1 00:00:07,120 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Ah beat Force. If it doesn't work, you're just not 2 00:00:19,680 --> 00:00:24,880 Speaker 1: using enough. You're listening to software A Gradio Special Operations, 3 00:00:24,920 --> 00:01:22,280 Speaker 1: military news and straight talk with the guys and the community. 4 00:01:00,080 --> 00:01:30,479 Speaker 1: YEA softwarep Radio on Time on Target. I'm actually away 5 00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:35,760 Speaker 1: this week, guys. So here's what I decided for this show. Uh. 6 00:01:36,200 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: Some of you may have heard this interview before, but 7 00:01:38,200 --> 00:01:42,640 Speaker 1: a lot of you haven't. Brandon Web, on episode thirteen 8 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:46,399 Speaker 1: of his Power Thought podcast, got to interview a true 9 00:01:46,480 --> 00:01:50,800 Speaker 1: American hero, Captain Jerry Yelling, the man who flew the 10 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:55,120 Speaker 1: last combat mission over Japan for the US, and it 11 00:01:55,240 --> 00:01:57,840 Speaker 1: was a real blast having him on the thing. That's 12 00:01:57,840 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: a real shame, though, is it's likely the final interview 13 00:02:00,760 --> 00:02:03,560 Speaker 1: that Captain Jerry Yellen did in his life. Just a 14 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:06,480 Speaker 1: few months later, he passed away and didn't get to 15 00:02:06,520 --> 00:02:09,520 Speaker 1: take Brandon Web up on his offer of flying with him, 16 00:02:09,560 --> 00:02:11,600 Speaker 1: which I feel like it would have been amazing for 17 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,520 Speaker 1: both of those guys. Uh. So, before we get into it, 18 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:16,440 Speaker 1: I wanted to let you guys know what we have 19 00:02:16,639 --> 00:02:21,640 Speaker 1: going on here at Hurricane Media. UM Create Club Create 20 00:02:21,639 --> 00:02:25,040 Speaker 1: Club dot US. It's a club four men by men. 21 00:02:25,520 --> 00:02:30,600 Speaker 1: We have some great custom products coming in, including UM 22 00:02:30,639 --> 00:02:33,640 Speaker 1: a lot of gear from our panthera line which Brandon 23 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:37,800 Speaker 1: Webb designed with Jason Kennetzer, and all sorts of manly 24 00:02:37,840 --> 00:02:39,760 Speaker 1: gear that you guys are gonna love. So it's create 25 00:02:39,840 --> 00:02:44,600 Speaker 1: Club dot us different tiers of membership. Check them all out, 26 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:48,080 Speaker 1: UM and of course the coolest stuff you're gonna get 27 00:02:48,080 --> 00:02:50,760 Speaker 1: with the highest tiers, they're like the premium crate. Uh 28 00:02:50,800 --> 00:02:53,800 Speaker 1: so keep that in mind. And we also have a 29 00:02:53,880 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 1: box for your dog every month. If you have a dog, 30 00:02:57,520 --> 00:03:00,320 Speaker 1: you're a dog lover, this is for you, does matter 31 00:03:00,400 --> 00:03:02,640 Speaker 1: the size or age of the dog because they custom 32 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,360 Speaker 1: make it for you. Kuna dot Dog c U n 33 00:03:06,440 --> 00:03:08,800 Speaker 1: A dot d o G. They have a team of 34 00:03:08,919 --> 00:03:12,720 Speaker 1: trained canine handlers picking out that box and they've had 35 00:03:12,760 --> 00:03:15,800 Speaker 1: stuff in the past like probiotics for your dog as 36 00:03:15,840 --> 00:03:19,040 Speaker 1: well as some treats and training aids, and it promotes 37 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,480 Speaker 1: being active with your dog. So check that out. It's 38 00:03:21,560 --> 00:03:25,120 Speaker 1: Kuna dot Dog c U n A dot d o G. 39 00:03:25,880 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 1: I'm just going to get right into it. An interview 40 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:32,400 Speaker 1: with a true American hero conducted by our CEO, Brandon 41 00:03:32,440 --> 00:03:39,040 Speaker 1: web Here it is Captain Jerry Yellen. So Captain Jerry 42 00:03:39,080 --> 00:03:43,760 Speaker 1: Yellen former US Army Air Forces fighter pilot, which was 43 00:03:43,880 --> 00:03:47,360 Speaker 1: the name of the Army Air Corps changed temporarily from 44 00:03:49,800 --> 00:03:52,560 Speaker 1: Jerry flew the final combat mission of World War Two 45 00:03:52,920 --> 00:03:56,320 Speaker 1: and one of my favorite airplanes, the P fifty one 46 00:03:56,400 --> 00:03:59,760 Speaker 1: Mustang over Japan. Turning ninety four years old next year. 47 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,520 Speaker 1: I could tell this. You know, he loves aviation as 48 00:04:03,600 --> 00:04:06,360 Speaker 1: much as I do, so I really looking forward to 49 00:04:06,360 --> 00:04:10,000 Speaker 1: to getting into the conversation. So you're on episode thirteen 50 00:04:10,640 --> 00:04:15,600 Speaker 1: of Power Thought, and I like it. And I'm also 51 00:04:16,720 --> 00:04:20,640 Speaker 1: a huge pot like fan of aviation. I fly a 52 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:25,080 Speaker 1: YACK fifty m an RV six and it's not a 53 00:04:25,120 --> 00:04:30,839 Speaker 1: P fifty one, but I saw your a video on 54 00:04:31,080 --> 00:04:35,239 Speaker 1: Facebook and you flew the final combat mission of War 55 00:04:35,320 --> 00:04:37,919 Speaker 1: two and one of my favorite airplanes, the P fifty 56 00:04:37,920 --> 00:04:45,400 Speaker 1: one Mustang. Everybody's favor, uh. And I had one of 57 00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:48,799 Speaker 1: the guys that I get together with these crazy military 58 00:04:48,839 --> 00:04:52,920 Speaker 1: pilots and we do BFM twice a year, kind of 59 00:04:52,920 --> 00:04:55,839 Speaker 1: off the grid in San Diego, and one of the 60 00:04:55,880 --> 00:05:00,880 Speaker 1: guys won the Reno. I think in the it was 61 00:05:00,920 --> 00:05:03,159 Speaker 1: a heavily modified P fifty one, but he won that 62 00:05:03,279 --> 00:05:07,359 Speaker 1: last Reno areas. But you're right everybody loves the Mustang. 63 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 1: I flew a T six at Law School and Air 64 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:15,120 Speaker 1: Force Base last December. At two, I took off the 65 00:05:15,160 --> 00:05:19,000 Speaker 1: formation that loops and rolls and all kinds of stuff. Uh, 66 00:05:19,320 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: the T and that's the Texan, right, that's the new Texan. 