WW2 Airman Shot Down and Captured | Memoirs Of WWII #28
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 พ.ย. 2024
- WW2 Veteran Robert Vance tells the story of when his B-24 bomber was shot down, leaving only him and one other crew member alive, soon to be prisoners of war.
Memoirs of WWII Website: bit.ly/2w60kGM
Patreon: bit.ly/2HIebIN
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Written and Directed by Joshua Scott
Filmed by Christian McLean
Edited by Joshua Scott
Post Audio by Lane Tarr
Illustration by Anne Jordan
Archive Footage Sources:
www.archives.gov/
Archive Photograph Sources:
National Archives and Records Administration
United States Air Force
Library and Archives Canada
United States National Archives
Musical Score Source:
artlist.io/
Artlist Songs and Composers:
“Warhawk” by Kevin Graham
“Coming Back” by Yehezkel Raz
“The Depths” by Ben Winwood
“You Can’t Be Mine and Someone Else’s Too” performed by Fats Waller and his orchestra
#history #veteran #ww2 #military #wwii #mastersoftheair
Anyone else get choked up on every one of these?
absolutely man
Every time...every story.
Every story I'm pretty sure I tear up or cry. They all remind me of my grandfather who was in the navy in 45
🙋♂️🙋♂️🙋♂️
Every time.
That parachute ... when he said: i felt sorry for that guy. That hit me hard 😥
Yeah cause those others reports could’ve seen someone else fall out and parachute that’s just a awful way to die just falling to your death like taht
Must be a gut churning situation to be falling straight into the enemy..bravest men to have lived and breathed..the greatest generation
@Arthur Watson Not many worse ways to die than being shot in peaces by a flak while floating to the enemy nest in a d*mn parachute, probably landing in water and drowning if you did not bleed to death till then.
@Arthur Watson
Imagine you are falling and you really cannot aim your weapon at the Flak Guns below you and even if you COULD, your rifle is NO match for a German "Big Bertha" gun.
Imagine being killed in the air as you fall, from enemy fire.
Yeah, maybe it's better than being boiled in oil or being torn apart by four horses, but it's still pretty bad.
Man Falling in Parachute- Rest In Peace.
People that put thumbs down have no clue
This channel doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.
They Should show all students these
I agree, and whoever disliked this video can gtfo
@@EricK-es1kx absolutely
100%! Josh is such a good host and brings so much to everything he does. I just discovered this channel today and was so surprised to see my favorite ex-Flighttest host hosting this channel!
That’s because these new generations are a bunch of pussies and love Gaga crap more than honor.
This summer I painted a house for a ww 2 veteran. He is 97 and still going strong. He drives on a daily basis, lives by himself, does all his own cooking! One day while I was painting on the roof, I heard something behind me, it was him, he climb up on the roof!! Amazing man. He said the secret to a long live is stay busy, just keep moving is what he said.
really and truly unbelievable
Good advice
You should stop by and ask if he wants to be interviewed by Josh and his crew!!
Please come to Flint and interview my grandpa. He’s 95 now
Thank you Memoirs!
You can also record his story so you can also keep and share his stories.
Definitely record his story and maybe Josh can use the footage.
Oh my yes. You know even my brother in law who served during Vietnam was interviewed about his time in service. You can watch some other men that have video taped their stories on the Library of Congress Website. You can select from all years and places of service and different wars. It is highly interesting. We learn so much from the stories and interviews. Your grandpa may be interest in watching some. Who knows you may find other men that your grandpa served with if you research it just a bit.
please fill out a veteran form on our website www.memoirsofwwii.com thanks for the lead! www.memoirsofwwii.com/veteran-form
I filled it out earlier this year and promptly heard back from you. It said when travel plans bring you to the area you can stop by Flint Michigan for an interview. I am willing to pay you $100 cash twords a hotel room if you can make it. You won’t be disappointed with grandpa:
CB Kelley 6th marine division 22nd infantry
Thank you so much memoirs!
Watchin these vids feels like a movie but it’s real and I love it for that
Didn’t know Dio liked World War 2?😂
But you are right. These aren’t acted and these men have seen the worst of what men can be.
@@Gawnze1945 dio fought in ww2😳😳
@@cereal_milk5273 could have really used some STANDO POWAH on d-day
@@cattibingo yes I did it really helped
@@cereal_milk5273 I feel like the Nazis locked you in that coffin so you would kill them all.
