Help us to Save History! If you know a living World War II Veteran that we might be able to cover (especially relating to the air war), please consider filling out this form - No promises, but we will do our best to try and tell their story! forms.gle/TYUefF5GgwEEKv2R7
Your Grandfather is a True American Hero and a Angle from God saved him that day so he could tell his story of amazing bravery . God Bless him and his family.
I agree with that comment, greatest generation, I have an extremely high respect for those that served. I wish I had been part of it but I wasn't born till '64.
don't sell yourself short .You saved injured crewmen , that sailor who died in your arms , didn't die alone , you gave him comfort .. You are a hero ..Thank you for your Service .
THANK YOU ALL. This video was made possible because of one of YOU. Hope you guys enjoy this first episode of my new series, Saving History. Please comment and share this video!
TJ: This interview was worth every mile you covered, coast to coast, and every increment of time and energy you invested, to capture this priceless piece of first-person history from Dick Wilson. Bless you both, and bless all the heroes of WWII, which includes my Dad, a now-deceased Navy veteran of Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. Great piece of story-telling, in every dimension.
THATS MY GREAT GRAND UNLCE!!!! My great aunt shared me this video. I want to meet him now if I can ever. It’s super touching to hear I have a family member that is still alive and fought during world war 2! As well as lived he’s my great grandfathers brother. ThANK YOU so much for making this video if it weren’t for you I would of never gotten to hear his voice even I will find a way to meet him some day.
I get it. I did the same to honor a dear friend and fellow Air Force Veteran George Ferrocarril. He died in his motel room will working on a contract job outside of Fort Worth, TX. This Veteran had no family. He was unceremoniously dumped in a paupers grave. Authorities never checked to see if George was a Veteran. So myself and my GF started a 2.5 year mission to deal with his estate and to bring George to MI for full military honors and burial. This became Operation George. Many other helped above and beyond when they were finally found. You can do a search on his name and still find some newspaper stories from his service at Fort Custer National Cemetary. Of all I did in 21 years of military service, I am most proud of Operation George. It was all just to honor a commitment, "Leave no fallen comrade behind".
When I was growing up, I was surrounded by WWII vets. They didn't talk too much about their experiences. Only after my scout master passed away did I read that he was a B-17 bombardier who survived several crashes and was awarded the distinguished flying cross. He never mentioned it. Of course there are many more stories including my father who was so much a patriot.
The Vietnam Veterans are low in numbers as well. That's the war during my era. I had many uncles and distant cousins that fought in Korea through WWII, that are gone now.
Great work. So few of these guys left. You treated the topic, and Mr. Wilson with the utmost professionalism. I can't imagine a big network doing a better job.
Sadly, holding the US up for any kind of praise in these days seems to be of little interest. Media in these times is fixated on the things we did wrong, some even suggesting we have no right now to be here. A recent poll taken after the Russian criminal invasion of Ukraine reported that 46% of people between 18-34 would leave the country if we were attacked and invaded, rather than stand. That is such a sad thing to comprehend.
@@Theywaswrong - Indeed . _HOWEVER_ , *THAT* - _in MY opinion_ - would ACTUALLY be a _good_ thing , as THEY are not the ones Emperor Hirohito of Japan was referring to , and _THEM_ *GONE* would - _I THINK_ - be a GOOD thing .
God bless this brave man and the wisdom he conveys here. This interview is a prime example of why history should not be altered or eradicated, as there's so much to learn from it. Thank you TJ3, for the most captivating interview I've watched so far this year on 12-23-2022.
TJ, these types of interviews are more precious than an actual documentary. It uses a real life person to describe the horrors of what they went thru. I am also a veteran and his words are right. War is like hell. You see a lot of ugliness, destruction of human life, and you just want to forget it, but you can’t. Also, I wish to offer that navy veteran my salute, my respect and admiration.
Thank you so much. I grew without a father and veterans like him taught me everything I know about being a man. Unfortunately they have passed. This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for preserving their stories. The clock is ticking.
Thank you for keeping the history of the greatest generation alive. As a long serving military member myself, I am humbled by the bravery shown and sacrifices endured by this generation of Americans. Once again, thank you.
Interviews such as this, as these veterans become less abundant and, sadly, unable to recall their experiences, are crucial to preserving history. The amount of detail this man is able to recollect is absolutely astounding! This video is beautiful, and thank you for making it. And thank you to your viewer for giving you the opportunity to make it happen.
Like so many others writing here I can only say Thank You for speaking with this Sailor and adding another piece to this story. My Father and one of his Brothers served in Europe, and his other three Brothers served in the Navy in the Pacific during WWII. I served with the US Navy in Viet Nam. Saving the history of one of us is like saving the history of all of us.
Thank you TJ and your viewers for making this possible. Who would have thought that this would be possible. Your effort has truly captured a rare piece of history to be shared for all of the future. Thank you Mr. Wilson for all that you did in your time of service and for sharing your experience and story with us.
Excellent start to the new series, TJ! I've seen the footage of the blasted-open turret before and it always just chilled me. My dad was a turret gunner in VT-11 when they were at Guadalcanal. He was later stationed on the USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) for the battles at Tulagi and Peleliu. Before he died, I took the opportunity to record some conversations with him about his time in the Navy. Wish I'd had time to record more. I know there were some things we didn't get to talk about. I also wanted to thank you for your video on Dick Mirales as it led me to the video "Eleven: The Movie" and the great folks preserving the history of CAG-11. They were able to send me several photos of my dad when he was with VT-11, as well as combat logs and other such information. I doubt that I would've found them without your video leading the way. So, thanks!
@@TJ3 TJ3 - Don't take this lightly . THIS is _SERIOUS_ commentary from your viewers . What you did here AND what this shows that you CAN do for us , is truly _IMPORTANT_ *WORK* . Stay WITH _IT_ , We're with *YOU* .
ปีที่แล้ว +17
Thank you, TJ, for covering this heroic story. We will forever be thankful for everyone who served.
Interviewing Dick Wilson was definitely worth the trip. He is a true hero!!! I wish my grandfather Edward Houck was still around. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor and seen action in the south western Pacific. He didn't talk much about his service but I've always tried to get him to tell me things. It took three strokes to do what the Japanese couldn't do. He passed away Christmas day in 2000. May God bless all of our veterans living and dead.