67 00:05:23,680 --> 00:05:26,040 Speaker 1: The all Texans was the eight six. This is called 68 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: the T six prop chat. So I want I wanted 69 00:05:33,880 --> 00:05:38,160 Speaker 1: to ask you about just your your origin story. We 70 00:05:38,200 --> 00:05:40,200 Speaker 1: have a lot of guests on the show UM and 71 00:05:40,600 --> 00:05:43,200 Speaker 1: it's a you know, we're just fascinated to learn how 72 00:05:43,240 --> 00:05:47,560 Speaker 1: people arrive at the roles that they they get to. 73 00:05:47,640 --> 00:05:51,760 Speaker 1: We just were fortunate enough to interview UM astronaut Scott 74 00:05:51,839 --> 00:05:55,400 Speaker 1: Kelly last week five Hours in Space. But what what 75 00:05:55,440 --> 00:05:58,720 Speaker 1: got you into the cockpit of the P fifty one? 76 00:05:58,760 --> 00:06:01,040 Speaker 1: If you could start, maybe it was your childhood to 77 00:06:01,560 --> 00:06:04,400 Speaker 1: that point where you're flying that last mission. I would 78 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,920 Speaker 1: love to hear it. Brandon, When I was six or 79 00:06:06,960 --> 00:06:10,400 Speaker 1: seven years old, eight years old, at the beginning of 80 00:06:10,440 --> 00:06:16,320 Speaker 1: the Depression in nty three, I delivered magazines Liberty and 81 00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:20,200 Speaker 1: Colume magazines to the neighborhood, and I got cue pons, 82 00:06:21,240 --> 00:06:23,440 Speaker 1: and I turned the cue ponds and to Bolster would 83 00:06:23,560 --> 00:06:27,159 Speaker 1: move models of World War One airplanes. That became fascinated 84 00:06:27,920 --> 00:06:33,839 Speaker 1: with aviation. They at Pulp Magazine's wings and fine, and 85 00:06:33,839 --> 00:06:36,560 Speaker 1: and I knew all of World War One pilots. And 86 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:41,680 Speaker 1: then as time went on, General Sanal went to with 87 00:06:41,760 --> 00:06:45,279 Speaker 1: the Flying Tigers, and then the Battle of Great Britain 88 00:06:45,720 --> 00:06:48,760 Speaker 1: with all the spitfire pilots, and and I was just 89 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,680 Speaker 1: fascinated with aviation, never been open an airplane. And on 90 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:59,680 Speaker 1: December seven about Pearl Harbor, I was seventeen, and I said, 91 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:03,520 Speaker 1: I'm five fire planes against the Japanese. So I went 92 00:07:03,560 --> 00:07:07,480 Speaker 1: to the armory and I got the papers and the 93 00:07:07,560 --> 00:07:09,680 Speaker 1: guy said, you're smart. I said, why do we have 94 00:07:09,800 --> 00:07:12,480 Speaker 1: to be smart? He said, we even have to take 95 00:07:12,480 --> 00:07:14,800 Speaker 1: a test, like you have to have two years of college. 96 00:07:15,960 --> 00:07:20,600 Speaker 1: So on my fifth eighteenth birthday, February fifteen, nineteen forty two, 97 00:07:21,600 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: I had my mother and father reluctantly signed the papers, 98 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:27,920 Speaker 1: and I went in and took the exams, and I 99 00:07:28,040 --> 00:07:31,520 Speaker 1: passed the metal easily. In front the physical I had 100 00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:35,400 Speaker 1: vision and one eye, and the doctor said, go home, 101 00:07:35,520 --> 00:07:37,560 Speaker 1: stay in the dark room, eat a lot of carrots, 102 00:07:37,600 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 1: don't read anything, and come back in three days and 103 00:07:40,880 --> 00:07:45,040 Speaker 1: take the test again and I went home. My mother 104 00:07:45,120 --> 00:07:47,320 Speaker 1: came home from work. She was on the draft board, 105 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:50,560 Speaker 1: and I asked her if she'd bring a copy of 106 00:07:50,560 --> 00:07:52,680 Speaker 1: the eye chart. When she did, my memory as the 107 00:07:52,720 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: eye chart on past, that's the eye set. So you 108 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,400 Speaker 1: know I was committed and um I became an aviation 109 00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:07,040 Speaker 1: cadet and waiting went through all the training, wound up 110 00:08:07,760 --> 00:08:15,480 Speaker 1: soloing on far twenty second Thunderbird Field in Phoenix, Horizona 111 00:08:15,560 --> 00:08:22,920 Speaker 1: now the Scottsdale Airport, and I went to basic training 112 00:08:22,960 --> 00:08:26,880 Speaker 1: after the stamen in Tucson and came back to Luke Field, 113 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,560 Speaker 1: flew six and ten hours in the P forty and 114 00:08:32,679 --> 00:08:35,000 Speaker 1: had my uniforms apart and all the rest of it, 115 00:08:36,280 --> 00:08:38,920 Speaker 1: and i'd take the physical again the final six four 116 00:08:39,400 --> 00:08:41,560 Speaker 1: and I flunked the eye test. They changed the chart 117 00:08:41,720 --> 00:08:46,000 Speaker 1: on my eyes remained the same, and so the Chinese 118 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:49,360 Speaker 1: Dr Lee said, well, you've come so far, you're gonna 119 00:08:49,640 --> 00:08:53,360 Speaker 1: graduate with your class and you're gonna fly transports. And 120 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:55,280 Speaker 1: I said, so I'm a fighter part I got ten 121 00:08:55,280 --> 00:08:58,080 Speaker 1: hours in a P forty, I'm not gonna fly fighter. 122 00:08:59,800 --> 00:09:02,319 Speaker 1: And he said, you'll fly anything I tell you to fly, 123 00:09:03,480 --> 00:09:05,360 Speaker 1: and I said, look, can change that. He said, the 124 00:09:05,400 --> 00:09:07,880 Speaker 1: command on the condets And I said, how do you 125 00:09:07,920 --> 00:09:09,599 Speaker 1: get to see him? He says, you go through a 126 00:09:09,679 --> 00:09:13,840 Speaker 1: chain of command. What does that mean? Asked me? First, sir, 127 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,880 Speaker 1: I want to see the command on the candets, And 128 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:19,400 Speaker 1: I told him the story, and without blinking I he said, 129 00:09:19,440 --> 00:09:22,120 Speaker 1: anybody's got the guts to see to me, come to 130 00:09:22,200 --> 00:09:25,160 Speaker 1: see me. You're a fighter pilot. So I graduated in 131 00:09:25,240 --> 00:09:29,599 Speaker 1: my class and I became P forty pilot in Hawaii, 132 00:09:30,320 --> 00:09:32,760 Speaker 1: then P forty seventh, and then we got the fifty 133 00:09:32,800 --> 00:09:38,000 Speaker 1: ones and on March seventh, nineteen forty five, I landed 134 00:09:38,000 --> 00:09:41,480 Speaker 1: on it with Jama in the seven in fighter squad 135 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,600 Speaker 1: and never left that squadron. And I flew the cup 136 00:09:44,760 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: first long range mission over Japan eight hours on April seventh, 137 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:56,040 Speaker 1: thanking nineteen missions at all, including the first mission over Japan, 138 00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:00,360 Speaker 1: and an Army fighter pilot airquart to Ma. He had 139 00:10:00,400 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 1: phone across the fan and the Navy ship, Navy fighter plane. 