My great grandpa a world war 2 vet on the island of Okinawa passed away this week so I thank you for preserving these stories for all to enjoy
My sympathies for you. I thank him for his service and your families sacrifice.
Semper Fi!!
🙏
My Uncle fought on Okinawa in 1945 with the 1st Marine Div. He was greviously injured by a Japanese grenade. Barely survived. Never talked about the night he was "hit". Saw a lot of blood and hell at 19 years of age! Wow, what a generation! And they did it for us! God Bless our troops!
He seems like such a nice lad to talk to. Biggest Respect to him!
John Smith sorry you feel the way you. My Father was honoring his country by serving in the way he was asked. You are free today because of people like him. You are a very disturbed individual. I hope you get the help you need.
@@richvance9649
It seems John Smith's comment has been deleted.
Rich, I thank your Father for his service.
My Cousin's Brother-in-Law was 21 on June 9th, 1944 and never lived to see 22. He died on Normandy Beach, probably in the Omaha Sector ("Bloody Omaha").
When the Death Camps were liberated in 1945, only then did we realize what a Nightmare a Nazi Victory would have brought to the World and why we had to fight.
I have a Time Magazine from Dec 23, 1940, which I bought in Manhattan, NYC, in 1995, for 20 bucks! (It was 15 cents in 1940!)
In 1940, Time Magazine wrote that, despite pressure from the Nazi Government, the Nazis could not make millions of German Christians do something ---Pray for a Nazi Victory--- which Time called "unprecedented" for a Nation at War.
German Protestants and Catholics (except for the Churches directly controlled by the Nazis) would "pray for the Safety of their Soldiers". but NOT for a Nazi Victory.
They must have recognized something Evil about the Fuhrer.
Bless this channel.
I wish there were hundreds of stories forever preserved here. Truly a great service to the world.
Couldn't agree more. Every one of these stories deserved to be heard
We all should definitely contribute to the patreon. What this channel does is so urgently important
🇺🇸 Yes...I Agree. All of our WWII Veterans...Never To Be Forgotten.🇺🇸 My Dad is a Marine Veteran WWII Guadalcanal and Okinawa....He passed away in1996. All I can say is....God Bless everyone of Our Brave Veteran's.....Thank you ever so much for your Service to our Country always.🇺🇸 Love and Peace to All always...💞✌️
You did a great job Josh on this video of my dad and putting it out right before his 97 birthday on Nov.7 and Vetrans Day, thanks again. One proud son!!
That's so neat Rob-- he is a great story teller as well, you can feel the emotion-- and his concern over your Grandparents was special. God Bless Him, and Thanks.
Hey, wish him a happy 97th from another Nov. 7th aviator!
@@matthewjohnson2428 thanks,will do!
Thank him and please give him a big hug. Semper Fi!
Your father is a wonderful man. Please, if you have the time, please tell him thank you for me
Robert D Vance is my Uncle. He is my mom's older brother. I am happy to say he is 97 years young and doing well. I remember as a kid he would never talk about the war. For 50 years he would not speak of the war or fly on an airplane. My cousins and brothers had no idea what he had been through. As he got older he decided to start writing his memoirs. I always looked up to him because he was always so kind to us but when I read his memoirs I was shocked. After WWII he reenlisted during the Korean conflict. When they say the greatest generation that has ever lived Uncle Bob is living proof. When my Mom passed away I spoke at her funeral. Uncle Bob came up to me and told me he was proud of me. I told him I have always been proud of him. Watching him stand and salute my father's casket who passed away last year and was a veteran of Korea was to me the biggest honor one could give my dad. I love you Uncle Bob you and my father have always been my heroes!
He's a solid man...your lucky
Is he still around?
I regret to share that Mr. Bob Vance left this world gently to be with his wife on January 29, 2023 surrounded by his 3 sons. He lived devoutly to the bible, his family, and his country. We are thankful to have experienced his wisdom, love, composure, and humor.
May his soul rest in eternal peace. 🙏
You can feel the pain from losing his brothers in his voice. Thank you for this video and all others you make. God bless all the superheroes from WWII.
“Those Americans sure looked coming in and they looked tough too “ definitely a tear jerker
A generation that will never be surpassed.
We can certainly hope it never is.
Let the second world war be the last one, for the sake of our past, and our future.
The young men and women today are just as heroic just as tough. I understand where people come from about the so-called greatest generation. But every generation has great people in it and every generation does not have everyone be so great.
@@keithfaccone8124 Agreed. Nowadays you dont know who the enemy is. No uniforms hardly.
