1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:10,640 All across America and around the world, this is Veterans Radio. 2 00:00:10,640 --> 00:00:15,920 This is Veterans Radio. 3 00:00:15,920 --> 00:00:17,840 Welcome to Veterans Radio. 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:20,520 I am Jim Fossone. 5 00:00:20,520 --> 00:00:22,840 I'm the officer of the deck today. 6 00:00:22,840 --> 00:00:24,720 We've got some great programs for you. 7 00:00:24,720 --> 00:00:29,520 We always want to remind you you can find more about Veterans Radio at its Facebook 8 00:00:29,520 --> 00:00:35,240 site or at the web veteransradio.org where we're on the web 24-7. 9 00:00:35,240 --> 00:00:38,360 You can find a lot of our podcasts there as well. 10 00:00:38,360 --> 00:00:45,040 We post new ones every Tuesday so you can get a new story, a new interview, something 11 00:00:45,040 --> 00:00:49,600 you didn't know before by going to veteransradio.org. 12 00:00:49,600 --> 00:00:53,040 And before we get started, we want to thank our sponsors. 13 00:00:53,040 --> 00:01:00,880 Next up we want to thank National Veteran Business Development Council, NVBDC.org. 14 00:01:00,880 --> 00:01:06,560 It was established to certify both service disabled and veteran owned businesses. 15 00:01:06,560 --> 00:01:13,080 You'll find out how they can help your business by going to NVBDC.org. 16 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:16,600 We want to thank Legal Help for Veterans. 17 00:01:16,600 --> 00:01:22,120 Legal Help for Veterans fights for veterans disability rights all across the nation. 18 00:01:22,120 --> 00:01:33,240 You can reach them at 800-693-4800 or on the web at legalhelpforveterans.com. 19 00:01:33,240 --> 00:01:36,040 And finally, PuroClean. 20 00:01:36,040 --> 00:01:38,680 PuroClean is the paramedics of property damage. 21 00:01:38,680 --> 00:01:44,560 It provides water damage remediation, flood water removal, fire and smoke damage remediation, 22 00:01:44,560 --> 00:01:48,000 mold removal, biohazard cleanup. 23 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:52,280 It also has a focus on veteran franchisees. 24 00:01:52,280 --> 00:01:58,760 You can learn more about them by going to puroclean.com. 25 00:01:58,760 --> 00:02:06,840 If you're of a certain age, you know the marine by the name of Pappy Boyington. 26 00:02:06,840 --> 00:02:11,920 Largely you know this from an old TV series that you can still find being replayed, but 27 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:18,360 certainly on YouTube sort of platforms called Baba Black Sheep. 28 00:02:18,360 --> 00:02:25,960 Pappy Boyington was a rebel of a marine fighter pilot, found himself heading up a squadron 29 00:02:25,960 --> 00:02:32,000 of sort of misfits, which created a great way to tell a story for Hollywood. 30 00:02:32,000 --> 00:02:40,720 So you may know him as Pappy Boyington because he was an old man flying with the kids. 31 00:02:40,720 --> 00:02:49,480 But here's a story that we wrote on and gave more detail about his adventures and misadventures. 32 00:02:49,480 --> 00:02:51,560 He was a pretty flawed guy. 33 00:02:51,560 --> 00:02:58,400 A lot of marriages, a lot of drinking problems, hell of a pilot, hell of a leader. 34 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:01,680 So I think you'll find this interview interesting. 35 00:03:01,680 --> 00:03:08,600 As I said, we wrote on this for a Beyond Belief book that you can find on Amazon. 36 00:03:08,600 --> 00:03:18,240 We also put it up on HomeofHeroes.org, a website that we curate of stories of men and women 37 00:03:18,240 --> 00:03:24,080 in the military, of valor, sometimes metal of honor, sometimes flying aces, all sorts 38 00:03:24,080 --> 00:03:27,080 of different stories that we think you'll find interesting. 39 00:03:27,080 --> 00:03:31,640 So this interview, we also think you will find of interest. 40 00:03:31,640 --> 00:03:33,280 So listen in. 41 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:34,880 Welcome to your deep dive. 42 00:03:34,880 --> 00:03:40,200 Today we're going to be talking about an American legend, Gregory Pappy Boyington, 43 00:03:40,200 --> 00:03:42,680 World War II fighter ace. 44 00:03:42,680 --> 00:03:45,760 You sent over a chapter from his biography. 45 00:03:45,760 --> 00:03:49,040 Honestly just giving through it, I can tell this guy was one of a kind. 46 00:03:49,040 --> 00:03:50,400 So let's get into it. 47 00:03:50,400 --> 00:03:55,440 Let's uncover what made Pappy such a fascinating and maybe contradictory figure. 48 00:03:55,440 --> 00:03:59,600 Yeah, get ready for a wild ride because Pappy's story is anything but straightforward. 49 00:03:59,600 --> 00:04:00,600 Oh, I love it already. 50 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:05,960 This guy was incredible, like a pilot, a natural leader, but also constantly battling 51 00:04:05,960 --> 00:04:07,520 his own demons. 52 00:04:07,520 --> 00:04:10,000 He had a serious aversion to following the rules. 53 00:04:10,000 --> 00:04:11,760 Okay, that already has me hooked. 54 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:14,920 Where do we even begin with a guy like this? 55 00:04:14,920 --> 00:04:18,520 His early life maybe, what kind of kid grows up to be a Pappy Boyington? 56 00:04:18,520 --> 00:04:19,680 Yeah, well, it's fascinating. 57 00:04:19,680 --> 00:04:25,240 He was actually born in Cordy Lane, