287 --> 00:04:06,420
Power restored, Captain!
113
00:04:06,507 --> 00:04:07,725
[dramatic music]
114
00:04:07,812 --> 00:04:10,511
[plane rattling, fire crackling]
115
00:04:10,598 --> 00:04:26,788
♪
116
00:04:26,875 --> 00:04:30,574
[Weaver]
Fire, everything is on fire.
117
00:04:30,661 --> 00:04:32,620
[Lloyd]
Say again, say again!
118
00:04:32,707 --> 00:04:35,187
[Weaver]
Everything is on fire!
119
00:04:35,275 --> 00:04:38,190
♪
120
00:04:38,278 --> 00:04:39,627
[Lloyd]
Captain, the fire has resumed.
121
00:04:39,714 --> 00:04:41,324
We used all the extinguishers!
122
00:04:41,411 --> 00:04:43,674
Wing, this is Dragon Lady,
we are preparing to ditch.
123
00:04:43,761 --> 00:04:44,980
Radio our position
to Navy Playmate...
124
00:04:45,067 --> 00:04:46,460
[Wilcoxon]
Verdeschi! What'’s our position?
125
00:04:46,547 --> 00:04:48,200
-I'’m working on it!
-ETA, Lieutenant?
126
00:04:48,288 --> 00:04:50,551
[Captain West]
Wing, this is Dragon Lady...
127
00:04:50,638 --> 00:04:52,117
[Verdeschi]
Gibbs, my airspeed indicator,
128
00:04:52,204 --> 00:04:53,467
it'’s non-functional!
129
00:04:53,554 --> 00:04:56,557
Airspeed is two-seven-zero miles
per hour.
130
00:04:56,644 --> 00:04:58,167
-Two-seven-zero.
-...this is Dragon Lady,
131
00:04:58,254 --> 00:05:00,082
two-seven-seven, respond, over!
132
00:05:00,169 --> 00:05:01,823
[Wilcoxon] Lieutenant!
Our position, please!
133
00:05:01,910 --> 00:05:03,303
-Copy!
-Wing, this is Dragon Lady.
134
00:05:03,390 --> 00:05:04,782
-Respond, over.
-Captain,
135
00:05:04,869 --> 00:05:06,131
Captain, our position
is 30 degrees...
136
00:05:06,218 --> 00:05:08,090
Wing, we are preparing to ditch.
137
00:05:08,177 --> 00:05:09,526
Copy, over.
138
00:05:09,613 --> 00:05:11,049
Captain, all radio
facilities are out.
139
00:05:11,136 --> 00:05:13,313
Channel A VHF, out!
I can'’t get it back.
140
00:05:13,400 --> 00:05:17,055
Copy, all radio facilities out!
141
00:05:17,142 --> 00:05:19,014
We have to cut the power!
142
00:05:19,101 --> 00:05:22,887
[dramatic music]
143
00:05:22,974 --> 00:05:24,280
[Captain West]
Gibbs, cut power!
144
00:05:24,367 --> 00:05:25,325
Copy!
145
00:05:25,412 --> 00:05:26,848
Install
ditching braces!
146
00:05:26,935 --> 00:05:29,154
Open all escape exits and assume
ditching positions.
147
00:05:29,241 --> 00:05:30,765
[Lloyd]
Prepare to ditch!
148
00:05:30,852 --> 00:05:33,985
Open all escape exits,
assume ditching positions!
149
00:05:34,072 --> 00:05:47,390
♪
150
00:05:47,477 --> 00:05:50,045
[plane roaring]
151
00:05:50,132 --> 00:05:52,090
Gibbs, on my command,
I'’m gonna need power back.
152
00:05:52,177 --> 00:05:54,049
Copy! Power back
on your command.
153
00:05:54,136 --> 00:05:56,094
[loud vibrations]
154
00:05:56,181 --> 00:05:58,749
Two hundred and seventy
miles per hour.
155
00:05:58,836 --> 00:06:00,621
Descending at 3,000 feet
per minute!
156
00:06:00,708 --> 00:06:02,318
Level out at 500 feet.
157
00:06:02,405 --> 00:06:04,886
Prepare for 25 degrees of flaps
when power is restored.
158
00:06:04,973 --> 00:06:07,454
Copy, 500 feet,
25 degrees of flaps!
159
00:06:07,541 --> 00:06:08,933
[rattling]
160
00:06:09,020 --> 00:06:11,980
We are at 3,500 feet
and descending.
161
00:06:12,067 --> 00:06:16,419
♪
162
00:06:16,506 --> 00:06:18,203
[rattling]
163
00:06:18,290 --> 00:06:21,816
♪
164
00:06:21,903 --> 00:06:24,427
One thousand feet!
165
00:06:24,514 --> 00:06:25,776
[fire crackling]
166
00:06:25,863 --> 00:06:27,691
[echoing]
Nine hundred feet!
167
00:06:27,778 --> 00:06:30,259
[somber music]
168
00:06:30,346 --> 00:06:31,913
Eight hundred feet!
169
00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:34,742
[fire crackling]
170
00:06:34,829 --> 00:06:36,613
Seven hundred feet!
171
00:06:36,700 --> 00:06:39,311
♪
172
00:06:39,399 --> 00:06:40,661
Six hundred feet!
173
00:06:40,748 --> 00:06:43,490
[plane rumbling]
174
00:06:43,577 --> 00:06:45,100
[intense music]
175
00:06:45,187 --> 00:06:47,668
-Gibbs, standby on power.
-Standing by!
176
00:06:47,755 --> 00:06:49,147
Five hundred and fifty feet!
177
00:06:49,234 --> 00:06:50,758
Gibbs, power!
178
00:06:50,845 --> 00:06:53,108
Copy, power restored,
Captain!
179
00:06:53,195 --> 00:06:55,023
[rattling]
180
00:06:55,110 --> 00:06:59,723
♪
181
00:06:59,810 --> 00:07:02,073
Standby to cut
engines two and four!
182
00:07:02,160 --> 00:07:03,945
Standing by to cut
engines two and four!
183
00:07:04,032 --> 00:07:05,294
[Captain West]
Twenty-five degrees of flaps!
184
00:07:05,381 --> 00:07:06,730
Twenty-five degrees of flaps!
185
00:07:06,817 --> 00:07:08,166
[Captain West]
Cut engines two and four!
186
00:07:08,253 --> 00:07:09,907
Cutting engines
two and four!
187
00:07:09,994 --> 00:07:13,476
[engines cutting out]
188
00:07:13,563 --> 00:07:14,825
Three hundred feet.
189
00:07:14,912 --> 00:07:16,871
Do you see any swell down there,
Lieutenant?
190
00:07:16,958 --> 00:07:18,916
[Wilcoxon]
Negative! Two hundred feet!
191
00:07:19,003 --> 00:07:21,484
[Captain West] I'’m gonna put us
down into the wind.
192
00:07:21,571 --> 00:07:23,878
Hundred and ten miles an hour.
One hundred feet!
193
00:07:23,965 --> 00:07:25,183
Here we go.
194
00:07:25,270 --> 00:07:27,577
♪
195
00:07:27,664 --> 00:07:29,971
Nose up. Nose up!
196
00:07:30,058 --> 00:07:33,540
♪
197
00:07:33,627 --> 00:07:35,237
[splashing]
198
00:07:35,324 --> 00:07:36,543
[glass breaking]
199
00:07:36,630 --> 00:07:38,849
[splashing]
200
00:07:38,936 --> 00:07:42,157
[tranquil music]
201
00:07:43,898 --> 00:07:47,292
[heavy breathing]
202
00:07:47,379 --> 00:07:49,730
[water splashing]
203
00:07:51,514 --> 00:07:53,516
[window opening]
204
00:07:53,603 --> 00:07:57,912
♪
205
00:07:57,999 --> 00:07:59,304
Everyone out!
206
00:07:59,391 --> 00:08:01,045
[window opening]
207
00:08:01,959 --> 00:08:03,308
[water rushing]
208
00:08:03,395 --> 00:08:04,788
[groaning]
209
00:08:07,138 --> 00:08:08,662
[gun clicking]
210
00:08:08,749 --> 00:08:10,751
[gunshots, glass breaking]
211
00:08:12,535 --> 00:08:13,710
[explosive pop and hissing air]
212
00:08:13,797 --> 00:08:15,059
[groans]
213
00:08:15,146 --> 00:08:21,413
♪
214
00:08:21,501 --> 00:08:22,545
[metal creaking]
215
00:08:22,632 --> 00:08:23,938
[gasps]
216
00:08:24,025 --> 00:08:25,592
♪
217
00:08:25,679 --> 00:08:27,376
[water rushing]
218
00:08:27,463 --> 00:08:28,682
[metal creaking]
219
00:08:28,769 --> 00:08:29,726
[screams]
220
00:08:29,813 --> 00:08:30,771
[Tancreti]
Gotcha!
221
00:08:30,858 --> 00:08:34,688
♪
222
00:08:34,775 --> 00:08:35,993
[gasps]
223
00:08:36,080 --> 00:08:39,257
[water lapping]
224
00:08:39,344 --> 00:08:40,824
[metal clanking]
225
00:08:40,911 --> 00:08:42,478
[water splashing]
226
00:08:42,565 --> 00:08:44,698
[Weaver screaming]
227
00:08:44,785 --> 00:08:46,917
[Tancreti]
He'’s hurt! He'’s hurt!
228
00:08:47,004 --> 00:08:48,440
[screaming and crosstalk]
229
00:08:48,528 --> 00:08:50,007
[Captain West]
Easy, easy, easy.
230
00:08:50,094 --> 00:08:52,836
[screaming and crosstalk]
231
00:08:54,708 --> 00:08:57,014
Easy, easy, easy.
232
00:08:57,101 --> 00:08:58,668
We gotta even up these boats,
boys.
233
00:08:58,755 --> 00:09:00,452
Verdeschi, Lloyd!
234
00:09:00,540 --> 00:09:02,629
♪
235
00:09:02,716 --> 00:09:03,934
Who do we have?
236
00:09:04,021 --> 00:09:05,719
Sound off!
237
00:09:05,806 --> 00:09:07,329
Wilcoxon.
238
00:09:07,416 --> 00:09:08,939
Gibbs present, sir!
239
00:09:09,026 --> 00:09:10,593
James!
240
00:09:10,680 --> 00:09:12,203
Lloyd!
241
00:09:12,290 --> 00:09:13,814
Verdeschi!
242
00:09:13,901 --> 00:09:15,467
Cody!
243
00:09:15,555 --> 00:09:17,121
Tancreti!
244
00:09:17,208 --> 00:09:18,775
[struggling]
Weaver.
245
00:09:18,862 --> 00:09:20,821
[Captain West]
How you feeling, Sergeant?
246
00:09:20,908 --> 00:09:22,736
[Weaver]
Still here, Cap.
247
00:09:22,823 --> 00:09:24,564
-Do we any have morphine?
-Yes, sir.
248
00:09:24,651 --> 00:09:27,218
[Captain West]
Get this man some morphine!
249
00:09:27,305 --> 00:09:30,482
Anybody have eyes on Patitucci,
Larson, or Wright?
250
00:09:30,570 --> 00:09:33,529
Wright deceased prior
to ditching, Captain.
251
00:09:33,616 --> 00:09:35,705
[Captain West]
You'’re certain?
252
00:09:35,792 --> 00:09:37,533
Absolutely certain.
253
00:09:37,620 --> 00:09:40,318
[thunder echoing]
254
00:09:40,405 --> 00:09:43,713
♪
255
00:09:43,800 --> 00:09:45,541
[Captain West]
James, sound that whistle.
256
00:09:45,628 --> 00:09:47,151
All eyes, look sharp!
257
00:09:47,238 --> 00:09:51,242
[whistle blowing]
258
00:09:57,814 --> 00:09:59,207
[Weaver]
Cap...
259
00:09:59,294 --> 00:10:01,862
do they know we'’re down?
260
00:10:01,949 --> 00:10:03,254
It'’ll be okay.
261
00:10:03,341 --> 00:10:06,431
They'’ll be coming for us.
262
00:10:06,518 --> 00:10:08,042
They'’ll be coming.
263
00:10:08,129 --> 00:10:09,521
[whistle echoes]
264
00:10:09,609 --> 00:10:12,350
[elegant music]
265
00:10:12,437 --> 00:10:15,136
[Narrator] What the crew of the Dragon Lady did not know
266
00:10:15,223 --> 00:10:17,704
was that on the island
of Iwo Jima,
267
00:10:17,791 --> 00:10:20,489
a 22-year-old pilot
and his crew
268
00:10:20,576 --> 00:10:22,796
would be coming for them.
269
00:10:22,883 --> 00:10:26,060
But that pilot, my great uncle,
270
00:10:26,147 --> 00:10:29,324
Royal A. Stratton,
271
00:10:29,411 --> 00:10:31,195
would never return home.
272
00:10:31,282 --> 00:10:33,981
[mellow piano music]
273
00:10:34,068 --> 00:10:38,855
♪
274
00:10:38,942 --> 00:10:43,120
Many young enlisted men
came from small-town America,
275
00:10:43,207 --> 00:10:46,341
places like Ellwood City,
Pennsylvania,
276
00:10:46,428 --> 00:10:48,996
where our veterans are revered
277
00:10:49,083 --> 00:10:52,303
and things still move
a little slower,
278
00:10:52,390 --> 00:10:56,786
where family reunions,
old-timey guessing games,
279
00:10:56,873 --> 00:10:59,746
and favorite pastimes
are still alive and well.
280
00:10:59,833 --> 00:11:02,270
[shouting from crowd]
281
00:11:02,357 --> 00:11:05,012
[plane rumbling]
282
00:11:05,099 --> 00:11:07,710
♪
283
00:11:07,797 --> 00:11:10,191
[birds chirping]
284
00:11:10,278 --> 00:11:13,194
[Narrator] For anyone who'’s
lost a loved one in war,
285
00:11:13,281 --> 00:11:17,764
the emptiness left behind
can resonate for generations.
286
00:11:17,851 --> 00:11:21,289
For my family,
it was World War II.
287
00:11:21,376 --> 00:11:24,988
Many of us didn'’t know
my great uncle, just a name:
288
00:11:25,075 --> 00:11:27,730
Royal A. Stratton.
289
00:11:27,817 --> 00:11:30,690
But the few still among us
who did
290
00:11:30,777 --> 00:11:35,520
also reside here,
in small-town America.
291
00:11:35,607 --> 00:11:38,001
I didn'’t know it then,
but going home
292
00:11:38,088 --> 00:11:40,264
is where
my long journey began--
293
00:11:40,351 --> 00:11:42,310
traveling back through time.
294
00:12:12,253 --> 00:12:13,384
[laughing]
295
00:12:20,827 --> 00:12:23,743
His orders from Dad
was watch Ada,
296
00:12:23,830 --> 00:12:25,657
'’cause I was the smallest one.
297
00:12:32,621 --> 00:12:36,059
I met Royal in School.
298
00:12:36,146 --> 00:12:38,496
We were in
the fifth grade together.
299
00:12:45,547 --> 00:12:47,157
He was nice.
300
00:12:47,244 --> 00:12:50,334
We would go out and sit
on our swing on the back porch,
301
00:12:50,421 --> 00:12:52,293
and he'’d talk about everything.
302
00:12:55,731 --> 00:12:58,865
I knew Royal
before Mary Ellen knew Royal.
303
00:12:58,952 --> 00:13:00,692
My mother'’s maiden name
was Timmerman.
304
00:13:00,780 --> 00:13:02,433
So it was Mary Ellen Timmerman.
305
00:13:02,520 --> 00:13:04,653
And, he was dating my aunt Kay
at the time.
306
00:13:04,740 --> 00:13:06,742
Well, I was going
with another fella.
307
00:13:09,353 --> 00:13:11,051
I said,
"Would you like to meet her??
308
00:13:11,138 --> 00:13:12,443
He said, "Sure!"
309
00:13:17,405 --> 00:13:18,319
[laughing]
310
00:13:18,406 --> 00:13:19,886
That was it.
311
00:13:22,323 --> 00:13:24,281
[Vicki Nigro]
They hit it off and here we are.
312
00:13:24,368 --> 00:13:25,805
[laughing]
313
00:13:25,892 --> 00:13:27,807
My mom, she was a spitfire.
314
00:13:27,894 --> 00:13:30,200
One time when my dad
was supposed to pick her up
315
00:13:30,287 --> 00:13:32,986
at seven, and he wasn'’t there, and she left.
316
00:13:33,073 --> 00:13:34,901
And he came
about ten after seven
317
00:13:34,988 --> 00:13:36,859
and asked where she was
and she said,
318
00:13:36,946 --> 00:13:38,730
"If you'’re not here at seven,
she'’s gone."
319
00:13:38,818 --> 00:13:40,254
She wouldn'’t wait on him.