This generation finds it too hard to wear a mask. omg
Heavy bomber airmen in WWII were the equivalent of infantry soldiers running into machine guns in WWI. I have no idea how a bunch of 19-22 year old pilots with same age crewmen were able to do the stuff they did in WWII in B-17s and B-24s. Incredible.
They used to make B-17 movies and TV series all the time. They stopped making any of them since the late 1990s. There has only been one movie showing a B-24 in combat and that was the wonderful "Unbroken" movie. There needs to be more WWII air combat movies made this century. I mean air combat, not combined sea-air combat like Pearl Harbor and Midway.
I'm glad he made it home to share his story as well as his crew. I'm grateful for their sacrifices they made for all of us. This was another incredible episode and thank you for creating it.
Hey Rhett. Great interview. Wonderful man. There's so many different stories out there spanning all time, that history would love and hate to tell.
@@whiterabbit-wo7hw Josh does an excellent job at preserving it! Good to see you here!
Thank you for your service mr Vance. Watching from Holland where we all still are so thankful for each and single soldier!
This channel keeps reminding us just how much we owe to these guys. A generation that is often treated horribly.
Vietnam vets: *am i a joke to you?*
This gentleman lived that war and recalled those memories every day of his life. He'll never know how much his sacrifices have been appreciated. This was like listening to my Dad regarding his duties as a medic in the Philippines, his time during the battles fought there. He is truly a full fledged member of the GREATEST GENERATION.
UK - Thank you, very interesting and emotional story, I was born in 1936 and only last night my two grand children 7 and 11 spent a couple of hours asking all kinds of questions on being a schoolboy growing up during WW2, they are working on a school project, good to see that not everyone wants to wipe away our history .
These stories need to be told and documented. They were so young and it was so horrific. May they all be remembered forever. Respects from 🇨🇦
I don't cry that often, but hearing their stories sure make my eyes swell up with this wet substance. MY GOD am I thankful for these brave men, your channel also!
Wonderful that he is still with us to share his story.
That is the good thing
I will forever respect these men. One of the bravest groups of men ever seen
The interviews of these great Heroes should be on a weekly television series...so more people can learn about the great sacrifice and heroism these men and women went through. God Bless them all.
I’d honestly love to hear from more airmen. Not saying that I dislike the other marines or army stories. It’s just interesting to hear what it was like up there. Keep up the great work!
Thank you Robert for your service, and to your crew THANK YOU for making the ultimate sacrifice in the pursuit of freedom for all. Your sacrifices won't be forgotten.
Another great story. I get emotional watching these, because I think “All his buddies from that time are gone.” This man is in his 90’s, and can recall his time in the service, as if it just happened. It must be hard for him, that he’s among the few left that can tell the same stories. That were there. My Hat’s off to you Sir.
Why have i just found this channel... Great grandson of three WW2 veterans in both europe and the pacific they all made it home. Theyve all since died about a decade ago and i've been doing endless research after inheriting papers and memories of the war. Edit: This story is wonderful Thank you Robert Vance for sharing your stories you are a hero.
this is great, i saw only that episode now and i want to thank you for saving memoirs from all over the world from this time. im from germany, and both of my grandpas told me their experiences and things they remember. what a great generation of men, from all over the world. Respect to every soldier, survived or fallen. they saw so much brutal things ... they experienced the war in the worst kind of way ... im so happy im not in need of think about what war means for me, for my family and friends...
i take off my hat for everyone who was in that war. greetings to everyone from bavaria, germany.
Thank you for your service and story Mr Vance. You are a hero!
It’s amazing how this happened 75 years ago but you can tell that to him it feels like it was just yesterday.
I like to watch these for a sense of appreciation and can only imagine the feeling of heading to war. I'm 21 and cant even begin to imagine the trials and tribulations these men met with there brothers and fellow comrades some at the mere ages of their teens.
I am a better person having watched this.
😁👍
well said. We can learn so much from history
EVERY SINGLE EPISODE IS AS GOOD AS THE LAST! Hits me in the feels everytime, these great warriors and our greatest generation for they answered her call!
One comment mentioned people would claim it as fake, and sad that is todays reality! This is my grandfather and his story is ever more real that him surviving as a POW. Im biased, but "what a guy." Our family feels so blessed to have him and wish his story was told on the biggest screens ever made!! Honoring the seven whose stories ended all too soon.
Thank you for your service Mr. Vance.