My father who was a black Navy vet who served on the USS Cabot during the Korean War always told us that you won't know your future if you don't know your past. History is the key to the future. And it's programs like this, that give me hope that this country will be able to come together again not in war but in peace. We Are One.
Amazing interview. This veterans clarity of thought and recollection after all these years was remarkable. Still most humble about his role in the event. I have seen that footage of the plane being pushed over the fantail of the Essex in many documentaries in the past. This interview has given me the personal back storey of the extraordinary men who were part of that story and the machine that pushed the war to its conclusion. The horror that these men faced every day is unimaginable. These young men lost their innocence and lives in pursuit of defeating an immoral cause. A first hand account and most humble in his story telling. His attitude was and is, it just had to done. God bless all of these men and women went to war for their sacrifice and service. Well done to the film crew.From Australia
What an incredible story, and so amazing that you were able to contact and interview Dick Wilson. My father, Orville Ray Cheek, who was in the Navy during WWII, and was involved in the Philippine arena, and received the Silver Star. He mentioned hardly nothing of it to me, my siblings or anyone else in my family, except to my sister's husband just before passing away. I was told by my sister that my father was piloting some kind of small boat that somehow crashed on 1 of the islands during what I think was a reconnaissance mission, and they avoided capture for 5-7 days, finally finding a Red Cross and making it back to safety. The military records building in Oklahoma burned so I can't find more information, but as a Marine myself all I know is that to get a Silver Star you had to do something pretty hairy.
The awarding of such an illustrious decoration means that there will be dispatch recommending it be awarded. You should be able to access that .I saw a vid where a guy in London,England, found a VC in the mud of the Thames. He was able to find who had been awarded it and when by checking with the imperial War museum London. You must be able to do the same.
Thank you for saving history. These stories are being lost day by day. I have one taped interview of my dad, plus his written memories, but if I could turn back time I would have had a tape running every day. So may details lost to time.
The generation that served our country during WWII have been called the greatest generation and i agree. I have not passed a veteran of any conflict or of any time without acknowledging and thanking them for their service. One thing I have noticed is how humble they seem to be acknowledged. Volunteer or draftee, war time or peace time, the service to our country has changed the individual for the rest of their lives. To those living here, who have said that they hate our country will never understand what sacrifice and honor truly mean. God bless our veterans. Thank you for sharing their voices and experiences.
As a veteran myself, I try to do the same. We are brothers (women included!). I grew up watching the Vietnam War on TV. I painfully remember how these brave veterans were so badly treated when they came home. My thanks is the best honor I can give them today. Almost all never got the welcome home I got after serving in Iraq in 2004. The Vietnam Veterans earned so much more!
I can't thank you enough for the effort you guys made to meet this hero and get his story on record. It truly touched me. I wish my Father, who fought in WW2 were still around to tell his stories. I remember them well.
My pops died 23 years ago. Throughout the time I had my father as part of my life, he shared a great deal of his WWII experience with me. I was in my mid 30’s when he passed and his last year on this Earth was when he shared with me many stories that he had never previously shared with anyone. I’m confident that the two of us seeing Saving Private Ryan together was the catalyst for his opening up and recounting some very painful, traumatic memories. He served in the North African and Atlantic Theaters of operation. He too was a USN Corpsman like Dick Wilson. Dad knew that it was a matter of when and not if that the Draft Board would call up his number. We weren’t involved in WWII yet as it was the summer of 1941. Dad told me that there was no way he was going to end up as a ground pounder, aka Army or Marine Infantryman. His thinking was that he was more likely to end up as cannon fodder in the infantry. He tried to enlist in the US Army Air Corps and owing to having broken his nose twice playing High School varsity football, the std issue aviator’s O2 mask did not fit him well enough to allow him to be a military aviator. So dad enlisted in the USN. Dad spent most of the war attached to a platoon of US Marines, as their “Doc”, and participated in every major landing in the two aforementioned theaters of operation, e.g., North Africa, Sicily, Southern France and of course D-Day at Omaha Beach. Dad was part of the 1st wave landing assaults in all of those amphibious operations. His experiences were quite different than Mr. Wilson’s as most of dad’s corpsman combat duties were executed on land as opposed to at sea. Recall how I mentioned that dad had no intention of being an infantryman, a foot soldier if you will, so he enlisted in the Navy? That’s the poster child for irony for ya. Dad told me that if he had to it all over again, he’d not trade his role in WWII for any other. Those US Marines accepted, respected and treated dad as if he was one of their own, as if he was also a US Marine. Dad earned those gifts accorded him by that platoon as they likewise earned the same from my father. They were their own little “Band of Brothers”. Serving with them was its own great distinction and honor for the four years he was in the USN. Him telling me this was one of those things he shared with me during his final year.
My dad passed in 06. Before he joined the Air force and did 16 years, he spent 4 years in the Navy as a corpsman attached to the Marines as well. He didn't tell me very many stories from when he was in, but the ones he did tell me were mostly humorous, like asking seasick sailors that came to sickbay if they wanted a nice big greasy piece of pork and watching most of them blow chunks. Then how some men would get circumcised for whatever reason on the ship and they would give those guys girly magazines and I don't remember the rest of that story well enough to tell it, but you can imagine that that was not a nice thing to do. He also told me a few others but they weren't that funny. One was just weird. I regret not asking my dad more about what he did in the military like when he was in Vietnam in the Air Force. He told me he was in the 13th air commando squadron. But I can't find any info on them at all. I do have a few pictures that he took of destroyed aircraft on the flightline after an attack. Hard to find out what someone did after they have already passed...
What a truly amazing story. Growing up I was familiar with this tragedy from seeing other photos and reading captions in books but hearing it described from the man who was there makes it all seem more human. My heart goes out to all of those that fought to keep the world free and were caught up in Hell on earth
Absolutely . The ADVERSARY will RAGE Hell-on-EARTH to keep from losing his strangle-hold on the NECK of Human Liberty , and _will_ rain his Hell-on-EARTH in his RAGE against GOOD MEN & WOMEN _INSPIRED_ to DEFEND the very Human Liberty he would DESTROY . Seems JUST as relevant _TODAY_ as its EVER been ... in HISTORY .