140 00:10:04,440 --> 00:10:08,920 Speaker 1: They have four house, they have success and most planes, 141 00:10:09,000 --> 00:10:11,880 Speaker 1: but this was the first land basement. Did you get 142 00:10:11,880 --> 00:10:16,320 Speaker 1: into any engagements with the zeros, the Japanese Zeros? Oh? Yeah, 143 00:10:16,400 --> 00:10:19,559 Speaker 1: I shut down three and a half of our plane 144 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:24,400 Speaker 1: three probables and I have confirmed. Uh, well, we got 145 00:10:24,440 --> 00:10:28,280 Speaker 1: into a lot of combat because carlis Lamy stopped the 146 00:10:28,360 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: daylight bombing of the twenty irons in June, and we 147 00:10:33,240 --> 00:10:37,400 Speaker 1: went up on fighter suit just looking for trouble. And 148 00:10:38,080 --> 00:10:41,559 Speaker 1: that's we actually have one of our websites and the 149 00:10:41,679 --> 00:10:45,880 Speaker 1: Hurricane called the Fighter Sweep. It's a big military aviation site. 150 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,040 Speaker 1: But so how does the I mean the P fifty 151 00:10:49,120 --> 00:10:53,559 Speaker 1: one because I we fight mostly Yak fifties against the 152 00:10:53,679 --> 00:10:56,480 Speaker 1: Nanchang and the fifty two and the fifties is such 153 00:10:56,520 --> 00:11:00,319 Speaker 1: a high performance airplane. You you can kind of power 154 00:11:00,360 --> 00:11:03,240 Speaker 1: your way out of a bad, bad problem. But how 155 00:11:03,240 --> 00:11:06,640 Speaker 1: does the fifty one stack up against the zero? Because 156 00:11:06,640 --> 00:11:11,080 Speaker 1: I know the zero is a really tight turn radius right, well, 157 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:17,120 Speaker 1: zero and there's zero under two hundred fifty could turn 158 00:11:17,240 --> 00:11:20,920 Speaker 1: rings inside of any airplane. But they had such a 159 00:11:21,040 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 1: high torque that over two hundred fifty miles an hour 160 00:11:23,880 --> 00:11:26,760 Speaker 1: they couldn't break for the right. So we would try 161 00:11:26,800 --> 00:11:29,000 Speaker 1: to attract them from above and then break away at 162 00:11:29,040 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: three hundred miles right, and you tried never to get 163 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:35,560 Speaker 1: in a nose up position with them because they could 164 00:11:35,559 --> 00:11:38,679 Speaker 1: just outmen over here. But they were flamers. They had 165 00:11:38,720 --> 00:11:42,640 Speaker 1: no self saling gas tanks, they had no armor plate 166 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:50,160 Speaker 1: behind the pilot, and they were incredible machines, but the 167 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,000 Speaker 1: high speed they weren't very good. Yeah, it must have 168 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:56,400 Speaker 1: been a fascinating If I had a time travel machine, 169 00:11:56,400 --> 00:11:59,040 Speaker 1: I would go back and be right there with you 170 00:11:59,400 --> 00:12:04,839 Speaker 1: reading that. Charged to fly fighter planes? Um, what are 171 00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:10,360 Speaker 1: some of the biggest I would say experience takeaways in 172 00:12:10,400 --> 00:12:14,760 Speaker 1: the military, Like, what what are the top three lessons 173 00:12:14,840 --> 00:12:17,640 Speaker 1: you think you've learned in the military that as a 174 00:12:17,720 --> 00:12:21,200 Speaker 1: fighter pilot that you've applied to your life after World 175 00:12:21,240 --> 00:12:24,360 Speaker 1: War Two? Well, the first thing I learned when I 176 00:12:24,400 --> 00:12:27,160 Speaker 1: put to you for them on was that I was 177 00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:31,280 Speaker 1: willing and able to give my life to protect my 178 00:12:31,320 --> 00:12:36,439 Speaker 1: buddies no matter what happened. As a military guy. The 179 00:12:36,480 --> 00:12:40,480 Speaker 1: policeman in the fireman feel the same way, and in 180 00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:43,120 Speaker 1: the line of duty, they're willing to give their lives 181 00:12:43,360 --> 00:12:47,320 Speaker 1: to do the things they've trn to do. And the 182 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:52,440 Speaker 1: experience of being accepted by other pilots to do when 183 00:12:52,440 --> 00:12:56,680 Speaker 1: I was doing was a great experience for me. And 184 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:00,280 Speaker 1: the fact that I had gone to the CEO, the 185 00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 1: top guy who convict. The decisions taught me that any 186 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:07,200 Speaker 1: time you want anything time, go to the man who 187 00:13:07,200 --> 00:13:10,760 Speaker 1: can make that decision. And I live that pretty much 188 00:13:10,880 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 1: all my life. So I guess that's what I learned. 189 00:13:14,679 --> 00:13:17,280 Speaker 1: And service to my country was the greatest duty that 190 00:13:17,320 --> 00:13:20,360 Speaker 1: I ever had in time of the war that were 191 00:13:21,760 --> 00:13:24,520 Speaker 1: I'll tell you what I did, share a personal experience. 192 00:13:25,400 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 1: I write down my goals every year, and last year 193 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:32,480 Speaker 1: it was to get my seaplane rating, and I decided 194 00:13:32,520 --> 00:13:34,240 Speaker 1: to do it. I was on vacation in Italy and 195 00:13:34,280 --> 00:13:38,280 Speaker 1: saw them landing seaplanes on on Lake Como, and so 196 00:13:38,320 --> 00:13:41,400 Speaker 1: I signed up for this Italian seaplane course and went 197 00:13:41,440 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 1: over there, and they had no idea who I was. 198 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:46,760 Speaker 1: And they, you know, they're one of the few outfits 199 00:13:46,800 --> 00:13:50,360 Speaker 1: that teach seaplane that you can get the rating in 200 00:13:50,679 --> 00:13:53,160 Speaker 1: Europe and the and they have some Middle East customers 201 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:55,800 Speaker 1: too with the So I showed up as the American 202 00:13:55,840 --> 00:13:58,360 Speaker 1: and they have no idea who I am or what 203 00:13:58,480 --> 00:14:01,800 Speaker 1: I am. But halfway through the syllable, the chief instructor 204 00:14:01,920 --> 00:14:03,960 Speaker 1: flew with me and said, hey, we just I just 205 00:14:03,960 --> 00:14:06,200 Speaker 1: want to let you know that, you know, my my 206 00:14:06,280 --> 00:14:10,040 Speaker 1: instructor pilots tell me really good things, and you know, 207 00:14:10,280 --> 00:14:12,600 Speaker 1: we're really happy that you you're here in the club. 208 00:14:12,679 --> 00:14:15,679 Speaker 1: And so that's kind of like that validation that you 209 00:14:15,760 --> 00:14:19,600 Speaker 1: talked about from your peers, and that can't be you 210 00:14:19,640 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 1: can't skip that process. It has to be earned. And 211 00:14:22,080 --> 00:14:24,600 Speaker 1: when it's earned, when he earned the trust of you know, 212 00:14:24,720 --> 00:14:29,320 Speaker 1: fellow aviators or people in your profession, I mean, it's 213 00:14:29,720 --> 00:14:32,240 Speaker 1: it's just a good feeling. And I just have so 214 00:14:32,280 --> 00:14:36,600 Speaker 1: many young kids these days asking me for like the 215 00:14:37,040 --> 00:14:39,720 Speaker 1: secret to success or the secret like how did you 216 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:42,240 Speaker 1: get through seal training, And it's like it's you've got 217 00:14:42,240 --> 00:14:47,080 Speaker 1: to just knuckle down and do the work well. Squadron 218 00:14:48,040 --> 00:14:50,000 Speaker 1: had a guy who was the first day so just 219 00:14:50,480 --> 00:14:54,240 Speaker 1: Jim Tapp. He was my mentor. Any time that he 220 00:14:54,320 --> 00:14:58,440 Speaker 1: needed something special as a wingman, it called on me 221 00:14:59,040 --> 00:15:03,000 Speaker 1: all the time. We imp fortis and then you know, 222 00:15:03,480 --> 00:15:08,880 Speaker 1: it was just an