320
00:13:40,341 --> 00:13:41,385
[Vicki Nigro]
From then on,
321
00:13:41,472 --> 00:13:43,083
if he was gonna be late,
he'’d call.
322
00:13:43,170 --> 00:13:45,215
And my grandpa, his dad,
323
00:13:45,302 --> 00:13:47,043
would say,
"I want to meet this girl
324
00:13:47,130 --> 00:13:49,263
that'’s having you call her
when you'’re gonna be late."
325
00:13:49,350 --> 00:13:50,655
He was never late again.
326
00:13:58,098 --> 00:13:59,839
[Dale Anderson]
It was about a hundred yards
327
00:13:59,926 --> 00:14:01,579
north of where
the present one is.
328
00:14:01,666 --> 00:14:03,277
The building is still there.
329
00:14:07,498 --> 00:14:10,110
[Dale Anderson]
It was a Travel Air 2000.
330
00:14:10,197 --> 00:14:11,633
It was a biplane.
331
00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:14,070
Two wings, open cockpits,
332
00:14:14,157 --> 00:14:17,900
powered by a 90-horsepower
OX-5 engine.
333
00:14:17,987 --> 00:14:20,860
[Ruth Steckman] He was very gifted as a pilot.
334
00:14:20,947 --> 00:14:25,386
And I'’m so proud of him,
very, very proud of him.
335
00:14:32,306 --> 00:14:34,264
[cheerful music]
336
00:14:37,093 --> 00:14:40,140
[George Keene] We were moored
over at Pearl City Landing.
337
00:14:40,227 --> 00:14:42,011
That morning,
338
00:14:42,098 --> 00:14:44,796
we were all awakened by the...
339
00:14:44,884 --> 00:14:46,363
the bombs going off.
340
00:14:46,450 --> 00:14:48,235
[explosions]
341
00:14:48,322 --> 00:14:49,584
[plane roaring]
342
00:14:49,671 --> 00:14:51,368
[explosions continue]
343
00:14:51,455 --> 00:14:53,283
[planes roaring]
344
00:14:53,370 --> 00:14:55,024
[flames bellowing]
345
00:14:55,111 --> 00:14:56,983
[explosion]
346
00:14:57,070 --> 00:15:00,900
7:59 a.m.
347
00:15:00,987 --> 00:15:03,511
That'’s when they hit.
348
00:15:03,598 --> 00:15:05,469
[Janis Paige]
When they bombed Pearl Harbor
349
00:15:05,556 --> 00:15:07,384
and they sunk theArizona,
350
00:15:07,471 --> 00:15:09,212
and they sunk
those other ships,
351
00:15:09,299 --> 00:15:11,606
and those men were
in steaming oil
352
00:15:11,693 --> 00:15:13,260
on the sea dying,
353
00:15:13,347 --> 00:15:16,524
the country rallied,
but the country was different.
354
00:15:16,611 --> 00:15:19,657
I was at a movie at the Tivoli
in Richmond, Indiana,
355
00:15:19,744 --> 00:15:21,485
when they closed down
the screen
356
00:15:21,572 --> 00:15:23,966
and the owner came on stage
and told us
357
00:15:24,053 --> 00:15:25,141
that we had been bombed.
358
00:15:25,228 --> 00:15:27,665
I think we realized at that time
359
00:15:27,752 --> 00:15:30,581
that we were going to be
in a long fight.
360
00:15:41,941 --> 00:15:43,768
[President Roosevelt]
...1941...
361
00:15:43,855 --> 00:15:47,250
Went to school and when we got
to civics class,
362
00:15:47,337 --> 00:15:49,644
our teacher had brought in
this portable radio
363
00:15:49,731 --> 00:15:51,472
and we listened spellbound.
364
00:15:51,559 --> 00:15:55,867
[President Roosevelt] ...a date which will live in infamy.
365
00:15:55,955 --> 00:15:58,914
Infamy; a word
we'’d never heard before.
366
00:15:59,001 --> 00:16:00,698
Then he turned to the Congress
367
00:16:00,785 --> 00:16:02,918
and he asked them
to declare war, and they did.
368
00:16:03,005 --> 00:16:05,660
[President Roosevelt] ...with
the unbounding determination
369
00:16:05,747 --> 00:16:08,228
of our people,
370
00:16:08,315 --> 00:16:12,667
we will gain
the inevitable triumph,
371
00:16:12,754 --> 00:16:14,451
so help us God.
372
00:16:14,538 --> 00:16:15,844
[applause]
373
00:16:18,890 --> 00:16:20,805
[Richard Boyce]
There was quite an inundation
374
00:16:20,892 --> 00:16:24,505
of people showing up
at recruiting stations
375
00:16:24,592 --> 00:16:26,855
in the immediate aftermath
of Pearl Harbor.
376
00:16:26,942 --> 00:16:29,989
I enlisted
out of Binghamton, New York.
377
00:16:35,907 --> 00:16:39,433
I signed all the papers and was
sent to Camp Blanding, Florida,
378
00:16:39,520 --> 00:16:41,304
which was an infantry base,
379
00:16:41,391 --> 00:16:44,046
and I thank the good Lord
20 times a day
380
00:16:44,133 --> 00:16:45,656
that I didn'’t join the infantry.
381
00:16:45,743 --> 00:16:47,919
I wanted to get in the action.
382
00:16:48,007 --> 00:16:49,530
[Richard Boyce]
Of course we were just emerging
383
00:16:49,617 --> 00:16:51,053
from the Great Depression.
384
00:16:51,140 --> 00:16:55,188
America in tragedy
comes together.
385
00:16:55,275 --> 00:16:57,929
The Depression had
a great leavening effect.
386
00:16:58,017 --> 00:17:00,497
We were living
in a quite different world.
387
00:17:00,584 --> 00:17:05,720
We had rationing: butter,
milk, eggs, silk stockings.
388
00:17:05,807 --> 00:17:07,852
Consequently, a lot of people
would begin to grow
389
00:17:07,939 --> 00:17:09,593
what they called
a Victory Garden.
390
00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,944
An estimated 40 percent of
the vegetables grown in America
391
00:17:13,032 --> 00:17:14,859
were grown
in those Victory Gardens.
392
00:17:14,946 --> 00:17:16,165
And there were these drives.
393
00:17:16,252 --> 00:17:17,471
They needed rubber desperately.
394
00:17:17,558 --> 00:17:19,038
They needed scrap metal.
395
00:17:19,125 --> 00:17:21,866
[Janis Paige] And I saved tin foil in bundles
396
00:17:21,953 --> 00:17:24,086
and gave it to the collectors.
397
00:17:24,173 --> 00:17:26,306
As a matter of fact,
some people began to give up--
398
00:17:26,393 --> 00:17:27,829
I know Rita Hayworth did--
399
00:17:27,916 --> 00:17:30,266
to give up the bumpers
on their cars
400
00:17:30,353 --> 00:17:32,529
to the scrap metal people,
honest to God.
401
00:17:32,616 --> 00:17:35,837
Everybody shared
in the war effort.
402
00:17:35,924 --> 00:17:37,839
My mother rolled bandages,
403
00:17:37,926 --> 00:17:40,450
worked for the Red Cross
in Oklahoma.
404
00:17:40,537 --> 00:17:43,279
My great regret then was that
I wasn'’t a little bit older
405
00:17:43,366 --> 00:17:45,890
so I could actually wear
a uniform.
406
00:17:45,977 --> 00:17:48,676
I wanted to do that too.
I wanted to get involved.
407
00:17:48,763 --> 00:17:52,288
So I convinced my mother, if I joined the Navy under-age,
408
00:17:52,375 --> 00:17:55,204
I would not be sent overseas
until I was 18.
409
00:17:55,291 --> 00:17:57,467
Now, it was a lie,
but I was desperate.
410
00:17:57,554 --> 00:17:59,774
I wanted so badly
to get into the service.
411
00:17:59,861 --> 00:18:01,384
It had to be fought.
412
00:18:01,471 --> 00:18:05,606
We were fighting Hitler,
Mussolini, and Tojo.
413
00:18:05,693 --> 00:18:07,260
The entire world was at war.
414
00:18:07,347 --> 00:18:09,827
[Marsha Hunt]
These madmen had to be stopped.
415
00:18:09,914 --> 00:18:12,700
So you sign on
and you do what you can.
416
00:18:12,787 --> 00:18:15,006
So we had a nation
that had a purity of purpose
417
00:18:15,094 --> 00:18:16,965
and that was to eliminate evil
in the world.
418
00:18:17,052 --> 00:18:18,575
My name is John Ree.
419
00:18:18,662 --> 00:18:21,361
Freeland C. Terpenning.
420
00:18:21,448 --> 00:18:23,580
Walter O. Sheppard.
421
00:18:23,667 --> 00:18:25,060
Milton Robbins.
422
00:18:25,147 --> 00:18:26,409
Mark Kishego.
423
00:18:26,496 --> 00:18:27,802
Raymond Lee.
424
00:18:27,889 --> 00:18:29,760
-Verle Westerman.
-John Misterly.
425
00:18:29,847 --> 00:18:32,023
-Edward Goetz.
-Lyle Umenhoffer.
426
00:18:32,111 --> 00:18:33,895
-Jerry Yellin.
-Earl Holliman.
427
00:18:46,516 --> 00:18:47,778
[dramatic music ending]
428
00:18:51,739 --> 00:18:52,870
[solemn music]
429
00:18:52,957 --> 00:18:54,568
There were so many pilots,
430
00:18:54,655 --> 00:18:56,047
were shot down,
431
00:18:56,135 --> 00:18:58,180
and they didn'’t know
whether they survived
432
00:18:58,267 --> 00:19:00,487
or whether they were
in the water for weeks.
433
00:19:00,574 --> 00:19:03,751
The 4th Emergency Rescue
Squadron was formed
434
00:19:03,838 --> 00:19:06,319
when the Navy decided
that they were spending
435
00:19:06,406 --> 00:19:09,583
too much time rescuing
Air Force pilots.
436
00:19:09,670 --> 00:19:12,063
So, the next thing I knew
I had orders to go
437
00:19:12,151 --> 00:19:14,936
through the advanced training
school at Pensacola
438
00:19:15,023 --> 00:19:16,764
learning to fly the PBY.
439
00:19:16,851 --> 00:19:20,246
[Clay Lacy] We'’re talking
about a Consolidated PBY,
440
00:19:20,333 --> 00:19:23,336
which was a sea plane;
amphibious.
441
00:19:23,423 --> 00:19:25,555
It had landing gear
you could land on.
442
00:19:25,642 --> 00:19:28,558
It was built so that
you could land in water.
443
00:19:28,645 --> 00:19:30,169
Primarily I would say
444
00:19:30,256 --> 00:19:32,954
the thought was rescue
in the open sea.
445
00:19:33,041 --> 00:19:35,130
An airplane gets shot down,
446
00:19:35,217 --> 00:19:36,827
whatever reason
you had to ditch,
447
00:19:36,914 --> 00:19:39,395
a PBY was one
of the best airplanes
448
00:19:39,482 --> 00:19:43,051
for landing and picking up
people and retrieving them.
449
00:20:22,264 --> 00:20:23,961
[Walter O. Sheppard]
After we were graduated
450
00:20:24,048 --> 00:20:27,182
from Pensacola, we were
designated Naval Aviators.
451
00:20:27,269 --> 00:20:30,968
We were then entitled to wear Navy Wings and Air Corps Wings.
452
00:20:31,055 --> 00:20:33,797
We wore Air Corps Wings
over our heart,
453
00:20:33,884 --> 00:20:35,712
Navy Wings on the right side.
454
00:20:35,799 --> 00:20:38,411
After, we were sent
to Biloxi, Mississippi.
455
00:20:38,498 --> 00:20:39,890
[Raymond Lee]
Keesler Field.
456
00:20:39,977 --> 00:20:42,850
That'’s where we became
a member of a crew.
457
00:20:58,518 --> 00:21:00,737
[Walter O. Sheppard] I knew
Royal Stratton real well.
458
00:21:00,824 --> 00:21:02,348
He was a dear good friend.
459
00:21:02,435 --> 00:21:03,914
Extremely excellent pilot.
460
00:21:04,001 --> 00:21:06,352
I can'’t say enough
about his piloting ability.
461
00:21:06,439 --> 00:21:08,005
And a fine man.
462
00:21:14,403 --> 00:21:15,883
[laughing]
463
00:21:15,970 --> 00:21:17,624
[Raymond Lee]
And then flew from there
464
00:21:17,711 --> 00:21:21,367
to McClellan Field
in Sacramento, California.
465
00:21:21,454 --> 00:21:24,021
We went over with white planes
466
00:21:24,108 --> 00:21:27,851
and they painted them blue
to match the water
467
00:21:27,938 --> 00:21:31,942
so planes flying above us
wouldn'’t be able to see us.
468
00:21:32,029 --> 00:21:35,946
It was a Catalina and we named it Prowlin'’ Puss.
469
00:21:36,033 --> 00:21:39,559
And we had a Prowlin'’ Puss
on the side of the plane
470
00:21:39,646 --> 00:21:42,213
and he'’s sitting
drumming his fingers.
471
00:21:42,301 --> 00:21:44,868
It was a real good picture.
472
00:21:44,955 --> 00:21:46,305
We thought it was.
473
00:21:46,392 --> 00:21:47,784
[Walter O. Sheppard]
My engineer,
474
00:21:47,871 --> 00:21:50,265
he came up with the name
Superduck.
475
00:21:50,352 --> 00:21:53,834
And he painted Superduck
on Superduck.
476
00:21:53,921 --> 00:21:56,227
[Mark Kishego]
We called it the old Lard Ass.
477
00:21:56,315 --> 00:21:57,707
Took off at 90 knots,
478
00:21:57,794 --> 00:21:59,883
flew at 90 knots,
and landed at 90 knots.
479
00:22:24,125 --> 00:22:25,605
[Raymond Lee]
We waited there for
480
00:22:25,692 --> 00:22:29,348
our instructions
to go overseas.
481
00:22:29,435 --> 00:22:31,350
[music ending]
482
00:22:35,397 --> 00:22:37,225
[upbeat jazz music]
483
00:22:37,312 --> 00:22:39,967
[Marsha Hunt] John Garfield,
a New York actor,
484
00:22:40,054 --> 00:22:43,753
all excited about
the Stage Door Canteen,
485
00:22:43,840 --> 00:22:45,407
told Bette Davis about it.
486
00:22:45,494 --> 00:22:48,279
It was made up, of course,
of Broadway stage actors
487
00:22:48,367 --> 00:22:51,500
entertaining G.I.s,
American service men,
488
00:22:51,587 --> 00:22:54,851
about to embark for
the adventure of their lives.
489
00:22:54,938 --> 00:22:57,724
And Bette instantly caught fire and said:
490
00:22:57,811 --> 00:23:00,857
"This is the West Coast
port of embarkation
491
00:23:00,944 --> 00:23:03,512
and they'’re coming flooding
through here
492
00:23:03,599 --> 00:23:05,862
and they have nowhere to go.
493
00:23:05,949 --> 00:23:08,169
So, there has to be
a Hollywood Canteen,"
494
00:23:08,256 --> 00:23:10,519
and indeed, it happened.
495
00:23:10,606 --> 00:23:12,826
[energetic jazz music]
496
00:23:12,913 --> 00:23:14,654
[Earl Holliman] And they
created this wonderful,
497
00:23:14,741 --> 00:23:16,307
wonderful place
where the soldiers,
498
00:23:16,395 --> 00:23:18,527
who were on their way
overseas in the Pacific,
499
00:23:18,614 --> 00:23:21,487
could stop and be fed,
you know, by movie stars
500
00:23:21,574 --> 00:23:24,272
and dance with movie stars
and be entertained.
501
00:23:24,359 --> 00:23:26,492
[Janis Paige] The war was on, and my mother,
502
00:23:26,579 --> 00:23:28,363
one night she came home
and she said
503
00:23:28,450 --> 00:23:30,409
"You'’re going to sing
at the Hollywood Canteen."
504
00:23:30,496 --> 00:23:32,672
And I got out on the stage
505
00:23:32,759 --> 00:23:36,197
and I sang and they stood up
and applauded,
506
00:23:36,284 --> 00:23:39,156
and what I realized is
these young men,
507
00:23:39,243 --> 00:23:43,944
they were so baby-faced,
and young, and courageous,
508
00:23:44,031 --> 00:23:47,513
and they loved everything
we did for them. Everything.
509
00:23:47,600 --> 00:23:50,603
We had the big bands
playing there.
510
00:23:50,690 --> 00:23:52,561
One name band after another.
511
00:23:52,648 --> 00:23:54,824
Any that was in town
at the time
512
00:23:54,911 --> 00:23:57,131
would be happy to play
for nothing
513
00:23:57,218 --> 00:23:59,263
to our young military.