These people were part of the greatest generation who valued our country and unflinchingly did their duty against great odds to give us all the freedom we enjoy today. They are all heroes to me!
Amazing story as always. Much love from greece . My grandmother is 95 now and she always tells me stories about ww2 you know the invasion of greece by the italians and all of that. And my grandfather has a medal from EAM if you want you can search for it. I feel so proud that I can talk to a human that lived in that period and she was 15 when the war started so she remembers everything. ❤
I had (at least) 10 great-uncles who fought in WWII. Two of my great-grandmothers had 5 sons EACH in the war at the same time. One of my great-uncles, (Robert Morris), was a pilot of a B-24. HIs brother was a flight engineer with the Flying Tigers(in China, I believe.) Most were in the Army Air Corps, but several were in the Navy. They are all now deceased, but they all made it back alive from WWII. I love watching these videos of our American heroes. Thank-you for posting. I'm watching this on the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor.
These heroes are the best there has ever been, they endured things most people can't comprehend.
I’m sorry we missed interviewing my father-in-law. He was in the U.S. Army and made it through the Battle of the Bulge. He couldn’t talk the last year of his life and passed away in his 90’s a little more than 5 years ago. Thank you for capturing these stories. Much appreciated.
You are doing great things with these video memoirs. It humanizes the war and reminds us what a trying, terrible time that was for everyone involved. We should all be grateful for the service of that generation and the sacrifices they made.
What amazing stories you guys are preserving- stories our kid's kids need to hear. History is unfortunately being lost and there aren't men like these men anymore days. I am so glad you are filming these heroes. My Grandpa fought in WW2. Watching these videos brings me back to him sharing a few stories with me. He was cripled in the war. They said he'd never walk again, but he beat all odds and taught himself how to walk again. He even taught me and his other grandkids how to swim. I wish I heard more of his stories. He passed in '16.
Thank you so much for this channel. The stories of the men and women of the greatest generation must be preserved.
I can tell he still has a bit of survivors guilt but I'm happy he and his buddy survived and made it home safe, god bless him for his service and thank you all for putting these videos out its nice to hear these veterans speak about what happened and tell there storys
There is just something so special when you hear the greatest generation speak about what they went thru! They're heros who's voices need to be heard! After the war they came home and built a great America that we enjoy today! Much thanks to them and you for preserving their stories of heroism and perseverance for future generations to hear and learn from so they can appreciate what they have today that these brave men and women fought for!
Respect to Robert and all servicemen and women from every country! Thanks for their service.
What a day for a post like this. G-d bless Mr. Vance.
These uploads are outstanding. I’m 48 but I have so much admiration and respect for these brave men and their boundless courage to tell their stories...
I remember taking care of an old man that would throw grenades over the railing of his bed at night. He’d yell like he was still right in the middle of it. It was sad to see a 100 year old man still fighting.. forever grateful!
These guys are REAL men. Full of balls, courage and determination to get the job done. God bless our veterans, thank you for your service. Respect.
*** Thank you for those amazing interviews, this channel is so inspiring !
I think these sad memories are why these guys hold back telling their stories.
You’re right, my grandpa never spoke a word about his time in ww2 to me until he was late eighties, the pain and trauma of the war was always with him until the day he died.
@@milosmith8275 Some are now doing great oral presentation interviews, some are on TH-cam. My grandfather I knew went to Pearl a year after the attacks for clean-up, I wish I had quized him about those times. If you watch the HBO film "The Pacific" you can understand why anybody there would not like to talk about such Hell.
Yes my father never did talk much about his war experience until he got into his upper years.
Thank you to continue making these videos even in a time like this 🙏
I always get choked up with these videos, usually at the end of their stories. I think it’s a combination of joy that the brave men and women got through such hell, mixed with sorrow & deep respect for some lovely old people. God bless them all!
These Vets are really strong people, being able to recall their horrible memories like that
God bless you Mr. Vance. God bless all of our veterans. My father was in the USAF in WW2 and I miss him dearly. Brave souls those men.
Very humble man who did amazing things.
Outstanding as always. God Bless Mr. Vance and all our Veterans.
The main reason why I watch these videos is to bring me back to being a kid and talking to my 2 great uncles who both fought in the 2nd world war and both made it back home. They used to tell me all kinds of stories about their time in the war. They've been gone for many years now and I'm soon to be 43 and I can't help but to get teary eyed thinking about them.. hopefully I will see them both again after my time on earth is thru
God bless him. We loved hearing his story. Thank you for your service solder! ❤️😁👍
God bless this man. My dad was a WWII vet. He would tell a few stories, and would sound the same as this fellow. Unless you’ve been to war, you will never know what these guys went thru. Thank you for sharing this.