This is an amazing story! I am glad you have the same feeling as me and so many others that we need to protect all of our history and we are running out of time. I know that somewhere in the Woodlands there is a WW2 veteran with the last name of Waters who was in the B-17. He was shot down and was marched around Europe. I have his book called “No Thought For Tomorrow” (I think I just went to double check but it wasn’t in my bookshelf, probably in a backpack somewhere)
I can only imagine what Mr. Wilson thinks of people today. His home was just broken into and his computer stolen. He watches monuments get vandalized. It makes me ill.
I was captivated. His grandchildren must be so proud of him. So rare to see that type of man. It breaks my heart to see what our military has become. This man is one of the last real heroes.
Incredible work TJ. I'm so glad you're covering stories like these, and I'm glad I can watch and learn what these men went through. Please keep it up TJm
Wow!!! Words are hard to come by here. He is found by one comment on a video, and then he turns out to be a witness to the mushroom cloud rising over Hiroshima. Witnesses to history are awesome people to meet.
A beautiful job from you and your cameraman. The experience you shared with this great veteran is priceless. Thank you kind sir for your military service. Thank you to everyone envolved in getting this piece of history covered.
After I retired from the Army in 1996 I opened a home inspection firm in Seattle. Within a year or so, I happened to inspect a home for a buyer up on the View Ridge Country Club in North Seattle. That was an unusual inspection in that the owner was home. Normally the agents will ask a homeowner to leave during an inspection but on that day he insisted on staying home. He turned out to be one of the Tuskegee Airmen. I don't recall his name. I believe at the time he was in his late seventies or early eighties. As I understand it, he was one of only a few T.A. still left alive. I suspect that by now he may have passed. I think it's amazing how so many of these old heroes live near/around us and we're often not even aware of what they've seen and done.
Thank You and Josh so much for your hard work. I have edited video and I know that it is very time consuming to create a presentation. There are not too many things that make us happy these days, but your video has filled a need for me.
Wow! Talk about catching lightning in a bottle. To be able to interview Mr. Wilson must've been a privilege that you'll remember the rest of your life. Glad you got that comment and email.
Glad to see that you were able document his interview his patriotic American as well the person in the photo. Thank you to the viewer who diligently observed Mr Wilson in the footage. Happy Holidays to you and your families as well as your viewers. 🎄🎊🎉. ♠️🎩🎱🎯🇺🇲🏁🇺🇦🔱🌻💮🏵️🌸🌼🏴☠️🏹
I totally agree with Dick Wilson's assessment of going to war is like going to hell. I served in Vietnam for 2½ years. Some of the things I witnessed haven't been effaced from my memory in 50 years.
Amazing video. Thank you Dick Wilson for your service. You truly are part of the greatest generation. Thank you TJ3 History for going out to interview this true hero. Many of us have been blessed by watching this.
Semper Fi Corpsman.. i am alive today becuase of a corpsman.. Those were men made of iron ! God bless them ! Never forget them. Wonderful tribute to a great generation. Thank you all for sharing this storey ! (USMC 94-2014 )
Incredible men and an incredible man. We're losing them way to fast and you are right that we need to know their stories. Thank you for bringing allot of those stories to us. Thank you for showing that man the respect he deserves to be able to tell his story. That respect should come from all of us for all our servicemen and women. Politicians make war. Servicemen just do their job to get us through it.
Dang I got chills from this video, It’s crazy hearing history from a primary source! Most veterans have unfortunately died so there’s not much alive to tell the tale. Great video!
These stories from the actual Veterans themselves are Fantastic and NEED to be told to EVERYONE. Thus keeping History alive but, also as a Warning, to Civilization as a Whole. In the hopes of Preventing History repeating itself again. From a Veteran of the Iraq-Iran War. ARMY early 80's.
That moment when he got pulled in by someone who he'd never seen again sounds like he had an angel watching over him. I'm glad we got the chance to hear his amazing story. Thank you guys for doing this! I'm still trying to find at least one WW2 vet on LI, NY to thank at least but no luck yet. Hopefully soon. Thank you again, for preserving history and sharing our greatest generation's stories!
There is a 2001 documentary called Battle Group Halsey that discuses this very incident and shows all the archival and video footage of this incident including an interview of the TBM pilot.
I glad he was able to talk about his experiences, my father never did. As a Navy Pharmacist Mate he invaded Saipan with the 2 MarDiv. He would only share that he survived a banzi charge and field dressed a Chamorran (?) native with bi-lateral leg injuries. Narragansett Bay
In today's enviroment with people trying to change history, these types of video's will be needed to keep the record straight. I can only thank you for this effort and please keep these coming. As someone who loves history and is always trying to learn, should the powers that be try to keep or change history, it is my hope we can take these history lessons to teach our children of the sacifice that the men and women of this age gave!! Thank you.
Thank you for preserving the oral history of the battles of the pacific theater of WW II. I remember my Grandfather talking to me and giving me his eye witness accounts of the, Peatl Harbor attack, when he was employed by the deapartment of defense. And my Granduncle telling us children, about fighting the, NAZIS in, Italy and in Germany freeing the Jews from, the Dachau concentration camp. Thats where he was wounded during the conflicts. I wish all my family's interviews of the oral history could have been saved and recorded for posterity. What you have done with this interview is to save a part of history that can be shared with younger generations so as to recognize the tyrramy of what starts war and what ends it. Aloha and Mahalo for your hard work in preserving our American history. Aloha once again to you and your family. 🌺🌼🌴♥️🇺🇸
I had the honor of meeting Marine Edgar Harrell, survivor of the USS Indianapolis.. We crossed paths at a local post office.. I was invited to his home, met his wife.. We shared our wartime experiences- his war, my war.. He passed on a couple years ago.. I still have his book and his autographed picture of the Indy..
Thank you Mr. Wilson for your service, courage and sacrifice for freedom ❤🇺🇸 I appreciate this content ❤God Bless everyone that was apart of this moment ❤
Well done, thanks for the extra effort. A couple of items: the Philippines are not in the South Pacific, and the CGI shows a USS Hornet (CV12) aircraft with the white ball on the tail. Check around 3 minutes into the video to see the wartime footage with the horizontal stripe for Essex and Air Group 15.