514
00:23:59,350 --> 00:24:02,092
And so there was some
pretty great dancing done
515
00:24:02,179 --> 00:24:04,268
on the most crowded
of dance floors.
516
00:24:04,355 --> 00:24:06,357
I got five hours'’ liberty
every night
517
00:24:06,445 --> 00:24:08,272
and I would hightail it
right over
518
00:24:08,359 --> 00:24:09,578
to the Hollywood Canteen,
519
00:24:09,665 --> 00:24:11,188
which was incredible.
520
00:24:11,275 --> 00:24:13,974
And I remember
walking in one day
521
00:24:14,061 --> 00:24:16,498
and there was the great,
gorgeous John Garfield
522
00:24:16,585 --> 00:24:19,675
with his sleeves rolled up
and apron on doing dishes.
523
00:24:19,762 --> 00:24:22,591
And it was a sight that I'’ll
never forget as long as I live.
524
00:24:22,678 --> 00:24:24,463
The boys wanted proof
525
00:24:24,550 --> 00:24:26,987
that they had been
to the Hollywood Canteen.
526
00:24:27,074 --> 00:24:28,641
So I signed everything.
527
00:24:28,728 --> 00:24:31,905
I had to sign their best girl'’s pictures, imagine.
528
00:24:31,992 --> 00:24:34,821
What a privilege it was for me
to be part of that.
529
00:24:34,908 --> 00:24:37,388
The barn held
about a thousand G.I.s
530
00:24:37,476 --> 00:24:39,652
and a number of hostesses
to welcome them.
531
00:24:39,739 --> 00:24:41,131
[Janis Paige]
And finally, one night,
532
00:24:41,218 --> 00:24:42,742
they prepared
for the millionth man
533
00:24:42,829 --> 00:24:45,309
to come through those doors,
and he did.
534
00:24:45,396 --> 00:24:47,616
The place just
absolutely erupted
535
00:24:47,703 --> 00:24:49,009
when he walked
through the door.
536
00:24:49,096 --> 00:24:51,054
He didn'’t know he was
the millionth man.
537
00:24:51,141 --> 00:24:52,882
By the time they closed in '’45,
538
00:24:52,969 --> 00:24:55,145
they had served
three million service men.
539
00:24:55,232 --> 00:24:57,583
Many of them, of course,
never came back.
540
00:24:57,670 --> 00:25:01,325
So that was the last view
they had of America,
541
00:25:01,412 --> 00:25:05,721
and kindness and people
trying to help them.
542
00:25:05,808 --> 00:25:07,244
[music ending]
543
00:25:11,640 --> 00:25:14,121
[Vicki Nigro] My mom wanted
to name me Royal Ann.
544
00:25:14,208 --> 00:25:16,471
Thank God she didn'’t.
Dad said no.
545
00:25:16,558 --> 00:25:19,082
"If we ever have a son,
we'’ll name him Royal."
546
00:25:19,169 --> 00:25:20,736
So he named me Vicky Elaine.
547
00:25:20,823 --> 00:25:23,173
He was gone a lot when
he was in the service and...
548
00:25:23,260 --> 00:25:25,393
he was home when I was born
549
00:25:25,480 --> 00:25:27,830
and then he left when
I was four days old
550
00:25:27,917 --> 00:25:30,354
and that'’s the last we saw him.
551
00:25:30,441 --> 00:25:34,010
[Raymond Lee] Then we did get
instructions to go overseas.
552
00:25:34,097 --> 00:25:35,925
[Walter O. Sheppard]
I had our aircraft
553
00:25:36,012 --> 00:25:39,450
blessed by a priest
before I ever left the States.
554
00:25:39,538 --> 00:25:41,496
But, I'’m not Catholic.
555
00:25:41,583 --> 00:25:43,411
I'’m an Episcopalian.
556
00:25:43,498 --> 00:25:46,370
But I asked each man if
they had any objection to it,
557
00:25:46,457 --> 00:25:47,589
and they said, "No, sir."
558
00:25:47,676 --> 00:25:49,199
And so the airplane was blessed
559
00:25:49,286 --> 00:25:51,898
and I have the Saint Christopher
medal on the wall here.
560
00:25:51,985 --> 00:25:54,465
It was glued
to my instrument panel.
561
00:25:54,553 --> 00:25:56,685
We took off different days
en route
562
00:25:56,772 --> 00:25:59,645
to Hickam Air Corps Base
in Honolulu.
563
00:25:59,732 --> 00:26:01,647
And it was a long flight.
564
00:26:01,734 --> 00:26:04,737
We lost a plane
when we first went overseas.
565
00:26:04,824 --> 00:26:06,477
Nobody knows what happened.
566
00:26:06,565 --> 00:26:09,829
It gets awful dark
as you keep going west.
567
00:26:09,916 --> 00:26:12,571
And there'’s lots of water
under there.
568
00:26:12,658 --> 00:26:15,312
Our first flight to get
to where we were gonna serve,
569
00:26:15,399 --> 00:26:17,140
we had to make to Hawaii.
570
00:26:17,227 --> 00:26:18,533
[bright music]
571
00:26:18,620 --> 00:26:20,317
As I remember it, we took off
572
00:26:20,404 --> 00:26:22,058
about 3 o'’clock in the morning
573
00:26:22,145 --> 00:26:23,625
from Sacramento, California.
574
00:26:23,712 --> 00:26:25,322
And about halfway across,
575
00:26:25,409 --> 00:26:27,237
we got a radio transmission--
576
00:26:27,324 --> 00:26:29,065
it was all in code, of course--
577
00:26:29,152 --> 00:26:31,502
they told us to turn around
and go back.
578
00:26:31,590 --> 00:26:33,679
That there was a headwind
gonna hit us
579
00:26:33,766 --> 00:26:36,812
and we probably didn'’t have
enough gas to reach Honolulu.
580
00:26:36,899 --> 00:26:39,119
[Vargas]
They want us to return to Sac--
581
00:26:39,206 --> 00:26:40,947
[solemn music]
582
00:26:41,034 --> 00:26:43,558
Zalkan, how far are we
from Hawaii?
583
00:26:43,645 --> 00:26:45,255
♪
584
00:26:45,342 --> 00:26:46,822
[Zalkan]
Seven-point-five hours
585
00:26:46,909 --> 00:26:48,258
at our current heading
and airspeed.
586
00:26:48,345 --> 00:26:49,651
If we maintain,
total flight time
587
00:26:49,738 --> 00:26:51,131
will be just over 19 hours.
588
00:26:51,218 --> 00:26:52,828
We'’ve passed the halfway point.
589
00:26:52,915 --> 00:26:54,438
What'’s happening?
590
00:26:54,525 --> 00:26:57,528
They want us to turn around
and go back.
591
00:26:57,616 --> 00:26:59,748
To Sacramento?
592
00:26:59,835 --> 00:27:02,142
That doesn'’t make any sense.
593
00:27:02,229 --> 00:27:04,666
♪
594
00:27:04,753 --> 00:27:07,277
Radar operator to engineer.
595
00:27:07,364 --> 00:27:10,454
How long can we stay airborne
with those new Tokyo tanks?
596
00:27:10,541 --> 00:27:12,108
Over.
597
00:27:12,195 --> 00:27:16,330
We got about 20 hours'’
total flight time, Chief, over.
598
00:27:16,417 --> 00:27:18,332
Copy, Doc.
599
00:27:18,419 --> 00:27:22,031
Radio operator to pilot.
600
00:27:22,118 --> 00:27:24,033
[Stratton] Pilot to
radio operator, go ahead.
601
00:27:24,120 --> 00:27:25,556
[Vargas] Lieutenant,
we'’ve been instructed
602
00:27:25,644 --> 00:27:27,733
to return to Sacramento, over.
603
00:27:27,820 --> 00:27:30,083
[Stratton] Copy. Instructed
to return to Sacramento, over.
604
00:27:30,170 --> 00:27:31,606
Return to Sacramento?
605
00:27:31,693 --> 00:27:34,348
[Vargas] Sir, I requested
code verification.
606
00:27:34,435 --> 00:27:37,003
Transmitting party
was unable to verify, over.
607
00:27:37,090 --> 00:27:38,439
[Stratton]
Copy, unable to verify.
608
00:27:38,526 --> 00:27:39,875
Japanese dummy transmission?
609
00:27:39,962 --> 00:27:42,051
♪
610
00:27:42,138 --> 00:27:44,445
[engine roaring]
611
00:27:44,532 --> 00:27:46,882
[Stratton] Pilot to crew;
according to my calculations,
612
00:27:46,969 --> 00:27:49,580
we are past the halfway point
to our destination.
613
00:27:49,668 --> 00:27:53,323
Therefore, I will ask each
of you to vote, yay or nay,
614
00:27:53,410 --> 00:27:55,717
as to whether we return
to Sacramento.
615
00:27:55,804 --> 00:27:58,067
Take a moment to consider, over.
616
00:27:58,154 --> 00:28:01,636
Navigator to pilot, you flying
by ear again, Lieutenant?
617
00:28:01,723 --> 00:28:03,116
[Stratton]
Pilot to navigator;
618
00:28:03,203 --> 00:28:04,552
1st Lieutenant.
619
00:28:04,639 --> 00:28:07,163
And are my calculations
incorrect? Over.
620
00:28:07,250 --> 00:28:08,556
No, sir.
621
00:28:08,643 --> 00:28:10,645
Your calculations
are correct, over.
622
00:28:10,732 --> 00:28:12,603
[Stratton] Navigator,
please say again, over.
623
00:28:12,691 --> 00:28:14,780
[Zalkan]
Your calculations are correct.
624
00:28:14,867 --> 00:28:16,956
[mellow jazz music]
625
00:28:17,043 --> 00:28:18,958
-Over?
-Over!
626
00:28:19,045 --> 00:28:20,699
Repeat.
627
00:28:20,786 --> 00:28:22,178
♪
628
00:28:22,265 --> 00:28:23,832
[John Logan]
And so we all voted--
629
00:28:23,919 --> 00:28:25,268
let'’s go ahead.
630
00:28:25,355 --> 00:28:27,183
And when we did land
at Honolulu,
631
00:28:27,270 --> 00:28:29,925
we were in the air
19 hours and 55 minutes
632
00:28:30,012 --> 00:28:31,361
as I remember it.
633
00:28:31,448 --> 00:28:33,537
And our flight engineer
later told me--
634
00:28:33,624 --> 00:28:39,239
He said we had about 15 minutes'’
flying time left, so--
635
00:28:41,807 --> 00:28:44,679
From Wheeler Field
we went to a little spot
636
00:28:44,766 --> 00:28:46,986
in the ocean called
Johnson Island.
637
00:28:47,073 --> 00:28:49,249
[Raymond Lee]
Orders, we finally got them
638
00:28:49,336 --> 00:28:51,686
after two or three weeks.
639
00:28:51,773 --> 00:28:54,645
[Walter O. Sheppard]
We searched for General Harmon,
640
00:28:54,733 --> 00:28:56,299
he was an Air Corps General.
641
00:28:56,386 --> 00:28:57,736
[Raymond Lee]
Most of the time
642
00:28:57,823 --> 00:29:00,129
when we were searching
for rafts,
643
00:29:00,216 --> 00:29:02,871
I was in the blister
watching for it
644
00:29:02,958 --> 00:29:05,482
because radar
wouldn'’t pick it up.
645
00:29:05,569 --> 00:29:08,398
And the radar on our plane
was up high
646
00:29:08,485 --> 00:29:10,618
so you couldn'’t shoot down
with it.
647
00:29:10,705 --> 00:29:12,402
You had to shoot out.
648
00:29:12,489 --> 00:29:15,275
I don'’t think they ever did know
what happened to that plane.
649
00:29:15,362 --> 00:29:17,799
We couldn'’t find any evidence
of it anywhere.
650
00:29:17,886 --> 00:29:20,541
Even though we were all
a bunch of young guys,
651
00:29:20,628 --> 00:29:22,891
we suddenly became men.
652
00:29:22,978 --> 00:29:25,720
So we left there
and headed west again.
653
00:29:25,807 --> 00:29:27,243
[Walter O. Sheppard]
From Johnson Island
654
00:29:27,330 --> 00:29:28,941
we were sent temporary duty
655
00:29:29,028 --> 00:29:31,595
to Kwajalein, Eniwetok,
656
00:29:31,682 --> 00:29:33,249
Bikini Atoll,
657
00:29:33,336 --> 00:29:34,947
and finally to Saipan.
658
00:29:35,034 --> 00:29:36,775
When we got to Saipan,
659
00:29:36,862 --> 00:29:41,344
officers and enlisted men
both lived in tents in the mud.
660
00:29:41,431 --> 00:29:44,434
[Milton Robbins] Wise guy me
said, "Where'’s the hotel?"
661
00:29:44,521 --> 00:29:46,349
And they said,
"You'’re sleeping here."
662
00:29:46,436 --> 00:29:48,047
[Walter O. Sheppard]
From Saipan,
663
00:29:48,134 --> 00:29:50,005
we had four flights
in the squadron:
664
00:29:50,092 --> 00:29:52,007
A flight, B flight,
C flight, D flight.
665
00:30:06,674 --> 00:30:09,329
It was the largest airplane
to go into production
666
00:30:09,416 --> 00:30:11,070
during World War II.
667
00:30:11,157 --> 00:30:13,855
It was a beautiful airplane,
flew beautifully.
668
00:30:13,942 --> 00:30:17,424
One problem, the engines,
they overheated readily.
669
00:30:17,511 --> 00:30:19,295
We were losing
a lot of them at sea.
670
00:30:19,382 --> 00:30:22,211
There were 20 crews
in our squadron,
671
00:30:22,298 --> 00:30:25,736
and of each of the squadrons
assembled on Saipan,
672
00:30:25,824 --> 00:30:29,001
I must say that half
of those crews were lost
673
00:30:29,088 --> 00:30:31,481
during the time
we were bombing Japan.
674
00:30:59,118 --> 00:31:02,686
It was horrifying because
I don'’t think many of them were
675
00:31:02,773 --> 00:31:05,864
over five feet over the water
when they took off.
676
00:31:05,951 --> 00:31:08,779
And it was hair-raising
to them, I'’m sure.
677
00:31:31,411 --> 00:31:33,152
[George Cattelona]
Why was Iwo Jima important?
678
00:31:33,239 --> 00:31:35,458
Because it was midway point
679
00:31:35,545 --> 00:31:38,244
from the Marianas to Tokyo.
680
00:31:38,331 --> 00:31:39,941
[Jerry Yellin] There were two things important
681
00:31:40,028 --> 00:31:41,160
about Iwo Jima.
682
00:31:41,247 --> 00:31:42,639
One, it was within range
683
00:31:42,726 --> 00:31:44,554
of Japan for fighter aircraft:
684
00:31:44,641 --> 00:31:47,993
P-47s and P-51s could reach
Japan and come back.
685
00:31:48,080 --> 00:31:51,257
And it was an emergency
landing strip for B-29s
686
00:31:51,344 --> 00:31:54,260
that carried 11
or 12 crew members.
687
00:31:54,347 --> 00:31:58,133
So it was a place of rescue
for the B-29s.
688
00:31:58,220 --> 00:32:00,701
Hundred and fifty of us
got shipped out at one time.
689
00:32:00,788 --> 00:32:04,096
And I'’ll never forget it,
the first sergeant came out,
690
00:32:04,183 --> 00:32:07,621
was giving us a pep talk,
691
00:32:07,708 --> 00:32:10,537
and all of a sudden he stopped.
692
00:32:10,624 --> 00:32:12,147
[water splashing]
693
00:32:12,234 --> 00:32:13,540
[solemn music]
694
00:32:13,627 --> 00:32:15,411
[metal creaking]
695
00:32:15,498 --> 00:32:17,631
[gunfire]
696
00:32:17,718 --> 00:32:18,762
[explosion]
697
00:32:18,849 --> 00:32:20,460
[gunfire continues]
698
00:32:20,547 --> 00:32:23,158
[somber music]
699
00:32:23,245 --> 00:32:27,771
He said: "You men are
gonna make history."
700
00:32:27,858 --> 00:32:30,426
And history we did.
701
00:32:30,513 --> 00:32:32,385
[flag flapping]
702
00:32:32,472 --> 00:32:35,170
♪
703
00:32:35,257 --> 00:32:36,606
During the battle,
704
00:32:36,693 --> 00:32:39,870
there was 36 planes
landed there.
705
00:32:39,958 --> 00:32:43,874
The first one was
on the 13th day.
706
00:32:43,962 --> 00:32:46,181
That left 23.
707
00:32:46,268 --> 00:32:47,835
It'’s almost two a day.
708
00:32:47,922 --> 00:32:50,142
And those 36 planes
709
00:32:50,229 --> 00:32:53,275
probably saved 360 lives
710
00:32:53,362 --> 00:32:56,626
because there'’s
a minimum crew of ten.