Is amazing what all this brave men suffered in WWII. Thanks a lot for your fight, for your effort. God Bless all of you.
I use to talk with my dads' brother who served in the Navy aboard submarines in the Pacific in WW2. He had some stories. My dad couldn't serve because of health issues.
This wonderful dad, grandfather is very humble and I too would love to talk with him.
Semper Fi, sir.
Very sad 😥 and VERY touching. 💔🙋♀️
Thank you ,it reminds me of my late Grandfather who won the DSM on B turret for bravery against the Scharnhorst on HMS Belfast! True hero
I wrote a piece that ran in USA Today in 1992; a few years later the Kriegies asked to use it for the 50th anniversary of their liberation. It's one of the privileges of my life to have been invited to that celebration in Cinncinnati.
"When these men were young, they saved the world."
Thanks, guys.
I'm blessed to be able to watch these stories and appreciate all this channel does to get these out. I miss hearing about these type of war stories from neighbors or people I have meat through out the years. Very thankful for all the veterans that have served in any and all wars for this great country. God bless you all.
these better become a tv show some day, alot more people need to see these
True heros. Truly amazing!
Thank you for your sacrifice sir
Im so glad the greatest generation is still around to share their stories. Thanks again!
What an incredible story. Sir you are a true hero and thank you .
never find words enough to thank al those man
Amazing story. Please keep these coming
I flew and worked with that generation, I can recall one flight from LAX to MIA (early 1970's) when briefing the Capt about what items were on the deferred list (Inop Items) I informed him there would be no auto pilot, his remarks was "well Ed at least they won't be shooting at us" that sticks in my mind to this day, not too much bothered those guys, they all went through some serious situations so pushing an airliner around was pure gravy......I miss all of them
THANK YOU, for this series! Best on TH-cam.
I absolutely love hearing these stories. It gives me hope that we as a nation can return to how Good people used to be. Thank the Lord for this greatest generation
Agreed, must have been so much terrifying, I mean on the ground there is always the possibility of running for cover ducking and diving but up there in the air, there is no where to run once those flak cannons and fighter aircraft start firing at them. I can't begin to imagine what they felt.
Honorable man. Thanks for sharing your story of service
Thank you for your service Robert!
What a beautiful & touching story, I could have listen for hours. Thank you so much for telling it.
awesome story thank you sir for everything
My father was in the 44th BG, and also a radio operator and tail gunner. These stories are similar to the ones he told. His plane was shot down in 1944. They saw some terrible things.
Best channel on TH-cam. Heroic tales from men who don't think of themselves as heroes. Thank you for giving us a world we could be proud of.
Thank you for your service. GOD Bless You.
This channel deserve a recognition.
Words will never be enough but rest assured, 'lest we will never forget'. Thank you MWWII!
I just love listening to the stories there like interesting to me because I want to know what happened during World War II From the eyes of the person who fought in it
I lost my son in Afghanistan. I got word he was.MIA presumed dead. It was bad. That was June 28 2005, but I had hope he survived so I just hung on with hope. I got the official word on the fourth of July he was KIA. I am glad his parents got him back. Never forget those who gave all. Live your life with there sacrifice in mind. For someone gave all for you.
another exceptional video these stories of these men strike so many feelings in me
I love this channel! It’s so interesting listening to people’s stories in war that not a lot of people have heard before. God bless our veterans!
One of my neighbours served in ww2 but I’m way too shy to ask him how it was, but I really want to know his stories as they fascinate me to no end. All I know is that he is 96, was a british fighter pilot (I live in Australia), was shot down and kept as a POW in Germany in 1944, then was released at the end of the war in 1945 where I presume he moved down here. He is in very good shape for his age and seems like a lovely man.
So appreciative of these stories of the men and women of the greatest generation that we owe all that we have to just an outstanding channel these stories need to be told these videos are just outstanding they are so appreciated.
You can see the sadness and mental pain he is feeling. Remembering all of this and his fellow crew members. But especially being the LAST one alive. 😥
.
Wow, thank you for your service, sir!
Amazing. Brought a tear to my eye
Sir, deepest thanks for your service!!
thank god for all men and women that serve and have served. much respect
Thank you for your service sir
God Bless You Mr Robert Vance & Late DeBlassios Family Members Blessed Veterans Day Week