It is truly sad that we have lost so much of ourselves, personally and collectively as a society since these days of our "Greatest Generation" when men were men and women were women, though involved in WW2, it was a romantic era where lifelong friendships, marriages, and the countless thousands of music pieces from the time evolved from the likes of Glenn Miller, Dorset, Crosby, played on the radio. Thanks for the video and the love you have to try and help preserve our history.
My father served on the USS Iowa during the war. He didn't really talk about it much, I know that what they saw at Iowa Jima bothered him. Thank you. Dick, for your service
With out a doubt the most poignant, honest and enthralling WWII interviews I have ever seen. Thank you for bringing Mr. Wilson's story to light. It is a must watch for everyone. Thank Mr. Wilson for your service and your bravery. God bless you sir.
Thank you so much for this video. My uncle was an Aviation Radioman Gunner with one of the squadrons aboard the USS Essex until late 1945, so he rode in the same position as Loyce Deen. He was one of the reasons that I joined the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and stayed for 26 years.
My 12 old daughter is enthralled with this. Her Great Great Grandfather was a tail gunner on a TBF and flew off the USS Savo Island. Also we are just south in Federal Way from where you conducted this interview.
Thanks TJ and Crew. That was awesome. We must keep these memories and stories alive, for my families sake and all others relatives of WW1, WW2, Korean and Vietnam war veterans.
We have lost most of those that fought and had personal experience of the horrors of WW2. I have never heard a veteran ever say that war is a good idea. Lest we forget.
What an amazing interview. An angel pulled him out of harm's way. He looked over Loyce to see if there was anything else he could do for Loyce. Showing his fingerprints being recorded. He said they could get him out because rigor has already set in. He didn't think it was weird sending the plane overboard with a man still in it, "Our focus was getting the plane off the deck, we had an attack coming. ".. Damn. Thank you for this interview....God bless you.
I want to thank you for this moving story, I usually don't write comments but I felt compelled to this time because of the greatness of the story and the greatness of such men. It seems that every time I give up hope that there are still unselfish and uncaring people in this world I get reminded otherwise. Thank you again
God Bless You for telling Dick's story. It brought tears to my eyes. We are losing OUR vets and their stories every day. As a US Navy and Persian Gulf veteran, I think we feel our stories are not that interesting. We just did what we had to do when we had to do it. Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that every vets story, especially during war, are important. The sacrifices of the average citizen is what makes this country the Greatest Nation on earth.
Even if your personal experience wasn't something Hollywood is interested in, your stories will be important to someone. My grandfather spent 2½ years pushing the Germans out of Africa and back to Germany. He left very few stories and I treasure each of them.
Absolutely incredible. The greatest generation. What these sailors,airmen, soldiers went through is beyond comprehension. This man's telling of his experience tells more than the most detailed videos of the war. Respect. Your memory will last for ever. From South Africa. Thanks for sharing this poignant story For all those USA haters living there, reflect on this.
Help us to Save History! If you know a living World War II Veteran that we might be able to cover (especially relating to the air war), please consider filling out this form - No promises, but we will do our best to try and tell their story! forms.gle/TYUefF5GgwEEKv2R7
I know of a German flier Erich Brunotte, he has a YT channel. But that's all I know.
Als hole I’m watching this I’m playing war thunder as a Japanese zero 💀 this wasn’t on purpose.
i belive my great grandad from my fathers side was in the mountin infinrty for the italian army
@@KarlVonEiser ,,,😂Eh eh I bet it wasn't!
@@ToroBoro-rh2ly Hope he wasn't among those of Aríete division, that was quite a defeat!
Thank you for interviewing my grandfather, and allowing him to share his story. God bless!
Your grandfather is a hero god bless him. Carry that name with pride
@@issaf3676 - 👍❤👍.
Your Grandfather is a True American Hero and a Angle from God saved him that day so he could tell his story of amazing bravery . God Bless him and his family.
Your grandfather is an absolutely amazing man. It would be an honour just to be in his presence what a hero.❤❤❤❤
Enjoy your Grandfather and his tales. He is what America was and can be again.
Dick Wilson is obviously another shining great example why we refer to all these super brave men and women as 'the greatest generation'!! Jim C.
I agree with that comment, greatest generation, I have an extremely high respect for those that served. I wish I had been part of it but I wasn't born till '64.
don't sell yourself short .You saved injured crewmen , that sailor who died in your arms , didn't die alone , you gave him comfort .. You are a hero ..Thank you for your Service .
THANK YOU ALL. This video was made possible because of one of YOU. Hope you guys enjoy this first episode of my new series, Saving History. Please comment and share this video!
Im the 12th like , thanks for the video
Wow! Cool stories! 1.2K likes in just 8 hours!
You should do the story on fee fee the b29
L& S'ed WITH notifications, RIGHT AWAY . - 👍❤👍.
TJ: This interview was worth every mile you covered, coast to coast, and every increment of time and energy you invested, to capture this priceless piece of first-person history from Dick Wilson. Bless you both, and bless all the heroes of WWII, which includes my Dad, a now-deceased Navy veteran of Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. Great piece of story-telling, in every dimension.
Thank you!
My dad was in Leyte also.
@@stevenbaker9327 Which branch of the service? Which unit or ship? Our Dad’s paths might have crossed.
@@PowerfulTruth Navy...USS LaPorte...APA-151
@@stevenbaker9327 Steven: USS Oconto, APA 187. Small World; likely the same Task Forces, under Admiral Halsey, I believe.
THATS MY GREAT GRAND UNLCE!!!!
My great aunt shared me this video. I want to meet him now if I can ever. It’s super touching to hear I have a family member that is still alive and fought during world war 2! As well as lived he’s my great grandfathers brother.
ThANK YOU so much for making this video if it weren’t for you I would of never gotten to hear his voice even I will find a way to meet him some day.
The fact that he used his and his cameraman’s money and time to see this guy and preserve this story…legendary!