711
00:32:56,713 --> 00:32:58,541
[John Logan]
So they attacked Iwo Jima
712
00:32:58,628 --> 00:32:59,716
and finally got it.
713
00:32:59,803 --> 00:33:01,240
My wing of our squadron
714
00:33:01,327 --> 00:33:02,719
were assigned to Iwo
715
00:33:02,806 --> 00:33:06,071
and we flew rescue operations
out of there.
716
00:33:06,158 --> 00:33:07,637
[Freeland Terpenning]
The island itself was
717
00:33:07,724 --> 00:33:10,249
about four, or four and a half miles long,
718
00:33:10,336 --> 00:33:12,207
and a mile and a half wide.
719
00:33:12,294 --> 00:33:15,428
And there was around 40,000
of us on the island.
720
00:33:15,515 --> 00:33:19,040
Life on Iwo Jima was miserable.
721
00:33:19,127 --> 00:33:20,520
We had no fresh water.
722
00:33:20,607 --> 00:33:22,870
They had a distiller ship
out on the ocean
723
00:33:22,957 --> 00:33:24,959
and we drank
distilled ocean water.
724
00:33:25,046 --> 00:33:28,484
That extremely fine volcanic ash
was always in the air.
725
00:33:28,571 --> 00:33:30,965
Our only means of washing up:
726
00:33:31,052 --> 00:33:34,186
going into the ocean
with your clothes on and all.
727
00:33:34,273 --> 00:33:36,579
[Freeland Terpenning]
Where our encampment was down
728
00:33:36,666 --> 00:33:38,407
right next to Suribachi.
729
00:33:38,494 --> 00:33:40,583
There was two crews to a tent.
730
00:33:40,670 --> 00:33:44,631
No floors; it was really
kind of nomadic conditions.
731
00:33:44,718 --> 00:33:47,547
[John Ree] We spent six months
living in the tents.
732
00:33:47,634 --> 00:33:49,679
Me and Holliday,
the flight engineer,
733
00:33:49,766 --> 00:33:51,899
always slept in the plane,
and Sam.
734
00:33:51,986 --> 00:33:54,815
Well, old Sam Zuck was a mechanic, he was a good one.
735
00:33:54,902 --> 00:33:56,643
So they assigned him
to our plane.
736
00:33:56,730 --> 00:33:58,471
And so wherever we'’d land,
737
00:33:58,558 --> 00:34:00,908
Sam was always going around
working on the plane.
738
00:34:00,995 --> 00:34:02,605
Me and Holliday had been up
739
00:34:02,692 --> 00:34:04,825
most of the night
playing poker somewhere.
740
00:34:04,912 --> 00:34:06,522
And Sam, he'’d get up while me
741
00:34:06,609 --> 00:34:08,481
and the flight engineer
was trying to sleep,
742
00:34:08,568 --> 00:34:10,309
and he'’d start working
on the plane.
743
00:34:10,396 --> 00:34:12,746
And he'’d be hammering, and that plane is just like a drum.
744
00:34:12,833 --> 00:34:14,922
When you'’d beat on the side,
it reverberates,
745
00:34:15,009 --> 00:34:17,011
and the flight engineer
told Sam, he said,
746
00:34:17,098 --> 00:34:18,795
"Sam, why don'’t you
knock that off?
747
00:34:18,882 --> 00:34:20,710
We can let that go
to some other time."
748
00:34:20,797 --> 00:34:23,452
But old Sam wasn'’t that way.
Sam was conscientious.
749
00:34:23,539 --> 00:34:25,628
And Holliday, he said,
"Sam, damn it,
750
00:34:25,715 --> 00:34:28,762
I gave you a direct order
to go back to bed."
751
00:34:28,849 --> 00:34:30,111
I couldn'’t stand it.
I laughed.
752
00:34:34,028 --> 00:34:34,985
[laughing]
753
00:34:39,642 --> 00:34:40,991
[laughing]
754
00:34:41,079 --> 00:34:43,298
We got eight new B-17s
755
00:34:43,385 --> 00:34:45,866
and was on Iwo Jima
till the war ended.
756
00:34:45,953 --> 00:34:49,043
I was a radio operator
on Bulgin'’ Bessie.
757
00:34:49,130 --> 00:34:52,133
We would go
on standby offshore
758
00:34:52,220 --> 00:34:54,657
so that if a crippled plane
come back,
759
00:34:54,744 --> 00:34:57,182
we had the boat on the B-17.
760
00:34:57,269 --> 00:34:59,445
We could drop a boat
or give assistance
761
00:34:59,532 --> 00:35:02,578
and call a submarine
or a rescue ship in
762
00:35:02,665 --> 00:35:04,232
to assist them.
763
00:35:04,319 --> 00:35:05,842
[Clay Lacy] A lot of airplanes have ditched
764
00:35:05,929 --> 00:35:07,540
because of mechanical problems.
765
00:35:07,627 --> 00:35:09,281
A lot of them made it too.
766
00:35:09,368 --> 00:35:13,023
Kind of luck plays
a big part of that.
767
00:35:13,111 --> 00:35:15,461
[cheerful jazz music ending]
768
00:35:20,857 --> 00:35:25,427
My combat experiences began
on March 7th, 1945,
769
00:35:25,514 --> 00:35:28,996
when our squadron landed P-51s
on Iwo Jima.
770
00:35:29,083 --> 00:35:31,390
We knew that there were Dumbos,
771
00:35:31,477 --> 00:35:33,435
PBYs flown by
the Army Air Corps,
772
00:35:33,522 --> 00:35:36,090
and the Navy,
on the way to Japan.
773
00:35:36,177 --> 00:35:38,048
The next group were
the destroyers
774
00:35:38,136 --> 00:35:39,702
on top of the ocean.
775
00:35:39,789 --> 00:35:41,748
And the next group were
the submarines.
776
00:35:41,835 --> 00:35:43,967
And yes, we knew
that they were out there.
777
00:35:44,054 --> 00:35:46,361
We had code words for them.
We named them something.
778
00:35:46,448 --> 00:35:47,928
And we used them.
779
00:35:48,015 --> 00:35:50,235
My father was Hiram Cassedy.
780
00:35:50,322 --> 00:35:53,499
He was a submarine commander
in the Pacific
781
00:35:53,586 --> 00:35:56,197
and he took command
of the Tigrone.
782
00:35:56,284 --> 00:35:58,460
When the Tigrone
was commissioned,
783
00:35:58,547 --> 00:36:00,506
Hiram was put in charge
784
00:36:00,593 --> 00:36:05,380
of the whole lifeguard rescue
operation in the South Pacific.
785
00:36:05,467 --> 00:36:08,688
When the pilots were coming
back from a mission,
786
00:36:08,775 --> 00:36:11,691
if they had been hit
and couldn'’t get the planes
787
00:36:11,778 --> 00:36:14,563
back to base,
then they would coordinate
788
00:36:14,650 --> 00:36:17,000
where they were going
to ditch the plane,
789
00:36:17,087 --> 00:36:21,440
and the sub would come up as close as they could to them
790
00:36:21,527 --> 00:36:24,573
and then rescue
the pilots and the crew.
791
00:36:24,660 --> 00:36:26,880
This work was very dangerous
792
00:36:26,967 --> 00:36:30,536
because they were operating
in enemy waters.
793
00:36:30,623 --> 00:36:32,755
[Edward Goetz]
V Square 10 was the plane
794
00:36:32,842 --> 00:36:34,496
we flew overseas.
795
00:36:34,583 --> 00:36:38,587
And it'’s got a name:
A-Broad with Eleven Yanks.
796
00:36:38,674 --> 00:36:42,330
You know, flying missions is kind of a harrowing experience.
797
00:36:42,417 --> 00:36:45,551
There'’s 1,500 to 1,700 miles
798
00:36:45,638 --> 00:36:48,641
between Saipan
and the target area of Japan.
799
00:36:48,728 --> 00:36:51,731
And as far as we knew,
there'’s nothing between us
800
00:36:51,818 --> 00:36:53,211
but open ocean.
801
00:36:53,298 --> 00:36:55,082
We were on our way
to the target
802
00:36:55,169 --> 00:36:58,346
when the propeller ran away,
ran at high-speed,
803
00:36:58,433 --> 00:37:00,479
and we were not able
to control it.
804
00:37:00,566 --> 00:37:03,003
So we headed
for the island of Agrihan.
805
00:37:03,090 --> 00:37:06,398
Just before we got there,
fire broke out on the engine.
806
00:37:06,485 --> 00:37:08,574
And when fire broke out,
we bailed out.
807
00:37:08,661 --> 00:37:11,620
We were at 3,000 feet at three o'’clock in the morning
808
00:37:11,707 --> 00:37:13,666
over the wide Pacific Ocean,
809
00:37:13,753 --> 00:37:16,408
but at least with an island
visible to us.
810
00:37:16,495 --> 00:37:18,801
I'’m sure we were all hanging
in our parachutes
811
00:37:18,888 --> 00:37:20,803
when the plane exploded
812
00:37:20,890 --> 00:37:23,458
and crashed into the island
of Agrihan.
813
00:37:23,545 --> 00:37:26,983
Well after daylight,
a PBY flying boat flew over.
814
00:37:27,070 --> 00:37:29,290
Little did I know
that they had been alerted
815
00:37:29,377 --> 00:37:31,118
and they came to search for us.
816
00:37:31,205 --> 00:37:33,120
[John Logan]
The B-29 scattered itself
817
00:37:33,207 --> 00:37:35,209
across about a third
of the way up.
818
00:37:35,296 --> 00:37:37,211
We circled in close.
819
00:37:37,298 --> 00:37:40,606
[Edward Goetz] I never once
felt that we were all lost,
820
00:37:40,693 --> 00:37:44,740
but I was extremely thankful when I saw the PBY flying over.
821
00:37:44,827 --> 00:37:46,264
Twelve of us bailed out.
822
00:37:46,351 --> 00:37:49,963
Unfortunately,
only 11 were picked up.
823
00:37:50,050 --> 00:37:51,225
[dramatic music]
824
00:38:13,856 --> 00:38:17,164
So we got alongside of them,
and two of my crewmen,
825
00:38:17,251 --> 00:38:19,253
they got a rope
to the life raft
826
00:38:19,340 --> 00:38:21,908
and we were able to pull them
up to the aircraft,
827
00:38:21,995 --> 00:38:24,345
and between all the men
on the crew,
828
00:38:24,432 --> 00:38:26,391
we were able to get
the three men in
829
00:38:26,478 --> 00:38:28,610
through the blister
of the aircraft.
830
00:38:45,671 --> 00:38:47,237
[Doug West]
My name is Doug West.
831
00:38:47,325 --> 00:38:48,891
I'’m the son
of Clyde Allen West.
832
00:38:48,978 --> 00:38:51,111
He was a captain and pilot
of the B-29 bomber
833
00:38:51,198 --> 00:38:52,591
called Dragon Lady.
834
00:38:52,678 --> 00:38:54,332
It was actually
his final mission
835
00:38:54,419 --> 00:38:56,986
and he was flying Dragon Lady
on a bombing mission over Japan.
836
00:38:57,073 --> 00:38:59,075
I'’m Steven Wilcoxon,
and I'’m the son
837
00:38:59,162 --> 00:39:00,773
of Roderick Gale Wilcoxon.
838
00:39:00,860 --> 00:39:02,818
My dad was flying as co-pilot
839
00:39:02,905 --> 00:39:05,386
on the Dragon Lady
when she went down.
840
00:39:05,473 --> 00:39:10,609
In 1945, General LeMay,
of the 73rd Bomb Wing,
841
00:39:10,696 --> 00:39:12,611
and all of the 20th Air Force,
842
00:39:12,698 --> 00:39:15,701
decreed that incendiary raids
should be carried out
843
00:39:15,788 --> 00:39:19,792
to successfully stop the production of war matériel.
844
00:39:19,879 --> 00:39:22,838
So incendiary bombing
was carried out.
845
00:39:22,925 --> 00:39:25,754
It was not a small thing to prep
846
00:39:25,841 --> 00:39:28,278
one of those planes
for a mission like that.
847
00:39:28,366 --> 00:39:31,456
It would start six to eight
hours before the mission.
848
00:39:31,543 --> 00:39:33,849
And those missions
were 15 to 18 hours long.
849
00:39:33,936 --> 00:39:35,895
That particular mission,
that was the Yokahama raid.
850
00:39:35,982 --> 00:39:37,766
They were flying off
of North Field Tinian.
851
00:39:37,853 --> 00:39:39,420
That was the same airfield
852
00:39:39,507 --> 00:39:42,118
that the Enola Gay
in the 509th set up.
853
00:39:42,205 --> 00:39:44,338
[Doug West] On their way back, they encountered flak,
854
00:39:44,425 --> 00:39:46,253
and it damaged the plane.
855
00:39:46,340 --> 00:39:48,386
[Steven Wilcoxon] The shell
that damaged them the most
856
00:39:48,473 --> 00:39:49,996
exploded right
under the cockpit,
857
00:39:50,083 --> 00:39:52,172
and it started electrical fires in the airplane,
858
00:39:52,259 --> 00:39:54,392
and the airplane was also hit
in other places.
859
00:39:54,479 --> 00:39:56,611
So, they were
pretty badly limping.
860
00:39:56,698 --> 00:39:58,439
The plane was
an electronic airplane,
861
00:39:58,526 --> 00:40:02,312
and it was dependent
on the internal navigation,
862
00:40:02,400 --> 00:40:04,314
radar, and electronic controls,
863
00:40:04,402 --> 00:40:06,839
and if the electronic system
went out,
864
00:40:06,926 --> 00:40:08,710
then you couldn'’t control
the aircraft.
865
00:40:08,797 --> 00:40:10,625
They kept turning off
the electrical system,
866
00:40:10,712 --> 00:40:12,975
and it was able to get
the fire to stop,
867
00:40:13,062 --> 00:40:15,151
but then whenever they tried
to turn it back on again,
868
00:40:15,238 --> 00:40:16,762
the fire started again.
869
00:40:16,849 --> 00:40:18,459
[Doug West]
The tail gunner apparently
870
00:40:18,546 --> 00:40:20,418
burned alive
because of the fire.
871
00:40:20,505 --> 00:40:21,897
-Wright!
-Everybody else is trying
872
00:40:21,984 --> 00:40:23,551
to put the fires out.
It'’s chaos.
873
00:40:23,638 --> 00:40:25,597
You have
no situational awareness
874
00:40:25,684 --> 00:40:27,599
outside the aircraft
and you don'’t know
875
00:40:27,686 --> 00:40:29,775
if you'’re going to be called on
to parachute
876
00:40:29,862 --> 00:40:32,995
or whether or not the pilot
is gonna put her down.
877
00:40:33,082 --> 00:40:34,606
[dramatic music]
878
00:40:34,693 --> 00:40:38,218
[Doug West] So he decided
to ditch the airplane.
879
00:40:38,305 --> 00:40:40,263
You can feel your stomach
goes right up in your throat.
880
00:40:40,350 --> 00:40:42,744
I mean, you can feel the plane
is going down like a stone.
881
00:40:42,831 --> 00:40:44,877
Descending at 3,000 feet
per minute!
882
00:40:44,964 --> 00:40:47,532
[Steven Wilcoxon] That'’s a really rapid descent.
883
00:40:47,619 --> 00:40:49,403
It would be very close
884
00:40:49,490 --> 00:40:51,231
to feeling as if you'’re
in free-fall.
885
00:40:51,318 --> 00:40:53,712
The noise and the vibration
886
00:40:53,799 --> 00:40:56,062
are just tremendous,
they'’re absolutely deafening.
887
00:40:56,149 --> 00:40:58,456
And you feel this
through your whole body.
888
00:40:58,543 --> 00:41:00,153
You want to put her down
tail-first,
889
00:41:00,240 --> 00:41:01,459
smoothly hit the water,
890
00:41:01,546 --> 00:41:03,286
and you'’ve got
to keep her level.
891
00:41:03,373 --> 00:41:04,592
[engine buzzing]
892
00:41:04,679 --> 00:41:06,942
[splashing, metal creaking]
893
00:41:07,029 --> 00:41:08,683
[glass shattering]
894
00:41:08,770 --> 00:41:10,119
[Doug West]
When the plane crashed,
895
00:41:10,206 --> 00:41:11,860
several of the crewmen
were swept out.
896
00:41:11,947 --> 00:41:14,254
Two were lost
and never recovered.
897
00:41:14,341 --> 00:41:16,343
At that point,
because the ship was sinking,
898
00:41:16,430 --> 00:41:18,301
they had to get on
to their life rafts.
899
00:41:18,388 --> 00:41:20,521
They weren'’t able to radio
anybody their location
900
00:41:20,608 --> 00:41:22,523
because the electrical equipment
had been out.
901
00:41:22,610 --> 00:41:24,133
They could count on the fact
that somebody
902
00:41:24,220 --> 00:41:25,613
was gonna be looking for them.