incredible acceptance because I don't know 223 00:15:08,920 --> 00:15:11,200 Speaker 1: if you know, this was the black guys, the Tusky 224 00:15:11,240 --> 00:15:13,360 Speaker 1: gearman had to be three times as good just to 225 00:15:13,400 --> 00:15:16,440 Speaker 1: be accepted. And I was a Jewish guy. I had 226 00:15:16,480 --> 00:15:18,440 Speaker 1: to be three times as good just to be accepted 227 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:21,880 Speaker 1: as a pusson. And I was the go to guy 228 00:15:22,200 --> 00:15:24,800 Speaker 1: for the go to guy in the seventh Air Force, 229 00:15:25,840 --> 00:15:31,080 Speaker 1: and that really connected me to everybody else that still does. 230 00:15:32,120 --> 00:15:35,440 Speaker 1: And you recently wrote a book called The Last Fighter Pilot, 231 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:38,600 Speaker 1: The True Story of the Final combat Mission of World 232 00:15:38,600 --> 00:15:42,960 Speaker 1: War Two, which is available now and I assume all 233 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:50,600 Speaker 1: all bookstores Amazon. What what inspired you to write the book? Well, 234 00:15:50,600 --> 00:15:52,680 Speaker 1: that's a that's a good question. I didn't write one 235 00:15:52,720 --> 00:15:56,880 Speaker 1: word of that book. John Brown, Oh, this is his 236 00:15:57,000 --> 00:16:01,840 Speaker 1: thirteenth book. I wrote that book. MHD used me as 237 00:16:01,880 --> 00:16:04,520 Speaker 1: the main character. And I asked Don Brown, how did 238 00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:08,600 Speaker 1: you come to write this book. They give me credit 239 00:16:08,680 --> 00:16:11,280 Speaker 1: for writing the book with Zuri, but it's not so. 240 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:14,840 Speaker 1: Don Brown wrote the book. And he said, Jerry, I 241 00:16:14,880 --> 00:16:17,640 Speaker 1: saw a video that you made on Regima two thousand 242 00:16:17,680 --> 00:16:22,960 Speaker 1: and fifteen, Jerry ellen Ewigima, and you spoke about history, 243 00:16:23,320 --> 00:16:26,560 Speaker 1: the last fighter mission flown in World War Two and 244 00:16:26,600 --> 00:16:29,440 Speaker 1: having your wingman the last man killed in comment at 245 00:16:29,480 --> 00:16:32,960 Speaker 1: World War two. And I wrote history books, and so 246 00:16:33,040 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: I wrote this book, and it's your story of the 247 00:16:36,880 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 1: last fighter mission flowing in in a big war, a 248 00:16:41,360 --> 00:16:45,240 Speaker 1: war that really started one when China and raided Manchuria 249 00:16:45,880 --> 00:16:51,400 Speaker 1: and went through that's a long time fourteen years out 250 00:16:51,400 --> 00:16:56,040 Speaker 1: of country CIP war, and I feel fortunate that that 251 00:16:56,160 --> 00:16:59,400 Speaker 1: I did what I did, and I did it to 252 00:16:59,480 --> 00:17:03,880 Speaker 1: the best ability. The night before April seven, the night 253 00:17:03,920 --> 00:17:07,439 Speaker 1: before the first land based mission, I had no fears 254 00:17:07,480 --> 00:17:10,800 Speaker 1: about living or dying or doing. My fear was and 255 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,719 Speaker 1: I wouldn't be able to live up to what I 256 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:16,920 Speaker 1: was expected to do in combat the first time in 257 00:17:17,040 --> 00:17:22,200 Speaker 1: combat overseas eight dollar round trip mission and the fire plane. 258 00:17:22,800 --> 00:17:25,919 Speaker 1: Could I do it? Not with my fear. And when 259 00:17:25,960 --> 00:17:28,760 Speaker 1: I found out that I could do it, then it 260 00:17:28,880 --> 00:17:31,399 Speaker 1: became a lot easier to be to do what we 261 00:17:31,440 --> 00:17:37,120 Speaker 1: had to do, which obviously and actually asked my next 262 00:17:37,200 --> 00:17:41,080 Speaker 1: question was was about fear itself? Because I see so 263 00:17:41,119 --> 00:17:44,439 Speaker 1: many people in life that they know they need to 264 00:17:44,440 --> 00:17:47,080 Speaker 1: make a change, and they let their fear get in 265 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,960 Speaker 1: the way of pursuing what they're passionate about. But can 266 00:17:50,960 --> 00:17:54,080 Speaker 1: you talk about that fear, because you you hit it 267 00:17:54,080 --> 00:17:56,560 Speaker 1: on the head. They never talked, We never talked openly 268 00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:01,359 Speaker 1: about what we all felt. Huh, everybody than I flew with, 269 00:18:01,640 --> 00:18:03,840 Speaker 1: and I flew with sixteen guys who were killed in 270 00:18:03,920 --> 00:18:07,640 Speaker 1: World War two. Eleven guys were killed in combat, five 271 00:18:07,720 --> 00:18:11,080 Speaker 1: guys and accidents in Hawaii and we all felt the 272 00:18:11,119 --> 00:18:13,119 Speaker 1: same way. We were willing to do what has to 273 00:18:13,160 --> 00:18:16,159 Speaker 1: be done, no matter what it is, to protect our bodies, 274 00:18:16,359 --> 00:18:19,280 Speaker 1: and they would protect us. And we were fighting a 275 00:18:19,359 --> 00:18:24,639 Speaker 1: war against the country that attacked our country, Japan. And 276 00:18:26,680 --> 00:18:30,879 Speaker 1: after the war is forty three years later, my youngest 277 00:18:30,880 --> 00:18:34,440 Speaker 1: son married the daughter of a kamikaze in Japan. He 278 00:18:34,560 --> 00:18:37,760 Speaker 1: went there for one year in four and I was 279 00:18:38,000 --> 00:18:41,159 Speaker 1: two thousand and seventeen, hadn't come back yet, and I 280 00:18:41,200 --> 00:18:45,200 Speaker 1: have three Japanese brandchildren. So my life was twisted around 281 00:18:45,280 --> 00:18:50,399 Speaker 1: from hatred to family in the country. And that was it. 282 00:18:50,680 --> 00:18:53,760 Speaker 1: You know that story you told can you can you 283 00:18:53,800 --> 00:18:56,359 Speaker 1: go into that? That how that because there was a 284 00:18:57,080 --> 00:19:01,399 Speaker 1: story around the on the Japanese side, right like accepting 285 00:19:02,040 --> 00:19:05,840 Speaker 1: an American American side too. You know. In nineteen eighty three, 286 00:19:05,880 --> 00:19:08,320 Speaker 1: I was asked to go to Japan. I was a 287 00:19:08,359 --> 00:19:11,200 Speaker 1: consultant and Bank of America Wells far Ago in Bank 288 00:19:11,240 --> 00:19:14,240 Speaker 1: of California, and they asked me to go to Japan. 289 00:19:14,359 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: They want me to go and speak to the mitsuy 290 00:19:16,240 --> 00:19:18,160 Speaker 1: nine group. And I looked at the guy like as 291 00:19:18,200 --> 00:19:22,439 Speaker 1: crazy as Japanese, we're not people and Japan was not 292 00:19:22,520 --> 00:19:25,800 Speaker 1: a place that I want to visit ever, and I said, no, 293 00:19:25,880 --> 00:19:28,280 Speaker 1: I can't go. I'm too busy. And I came home 294 00:19:28,280 --> 00:19:31,159 Speaker 1: that night and I said to my wife Ellen that 295 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:34,320 Speaker 1: I turned on a trip to Japan, and very quietly, 296 00:19:34,560 --> 00:19:37,720 Speaker 1: she said, Jerry, you never once asked me if I 297 00:19:37,760 --> 00:19:41,520 Speaker 1: wanted to go to Japan. In October nineteen eighty three, 298 00:19:41,560 --> 00:19:46,120 Speaker 1: I'm in Japan, and I was literally overwhelmed with everything 299 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:50,760 Speaker 1: that I saw, the people of food, the scenery, the culture, everything. 