I get it. I did the same to honor a dear friend and fellow Air Force Veteran George Ferrocarril. He died in his motel room will working on a contract job outside of Fort Worth, TX. This Veteran had no family. He was unceremoniously dumped in a paupers grave. Authorities never checked to see if George was a Veteran. So myself and my GF started a 2.5 year mission to deal with his estate and to bring George to MI for full military honors and burial. This became Operation George. Many other helped above and beyond when they were finally found. You can do a search on his name and still find some newspaper stories from his service at Fort Custer National Cemetary. Of all I did in 21 years of military service, I am most proud of Operation George. It was all just to honor a commitment, "Leave no fallen comrade behind".
Amazing interview, it really sucks that we are losing so much history with all these incredible vets getting up in age.
When I was growing up, I was surrounded by WWII vets. They didn't talk too much about their experiences. Only after my scout master passed away did I read that he was a B-17 bombardier who survived several crashes and was awarded the distinguished flying cross. He never mentioned it. Of course there are many more stories including my father who was so much a patriot.
Nobody lives forever.
@@ruxpercnd
The DFC was given after X-number of missions (depending on what part of the war.)
@@ruxpercnd same. I remember frequently hearing stories when WW2 vets would happen to run into each other. Their numbers are dwindling today.
The Vietnam Veterans are low in numbers as well. That's the war during my era. I had many uncles and distant cousins that fought in Korea through WWII, that are gone now.
Great work. So few of these guys left. You treated the topic, and Mr. Wilson with the utmost professionalism. I can't imagine a big network doing a better job.
Thank you!
@@TJ3 - 👍❤👍.
I can't imagine a big network doing the job at all. These testimonies are absolutely priceless.
Sadly, holding the US up for any kind of praise in these days seems to be of little interest. Media in these times is fixated on the things we did wrong, some even suggesting we have no right now to be here. A recent poll taken after the Russian criminal invasion of Ukraine reported that 46% of people between 18-34 would leave the country if we were attacked and invaded, rather than stand. That is such a sad thing to comprehend.
@@Theywaswrong - Indeed . _HOWEVER_ , *THAT* - _in MY opinion_ - would ACTUALLY be a _good_ thing , as THEY are not the ones Emperor Hirohito of Japan was referring to , and _THEM_ *GONE* would - _I THINK_ - be a GOOD thing .
Thank you for getting Dick’s story out for us to hear. It’s incredible what they went through, we are forever thankful for their sacrifice.
God bless this brave man and the wisdom he conveys here. This interview is a prime example of why history should not be altered or eradicated, as there's so much to learn from it. Thank you TJ3, for the most captivating interview I've watched so far this year on 12-23-2022.
- 👍❤👍.
TJ, these types of interviews are more precious than an actual documentary. It uses a real life person to describe the horrors of what they went thru. I am also a veteran and his words are right. War is like hell. You see a lot of ugliness, destruction of human life, and you just want to forget it, but you can’t. Also, I wish to offer that navy veteran my salute, my respect and admiration.
Thank you so much. I grew without a father and veterans like him taught me everything I know about being a man. Unfortunately they have passed. This brought tears to my eyes. Thank you for preserving their stories. The clock is ticking.
Thank you for keeping the history of the greatest generation alive. As a long serving military member myself, I am humbled by the bravery shown and sacrifices endured by this generation of Americans. Once again, thank you.
Thanks for your service!
- 👍❤👍.
Thank you for letting us know about Mr. Wilson's story.
Interviews such as this, as these veterans become less abundant and, sadly, unable to recall their experiences, are crucial to preserving history. The amount of detail this man is able to recollect is absolutely astounding! This video is beautiful, and thank you for making it. And thank you to your viewer for giving you the opportunity to make it happen.
Like so many others writing here I can only say Thank You for speaking with this Sailor and adding another piece to this story. My Father and one of his Brothers served in Europe, and his other three Brothers served in the Navy in the Pacific during WWII. I served with the US Navy in Viet Nam. Saving the history of one of us is like saving the history of all of us.
ABSOLUTELY , so THANKS 👍.
Thank you TJ and your viewers for making this possible. Who would have thought that this would be possible. Your effort has truly captured a rare piece of history to be shared for all of the future. Thank you Mr. Wilson for all that you did in your time of service and for sharing your experience and story with us.
Excellent start to the new series, TJ! I've seen the footage of the blasted-open turret before and it always just chilled me. My dad was a turret gunner in VT-11 when they were at Guadalcanal. He was later stationed on the USS Kadashan Bay (CVE-76) for the battles at Tulagi and Peleliu. Before he died, I took the opportunity to record some conversations with him about his time in the Navy. Wish I'd had time to record more. I know there were some things we didn't get to talk about.
I also wanted to thank you for your video on Dick Mirales as it led me to the video "Eleven: The Movie" and the great folks preserving the history of CAG-11. They were able to send me several photos of my dad when he was with VT-11, as well as combat logs and other such information. I doubt that I would've found them without your video leading the way. So, thanks!
Very cool! Thanks for watching!
- 👍❤👍.
I am impressed with this video. The content, the interview, the graphics, the actual wartime footage and the background music was beautifully done.
Thank you!
Absolutely 👍.
@@TJ3 TJ3 - Don't take this lightly . THIS is _SERIOUS_ commentary from your viewers . What you did here AND what this shows that you CAN do for us , is truly _IMPORTANT_ *WORK* .
Stay WITH _IT_ , We're with *YOU* .
Thank you, TJ, for covering this heroic story. We will forever be thankful for everyone who served.
Interviewing Dick Wilson was definitely worth the trip. He is a true hero!!! I wish my grandfather Edward Houck was still around. He was a Pearl Harbor survivor and seen action in the south western Pacific. He didn't talk much about his service but I've always tried to get him to tell me things. It took three strokes to do what the Japanese couldn't do. He passed away Christmas day in 2000. May God bless all of our veterans living and dead.
I like how you let him tell his story without interruption and ridiculous mundane questions. 👍👍
My father who was a black Navy vet who served on the USS Cabot during the Korean War always told us that you won't know your future if you don't know your past. History is the key to the future. And it's programs like this, that give me hope that this country will be able to come together again not in war but in peace. We Are One.