903
00:41:25,700 --> 00:41:27,789
They just didn'’t know
how much information
904
00:41:27,876 --> 00:41:29,487
the rescuers would have
about them
905
00:41:29,574 --> 00:41:31,663
because their communications
had been cut off.
906
00:41:31,750 --> 00:41:34,535
So they were out there floating
in the middle of the ocean
907
00:41:34,622 --> 00:41:36,581
probably thinking
that this could be the end,
908
00:41:36,668 --> 00:41:38,844
that they didn'’t know whether
they were going to be rescued,
909
00:41:38,931 --> 00:41:40,846
killed by a Japanese submarine
910
00:41:40,933 --> 00:41:43,196
or Zeros that may have seen them
and come in.
911
00:41:43,283 --> 00:41:46,416
You'’re at zero elevation
and everything is above you.
912
00:41:46,504 --> 00:41:49,158
You know, the Queen Mary
could be a hundred yards away
913
00:41:49,245 --> 00:41:51,509
and if you weren'’t on the top
of one of the swells,
914
00:41:51,596 --> 00:41:52,771
you'’d never see it.
915
00:41:52,858 --> 00:41:54,729
So, it was a scary thing
916
00:41:54,816 --> 00:41:57,558
because you just don'’t know
how long you'’re gonna be.
917
00:41:57,645 --> 00:41:59,473
[somber music]
918
00:41:59,560 --> 00:42:01,083
[Captain West]
How'’s Weaver?
919
00:42:01,170 --> 00:42:03,085
We'’re out of morphine.
920
00:42:03,172 --> 00:42:05,827
[water lapping]
921
00:42:05,914 --> 00:42:09,178
She nosed over
too quick, Cap.
922
00:42:09,265 --> 00:42:11,398
Couldn'’t get
to the provisions.
923
00:42:11,485 --> 00:42:13,531
♪
924
00:42:13,618 --> 00:42:16,359
[Captain West] James, any food
or water in that thing?
925
00:42:16,446 --> 00:42:17,839
[James]
Negative, Captain.
926
00:42:17,926 --> 00:42:19,798
♪
927
00:42:19,885 --> 00:42:22,235
[Verdeschi] How long do
these rafts stay afloat?
928
00:42:22,322 --> 00:42:24,367
They'’ll hold for a good
long while, Verdeschi.
929
00:42:24,454 --> 00:42:26,587
Don'’t you worry.
We'’ll be on Tinian
930
00:42:26,674 --> 00:42:28,981
long before these rafts
give way.
931
00:42:29,068 --> 00:42:31,157
[waves crashing]
932
00:42:35,727 --> 00:42:37,163
[hammering]
933
00:42:37,250 --> 00:42:39,078
[cheerful music]
934
00:42:39,165 --> 00:42:41,863
[hammering echoes through plane]
935
00:42:41,950 --> 00:43:22,034
♪
936
00:43:22,121 --> 00:43:23,775
[hammering continues]
937
00:43:23,862 --> 00:43:25,254
[Holliday]
Sam.
938
00:43:25,341 --> 00:43:26,691
[hammering continues]
939
00:43:26,778 --> 00:43:28,562
[Holliday]
Sam!
940
00:43:28,649 --> 00:43:30,085
[hammering continues]
941
00:43:30,172 --> 00:43:31,260
[shouting]
Sam!
942
00:43:31,347 --> 00:43:33,480
Rise and shine, boys.
943
00:43:33,567 --> 00:43:35,917
[Holliday] Sam,
why don'’t you knock that off
944
00:43:36,004 --> 00:43:38,485
till another time?
945
00:43:38,572 --> 00:43:41,053
[hammering]
946
00:43:41,140 --> 00:43:43,098
You boys up all night
playin'’ poker again?
947
00:43:43,185 --> 00:43:45,753
[Holliday] Samuel Zuck,
I'’m giving you a direct order!
948
00:43:45,840 --> 00:43:48,103
Stop working!
949
00:43:48,190 --> 00:43:50,715
[chuckling]
950
00:43:50,802 --> 00:43:52,847
My cousin would never put up
with this.
951
00:43:52,934 --> 00:43:55,589
You know, the last time
you told that story,
952
00:43:55,676 --> 00:43:57,373
Doc Holliday was your uncle.
953
00:43:57,460 --> 00:43:59,898
Don'’t start with me, Chief.
954
00:43:59,985 --> 00:44:01,595
[Raymond Lee]
The operations officer,
955
00:44:01,682 --> 00:44:04,206
he got notice from whomever
956
00:44:04,293 --> 00:44:06,861
that this was down
or that was down,
957
00:44:06,948 --> 00:44:09,995
and he'’s the one that came
and notified us that,
958
00:44:10,082 --> 00:44:11,300
"You'’re on, go."
959
00:44:11,387 --> 00:44:15,653
♪
960
00:44:15,740 --> 00:44:17,393
Sam! Lieutenant'’s on his way!
961
00:44:17,480 --> 00:44:19,787
We'’re going up;
emergency search and rescue.
962
00:44:19,874 --> 00:44:21,310
♪
963
00:44:21,397 --> 00:44:23,182
Can you put that back on?
964
00:44:23,269 --> 00:44:25,967
♪
965
00:44:26,054 --> 00:44:27,882
[Stratton]
Zalkan: B-29 ditched.
966
00:44:27,969 --> 00:44:30,406
Last known position. Go ahead and plot us a course.
967
00:44:30,493 --> 00:44:31,886
They'’re in the water--
we'’re against the clock.
968
00:44:31,973 --> 00:44:33,671
[Zalkan]
Roger that.
969
00:44:33,758 --> 00:44:35,368
[Holliday] We gotta get those propsturned through.
970
00:44:35,455 --> 00:44:36,761
Sam!
971
00:44:36,848 --> 00:44:39,720
♪
972
00:44:39,807 --> 00:44:42,201
[clattering]
973
00:44:42,288 --> 00:44:48,903
♪
974
00:44:48,990 --> 00:44:51,514
[Stratton]
Zuck, you breaking my plane?
975
00:44:51,601 --> 00:44:52,951
No, sir.
976
00:44:53,038 --> 00:44:54,735
You still looking
for a change of scenery?
977
00:44:54,822 --> 00:44:56,302
-Yes, sir.
-When you'’re done there,
978
00:44:56,389 --> 00:44:57,477
come aboard.
979
00:44:57,564 --> 00:44:59,653
Yes, sir!
980
00:44:59,740 --> 00:45:01,220
Thank you, sir!
981
00:45:01,307 --> 00:45:17,802
♪
982
00:45:17,889 --> 00:45:20,195
[dramatic music]
983
00:45:20,282 --> 00:45:26,419
♪
984
00:45:26,506 --> 00:45:28,160
[Stratton]
Radio check, radio check.
985
00:45:28,247 --> 00:45:29,901
-Tower check.
-Radio, copy.
986
00:45:29,988 --> 00:45:30,684
Navigator, check.
987
00:45:30,771 --> 00:45:32,294
Radar operator, copy.
988
00:45:32,381 --> 00:45:33,687
[button clicking, static]
989
00:45:33,774 --> 00:45:34,557
[Stratton] Doc, let'’s
get this thing running.
990
00:45:34,644 --> 00:45:35,994
Start on engine number one.
991
00:45:36,081 --> 00:45:38,561
Engineer to pilot, copy,
start on engine number one.
992
00:45:38,648 --> 00:45:42,435
♪
993
00:45:42,522 --> 00:45:46,004
[engine roars to life]
994
00:45:46,091 --> 00:45:47,179
♪
995
00:45:47,266 --> 00:45:48,920
[Stratton]
Start on engine two.
996
00:45:49,007 --> 00:45:51,444
Engineer to pilot, copy,
start on engine number two.
997
00:45:51,531 --> 00:45:54,839
♪
998
00:45:54,926 --> 00:45:58,277
[engine two roars to life]
999
00:45:58,364 --> 00:46:14,423
♪
1000
00:46:14,510 --> 00:46:16,295
[Stratton]
Walnut, this is Dumbo number one
1001
00:46:16,382 --> 00:46:17,600
requesting clearance
for takeoff on Maple,
1002
00:46:17,687 --> 00:46:19,385
emergency rescue, over.
1003
00:46:19,472 --> 00:46:20,952
[tower on radio]
Copy, Dumbo.
1004
00:46:21,039 --> 00:46:23,041
You are currently number one and cleared for takeoff, Maple.
1005
00:46:23,128 --> 00:46:23,998
Over.
1006
00:46:24,085 --> 00:46:25,217
[Stratton]
Copy, tower.
1007
00:46:25,304 --> 00:46:28,916
[lively music]
1008
00:46:29,003 --> 00:46:30,657
Pilot to crew,
prepare for takeoff.
1009
00:46:30,744 --> 00:46:37,055
♪
1010
00:46:37,142 --> 00:46:39,666
[engines rev]
1011
00:46:39,753 --> 00:46:42,887
♪
1012
00:46:42,974 --> 00:46:45,977
[shutter clicking]
1013
00:46:46,064 --> 00:47:00,382
♪
1014
00:47:00,469 --> 00:47:02,732
[engines drone]
1015
00:47:02,820 --> 00:47:03,951
Navigator to pilot,
1016
00:47:04,038 --> 00:47:05,518
we'’ve reached their last known
position, over.
1017
00:47:05,605 --> 00:47:07,215
[Stratton]
Pilot to navigator, copy.
1018
00:47:07,302 --> 00:47:08,347
Very nice work, Zalkan.
1019
00:47:08,434 --> 00:47:10,566
Over.
1020
00:47:10,653 --> 00:47:13,265
We'’re going to do an expanded
square search.
1021
00:47:13,352 --> 00:47:14,440
They'’re out here somewhere.
1022
00:47:14,527 --> 00:47:16,398
Lieutenant, we'’re well within
fighter range.
1023
00:47:16,485 --> 00:47:16,921
[Stratton]We'’re going
to have to keep moving
1024
00:47:17,008 --> 00:47:18,966
when we find them.
1025
00:47:19,053 --> 00:47:20,446
If we find them.
1026
00:47:20,533 --> 00:47:22,491
We'’re not leaving without them,
Lieutenant.
1027
00:47:22,578 --> 00:47:24,667
[Clay Lacy]It'’s very
difficult to find people
1028
00:47:24,754 --> 00:47:26,626
in a small boat in the ocean.
1029
00:47:26,713 --> 00:47:28,280
It'’s just a big ocean
out there,
1030
00:47:28,367 --> 00:47:30,238
and a lot of room,
1031
00:47:30,325 --> 00:47:32,545
and if you make a pass
going east to west
1032
00:47:32,632 --> 00:47:34,547
and turn around
and come back the other way,
1033
00:47:34,634 --> 00:47:36,070
how close are you?
1034
00:47:36,157 --> 00:47:40,292
Because you can'’t come back
a mile off or two miles off.
1035
00:47:40,379 --> 00:47:42,772
There were Japanese subs
in the area,
1036
00:47:42,860 --> 00:47:45,775
and the crew members
that he was trying to rescue
1037
00:47:45,863 --> 00:47:49,431
would not be surviving
by nightfall.
1038
00:47:49,518 --> 00:47:53,044
[waves sloshing]
1039
00:47:53,131 --> 00:47:54,480
[Cody]
Cap?
1040
00:47:54,567 --> 00:47:55,916
[Captain West]
What is it, Sparks?
1041
00:47:56,003 --> 00:47:59,398
[Cody]
Cap, you hear it?
1042
00:47:59,485 --> 00:48:00,616
[Gibbs] I think you'’re
hearing things, Cody.
1043
00:48:00,703 --> 00:48:02,183
[Cody]
No.
1044
00:48:02,270 --> 00:48:04,533
No, I know that sound.
1045
00:48:04,620 --> 00:48:08,450
It'’s a twin engine,
synchronized.
1046
00:48:08,537 --> 00:48:10,278
One of ours.
1047
00:48:22,421 --> 00:48:24,075
[Tancreti]
Hey, that'’s not funny!
1048
00:48:24,162 --> 00:48:24,858
You know, you should
keep your mouth shut
1049
00:48:24,945 --> 00:48:25,946
if you don'’t know
what you'’re talking about.
1050
00:48:26,033 --> 00:48:26,729
Why don'’t you shut
the hell up, Tancreti?
1051
00:48:26,816 --> 00:48:27,687
We lost Wright.
1052
00:48:27,774 --> 00:48:29,732
We already lost two guys!
1053
00:48:29,819 --> 00:48:31,778
And now you'’re hearing things?
1054
00:48:31,865 --> 00:48:33,171
Come on! False hope
is worse than no hope!
1055
00:48:33,258 --> 00:48:35,390
Don'’t give people
false hope!
1056
00:48:35,477 --> 00:48:39,090
[they argue]
1057
00:48:39,177 --> 00:48:41,570
[voices echo and fade]
1058
00:48:43,616 --> 00:48:46,184
[lively music]
1059
00:48:46,271 --> 00:48:54,496
♪
1060
00:48:54,583 --> 00:48:56,498
[engines roar]
1061
00:48:56,585 --> 00:48:58,805
[shouting]
1062
00:48:58,892 --> 00:49:00,850
♪
1063
00:49:00,938 --> 00:49:02,156
Engineer to pilot,
I'’ve got eyes
1064
00:49:02,243 --> 00:49:04,376
on nine Davy Jones
in two Goodyears!
1065
00:49:04,463 --> 00:49:06,378
Repeat: nine Davy Jones,
two Goodyears.
1066
00:49:06,465 --> 00:49:07,553
[Stratton]
Copy, Doc. We'’ve seen them.
1067
00:49:07,640 --> 00:49:08,858
Coming around for another pass.
1068
00:49:08,946 --> 00:49:10,773
What is the condition
of the crew? Over.
1069
00:49:10,860 --> 00:49:12,514
One appears to be critical.
1070
00:49:12,601 --> 00:49:13,951
The others, satisfactory. Over.
1071
00:49:16,127 --> 00:49:17,519
How far out is
that Navy Lifeguard sub?
1072
00:49:17,606 --> 00:49:20,000
ETA to Playmate, three hours,
at maximum speed.
1073
00:49:26,485 --> 00:49:28,269
Pilot to crew,
prepare for water landing.
1074
00:49:28,356 --> 00:49:31,098
Floats down, floats down.
1075
00:49:31,185 --> 00:49:33,666
[Holliday]Copy, floats down,
floats down, over!
1076
00:49:33,753 --> 00:49:36,538
[switch clicks,
electric motors start]
1077
00:49:36,625 --> 00:49:39,759
[dramatic music]
1078
00:49:39,846 --> 00:49:41,108
♪
1079
00:49:41,195 --> 00:49:44,677
[men shouting]
1080
00:49:44,764 --> 00:49:48,159
♪
1081
00:49:48,246 --> 00:49:51,379
[loud thuds
of water on the hull]
1082
00:49:51,466 --> 00:49:54,992
♪
1083
00:49:55,079 --> 00:49:56,558
[Lyle Umenhoffer]
He made an open sea landing,
1084
00:49:56,645 --> 00:49:57,646
which was prohibited.
1085
00:49:57,733 --> 00:49:59,126
It was just too dangerous.
1086
00:49:59,213 --> 00:50:02,390
He thought of others
before he thought of himself.
1087
00:50:02,477 --> 00:50:04,218
We pulled up to the raft.
1088
00:50:04,305 --> 00:50:06,177
He was afraid
to kill the engine
1089
00:50:06,264 --> 00:50:08,092
because we had to get out of
there as quick as we could.
1090
00:50:08,179 --> 00:50:11,356
And so the plane was always
moving forward.
1091
00:50:11,443 --> 00:50:13,880
The life raft was floating
back under the plane.
1092
00:50:13,967 --> 00:50:15,534
When we'’d come up,
1093
00:50:15,621 --> 00:50:17,014
the tail of the plane would be
way out of the water
1094
00:50:17,101 --> 00:50:18,885
and then come down and slap.
1095
00:50:18,972 --> 00:50:22,584
Well, it was beatin'’ those guys
to death in the raft.
1096
00:50:22,671 --> 00:50:25,848
And so I had to lean out as far
as I could over the blister
1097
00:50:25,935 --> 00:50:27,633
and pull the raft forward
1098
00:50:27,720 --> 00:50:29,809
against the motion of the plane
1099
00:50:29,896 --> 00:50:30,505
[Logan]
Start climbing.
1100
00:50:30,592 --> 00:50:31,985
Right over! Hurry!
1101
00:50:32,072 --> 00:50:33,813
♪
1102
00:50:33,900 --> 00:50:35,423
[Captain West]
Come on boys, go!
1103
00:50:35,510 --> 00:50:38,035
♪
1104
00:50:38,122 --> 00:50:38,992
Hold up!
1105
00:50:39,079 --> 00:50:41,734
[Zuck]
Take my hand!