300 00:19:51,960 --> 00:19:53,879 Speaker 1: And on the last night that we were there in 301 00:19:53,960 --> 00:19:56,840 Speaker 1: nineteen eighty three, she said, you know, Robert was would 302 00:19:56,880 --> 00:20:00,720 Speaker 1: love Japan. And Robert was our fourth son, see a 303 00:20:00,880 --> 00:20:05,160 Speaker 1: senior at San Diego State University, and she says, why 304 00:20:05,160 --> 00:20:08,040 Speaker 1: don't we give him a trip to Japan as her graduation. 305 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:12,960 Speaker 1: We did that and he came home graduated from college 306 00:20:13,000 --> 00:20:15,920 Speaker 1: in nineteen eighty four. I didn't know what he wanted 307 00:20:15,960 --> 00:20:18,240 Speaker 1: to do, so we took a job, signed a contract 308 00:20:18,280 --> 00:20:21,520 Speaker 1: for one year, and went there in nineteen eighty four 309 00:20:22,040 --> 00:20:28,119 Speaker 1: to teach Endless in nineteen eighty seven with three extensions, 310 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:31,800 Speaker 1: Equality asked us to come to Japan, and on the 311 00:20:31,880 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 1: last night that we were there, he said that the 312 00:20:34,280 --> 00:20:36,440 Speaker 1: lady that we had met to Cocke when he wanted 313 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:39,840 Speaker 1: to get married, and I saw the faces of the 314 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:44,800 Speaker 1: sixteen guys that were killed against the Japanese. But I 315 00:20:44,840 --> 00:20:47,600 Speaker 1: had the presence of mind to ask him what is 316 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:50,600 Speaker 1: her family said? And he said they won't meet me. 317 00:20:51,640 --> 00:20:54,640 Speaker 1: And I said, but you get married if you don't 318 00:20:54,640 --> 00:20:57,200 Speaker 1: meet the family and get their permission. He says, we don't. 319 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:02,880 Speaker 1: We haven't talked about that. Seven later he left the family. 320 00:21:02,960 --> 00:21:07,520 Speaker 1: The father was Kamakazi pilot that didn't die in the 321 00:21:07,520 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 1: war because he was sent to China to serve as zeros, 322 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:14,840 Speaker 1: and he survived the war. And he came with two 323 00:21:14,840 --> 00:21:18,760 Speaker 1: of his older sons and to Cocko and Robert, and 324 00:21:18,880 --> 00:21:23,600 Speaker 1: the two boys drills my son Robert about his ability 325 00:21:23,640 --> 00:21:28,040 Speaker 1: to make a living in Japan speak the language lived there, 326 00:21:28,040 --> 00:21:31,320 Speaker 1: and made him promise out loud that if the wedding 327 00:21:31,320 --> 00:21:36,399 Speaker 1: took place, he would never ever move their sister away 328 00:21:36,440 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: from her family in Japan. And he did that. And 329 00:21:39,640 --> 00:21:42,880 Speaker 1: the father asked my son five questions, how old your 330 00:21:42,920 --> 00:21:46,760 Speaker 1: father sixty three? Was he in the war? Yes? What 331 00:21:46,840 --> 00:21:49,119 Speaker 1: did you do as a pilot? What did he fly? 332 00:21:49,440 --> 00:21:53,840 Speaker 1: P fifty wants where over Japan? And that ended the 333 00:21:53,880 --> 00:21:57,000 Speaker 1: meeting and he went home, says to his wife, make 334 00:21:57,080 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 1: the wedding, and she went ballisted, literally crazy, ballistic shouting. 335 00:22:02,960 --> 00:22:05,000 Speaker 1: For forty three years, have been telling me how much 336 00:22:05,040 --> 00:22:08,439 Speaker 1: I hate the Americans, that you've never died for the Emperor, 337 00:22:08,480 --> 00:22:11,320 Speaker 1: you never fired a bullet against the Americans, And now 338 00:22:11,840 --> 00:22:14,040 Speaker 1: you want our daughter to marry this guy, jean In, 339 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,239 Speaker 1: this foreigner. And he said yes. She said why, and 340 00:22:18,280 --> 00:22:21,640 Speaker 1: he said, any man that could fire at one against 341 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:26,000 Speaker 1: the Japanese must be a brave man because he lived. 342 00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:28,240 Speaker 1: And I want the blood of that man, the floss 343 00:22:28,280 --> 00:22:31,320 Speaker 1: of the veins of our grandchildren. So today I have 344 00:22:31,400 --> 00:22:37,320 Speaker 1: three Japanese grandchildren. And I couldn't speak Japanese. He spoke 345 00:22:37,359 --> 00:22:41,000 Speaker 1: a little engl and we were family. We became family. 346 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,600 Speaker 1: My nimb became my family. That's an amazing story, big, 347 00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,199 Speaker 1: big lesson, big lesson. We're all human beings, all of us, 348 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 1: and I think you know, just the world we live 349 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,840 Speaker 1: in today. Was that's an important story to remind everybody 350 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:57,960 Speaker 1: that that we are all human because I, you know, 351 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:02,320 Speaker 1: I fought in afghan to stand you know, and our 352 00:23:02,680 --> 00:23:04,960 Speaker 1: mission was I was with Seal Team three, was to 353 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:08,439 Speaker 1: go over there and destroy the training camps, and you know, 354 00:23:08,480 --> 00:23:12,119 Speaker 1: you come home and the sentiment in America is like 355 00:23:12,520 --> 00:23:15,359 Speaker 1: kill them all, stack the Muslim bodies to God, and 356 00:23:15,400 --> 00:23:18,280 Speaker 1: it's like, look, you don't understand, Like there's a lot 357 00:23:18,320 --> 00:23:21,920 Speaker 1: of good Muslims out there, and that's somebody that's seen 358 00:23:22,800 --> 00:23:26,760 Speaker 1: the ugliness of war. You know, you have a different perspective, 359 00:23:26,800 --> 00:23:30,080 Speaker 1: But people, I think it's an important lesson. I guess 360 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:32,800 Speaker 1: in that in that story that we are all human 361 00:23:32,880 --> 00:23:36,639 Speaker 1: at the end of the day. Brandon. You can emulate 362 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:39,359 Speaker 1: the sights, and you can emulate the sounds of war, 363 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:43,320 Speaker 1: but you can never emulate the smell of twenty eight 364 00:23:43,320 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 1: thousand bodies sitting on sitting and rotting in the sun, 365 00:23:47,359 --> 00:23:50,760 Speaker 1: one at a time. And I was there only with GM. 366 00:23:50,800 --> 00:23:52,960 Speaker 1: I'm not te how many people were killed and have 367 00:23:56,200 --> 00:24:01,040 Speaker 1: I had occa to go to a doctor in Fairville, Iowa, 368 00:24:01,240 --> 00:24:04,480 Speaker 1: two years ago, three years ago, and I walked into 369 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,920 Speaker 1: the office and I didn't recognize one name, not one name, 370 00:24:08,520 --> 00:24:10,680 Speaker 1: And I asked the receptions who am I going to see? 371 00:24:10,760 --> 00:24:13,760 Speaker 1: She said, you're going to see Dr Allward? Donny. I said, 372 00:24:13,760 --> 00:24:17,160 Speaker 1: where's Dr Hallward down here from? And she said Palestine? 