Yes WE ARE ONE!👊
Amazing interview. This veterans clarity of thought and recollection after all these years was remarkable. Still most humble about his role in the event. I have seen that footage of the plane being pushed over the fantail of the Essex in many documentaries in the past. This interview has given me the personal back storey of the extraordinary men who were part of that story and the machine that pushed the war to its conclusion. The horror that these men faced every day is unimaginable. These young men lost their innocence and lives in pursuit of defeating an immoral cause. A first hand account and most humble in his story telling. His attitude was and is, it just had to done. God bless all of these men and women went to war for their sacrifice and service. Well done to the film crew.From Australia
What an incredible story, and so amazing that you were able to contact and interview Dick Wilson. My father, Orville Ray Cheek, who was in the Navy during WWII, and was involved in the Philippine arena, and received the Silver Star. He mentioned hardly nothing of it to me, my siblings or anyone else in my family, except to my sister's husband just before passing away. I was told by my sister that my father was piloting some kind of small boat that somehow crashed on 1 of the islands during what I think was a reconnaissance mission, and they avoided capture for 5-7 days, finally finding a Red Cross and making it back to safety. The military records building in Oklahoma burned so I can't find more information, but as a Marine myself all I know is that to get a Silver Star you had to do something pretty hairy.
The one in St. Louis caught fire also. Any others ?
The awarding of such an illustrious decoration means that there will be dispatch recommending it be awarded. You should be able to access that .I saw a vid where a guy in London,England, found a VC in the mud of the Thames. He was able to find who had been awarded it and when by checking with the imperial War museum London. You must be able to do the same.
@@Mercmad Thank you. I will search for that
Getting a silver star back than was no easy feat. They didn't hand out stuff like they do today like candy. You really had to earn and than some.
- 👍❤👍.
Thank you for saving history. These stories are being lost day by day. I have one taped interview of my dad, plus his written memories, but if I could turn back time I would have had a tape running every day. So may details lost to time.
one of the best youtube channels, one of the most important and necessary youtube channels!
Thank you shipmates for your service. You are indeed part of our greatest generation. Fair winds and following seas, Shipmate! OSC(SW) Retired.
The generation that served our country during WWII have been called the greatest generation and i agree. I have not passed a veteran of any conflict or of any time without acknowledging and thanking them for their service. One thing I have noticed is how humble they seem to be acknowledged. Volunteer or draftee, war time or peace time, the service to our country has changed the individual for the rest of their lives.
To those living here, who have said that they hate our country will never understand what sacrifice and honor truly mean.
God bless our veterans.
Thank you for sharing their voices and experiences.
As a veteran myself, I try to do the same. We are brothers (women included!). I grew up watching the Vietnam War on TV. I painfully remember how these brave veterans were so badly treated when they came home. My thanks is the best honor I can give them today. Almost all never got the welcome home I got after serving in Iraq in 2004. The Vietnam Veterans earned so much more!
I can't thank you enough for the effort you guys made to meet this hero and get his story on record. It truly touched me. I wish my Father, who fought in WW2 were still around to tell his stories. I remember them well.
My pops died 23 years ago. Throughout the time I had my father as part of my life, he shared a great deal of his WWII experience with me. I was in my mid 30’s when he passed and his last year on this Earth was when he shared with me many stories that he had never previously shared with anyone.
I’m confident that the two of us seeing Saving Private Ryan together was the catalyst for his opening up and recounting some very painful, traumatic memories.
He served in the North African and Atlantic Theaters of operation. He too was a USN Corpsman like Dick Wilson.
Dad knew that it was a matter of when and not if that the Draft Board would call up his number. We weren’t involved in WWII yet as it was the summer of 1941. Dad told me that there was no way he was going to end up as a ground pounder, aka Army or Marine Infantryman. His thinking was that he was more likely to end up as cannon fodder in the infantry. He tried to enlist in the US Army Air Corps and owing to having broken his nose twice playing High School varsity football, the std issue aviator’s O2 mask did not fit him well enough to allow him to be a military aviator. So dad enlisted in the USN.
Dad spent most of the war attached to a platoon of US Marines, as their “Doc”, and participated in every major landing in the two aforementioned theaters of operation, e.g., North Africa, Sicily, Southern France and of course D-Day at Omaha Beach. Dad was part of the 1st wave landing assaults in all of those amphibious operations.
His experiences were quite different than Mr. Wilson’s as most of dad’s corpsman combat duties were executed on land as opposed to at sea.
Recall how I mentioned that dad had no intention of being an infantryman, a foot soldier if you will, so he enlisted in the Navy? That’s the poster child for irony for ya. Dad told me that if he had to it all over again, he’d not trade his role in WWII for any other.
Those US Marines accepted, respected and treated dad as if he was one of their own, as if he was also a US Marine. Dad earned those gifts accorded him by that platoon as they likewise earned the same from my father. They were their own little “Band of Brothers”. Serving with them was its own great distinction and honor for the four years he was in the USN. Him telling me this was one of those things he shared with me during his final year.
My dad passed in 06. Before he joined the Air force and did 16 years, he spent 4 years in the Navy as a corpsman attached to the Marines as well. He didn't tell me very many stories from when he was in, but the ones he did tell me were mostly humorous, like asking seasick sailors that came to sickbay if they wanted a nice big greasy piece of pork and watching most of them blow chunks. Then how some men would get circumcised for whatever reason on the ship and they would give those guys girly magazines and I don't remember the rest of that story well enough to tell it, but you can imagine that that was not a nice thing to do. He also told me a few others but they weren't that funny. One was just weird. I regret not asking my dad more about what he did in the military like when he was in Vietnam in the Air Force. He told me he was in the 13th air commando squadron. But I can't find any info on them at all. I do have a few pictures that he took of destroyed aircraft on the flightline after an attack. Hard to find out what someone did after they have already passed...
What a truly amazing story. Growing up I was familiar with this tragedy from seeing other photos and reading captions in books but hearing it described from the man who was there makes it all seem more human. My heart goes out to all of those that fought to keep the world free and were caught up in Hell on earth
Absolutely .
The ADVERSARY will RAGE Hell-on-EARTH to keep from losing his strangle-hold on the NECK of Human Liberty , and _will_ rain his Hell-on-EARTH in his RAGE against GOOD MEN & WOMEN _INSPIRED_ to DEFEND the very Human Liberty he would DESTROY .