1106
00:50:41,821 --> 00:50:43,388
[groaning]
1107
00:50:43,475 --> 00:50:48,132
♪
1108
00:50:48,219 --> 00:50:49,263
[Stratton]
Keep an eye out.
1109
00:50:49,350 --> 00:50:50,960
I'’m worried about Zeroes.
1110
00:50:51,048 --> 00:50:57,402
♪
1111
00:50:57,489 --> 00:50:58,925
Logan!
1112
00:50:59,012 --> 00:51:00,535
Get those men on board!
1113
00:51:00,622 --> 00:51:03,582
Double time, double time!
1114
00:51:03,669 --> 00:51:05,366
-Watch his leg!
-Go, boys, go!
1115
00:51:05,453 --> 00:51:23,906
♪
1116
00:51:23,993 --> 00:51:25,821
-Pull him in!
-Got him!
1117
00:51:25,908 --> 00:51:28,128
♪
1118
00:51:28,215 --> 00:51:29,564
[Logan]
You'’re next!
1119
00:51:29,651 --> 00:51:30,913
[Captain West]
I can'’t leave him.
1120
00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:33,481
[Logan] We'’re not leaving
anyone! Lets go!
1121
00:51:33,568 --> 00:51:35,353
[Captain West]
We'’re not leaving you.
1122
00:51:35,440 --> 00:51:36,963
You hear me?
1123
00:51:37,050 --> 00:51:48,844
♪
1124
00:51:48,931 --> 00:51:51,369
[John Logan]Then we got down to the injured guy in the raft.
1125
00:51:51,456 --> 00:51:53,327
You never saw such
a pitiful look on a guy'’s face
1126
00:51:53,414 --> 00:51:54,981
in your life.
1127
00:51:55,068 --> 00:51:58,419
He thought we'’s gonna go off
and leave him.
1128
00:51:58,506 --> 00:51:59,681
[Logan]
What'’s your name, airman?
1129
00:51:59,768 --> 00:52:02,249
[Weaver]
Weaver. My name'’s Weaver.
1130
00:52:02,336 --> 00:52:03,120
[Logan]
All right, Weaver.
1131
00:52:03,207 --> 00:52:04,512
I'’m Logan.
1132
00:52:04,599 --> 00:52:05,992
I need you to work with me
for a minute.
1133
00:52:06,079 --> 00:52:07,602
Can you do that for me, Weaver?
1134
00:52:07,689 --> 00:52:09,082
[Weaver]
I can'’t move.
1135
00:52:09,169 --> 00:52:10,431
You have to leave me.
1136
00:52:10,518 --> 00:52:11,693
[Logan]
We'’re not going to leaving you!
1137
00:52:11,780 --> 00:52:12,912
[Weaver]
Go!
1138
00:52:12,999 --> 00:52:14,043
[Logan]
You listen to me!
1139
00:52:14,131 --> 00:52:15,175
We are all going home!
1140
00:52:15,262 --> 00:52:16,742
Do you understand me?
1141
00:52:30,234 --> 00:52:31,365
[Stratton]
Logan!
1142
00:52:34,455 --> 00:52:36,762
Logan!
1143
00:52:36,849 --> 00:52:39,678
[grunting]
1144
00:52:39,765 --> 00:52:44,248
♪
1145
00:52:44,335 --> 00:52:47,555
-Hang on!
-Watch his head!
1146
00:52:47,642 --> 00:52:49,296
♪
1147
00:52:49,383 --> 00:52:51,777
[engines roar]
1148
00:52:51,864 --> 00:52:54,736
[plane roars, rattles]
1149
00:52:54,823 --> 00:53:30,032
♪
1150
00:53:30,119 --> 00:53:33,514
[soft music]
1151
00:54:26,306 --> 00:54:28,700
[waves swelling and falling]
1152
00:55:25,539 --> 00:55:26,845
[John Logan]
And in the meantime,
1153
00:55:26,932 --> 00:55:28,890
the radioman had been very busy searching for help
1154
00:55:28,977 --> 00:55:30,588
and he got in touch
with a submarine,
1155
00:55:30,675 --> 00:55:32,285
the U.S.S. Tigrone,
1156
00:55:32,372 --> 00:55:33,721
and I think
it took them an hour,
1157
00:55:33,808 --> 00:55:35,332
or maybe a little more,
1158
00:55:35,419 --> 00:55:37,769
to reach our destination,
which they did.
1159
00:55:37,856 --> 00:55:40,598
[dramatic music]
1160
00:55:40,685 --> 00:55:55,613
♪
1161
00:56:06,363 --> 00:56:25,860
♪
1162
00:56:25,947 --> 00:56:27,819
Scheuch.
1163
00:56:27,906 --> 00:56:29,037
You go on now.
1164
00:56:29,124 --> 00:56:31,083
I can'’t, I...
I have to make sure
1165
00:56:31,170 --> 00:56:32,911
-everyone gets--
-Walter.
1166
00:56:32,998 --> 00:56:36,175
I outrank you, son.
1167
00:56:36,262 --> 00:56:39,526
They'’re going to ask
a lot of questions about today.
1168
00:56:39,613 --> 00:56:41,354
You just tell '’em
it was a direct order.
1169
00:56:41,441 --> 00:56:42,921
That I stayed with the ship.
1170
00:56:43,008 --> 00:56:44,705
♪
1171
00:56:44,792 --> 00:56:46,315
You go on with our skipper now.
1172
00:56:46,403 --> 00:56:49,623
Get him safely across.
1173
00:56:49,710 --> 00:56:51,669
[Scheuch]
Put his head to the back.
1174
00:56:51,756 --> 00:57:05,900
♪
1175
00:57:05,987 --> 00:57:08,337
[John Logan]
They transported the pilot
1176
00:57:08,425 --> 00:57:11,123
from the plane to the sub
in a sling of some kind.
1177
00:57:11,210 --> 00:57:14,953
♪
1178
00:57:15,040 --> 00:57:17,869
Then the front of the sub
pulled up to the plane wing.
1179
00:57:17,956 --> 00:57:19,131
The nose of the sub was,
I want to say,
1180
00:57:19,218 --> 00:57:21,829
about two or three feet
beyond the end of the wing.
1181
00:57:21,916 --> 00:57:23,265
To get on the sub,
1182
00:57:23,352 --> 00:57:26,399
we all climbed out one of the windows of the plane
1183
00:57:26,486 --> 00:57:28,488
and made our way
out on the wing.
1184
00:57:28,575 --> 00:57:32,274
As the swells came by,
we'’d go up and down.
1185
00:57:32,361 --> 00:57:34,059
One moment,
the sub would be below us
1186
00:57:34,146 --> 00:57:35,713
and the next moment,
1187
00:57:35,800 --> 00:57:39,325
it'’d rise up above us
and then back down.
1188
00:57:39,412 --> 00:57:42,284
Well, we walked out
on the end of the plane wing
1189
00:57:42,371 --> 00:57:45,636
and when the sub would start
coming up, we'’d jump on it.
1190
00:57:45,723 --> 00:57:48,073
You had to time it just right.
1191
00:57:48,160 --> 00:57:50,989
You'’d go up and come back down
and the next guy'’d jump.
1192
00:57:51,076 --> 00:57:54,383
All those men on the plane
made that transfer safely
1193
00:57:54,471 --> 00:57:57,125
with no incident whatsoever.
1194
00:57:57,212 --> 00:57:59,127
They'’d already taken
the wounded guy.
1195
00:57:59,214 --> 00:58:00,346
Thank goodness
we found out later
1196
00:58:00,433 --> 00:58:02,261
he didn'’t have a broken back.
1197
00:58:02,348 --> 00:58:04,176
Come to find out,
he had a whole bunch of flesh
1198
00:58:04,263 --> 00:58:06,831
gouged out of one thigh.
1199
00:58:06,918 --> 00:58:11,009
They got him straightened around
pretty well.
1200
00:58:11,096 --> 00:58:13,490
Being as I had been taking care of Lieutenant Stratton,
1201
00:58:13,577 --> 00:58:15,840
I was next to the last man
off the plane.
1202
00:58:15,927 --> 00:58:19,408
The last man was Captain Zalkan, our navigator.
1203
00:58:19,496 --> 00:58:22,281
But we all made it safe
and sound with no problems.
1204
00:58:57,142 --> 00:58:59,274
We thought Stratton was as good a pilot as we could have.
1205
00:58:59,361 --> 00:59:01,407
We thought he was
as good a pilot as there was
1206
00:59:01,494 --> 00:59:02,843
in the organization.
1207
00:59:32,264 --> 00:59:33,091
[Steven Wilcoxon]
They surfaced,
1208
00:59:33,178 --> 00:59:35,354
it would have been
a formal burial at sea.
1209
00:59:35,441 --> 00:59:37,356
Captain Cassedy,
the captain of the Tigrone,
1210
00:59:37,443 --> 00:59:39,967
he would read
the burial service,
1211
00:59:40,054 --> 00:59:43,667
and then the body will be slid
over the side of the ship,
1212
00:59:43,754 --> 00:59:45,494
with the crew at attention.
1213
00:59:45,582 --> 00:59:48,106
[Noelle McCright]Hiram took
things on the boat personally.
1214
00:59:48,193 --> 00:59:51,805
It was done with dignity,
respect, and love.
1215
01:00:08,517 --> 01:00:09,736
That was a record.
1216
01:00:09,823 --> 01:00:12,304
That was the most pilots
and aircrew rescued
1217
01:00:12,391 --> 01:00:14,262
by any lifeguard submarine.
1218
01:00:14,349 --> 01:00:17,048
The sub put them ashore
on Iwo Jima on June the 1st.
1219
01:00:17,135 --> 01:00:20,051
And there'’s a picture of them
on the deck of the Tigrone
1220
01:00:20,138 --> 01:00:21,879
when she pulled into Iwo Jima
1221
01:00:21,966 --> 01:00:24,185
and there was a famous
radio transmission
1222
01:00:24,272 --> 01:00:27,754
that Cassedy had sent after he
had left his lifeguard station
1223
01:00:27,841 --> 01:00:31,105
to Commander in Chief,
submarines, and said,
1224
01:00:31,192 --> 01:00:34,152
"Tigrone has saved the Air Force
and is returning to Iwo Jima
1225
01:00:34,239 --> 01:00:36,371
with 28 Zoomies."
1226
01:00:36,458 --> 01:00:38,330
We'’d come back from a mission
one time
1227
01:00:38,417 --> 01:00:41,420
and there was a large group
of people around a tent.
1228
01:00:41,507 --> 01:00:44,553
One of the survivors was
telling us what had happened.
1229
01:00:44,641 --> 01:00:46,860
[Raymond Lee]
I got to talk to John Logan,
1230
01:00:46,947 --> 01:00:50,124
who was a member
of that crew who witnessed
1231
01:00:50,211 --> 01:00:53,301
all that horrendous stuff.
1232
01:00:53,388 --> 01:00:54,651
No good.
1233
01:00:56,130 --> 01:00:58,089
No good.
1234
01:00:58,176 --> 01:01:03,094
[John Ree]We were transferred to Iwo Jima in May of 1945.
1235
01:01:03,181 --> 01:01:05,923
We learned that we were
replacing a crew
1236
01:01:06,010 --> 01:01:08,577
that their service
had been lost,
1237
01:01:08,665 --> 01:01:12,320
and this crew was headed
by Lieutenant Royal Stratton
1238
01:01:12,407 --> 01:01:16,107
and was killed
in that operation.
1239
01:01:16,194 --> 01:01:18,326
I wanted to get down
to where the action was.
1240
01:01:18,413 --> 01:01:22,243
And I got the opportunity
to volunteer as a co-pilot
1241
01:01:22,330 --> 01:01:24,463
in the 4th Emergency
Rescue Squadron.
1242
01:01:24,550 --> 01:01:26,117
And I didn'’t want to be
a co-pilot,
1243
01:01:26,204 --> 01:01:28,423
but that'’s the way
it all worked out.
1244
01:01:28,510 --> 01:01:30,338
In the long view of things,
1245
01:01:30,425 --> 01:01:33,167
probably it was the best thing
that ever happened to me!
1246
01:01:33,254 --> 01:01:36,257
So I was assigned
to Captain Richardson'’s crew,
1247
01:01:36,344 --> 01:01:38,390
and that very hour,
1248
01:01:38,477 --> 01:01:40,827
I was on a plane
headed for Iwo Jima.
1249
01:01:40,914 --> 01:01:44,483
I noticed that he had me sit
in the pilot seat.
1250
01:01:44,570 --> 01:01:46,006
Well, I didn'’t realize it
at the time,
1251
01:01:46,093 --> 01:01:48,574
but later, I found out
the reason that I flew
1252
01:01:48,661 --> 01:01:50,358
in the pilot seat is because
1253
01:01:50,445 --> 01:01:51,925
when the prop comes off
of that motor,
1254
01:01:52,012 --> 01:01:54,014
it comes and kills the pilot.
1255
01:01:54,101 --> 01:01:57,757
So, Bud and I became great
friends later on after the war
1256
01:01:57,844 --> 01:02:01,456
and I never ceased to remind him
of that fact.
1257
01:02:01,543 --> 01:02:03,415
And he always blushed up
and said,
1258
01:02:03,502 --> 01:02:05,678
"Well, you were last in."
1259
01:02:05,765 --> 01:02:07,593
[chuckling]
1260
01:02:09,551 --> 01:02:13,512
[Freeland Terpenning]
It was the 3rd of July, 1945.
1261
01:02:13,599 --> 01:02:16,733
I always remember it because
I say I got my fireworks
1262
01:02:16,820 --> 01:02:18,996
a day early.
1263
01:02:19,083 --> 01:02:20,388
I'’ll never forget that day.
1264
01:02:20,475 --> 01:02:25,437
It was---it was, uh,
it wasn'’t good at all.
1265
01:02:25,524 --> 01:02:26,830
I was a squadron leader
1266
01:02:26,917 --> 01:02:28,919
on a mission over Chichijima.
1267
01:02:29,006 --> 01:02:30,442
Richard Schroeppel,
1268
01:02:30,529 --> 01:02:31,965
Dick Schroeppel
from Ridgewood, New Jersey,
1269
01:02:32,052 --> 01:02:34,098
was my wingman.
1270
01:02:34,185 --> 01:02:36,100
And I gave a waggle
and we all strung out
1271
01:02:36,187 --> 01:02:37,841
in a string formation,
1272
01:02:37,928 --> 01:02:40,278
turned our airplanes over,
and went down and dropped
1273
01:02:40,365 --> 01:02:44,021
500-pound bombs
on the Japanese landing strip
1274
01:02:44,108 --> 01:02:45,805
on Chichijima.
1275
01:02:45,892 --> 01:02:47,720
And they were
shooting at me first,
1276
01:02:47,807 --> 01:02:49,678
but they hit Dick Schroeppel.
1277
01:02:49,766 --> 01:02:52,856
And he got up and bailed out,
got into a one-man life raft,
1278
01:02:52,943 --> 01:02:54,248
got out to sea a little bit.
1279
01:02:54,335 --> 01:02:56,076
We called for a Dumbo.
1280
01:02:56,163 --> 01:02:58,339
[Freeland Terpenning]There was anti-aircraft on both sides
1281
01:02:58,426 --> 01:03:00,211
where you went in to this bay.
1282
01:03:00,298 --> 01:03:03,649
Well, he was down inside the bay
in his little dinghy,
1283
01:03:03,736 --> 01:03:05,782
and we got the boat
down to him,
1284
01:03:05,869 --> 01:03:09,524
and the Japanese
were all firing at him
1285
01:03:09,611 --> 01:03:11,526
and firing at us.
1286
01:03:11,613 --> 01:03:13,093
We were called there,
1287
01:03:13,180 --> 01:03:14,703
but by the time we got there,
1288
01:03:14,791 --> 01:03:17,532
another B-17
had dropped his boat.
1289
01:03:17,619 --> 01:03:19,970
We could see flashes
from the shore.
1290
01:03:20,057 --> 01:03:22,494
An Army PBY landed
1291
01:03:22,581 --> 01:03:24,409
with a flight surgeon in it.
1292
01:03:24,496 --> 01:03:26,193
Of course I was a co-pilot,
1293
01:03:26,280 --> 01:03:29,022
but that was the first time
I'’d ever landed in a PBY.
1294
01:03:29,109 --> 01:03:31,024
I had no experience.
1295
01:03:31,111 --> 01:03:33,722
To tell you the truth,
I thought we were sinking.
1296
01:03:33,810 --> 01:03:35,289
He saw the rescue boat
1297
01:03:35,376 --> 01:03:36,987
that was dropped by the B-17.
1298
01:03:37,074 --> 01:03:38,597
[Mark Kishego]
The only thing that I regret,
1299
01:03:38,684 --> 01:03:40,817
we didn'’t get the guy.
1300
01:03:40,904 --> 01:03:42,819
And that, of course, haunts me.