373 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:20,000 Speaker 1: So I said, I'm a Jewish guy. I'm gonna say 374 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 1: something to this guy. And I did, and he stood 375 00:24:22,880 --> 00:24:24,840 Speaker 1: up for the while he was examining and says, you 376 00:24:24,880 --> 00:24:27,520 Speaker 1: have no why idea who we were, who we are, 377 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:31,680 Speaker 1: what we are. And when I'm finished, When he finished, 378 00:24:31,720 --> 00:24:33,760 Speaker 1: he gives me a prescription and says, come back in 379 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,440 Speaker 1: ten days. And I started to leave, and all of 380 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:39,560 Speaker 1: a sudden, he said, Mr. Yale, And I said, call 381 00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:42,199 Speaker 1: me Jerry, please, And he said, Jerry, do you know 382 00:24:42,400 --> 00:24:45,000 Speaker 1: my hobby is? I said, I don't have a clue. 383 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:47,560 Speaker 1: What's your hobby is? He says, my hobby is World 384 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: War Two? And I've read every book I can read, 385 00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:52,840 Speaker 1: but you are the very first World War Two veteran 386 00:24:53,400 --> 00:24:56,800 Speaker 1: that I ever met. So I turned around, came back, 387 00:24:56,880 --> 00:25:00,159 Speaker 1: spoke from for thirty forty minutes, and went home. And 388 00:25:00,280 --> 00:25:02,639 Speaker 1: my wife had passed away, and I was leaving Iowa 389 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:06,280 Speaker 1: to go to Florida to move in one of my sons. 390 00:25:06,520 --> 00:25:09,240 Speaker 1: And I had an exact replica of my arable plane, 391 00:25:09,280 --> 00:25:11,760 Speaker 1: my P fifty one, and I packed it up to 392 00:25:11,800 --> 00:25:15,240 Speaker 1: my mail at the doctor Holli Dunning. Ten days later 393 00:25:15,280 --> 00:25:18,199 Speaker 1: on in his office my plans on his desk and 394 00:25:18,280 --> 00:25:21,399 Speaker 1: he walks in, looks at the airplane, looks at me. 395 00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:25,000 Speaker 1: He said, you know, Jerry, you touched my heart like 396 00:25:25,160 --> 00:25:27,480 Speaker 1: few people in the world ever touched my heart. And 397 00:25:27,480 --> 00:25:30,880 Speaker 1: he reached another's pocket and he pulled out some beads 398 00:25:31,640 --> 00:25:34,040 Speaker 1: and he said, my father died when he was seventy 399 00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:38,120 Speaker 1: two years old, and he carried these beets every day 400 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,040 Speaker 1: of his life, and I want you to have him. 401 00:25:40,080 --> 00:25:43,000 Speaker 1: And I said, no, I can't take them as my 402 00:25:43,119 --> 00:25:46,160 Speaker 1: first name, as Abdullah, I can't take them Updulla at 403 00:25:46,160 --> 00:25:50,520 Speaker 1: the family yearline. He says, very very strong, I want 404 00:25:50,560 --> 00:25:53,399 Speaker 1: you to have these bees. So whenever I speak to 405 00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 1: school kids, whenever I speak to large audiences, I told 406 00:25:57,400 --> 00:26:00,600 Speaker 1: the story to thirteen hundred people. It's a D Day 407 00:26:00,680 --> 00:26:07,240 Speaker 1: memorial on June sixth, last this year memorial in Bedford, Virginia, 408 00:26:08,119 --> 00:26:14,000 Speaker 1: and that's silence as people because we're all connected. I 409 00:26:14,000 --> 00:26:18,760 Speaker 1: remember um last episode talking to Scott, who was a 410 00:26:18,840 --> 00:26:23,480 Speaker 1: Navy fighter pilot test pilot and became a Shuttle pilot 411 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:27,240 Speaker 1: for the and was on the International Space Station. Most 412 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:29,639 Speaker 1: time in American has spent in space. But he said 413 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:33,399 Speaker 1: he had a similar experience when he was hurtling around 414 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:37,639 Speaker 1: the Earth's atmosphere looking down at how fragile you know, 415 00:26:37,680 --> 00:26:39,960 Speaker 1: our atmosphere is in the in the planet from that 416 00:26:40,040 --> 00:26:44,399 Speaker 1: perspective in space and outer space, and it just really 417 00:26:44,560 --> 00:26:46,679 Speaker 1: he had the same epiphany. You know, it's like we 418 00:26:46,720 --> 00:26:51,160 Speaker 1: are all connected on this tiny little planet. That's that's 419 00:26:51,200 --> 00:26:55,760 Speaker 1: an important important lessons in there. I really liked backing 420 00:26:55,840 --> 00:26:58,919 Speaker 1: up to the story when you said he went on 421 00:26:58,960 --> 00:27:03,960 Speaker 1: the first combat mission with because once you confront that fear, 422 00:27:04,800 --> 00:27:08,679 Speaker 1: you realize that usually it's much you've built up this 423 00:27:08,760 --> 00:27:10,960 Speaker 1: picture in your head of what it's in, this expectation 424 00:27:11,000 --> 00:27:12,760 Speaker 1: of what it's going to be like, and it you know, 425 00:27:12,800 --> 00:27:16,240 Speaker 1: you realize that training kicks in and it once you 426 00:27:16,480 --> 00:27:21,400 Speaker 1: confront that fear, it just becomes easier and easier to 427 00:27:21,640 --> 00:27:24,439 Speaker 1: face down. We flew three and a half hours to 428 00:27:24,480 --> 00:27:29,320 Speaker 1: go to Japan over the country, you know, their home country, 429 00:27:29,840 --> 00:27:34,919 Speaker 1: and there was an unknown thing, but we all did it. 430 00:27:35,680 --> 00:27:38,679 Speaker 1: There are nobody checking out, nobody, and we all did it. 431 00:27:38,800 --> 00:27:41,640 Speaker 1: And it was an experience that I will never forget. 432 00:27:42,800 --> 00:27:45,200 Speaker 1: There was sixteen million of US that served in World 433 00:27:45,240 --> 00:27:49,080 Speaker 1: War Two in uniform. There's maybe two hundred left and 434 00:27:49,160 --> 00:27:52,840 Speaker 1: I'm speaking for sixteen million people. I'm not speaking for myself. 435 00:27:53,800 --> 00:27:57,280 Speaker 1: We conquered the enemy. They were evil. Japan was evil, 436 00:27:57,960 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 1: Italy was evil, Germany was evil. And then Tom broke 437 00:28:03,119 --> 00:28:05,480 Speaker 1: All wrote a book The Greatest Generation made me a 438 00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:07,480 Speaker 1: part of that that I was eighteen years old when 439 00:28:07,480 --> 00:28:10,480 Speaker 1: I went into service. I knew nothing. I was not 440 00:28:10,640 --> 00:28:14,480 Speaker 1: one of the greatest generations. The Eisenhower's and the patents, 441 00:28:14,520 --> 00:28:18,240 Speaker 1: and the marshals and the ORNs, the generals and the 442 00:28:18,640 --> 00:28:26,240 Speaker 1: Admiral miss Nurse and and mimics and Admiral King, they 443 00:28:26,240 --> 00:28:30,440 Speaker 1: were the heroes. They were the ones. They rebuilt Germany, Japan, 444 00:28:30,480 --> 00:28:34,159 Speaker 1: and Italy into the friends that we have today in 445 00:28:34,240 --> 00:28:37,200 Speaker 1: the world. And the two allies that we fought with 446 00:28:37,320 --> 00:28:40,920 Speaker 1: the World War through Russia and China seemingly today are 447 00:28:40,920 --> 00:28:45,320 Speaker 1: the enemies of the world. So my enemy became my family, 448 00:28:46,120 --> 00:28:50,160 Speaker 1: and my family from them Germany and Russian and China 449 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:56,360 Speaker 1: seeming the animals of them. Can you talk about your 450 00:28:56,640 --> 00:29:01,080 Speaker 1: biggest challenge that you overcame have going through a through 451 00:29:01,120 --> 00:29:06,400 Speaker 1: the flight training process or flying the flight planing training process? 