Seems JUST as relevant _TODAY_ as its EVER been ...
in HISTORY .
This is an amazing story! I am glad you have the same feeling as me and so many others that we need to protect all of our history and we are running out of time. I know that somewhere in the Woodlands there is a WW2 veteran with the last name of Waters who was in the B-17. He was shot down and was marched around Europe. I have his book called “No Thought For Tomorrow” (I think I just went to double check but it wasn’t in my bookshelf, probably in a backpack somewhere)
I can only imagine what Mr. Wilson thinks of people today. His home was just broken into and his computer stolen. He watches monuments get vandalized. It makes me ill.
Preserving the experiences of these brave people is important. Good on you TJ3 for your efforts here. It was a fascinating journey.
Thank for getting this soldier’s encounters documented and sharing his daily heroic duties.
I was captivated. His grandchildren must be so proud of him. So rare to see that type of man. It breaks my heart to see what our military has become. This man is one of the last real heroes.
Incredible work TJ. I'm so glad you're covering stories like these, and I'm glad I can watch and learn what these men went through. Please keep it up TJm
Thanks for watching!
Awesome story, keep it up 👍
What an amazing story. Thank you for sharing and keeping this Veterans experiences alive.
Wow!!! Words are hard to come by here. He is found by one comment on a video, and then he turns out to be a witness to the mushroom cloud rising over Hiroshima. Witnesses to history are awesome people to meet.
A beautiful job from you and your cameraman. The experience you shared with this great veteran is priceless. Thank you kind sir for your military service. Thank you to everyone envolved in getting this piece of history covered.
After I retired from the Army in 1996 I opened a home inspection firm in Seattle. Within a year or so, I happened to inspect a home for a buyer up on the View Ridge Country Club in North Seattle. That was an unusual inspection in that the owner was home. Normally the agents will ask a homeowner to leave during an inspection but on that day he insisted on staying home. He turned out to be one of the Tuskegee Airmen. I don't recall his name. I believe at the time he was in his late seventies or early eighties. As I understand it, he was one of only a few T.A. still left alive. I suspect that by now he may have passed. I think it's amazing how so many of these old heroes live near/around us and we're often not even aware of what they've seen and done.
Thank You and Josh so much for your hard work. I have edited video and I know that it is very time consuming to create a presentation. There are not too many things that make us happy these days, but your video has filled a need for me.
Thanks so much Larry for helping to make this happen! Greatly appreciate you.
Wow! Talk about catching lightning in a bottle. To be able to interview Mr. Wilson must've been a privilege that you'll remember the rest of your life. Glad you got that comment and email.
Glad to see that you were able document his interview his patriotic American as well the person in the photo. Thank you to the viewer who diligently observed Mr Wilson in the footage. Happy Holidays to you and your families as well as your viewers. 🎄🎊🎉. ♠️🎩🎱🎯🇺🇲🏁🇺🇦🔱🌻💮🏵️🌸🌼🏴☠️🏹
Priceless interview.
Priceless lovely man
Thank you for your effort to document this story.
May we never forget.
"God has HIS hand on all of it."
I totally agree with Dick Wilson's assessment of going to war is like going to hell. I served in Vietnam for 2½ years. Some of the things I witnessed haven't been effaced from my memory in 50 years.
What a great interview. Thank you for sharing this story. I’m grateful you were able interview Dick Wilson and get his story out for us to hear.
it’s incredible of you make this production good job
Amazing video. Thank you Dick Wilson for your service. You truly are part of the greatest generation. Thank you TJ3 History for going out to interview this true hero. Many of us have been blessed by watching this.
Thank you TJ3, THANK YOU!
Semper Fi Corpsman.. i am alive today becuase of a corpsman.. Those were men made of iron ! God bless them ! Never forget them. Wonderful tribute to a great generation. Thank you all for sharing this storey ! (USMC 94-2014 )
Excellent. Another tear jerker! Keep up with this format. Its so cool so see vets following your channel too. Great job!
My God. What a hero. Bless you, sir.
Thank u for the recognition of real heros. The youth of today have no idea what a real hero is. John USAFSS retired.
Incredible men and an incredible man. We're losing them way to fast and you are right that we need to know their stories. Thank you for bringing allot of those stories to us. Thank you for showing that man the respect he deserves to be able to tell his story. That respect should come from all of us for all our servicemen and women. Politicians make war. Servicemen just do their job to get us through it.
Dang I got chills from this video, It’s crazy hearing history from a primary source! Most veterans have unfortunately died so there’s not much alive to tell the tale. Great video!
The Greatest Generation.
@@dmc8078 indeed
These stories from the actual Veterans themselves are Fantastic and NEED to be told to EVERYONE. Thus keeping History alive but, also as a Warning, to Civilization as a Whole. In the hopes of Preventing History repeating itself again.
From a Veteran of the Iraq-Iran War. ARMY early 80's.
That moment when he got pulled in by someone who he'd never seen again sounds like he had an angel watching over him.
I'm glad we got the chance to hear his amazing story. Thank you guys for doing this! I'm still trying to find at least one WW2 vet on LI, NY to thank at least but no luck yet. Hopefully soon. Thank you again, for preserving history and sharing our greatest generation's stories!
There is a 2001 documentary called Battle Group Halsey that discuses this very incident and shows all the archival and video footage of this incident including an interview of the TBM pilot.
Thanks for the video of these great heroes!
I glad he was able to talk about his experiences, my father never did. As a Navy Pharmacist Mate he invaded Saipan with the 2 MarDiv. He would only share that he survived a banzi charge and field dressed a Chamorran (?) native with bi-lateral leg injuries. Narragansett Bay
God bless your father.... so common for Vets not to talk. My father had trouble with talking his kids about the bad stuff.
That was fantastic
Just what a absolute pleasure to listen to That gentleman
In today's enviroment with people trying to change history, these types of video's will be needed to keep the record straight. I can only thank you for this effort and please keep these coming. As someone who loves history and is always trying to learn, should the powers that be try to keep or change history, it is my hope we can take these history lessons to teach our children of the sacifice that the men and women of this age gave!! Thank you.