1301
01:03:42,906 --> 01:03:44,864
He had been killed,
1302
01:03:44,951 --> 01:03:47,475
and the squadron
that replaced my squadron
1303
01:03:47,562 --> 01:03:49,608
were ordered
to use rockets to sink
1304
01:03:49,695 --> 01:03:53,873
that rescue lifeboat with
Dick Schroeppel'’s body in it
1305
01:03:53,960 --> 01:03:56,876
so that the commanding officer of Chichijima
1306
01:03:56,963 --> 01:03:59,052
wouldn'’t have
another liver to eat,
1307
01:03:59,139 --> 01:04:03,100
of which he was accused
of doing after the war.
1308
01:04:03,187 --> 01:04:04,753
[Freeland Terpenning]
It was a bad day.
1309
01:04:04,841 --> 01:04:08,757
We were just fortunate that we
got out of there and back to Iwo
1310
01:04:08,845 --> 01:04:10,672
without any more problems.
1311
01:04:10,759 --> 01:04:12,718
We had some holes in the plane
1312
01:04:12,805 --> 01:04:15,721
but they didn'’t happen to hit
anything vital
1313
01:04:15,808 --> 01:04:17,549
that knocked us down
1314
01:04:17,636 --> 01:04:21,335
or we'’d have been
right down there with him.
1315
01:04:21,422 --> 01:04:23,424
[Lyle Umenhoffer]
July the 30th, 1945,
1316
01:04:23,511 --> 01:04:24,425
the ship was sunk.
1317
01:04:24,512 --> 01:04:27,733
I first went aboard
in February 1942.
1318
01:04:27,820 --> 01:04:31,345
My name is Lyle Umenhoffer,
I was Seaman First Class,
1319
01:04:31,432 --> 01:04:34,435
and I served aboard
the U.S.S. Indianapolis.
1320
01:04:34,522 --> 01:04:36,785
My station was the last one
on the back of the ship.
1321
01:04:36,873 --> 01:04:38,962
The eight-inch guns back aft,
1322
01:04:39,049 --> 01:04:40,877
that'’s where I went in
to be a gunner'’s mate.
1323
01:04:40,964 --> 01:04:42,879
Well, they took us over
to Hunter'’s Point.
1324
01:04:42,966 --> 01:04:45,316
This huge, big crate
was sitting on the dock.
1325
01:04:45,403 --> 01:04:47,187
So we loaded it aboard ship
1326
01:04:47,274 --> 01:04:49,233
and put a Marine guard
on the door.
1327
01:05:00,853 --> 01:05:03,247
Well, we had no idea what it was
or anything like that.
1328
01:05:03,334 --> 01:05:05,292
MacArthur was over there
for a while,
1329
01:05:05,379 --> 01:05:07,468
and they thought maybe it was
a load of toilet paper
1330
01:05:07,555 --> 01:05:09,340
or something
to take to MacArthur.
1331
01:05:09,427 --> 01:05:10,689
[Walter O. Sheppard]
Even on Saipan,
1332
01:05:10,776 --> 01:05:13,648
we didn'’t know anything
about the mission.
1333
01:05:13,735 --> 01:05:16,042
[Lyle Umenhoffer]We went to
Guam and we took on ammunition
1334
01:05:16,129 --> 01:05:17,957
and supplies and things.
1335
01:05:18,044 --> 01:05:20,786
We left out and the captain
requested escort
1336
01:05:20,873 --> 01:05:22,657
and they turned him down,
1337
01:05:22,744 --> 01:05:25,051
so we were by ourselves
out in the Philippine Sea.
1338
01:05:25,138 --> 01:05:25,965
And that evening,
1339
01:05:26,052 --> 01:05:28,663
I had just got off watch
at 12:00.
1340
01:05:28,750 --> 01:05:31,884
When the first torpedo hit,
it blew off our bow.
1341
01:05:31,971 --> 01:05:33,668
And then when
the second torpedo hit,
1342
01:05:33,755 --> 01:05:35,757
it hit in our
high-octane gasoline
1343
01:05:35,844 --> 01:05:38,238
in one of our powder rooms
where we kept our powder
1344
01:05:38,325 --> 01:05:39,587
for our ammunition.
1345
01:05:39,674 --> 01:05:41,589
And it exploded and sent fire
1346
01:05:41,676 --> 01:05:42,764
all through the front
of the ship.
1347
01:05:42,851 --> 01:05:46,159
It was about 12 minutes after
midnight when we got hit
1348
01:05:46,246 --> 01:05:48,988
and I went in the water
and I didn'’t see anybody
1349
01:05:49,075 --> 01:05:51,034
until about 6:00
the next morning.
1350
01:05:51,121 --> 01:05:53,253
There was thousands
and thousands of sharks
1351
01:05:53,340 --> 01:05:55,342
just milling around,
1352
01:05:55,429 --> 01:05:56,953
and barracuda.
1353
01:05:57,040 --> 01:05:58,563
We could see '’em,
and they were picking guys
1354
01:05:58,650 --> 01:06:00,304
that was off by themselves.
1355
01:06:00,391 --> 01:06:02,045
They were just taking them
real quick.
1356
01:06:02,132 --> 01:06:03,742
There'’s no sound out there,
1357
01:06:03,829 --> 01:06:06,049
just a little, maybe,
chopping of a wave,
1358
01:06:06,136 --> 01:06:07,441
or something like that.
1359
01:06:07,528 --> 01:06:10,836
But then of course,
there was guys talking
1360
01:06:10,923 --> 01:06:13,491
and crying and praying--
1361
01:06:13,578 --> 01:06:15,493
we were out there
for five days.
1362
01:06:15,580 --> 01:06:18,278
So we just kept hanging on,
saying, well,
1363
01:06:18,365 --> 01:06:20,541
maybe somebody will spot us.
1364
01:06:20,628 --> 01:06:22,587
No water, no food.
1365
01:06:22,674 --> 01:06:24,589
[Walter O. Sheppard]
The Navy didn'’t report
1366
01:06:24,676 --> 01:06:27,200
theU.S.S. Indianapolis missing
1367
01:06:27,287 --> 01:06:29,681
until three days later.
1368
01:06:29,768 --> 01:06:30,987
[Lyle Umenhoffer]
The fourth day,
1369
01:06:31,074 --> 01:06:33,467
Wilbur Gwinn and his crew,
based on Tinian,
1370
01:06:33,554 --> 01:06:36,079
they were out
to spot submarines.
1371
01:06:36,166 --> 01:06:37,950
They had put an antenna
on the back of the plane
1372
01:06:38,037 --> 01:06:39,082
and it broke off.
1373
01:06:39,169 --> 01:06:40,953
So they went back in
and picked up another one
1374
01:06:41,040 --> 01:06:42,389
and came back out again.
1375
01:06:42,476 --> 01:06:43,521
It started acting up,
1376
01:06:43,608 --> 01:06:46,306
so Wilbur Gwinn,
he went back aft and he said,
1377
01:06:46,393 --> 01:06:47,699
"Let me take a look at this."
1378
01:06:47,786 --> 01:06:49,483
They had the bomb bay doors
open.
1379
01:06:49,570 --> 01:06:52,921
He looked down and he saw
an oil slick, which was us.
1380
01:06:53,009 --> 01:06:55,402
And he spotted the heads
bobbing up and down,
1381
01:06:55,489 --> 01:06:57,622
we were splashing
and everything,
1382
01:06:57,709 --> 01:06:59,537
and he said,
"There'’s men in the water."
1383
01:06:59,624 --> 01:07:01,539
So he radioed back in.
1384
01:07:01,626 --> 01:07:04,672
Lieutenant Adrian Marks,
his crew was standing by,
1385
01:07:04,759 --> 01:07:07,719
so he and his crew
jumped in the PBY
1386
01:07:07,806 --> 01:07:09,677
and flew in
and he saw sharks,
1387
01:07:09,764 --> 01:07:11,723
so he made an open-sea landing.
1388
01:07:11,810 --> 01:07:13,638
And he bounced
a couple of times,
1389
01:07:13,725 --> 01:07:15,509
popped holes in the plane,
1390
01:07:15,596 --> 01:07:18,817
and they plugged them up
and started taxiing around
1391
01:07:18,904 --> 01:07:22,342
and started picking up survivors
just one at a time.
1392
01:07:22,429 --> 01:07:24,431
We were on Peleliu, flight D.
1393
01:07:24,518 --> 01:07:27,434
As a flight leader,
I was able to dispatch
1394
01:07:27,521 --> 01:07:29,393
all three of our airplanes.
1395
01:07:29,480 --> 01:07:32,657
Lieutenant Richard C. Alcorn
went to the northwest,
1396
01:07:32,744 --> 01:07:34,615
my aircraft went west,
1397
01:07:34,702 --> 01:07:37,705
and Lieutenant Willy Emonds
went to the southwest.
1398
01:07:37,792 --> 01:07:40,186
Lieutenant Alcorn found them.
1399
01:07:40,273 --> 01:07:42,841
He landed, and the survivors
had been in the water
1400
01:07:42,928 --> 01:07:44,234
withoutrafts.
1401
01:07:44,321 --> 01:07:47,541
He threw them rafts
full of water and canned food,
1402
01:07:47,628 --> 01:07:49,282
or rations, rather.
1403
01:07:49,369 --> 01:07:52,198
Some of them ended up
in rubber rafts, floundering,
1404
01:07:52,285 --> 01:07:56,420
and I swam out and grabbed it
and swam to our airplane.
1405
01:07:56,507 --> 01:07:59,727
The surface craft reached them
a little bit just before dark.
1406
01:08:04,428 --> 01:08:06,560
[Lyle Umenhoffer]I was
picked up probably about 8:00
1407
01:08:06,647 --> 01:08:08,171
from the PBY,
1408
01:08:08,258 --> 01:08:10,303
and that'’s when they sent
a boat overto pick us up
1409
01:08:10,390 --> 01:08:12,305
from the U.S.S. Cecil Doyle.
1410
01:08:20,008 --> 01:08:21,575
[chuckling]
1411
01:08:30,497 --> 01:08:33,152
[soft music]
1412
01:08:33,239 --> 01:08:35,546
♪
1413
01:08:35,633 --> 01:08:36,547
[Freeland Terpenning]
We didn'’t know anything
1414
01:08:36,634 --> 01:08:38,070
about the atomic bomb.
1415
01:08:38,157 --> 01:08:39,811
It was a well-kept secret.
1416
01:08:39,898 --> 01:08:41,552
We didn'’t even know
what the mission was,
1417
01:08:41,639 --> 01:08:43,336
but they called a mission.
1418
01:08:43,423 --> 01:08:45,860
and we took off,
5:00 in the morning,
1419
01:08:45,947 --> 01:08:47,775
and we had number one station,
1420
01:08:47,862 --> 01:08:49,995
which is right off
the coast of Japan.
1421
01:08:50,082 --> 01:08:51,170
It was a beautiful day.
1422
01:08:51,257 --> 01:08:54,347
It was clear blue sky,
maybe a cloud here and there
1423
01:08:54,434 --> 01:08:55,348
once in a while.
1424
01:08:55,435 --> 01:08:57,785
Smooth sailing,
and we was going along there,
1425
01:08:57,872 --> 01:08:59,700
and all of a sudden, George,
1426
01:08:59,787 --> 01:09:02,181
radio operator
that sat across from me,
1427
01:09:02,268 --> 01:09:05,315
he looked out the window
and he see this cloud coming up
1428
01:09:05,402 --> 01:09:08,405
And he said,
"What the hell was that?"
1429
01:09:08,492 --> 01:09:11,538
And I stood up
and looked out the top hatch,
1430
01:09:11,625 --> 01:09:14,324
and you could see this flower
getting bigger and bigger
1431
01:09:14,411 --> 01:09:15,238
and bigger.
1432
01:09:15,325 --> 01:09:16,848
We didn'’t see the flash
1433
01:09:16,935 --> 01:09:19,242
'’cause I don'’t think
we were that close.
1434
01:09:19,329 --> 01:09:23,985
I do recall we felt the shock
of it blowing out.
1435
01:09:24,072 --> 01:09:25,291
It just come over the radio
1436
01:09:25,378 --> 01:09:27,206
a short time later
1437
01:09:27,293 --> 01:09:30,427
that it was what they called
the atomic bomb.
1438
01:09:30,514 --> 01:09:34,561
It was horrendous.
1439
01:09:34,648 --> 01:09:36,172
We didn'’t know at the time
1440
01:09:36,259 --> 01:09:40,828
how many thousands of people
it had killed, but...
1441
01:09:40,915 --> 01:09:44,441
it was just something
I was not very proud of.
1442
01:09:44,528 --> 01:09:47,052
♪
1443
01:10:44,544 --> 01:10:46,459
[John Ree]
On August 15th,
1444
01:10:46,546 --> 01:10:48,331
at about 10:00
in the morning,
1445
01:10:48,418 --> 01:10:51,856
we got the notice that
the Japanese had surrendered.
1446
01:10:51,943 --> 01:10:54,380
[Harry Truman]
I have received this afternoon
1447
01:10:54,467 --> 01:10:57,122
a message from
the Japanese government
1448
01:10:57,209 --> 01:10:59,951
in reply to the message
forwarded to that government
1449
01:11:00,038 --> 01:11:03,607
by the Secretary of State
on August 11th.
1450
01:11:03,694 --> 01:11:06,349
I deem this reply
a full acceptance
1451
01:11:06,436 --> 01:11:09,177
of the Potsdam Declaration,
1452
01:11:09,265 --> 01:11:11,963
which specifies
the unconditional surrender
1453
01:11:12,050 --> 01:11:13,225
of Japan.
1454
01:11:47,694 --> 01:11:50,480
[John Ree] He got to about
maybe 50 yards.
1455
01:11:50,567 --> 01:11:54,135
I could see the pilot as clearly
as I'’m looking at you.
1456
01:11:54,222 --> 01:11:57,356
I thought sure that
this was the end of my life.
1457
01:11:57,443 --> 01:11:59,053
Just at that point,
1458
01:11:59,140 --> 01:12:01,317
one of the shells
from the destroyer
1459
01:12:01,404 --> 01:12:04,581
must have hit the bomb this kamikaze was flying with,
1460
01:12:04,668 --> 01:12:07,235
it just blew up
in a huge ball of flame.
1461
01:12:07,323 --> 01:12:09,412
I didn'’t even see the wreckage.
1462
01:12:09,499 --> 01:12:13,024
That was my most
frightening experience.
1463
01:12:13,111 --> 01:12:15,896
More so than
landing in Tokyo Bay.
1464
01:12:15,983 --> 01:12:17,637
[Mark Kishego]
I was up at Japan
1465
01:12:17,724 --> 01:12:19,552
when Admiral Halsey
came on and said
1466
01:12:19,639 --> 01:12:21,815
for all pilots
to return to base,
1467
01:12:21,902 --> 01:12:23,339
that the war was over
1468
01:12:23,426 --> 01:12:24,992
and the Japanese
had surrendered.
1469
01:12:25,079 --> 01:12:27,255
And then,
one of the worst six hours
1470
01:12:27,343 --> 01:12:29,127
of my life of flying.
1471
01:12:29,214 --> 01:12:31,347
My father had taken me
to see the movie
1472
01:12:31,434 --> 01:12:34,001
All Quiet on the Western Front,
1473
01:12:34,088 --> 01:12:37,135
where the guy gets plugged
the last day of the war.
1474
01:12:37,222 --> 01:12:39,224
And I thought, oh shit,
1475
01:12:39,311 --> 01:12:40,356
this is going to happen,
1476
01:12:40,443 --> 01:12:41,357
we'’re going to get lost,
1477
01:12:41,444 --> 01:12:43,184
something bad
is gonna happen.
1478
01:12:43,271 --> 01:12:46,057
And that'’s the way I thought
all the way back to Iwo.
1479
01:12:46,144 --> 01:12:47,450
Near the end of the war,
1480
01:12:47,537 --> 01:12:52,280
we lost one aircraft
with seven guys.
1481
01:12:52,368 --> 01:12:54,021
Shot down.
1482
01:12:54,108 --> 01:12:56,633
It hit us pretty bad.
1483
01:12:56,720 --> 01:13:00,811
Particularly when just hours
away from the end of the war.
1484
01:13:00,898 --> 01:13:04,249
The last plane shot down
in World War II was a PBY,
1485
01:13:04,336 --> 01:13:07,992
4th Emergency Rescue Squadron
in Tokyo Bay.
1486
01:13:08,079 --> 01:13:11,212
[dramatic music]
1487
01:13:11,299 --> 01:13:13,998
♪
1488
01:13:14,085 --> 01:13:16,957
[John Ree] We got a mission
to fly a courier
1489
01:13:17,044 --> 01:13:18,829
to the battleship Missouri.
1490
01:13:18,916 --> 01:13:22,963
The courier was carrying
the surrender documents.