452 00:29:06,440 --> 00:29:09,920 Speaker 1: To me was I was doing I was in my dorma, 453 00:29:10,080 --> 00:29:12,560 Speaker 1: which means I was doing exactly what I was supposed 454 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:16,360 Speaker 1: to be doing. I never had a difficult time moment 455 00:29:16,480 --> 00:29:23,040 Speaker 1: flying ever in training. The most difficult moment I had 456 00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:27,440 Speaker 1: I had nothing to do with or. In March tenth 457 00:29:29,840 --> 00:29:32,880 Speaker 1: I lost my engine in the pot eight thousand feet 458 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:37,840 Speaker 1: over the ocean, and I left that airplane. I figured 459 00:29:37,880 --> 00:29:40,000 Speaker 1: out what I would do. I turned it upside down, 460 00:29:40,520 --> 00:29:44,640 Speaker 1: get the canopy back, undo my straps, turned her upside down, 461 00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:47,120 Speaker 1: popped the stick and I get sucked out And that worked. 462 00:29:48,000 --> 00:29:50,680 Speaker 1: But the toughest mission I flew was at six thirty 463 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:52,840 Speaker 1: seven o'clock the next morning when they put me in 464 00:29:52,920 --> 00:29:57,080 Speaker 1: a in a P forty. I says it won't. Somebody 465 00:29:57,080 --> 00:29:59,960 Speaker 1: turned the max which and then I started. I said, 466 00:30:00,080 --> 00:30:03,480 Speaker 1: smell of the films and then jimped out was what 467 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,280 Speaker 1: was his airplane? Jumped up on the wing and said 468 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:09,640 Speaker 1: take off and I did not. Was the most difficult 469 00:30:09,640 --> 00:30:12,280 Speaker 1: thing I ever did in my life. Let's just get 470 00:30:12,280 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 1: back in the win our plane to day after I 471 00:30:14,240 --> 00:30:19,240 Speaker 1: bailed out. Yeah, that's a that's got to be pretty 472 00:30:19,360 --> 00:30:24,920 Speaker 1: uh pretty rough. It was. I remember I was slated 473 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:31,000 Speaker 1: to go to military free fall parachute school and and 474 00:30:31,440 --> 00:30:33,640 Speaker 1: only a few weeks prior to that I had lost 475 00:30:33,840 --> 00:30:36,480 Speaker 1: a good friend in the seal teams on a skydiving accident, 476 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:38,760 Speaker 1: and I remember like having this fear. I'm like, well, 477 00:30:38,760 --> 00:30:40,120 Speaker 1: you know what, I just gotta do it, and I 478 00:30:40,200 --> 00:30:42,960 Speaker 1: gotta I just gotta suck it up and get it 479 00:30:43,000 --> 00:30:48,400 Speaker 1: over with. And when I it's the same thing. I 480 00:30:48,400 --> 00:30:53,040 Speaker 1: I'm fortunate if I've had a passion for aviation. I 481 00:30:53,080 --> 00:30:56,880 Speaker 1: started flying in this group of military fighter pilots invited 482 00:30:56,880 --> 00:30:58,960 Speaker 1: me into their group, and they trained me up and 483 00:30:59,160 --> 00:31:02,200 Speaker 1: got my fast Formation card and started to do one 484 00:31:02,320 --> 00:31:06,200 Speaker 1: V ones and I upgraded from the YAC fifty two 485 00:31:06,440 --> 00:31:09,040 Speaker 1: and had instruction in the backseat from the best in 486 00:31:09,040 --> 00:31:13,720 Speaker 1: the world. These guys are top gun instructors, and um 487 00:31:13,840 --> 00:31:17,720 Speaker 1: they finally cleared me to to solo in the fifty 488 00:31:17,760 --> 00:31:20,760 Speaker 1: and I remember sitting in that cockpit because you're, you know, 489 00:31:20,840 --> 00:31:24,840 Speaker 1: just like the P forty, right, You're there's no instructor 490 00:31:24,880 --> 00:31:27,880 Speaker 1: there to hold your hand and that thing. And not 491 00:31:28,040 --> 00:31:32,040 Speaker 1: only that, but you know they have they have all 492 00:31:32,160 --> 00:31:37,080 Speaker 1: the airplanes flying on the internet. You can do all 493 00:31:37,120 --> 00:31:40,760 Speaker 1: this stuff prior on you get into what P forty 494 00:31:41,520 --> 00:31:45,000 Speaker 1: without long fourteen foot engine in front of you, when 495 00:31:45,040 --> 00:31:48,360 Speaker 1: you're all alone and there's nobody with you when you 496 00:31:48,480 --> 00:31:51,000 Speaker 1: take off. I got to eight thousand before you and 497 00:31:51,040 --> 00:31:54,040 Speaker 1: talked about getting to gi up in the fort and 498 00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,480 Speaker 1: then you do some easy turns, turns to do some 499 00:31:57,560 --> 00:32:01,040 Speaker 1: arobotic and then you say yourself, yeah, the lampic. You 500 00:32:01,040 --> 00:32:03,440 Speaker 1: have to get this thing down. It's a fireplan and 501 00:32:03,560 --> 00:32:07,160 Speaker 1: you just do it. And today they have simulators. And 502 00:32:08,040 --> 00:32:15,720 Speaker 1: I went from solowing on February second three, graduating six 503 00:32:15,760 --> 00:32:19,600 Speaker 1: months later in August, and ninety three six months with 504 00:32:19,720 --> 00:32:22,600 Speaker 1: ten hours in a P forty. Today it takes three years. 505 00:32:23,920 --> 00:32:27,480 Speaker 1: Why are the same I had the same exact experience 506 00:32:27,640 --> 00:32:29,880 Speaker 1: in the in the YAC fifty because it's a you know, 507 00:32:29,920 --> 00:32:33,280 Speaker 1: you get the big, big engine, big big nose at 508 00:32:33,320 --> 00:32:35,880 Speaker 1: the tailwheel. And I remember I was sitting in that 509 00:32:36,000 --> 00:32:40,480 Speaker 1: cockpit visualizing in one of the guys decongu or Bones 510 00:32:40,520 --> 00:32:42,440 Speaker 1: at col M and he walked over. He's like, Hey, 511 00:32:42,480 --> 00:32:44,560 Speaker 1: you're gonna sit in that damn thing all day. You're 512 00:32:44,560 --> 00:32:48,280 Speaker 1: gonna take it, take it off and fly. It's like, 513 00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:52,320 Speaker 1: all right, I'm out. You know, I'm gonna tell you 514 00:32:52,360 --> 00:32:55,000 Speaker 1: a story. That's four guys I fly with once in 515 00:32:55,000 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 1: a while in the information and they sent me a 516 00:33:00,040 --> 00:33:02,520 Speaker 1: off there and on the bottom of the golf bag 517 00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:05,920 Speaker 1: it says be a M F and I didn't know 518 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:09,800 Speaker 1: what that meant till they told me, and I laughed, Well, 519 00:33:09,800 --> 00:33:13,040 Speaker 1: that's what you are, you F B A M S. 520 00:33:13,120 --> 00:33:15,760 Speaker 1: That's what you are because you flew these things in combat, 521 00:33:16,480 --> 00:33:19,880 Speaker 1: but we were just flying for pleasure, and you did 522 00:33:19,920 --> 00:33:22,120 Speaker 1: all the things that we would think we would like 523 00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:26,520 Speaker 1: to do. So that's my nickname. I would agree with 524 00:33:26,560 --> 00:33:30,680 Speaker 1: that assessment. That's good stuff. I could talk to the 525 00:33:30,680 --> 00:33:35,160 Speaker 1: all day, Brandon. Yeah. Likewise, um, and I would like 526 00:33:35,360 --> 00:33:37,240 Speaker 1: if you if you could get me in front of 527 00:33:37,280 --> 00:33:41,840 Speaker 1: the school kids in in Long Island and New York City, 528 00:33:42,040 --> 00:33:44,200 Speaker 1: I'd be delighted to come and talk to them. That 529 00:33:44,200 --> 00:33:47,520 Speaker 1: would be great. I will take you up on that offer. 