Thank you for preserving the oral history of the battles of the pacific theater of WW II. I remember my Grandfather talking to me and giving me his eye witness accounts of the, Peatl Harbor attack, when he was employed by the deapartment of defense. And my Granduncle telling us children, about fighting the, NAZIS in, Italy and in Germany freeing the Jews from, the Dachau concentration camp. Thats where he was wounded during the conflicts. I wish all my family's interviews of the oral history could have been saved and recorded for posterity. What you have done with this interview is to save a part of history that can be shared with younger generations so as to recognize the tyrramy of what starts war and what ends it. Aloha and Mahalo for your hard work in preserving our American history. Aloha once again to you and your family. 🌺🌼🌴♥️🇺🇸
Mahalo! Just left Oahu myself from vacation :)
I had the honor of meeting Marine Edgar Harrell, survivor of the USS Indianapolis.. We crossed paths at a local post office.. I was invited to his home, met his wife.. We shared our wartime experiences- his war, my war.. He passed on a couple years ago.. I still have his book and his autographed picture of the Indy..
Thank you History, this is most important video you ever made and merry christmas. ❤
A fascinating piece of history right there!
One of the best videos I’ve seen on TH-cam this year!❤
Thank you Mr. Wilson for your service, courage and sacrifice for freedom ❤🇺🇸 I appreciate this content ❤God Bless everyone that was apart of this moment ❤
What a wonderful honour to interview a veteran such as Dick Wilson. TJ, whatever it cost it was the right decision. Fantastic work!
Nice video. One of the veterans I’ve been keeping an eye on was Bill Norberg. Who was a Chief Yeoman from USS Enterprise between 1941 to 1945.
Thanks!
Can you confirm that he’s still alive?
@@nursestoyland yep. He had his 100th birthday in November
@@ph89787 nice!
@@ph89787 btw are there any other USS enterprise crewmen still around?
Thank you Sir for your service. God bless you always
What a great story to be told and there is no distance not worth travelling to to get a great story.
Well done, thanks for the extra effort. A couple of items: the Philippines are not in the South Pacific, and the CGI shows a USS Hornet (CV12) aircraft with the white ball on the tail. Check around 3 minutes into the video to see the wartime footage with the horizontal stripe for Essex and Air Group 15.
Thank you he seems like the real deal
It is truly sad that we have lost so much of ourselves, personally and collectively as a society since these days of our "Greatest Generation" when men were men and women were women, though involved in WW2, it was a romantic era where lifelong friendships, marriages, and the countless thousands of music pieces from the time evolved from the likes of Glenn Miller, Dorset, Crosby, played on the radio. Thanks for the video and the love you have to try and help preserve our history.
Simply amazing
God bless every vet that served in ww2 and thank u for sharing this history with us you will never be forgotten!!! We are safe because of u!!!
What an absolutely fantastic video. A true American hero. Thank you for this video
My father served on the USS Iowa during the war. He didn't really talk about it much, I know that what they saw at Iowa Jima bothered him.
Thank you. Dick, for your service
Very interesting. Thank you for sharing this and thank you for the service of this greatest generation. 🇺🇸
With out a doubt the most poignant, honest and enthralling WWII interviews I have ever seen. Thank you for bringing Mr. Wilson's story to light. It is a must watch for everyone. Thank Mr. Wilson for your service and your bravery. God bless you sir.
An outstanding piece of work about an outstanding man.
Thank you so much for this video. My uncle was an Aviation Radioman Gunner with one of the squadrons aboard the USS Essex until late 1945, so he rode in the same position as Loyce Deen. He was one of the reasons that I joined the Navy as a Hospital Corpsman and stayed for 26 years.
Amazing TJ specially meeting veterans, You do a grand job 😎👌
Honest, heartfelt, riveting true stories. Thank you for sharing your sacrifice and effort in honoring our country.
@9:13 I got a shiver up my spine. Rest in Peace, mighty warrior.
Yep, that made an already sobering moment squeeze me with an even colder grip.
My 12 old daughter is enthralled with this. Her Great Great Grandfather was a tail gunner on a TBF and flew off the USS Savo Island. Also we are just south in Federal Way from where you conducted this interview.
Tell her I said hello :)
@@TJ3 awesome will do. She is 12 and has flying on the brain. I just got her first computer so we can play War thunder together.
Those Americans are truly "The Greatest Generation", I'm in awe every time I hear their stories..
Thank you comrade for sharing this event and the horrors that war is, as is stated before there's no winner in war only a Victor
Thanks TJ and Crew. That was awesome. We must keep these memories and stories alive, for my families sake and all others relatives of WW1, WW2, Korean and Vietnam war veterans.
We have lost most of those that fought and had personal experience of the horrors of WW2. I have never heard a veteran ever say that war is a good idea. Lest we forget.
What an amazing interview. An angel pulled him out of harm's way. He looked over Loyce to see if there was anything else he could do for Loyce. Showing his fingerprints being recorded. He said they could get him out because rigor has already set in. He didn't think it was weird sending the plane overboard with a man still in it, "Our focus was getting the plane off the deck, we had an attack coming. "..
Damn. Thank you for this interview....God bless you.
I want to thank you for this moving story, I usually don't write comments but I felt compelled to this time because of the greatness of the story and the greatness of such men. It seems that every time I give up hope that there are still unselfish and uncaring people in this world I get reminded otherwise. Thank you again
Powerful video 😢
Thank you for preserving this for us. I’m very grateful.
God Bless You for telling Dick's story. It brought tears to my eyes. We are losing OUR vets and their stories every day. As a US Navy and Persian Gulf veteran, I think we feel our stories are not that interesting. We just did what we had to do when we had to do it. Thank you for opening my eyes to the fact that every vets story, especially during war, are important. The sacrifices of the average citizen is what makes this country the Greatest Nation on earth.
Even if your personal experience wasn't something Hollywood is interested in, your stories will be important to someone.
My grandfather spent 2½ years pushing the Germans out of Africa and back to Germany. He left very few stories and I treasure each of them.
Absolutely incredible. The greatest generation. What these sailors,airmen, soldiers went through is beyond comprehension. This man's telling of his experience tells more than the most detailed videos of the war. Respect.
Your memory will last for ever.
From South Africa.
Thanks for sharing this poignant story
For all those USA haters living there, reflect on this.