1491
01:13:23,050 --> 01:13:25,662
I was co-pilot on that flight.
1492
01:13:25,749 --> 01:13:27,925
Charles Oates was the pilot.
1493
01:13:28,012 --> 01:13:30,884
The courier and I
decided to play cribbage
1494
01:13:30,971 --> 01:13:32,103
on the way.
1495
01:13:32,190 --> 01:13:35,106
I could see the outline
of the document binders
1496
01:13:35,193 --> 01:13:37,151
in his mailbag.
1497
01:13:37,238 --> 01:13:40,720
The courier wouldn'’t let go of that bag the entire flight,
1498
01:13:40,807 --> 01:13:44,115
obviously for good reason.
1499
01:13:44,202 --> 01:13:47,248
[General Douglas MacArthur]
We are gathered here,
1500
01:13:47,335 --> 01:13:53,211
representatives
of the major warring powers,
1501
01:13:53,298 --> 01:13:57,563
to conclude a solemn agreement
1502
01:13:57,650 --> 01:14:01,828
whereby peace may be restored.
1503
01:14:01,915 --> 01:14:09,314
The issues involving divergent
ideals and ideologies
1504
01:14:09,401 --> 01:14:14,450
have been determined on
the battlefields of the world.
1505
01:14:14,537 --> 01:14:18,105
[soft music]
1506
01:14:18,192 --> 01:15:02,976
♪
1507
01:15:03,063 --> 01:15:06,110
I announce it my firm purpose,
1508
01:15:06,197 --> 01:15:09,766
in the tradition
of the countries I represent,
1509
01:15:09,853 --> 01:15:13,509
to proceed in the discharge
of my responsibilities,
1510
01:15:13,596 --> 01:15:15,685
with justice and tolerance,
1511
01:15:15,772 --> 01:15:19,340
while taking
all necessary dispositions
1512
01:15:19,427 --> 01:15:23,083
to ensure
that the terms of surrender
1513
01:15:23,170 --> 01:15:28,132
are fully, promptly,
and faithfully complied with.
1514
01:15:30,134 --> 01:15:31,178
[Walter O. Sheppard]
We didn'’t dream
1515
01:15:31,265 --> 01:15:33,093
of anybody getting killed.
1516
01:15:33,180 --> 01:15:35,182
We were friends.
1517
01:15:35,269 --> 01:15:37,358
When you lose a friend,
1518
01:15:37,445 --> 01:15:40,361
you lose a part of yourself.
1519
01:15:40,448 --> 01:15:44,278
We had built a theater on Saipan
1520
01:15:44,365 --> 01:15:46,324
where we could
watch movies at night
1521
01:15:46,411 --> 01:15:49,109
and named it the Stratton Memorial Theater,
1522
01:15:49,196 --> 01:15:52,025
which proved what
the gentlemen of the squadron
1523
01:15:52,112 --> 01:15:54,811
felt about Royal.
1524
01:15:54,898 --> 01:15:55,942
[Doug West]
Unfortunately, he lost his life
1525
01:15:56,029 --> 01:15:58,249
But it'’s because of that
that I'’m here today,
1526
01:15:58,336 --> 01:15:59,946
my family is here,
1527
01:16:00,033 --> 01:16:01,121
several generations
of family are here
1528
01:16:01,208 --> 01:16:03,602
because of the efforts
of Stratton and his crew.
1529
01:16:03,689 --> 01:16:05,343
So, words escape me
1530
01:16:05,430 --> 01:16:07,867
as to the gratitude I have
for the gentleman.
1531
01:16:07,954 --> 01:16:11,349
Understanding that dynamic
of the young soldier,
1532
01:16:11,436 --> 01:16:14,570
the hero is born
just from circumstance.
1533
01:16:14,657 --> 01:16:16,876
He'’s pushed into a circumstance.
1534
01:16:16,963 --> 01:16:19,836
It'’s the decision
he makes at that moment
1535
01:16:19,923 --> 01:16:21,533
that makes him the hero.
1536
01:16:21,620 --> 01:16:24,492
And some of them don'’t survive
those decisions.
1537
01:16:24,580 --> 01:16:25,624
I'’m here.
1538
01:16:25,711 --> 01:16:27,539
I was born in '’52.
1539
01:16:27,626 --> 01:16:30,281
I was born way after this event,
1540
01:16:30,368 --> 01:16:32,109
so I'’m lucky to be here,
1541
01:16:32,196 --> 01:16:34,502
and I'’m lucky
that the legacy goes on
1542
01:16:34,590 --> 01:16:37,331
and that these things are
documented and we remember.
1543
01:16:37,418 --> 01:16:39,420
You know, when somebody is
taken away from you so young,
1544
01:16:39,507 --> 01:16:42,467
that'’s the way you remember them
forever.
1545
01:16:42,554 --> 01:16:44,208
You don'’t see '’em
getting old and cranky
1546
01:16:44,295 --> 01:16:46,819
and losing their hair.
1547
01:16:46,906 --> 01:16:50,823
You know, he was always 22
in her mind.
1548
01:16:50,910 --> 01:16:55,698
It'’s hard to imagine
the reverberations of,
1549
01:16:55,785 --> 01:16:57,830
of somebody, you know,
1550
01:16:57,917 --> 01:17:00,441
a very beloved family member,
a community member,
1551
01:17:00,528 --> 01:17:04,097
a friend
that is not here anymore.
1552
01:17:04,184 --> 01:17:08,493
My son was killed in Iraq
in April of 2004.
1553
01:17:08,580 --> 01:17:11,191
The Cindy Sheehan
that existed on April 3rd
1554
01:17:11,278 --> 01:17:13,803
didn'’t exist on April 4th.
1555
01:17:13,890 --> 01:17:15,674
It was a totally
different person.
1556
01:17:15,761 --> 01:17:17,807
We got the knock on the door,
1557
01:17:17,894 --> 01:17:21,071
and the Army came to tell us
that Casey was killed.
1558
01:17:21,158 --> 01:17:24,683
I fell on the floor screaming
for I don'’t know how long,
1559
01:17:24,770 --> 01:17:27,251
until my head hurt,
until my heart hurt,
1560
01:17:27,338 --> 01:17:28,861
and when I got up,
I was a different person.
1561
01:17:28,948 --> 01:17:30,733
How could I not be?
1562
01:17:30,820 --> 01:17:32,604
I'’m sorry.
1563
01:17:32,691 --> 01:17:34,737
♪
1564
01:17:34,824 --> 01:17:38,915
One of my
limbs was amputated.
1565
01:17:39,002 --> 01:17:43,789
[Vicki Nigro] What is hard
is to see how my mom reacted.
1566
01:17:43,876 --> 01:17:47,227
She never got over
the death of my dad, ever.
1567
01:17:47,314 --> 01:17:49,229
You'’d mention his name
and she'’d start crying,
1568
01:17:49,316 --> 01:17:50,535
so it was something
1569
01:17:50,622 --> 01:17:53,103
that I never really
wanted to get to,
1570
01:17:53,190 --> 01:17:56,889
because it just tore her up
too much.
1571
01:17:56,976 --> 01:17:59,892
She loved him
till the day she died.
1572
01:17:59,979 --> 01:18:03,026
[Cindy Sheehan] I like
that old saying thatsays
1573
01:18:03,113 --> 01:18:06,116
a person never dies
until the last person
1574
01:18:06,203 --> 01:18:08,248
that remembers that person dies.
1575
01:18:08,335 --> 01:18:10,468
So I don'’t think
Casey'’s ever gonna die.
1576
01:18:10,555 --> 01:18:14,951
His story and our story
is written up in history books
1577
01:18:15,038 --> 01:18:17,693
and has made that--
1578
01:18:17,780 --> 01:18:21,044
that Casey is actually immortal.
1579
01:18:23,568 --> 01:18:26,963
It'’s Congress'’s responsibility
1580
01:18:27,050 --> 01:18:29,182
and our honor
to call attention to those
1581
01:18:29,269 --> 01:18:32,969
who have given meritorious
service to our country.
1582
01:18:33,056 --> 01:18:36,407
And certainly, the Congress
recognize the importance
1583
01:18:36,494 --> 01:18:39,758
of those who have served
in World War II.
1584
01:18:39,845 --> 01:18:42,239
We'’ve honored them
with a special memorial,
1585
01:18:42,326 --> 01:18:45,068
and we know
that those who served
1586
01:18:45,155 --> 01:18:47,244
are in some ways,
1587
01:18:47,331 --> 01:18:49,115
many of them
are starting to answer
1588
01:18:49,202 --> 01:18:51,814
their last call of duty,
1589
01:18:51,901 --> 01:18:54,642
and we want to take
every opportunity
1590
01:18:54,730 --> 01:18:56,166
to be able to come forward
1591
01:18:56,253 --> 01:18:58,516
for those individuals
who have served
1592
01:18:58,603 --> 01:19:00,387
and pay them
special recognition.
1593
01:19:00,474 --> 01:19:03,695
We rise in honor
of World War II rescue pilot
1594
01:19:03,782 --> 01:19:06,002
1st Lieutenant Royal Stratton,
1595
01:19:06,089 --> 01:19:08,700
who died May 29th, 1945,
1596
01:19:08,787 --> 01:19:11,659
after being mortally wounded while saving nine crew members
1597
01:19:11,747 --> 01:19:13,966
from a downed B-29.
1598
01:19:14,053 --> 01:19:16,664
Royal hailed from
Ellwood City, Pennsylvania.
1599
01:19:16,752 --> 01:19:18,536
His love of flying
led to his enlistment
1600
01:19:18,623 --> 01:19:20,277
in the Army Air Corps,
1601
01:19:20,364 --> 01:19:22,670
where he excelled to become
one of the few pilots
1602
01:19:22,758 --> 01:19:24,585
to wear both
Army and Navy wings.
1603
01:19:24,672 --> 01:19:27,545
Royal joined the
4th Emergency Rescue Squadron.
1604
01:19:27,632 --> 01:19:29,242
With his crew of six,
1605
01:19:29,329 --> 01:19:31,462
he'’d fly off Iwo Jima
and police flight paths
1606
01:19:31,549 --> 01:19:34,682
searching for B-29 bombers
in jeopardy.
1607
01:19:34,770 --> 01:19:36,293
[narrator]
Generations have passed
1608
01:19:36,380 --> 01:19:39,426
since the members of the
4th Emergency Rescue Squadron
1609
01:19:39,513 --> 01:19:41,951
set foot on these shores.
1610
01:19:42,038 --> 01:19:44,780
♪
1611
01:19:44,867 --> 01:19:46,738
It doesn'’t seem that long ago
that they started out
1612
01:19:46,825 --> 01:19:49,001
on their journey
1613
01:19:49,088 --> 01:19:54,441
and faced
an entire world at war.
1614
01:19:54,528 --> 01:19:57,793
This remote island of Iwo Jima is the last place on earth
1615
01:19:57,880 --> 01:20:02,319
a pilot from Pennsylvania, and many others, would set foot
1616
01:20:02,406 --> 01:20:03,929
and it'’s this hallowed ground
1617
01:20:04,016 --> 01:20:06,932
I'’ve chosen as the last stop
on my journey as well.
1618
01:20:07,019 --> 01:20:12,590
♪
1619
01:20:12,677 --> 01:20:14,679
Here, atop Mount Suribachi,
1620
01:20:14,766 --> 01:20:18,074
I'’m alone with the memory
of those brave individuals
1621
01:20:18,161 --> 01:20:21,207
who forever set aside everything they could have been
1622
01:20:21,294 --> 01:20:23,644
in the name of freedom,
1623
01:20:23,731 --> 01:20:25,951
and they changed the world.
1624
01:20:26,038 --> 01:20:28,954
[dramatic music]
1625
01:20:29,041 --> 01:20:33,524
♪
1626
01:20:33,611 --> 01:20:38,007
Many of us didn'’t know
my great uncle, just a name:
1627
01:20:38,094 --> 01:20:41,445
Royal A. Stratton.
1628
01:20:41,532 --> 01:20:44,491
He was one among millions.
1629
01:20:44,578 --> 01:20:46,058
But he was ours.
1630
01:20:46,145 --> 01:20:48,626
♪
1631
01:20:48,713 --> 01:20:50,846
I think back fondly about all the roads I'’ve taken
1632
01:20:50,933 --> 01:20:55,415
on this long journey
reaching back through time.
1633
01:20:55,502 --> 01:20:59,376
But in all my travels,
I'’ve found none so cherished
1634
01:20:59,463 --> 01:21:01,421
as the road that leads us home.
1635
01:21:01,508 --> 01:21:04,033
[Stratton]
Floats up.
1636
01:21:04,120 --> 01:21:05,512
We'’re going home.
1637
01:21:05,599 --> 01:21:08,646
[soft music]
1638
01:21:08,733 --> 01:21:13,433
♪
1639
01:21:13,520 --> 01:21:16,132
[Trevor Thomson sings and plays "One Family, One Tribe"]
1640
01:21:16,219 --> 01:21:21,964
♪
1641
01:21:22,051 --> 01:21:25,358
[vocalizing]
1642
01:21:25,445 --> 01:21:30,842
♪
1643
01:21:30,929 --> 01:21:32,975
[Trevor Thomson] ♪ When we look into their eyes ♪
1644
01:21:33,062 --> 01:21:36,065
♪ Creators'’ eyes
look back to you ♪
1645
01:21:36,152 --> 01:21:39,677
♪
1646
01:21:39,764 --> 01:21:41,766
♪ Through those eyes
we see the light ♪
1647
01:21:41,853 --> 01:21:45,248
♪ Amazing grace
dispels the night ♪
1648
01:21:45,335 --> 01:21:47,946
♪
1649
01:21:48,033 --> 01:21:52,472
♪ And here we are
1650
01:21:52,559 --> 01:21:55,084
♪United as one ♪
1651
01:21:55,171 --> 01:21:56,824
♪
1652
01:21:56,912 --> 01:22:03,962
♪ And now we stand
in truth and love ♪
1653
01:22:04,049 --> 01:22:06,312
♪
1654
01:22:06,399 --> 01:22:10,795
♪ We are,
we are one family ♪
1655
01:22:10,882 --> 01:22:15,017
♪ We are,
we are one tribe united ♪
1656
01:22:15,104 --> 01:22:19,717
♪ Your pain becomes my pain ♪
1657
01:22:19,804 --> 01:22:23,503
♪ Your joy becomes
my greatest joy ♪
1658
01:22:23,590 --> 01:22:28,813
♪ For we,
we are one family ♪
1659
01:22:28,900 --> 01:22:31,990
[vocalizing]
1660
01:22:32,077 --> 01:22:36,734
♪
1661
01:22:36,821 --> 01:22:38,649
[Edward Goetz] It'’s been
a good life that we'’ve had.
1662
01:22:38,736 --> 01:22:40,999
We'’ve had positive experiences,
1663
01:22:41,086 --> 01:22:43,219
we'’ve had a positive attitude.
1664
01:22:43,306 --> 01:22:44,655
[Jerry Yellin] What legacy
do we want to leave behind,
1665
01:22:44,742 --> 01:22:45,873
you know?
1666
01:22:45,961 --> 01:22:48,572
We want to leave a legacy
of peace and harmony
1667
01:22:48,659 --> 01:22:50,313
all over the world.
1668
01:22:50,400 --> 01:22:52,880
[Raymond Lee]
I just wanted to do my part.
1669
01:22:52,968 --> 01:22:56,362
I tried my best to do
everything they asked of me,
1670
01:22:56,449 --> 01:22:59,452
and, uh, I got through.
1671
01:22:59,539 --> 01:23:01,106
[John Ree]
We were out there to save lives
1672
01:23:01,193 --> 01:23:03,456
rather than to take lives.
1673
01:23:03,543 --> 01:23:05,458
Feels great knowing that we were
1674
01:23:05,545 --> 01:23:09,767
part of a group
trying to rescue survivors.
1675
01:23:09,854 --> 01:23:12,335
You can'’t imagine the feeling
that you have inside,
1676
01:23:12,422 --> 01:23:15,816
that you and these men
saved those lives.
1677
01:23:15,903 --> 01:23:18,123
[Freeland Terpenning] Everyone took pride in what they did
1678
01:23:18,210 --> 01:23:20,560
and it'’s a real happy feeling.
1679
01:23:25,174 --> 01:23:27,393
[Dale Anderson]
I'’ve had a terrific life.
1680
01:23:27,480 --> 01:23:30,570
I wouldn'’t trade anybody
for mine.
1681
01:23:30,657 --> 01:23:33,138
[George Keene] Well, you don'’t salute without your hat.
1682
01:23:41,625 --> 01:23:44,019
[upbeat music]
1683
01:23:44,106 --> 01:23:49,024
♪
1684
01:23:49,111 --> 01:23:52,331
[soft music]
1685
01:23:52,418 --> 01:29:59,829
♪
116642
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