530 00:33:47,880 --> 00:33:51,800 Speaker 1: I will. I will get some group together because we'd 531 00:33:51,840 --> 00:33:54,080 Speaker 1: love to meet you in person too, and hosting in 532 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:58,400 Speaker 1: New York and well, I'm going to be this is 533 00:33:58,440 --> 00:34:03,120 Speaker 1: way beyond my pot right nWo. They've formed a group 534 00:34:03,160 --> 00:34:07,280 Speaker 1: called Wings Club wings Club not Org, and they gave 535 00:34:07,800 --> 00:34:12,080 Speaker 1: awards Achievement Awards, Aviation Achievement Awards to the likes of 536 00:34:12,239 --> 00:34:17,040 Speaker 1: John Glen and Chuck Yeager and President Bush and on 537 00:34:17,120 --> 00:34:19,840 Speaker 1: March twenty nine, two thousand and eighteen, I'm going to 538 00:34:19,920 --> 00:34:21,839 Speaker 1: be to reshipt in a lot of war no, which 539 00:34:21,880 --> 00:34:24,879 Speaker 1: is just a way beyond anything that I've ever done 540 00:34:26,400 --> 00:34:29,799 Speaker 1: at the Yale Club in New York City. So can 541 00:34:29,840 --> 00:34:32,359 Speaker 1: I talk you into a flight in the RV six 542 00:34:32,640 --> 00:34:37,680 Speaker 1: We can buzz absolutely absolutely, I'll be back. I'm gonna 543 00:34:37,680 --> 00:34:44,400 Speaker 1: be in New Jersey, New York from the toh. Yeah, 544 00:34:44,960 --> 00:34:51,279 Speaker 1: I'd love to do that. And that's November. That's in March, March, March. 545 00:34:51,360 --> 00:34:55,920 Speaker 1: App some nuts, it's a long way off, you know. 546 00:34:56,480 --> 00:35:00,000 Speaker 1: I lived my life one day at the time. Now. Yeah, 547 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:02,960 Speaker 1: And you've You've got a couple events coming up at 548 00:35:03,000 --> 00:35:09,440 Speaker 1: the National Museum of American Jewish Military History next next week, 549 00:35:09,560 --> 00:35:15,680 Speaker 1: then Richard Nixon Library, the National World War Two Museum, UM, 550 00:35:15,760 --> 00:35:19,759 Speaker 1: and then people that can find you on Facebook, dot com, 551 00:35:19,800 --> 00:35:25,319 Speaker 1: slash Captain Jerry Yellen anywhere else. And I have they 552 00:35:25,320 --> 00:35:28,319 Speaker 1: have a website Captain Jerry Allen dot com and got 553 00:35:28,440 --> 00:35:33,000 Speaker 1: it UM. So I would I would love to connect 554 00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:35,160 Speaker 1: with you in March. UM. I love you, have you 555 00:35:35,200 --> 00:35:37,840 Speaker 1: back on the show, but really appreciate your time today. 556 00:35:37,840 --> 00:35:40,719 Speaker 1: And I could talk flying with y'all all day long. 557 00:35:40,760 --> 00:35:43,120 Speaker 1: And I'm I'm I'd like to do it, but I'm 558 00:35:43,120 --> 00:35:45,960 Speaker 1: not using my hands holding a telephone. You're not using 559 00:35:45,960 --> 00:35:49,480 Speaker 1: your hands either. Yeah, you have to fly information with 560 00:35:49,560 --> 00:35:52,520 Speaker 1: your hands before they can do anything. Yeah, so i'll 561 00:35:53,360 --> 00:35:55,880 Speaker 1: i'll uh, we'll get some stick time in the in 562 00:35:55,920 --> 00:35:59,879 Speaker 1: the r V six for sure, that'd be great. Thank 563 00:36:00,000 --> 00:36:03,600 Speaker 1: you so much for having been branded and I appreciated Yeah, no, 564 00:36:03,719 --> 00:36:07,239 Speaker 1: I I appreciate it. And when was the last time 565 00:36:07,280 --> 00:36:09,880 Speaker 1: you you flew? Was it the T six you mentioned? 566 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:14,759 Speaker 1: I flew the T six in last December, but this 567 00:36:15,000 --> 00:36:21,200 Speaker 1: September um every year over Labor Day and Galesburg going, 568 00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:25,120 Speaker 1: why there's a stormin association meeting and they have sixty 569 00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:30,160 Speaker 1: seventy stormans. I flew the stmin past September. That's great. 570 00:36:30,800 --> 00:36:33,000 Speaker 1: Take off and landing and all of those of it. 571 00:36:35,239 --> 00:36:39,160 Speaker 1: My last last tidbitten and then I'll let you go. 572 00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:43,640 Speaker 1: Um a friend of mine, Nick English, his father was 573 00:36:43,719 --> 00:36:48,920 Speaker 1: a pilot in the RF, had big aviation family. Both 574 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:53,960 Speaker 1: him and his brother Um grew up flying experimental airplanes 575 00:36:54,000 --> 00:36:57,680 Speaker 1: and they started a watch company called Braymont and they 576 00:36:57,680 --> 00:37:00,239 Speaker 1: do a lot of really cool aviation watches for the 577 00:37:00,400 --> 00:37:05,640 Speaker 1: for the different unit members and Spider squadrons. But we 578 00:37:05,680 --> 00:37:08,160 Speaker 1: did a trade and I'm I'm a watch guy, like 579 00:37:08,400 --> 00:37:11,040 Speaker 1: to collect watches, and he gave me a right flyer. 580 00:37:11,120 --> 00:37:14,640 Speaker 1: It has the original left wing fabric of the right 581 00:37:14,680 --> 00:37:18,600 Speaker 1: flyer in the back watch. So you talk about a 582 00:37:18,600 --> 00:37:22,920 Speaker 1: piece of history there, that's some piece I'll treasure for forever. 583 00:37:23,280 --> 00:37:29,080 Speaker 1: We had the Sebesma and there were some zeros, crass 584 00:37:29,200 --> 00:37:34,120 Speaker 1: zeros and shot up zeros, and they made right watch 585 00:37:34,239 --> 00:37:37,760 Speaker 1: bands out of the medal and I had that watch 586 00:37:37,800 --> 00:37:39,719 Speaker 1: band for a long time. Don't know what happened to it. 587 00:37:40,760 --> 00:37:43,480 Speaker 1: So you know this was I have a picture of 588 00:37:43,520 --> 00:37:48,040 Speaker 1: me with that watch band. It's incredible. We had a 589 00:37:48,120 --> 00:37:50,760 Speaker 1: lot of people doing the right things at the right time. 590 00:37:51,960 --> 00:37:56,880 Speaker 1: Then I'm not so sure we're doing it now. Well, hey, Jerry, 591 00:37:57,040 --> 00:37:58,680 Speaker 1: I can't wait to have you back on the show 592 00:37:58,719 --> 00:38:02,399 Speaker 1: and meet you in March. Would definitely, whether permitting, will 593 00:38:02,960 --> 00:38:05,800 Speaker 1: we'll go do a couple of laps around Lady Liberty 594 00:38:05,800 --> 00:38:08,359 Speaker 1: and the RV six and maybe get her upside down 595 00:38:08,520 --> 00:38:15,160 Speaker 1: as well. I'd like to do that, Brandon, I appreciate alright, Terry, 596 00:38:15,200 --> 00:38:28,640 Speaker 1: have a good one. Bye bye. You've been listening to 597 00:38:28,840 --> 00:38:33,280 Speaker 1: Self Rep Radio. New episodes up every Wednesday and Friday. 598 00:38:34,080 --> 00:38:37,960 Speaker 1: Follow the show on Instagram and Twitter at self rep Radio.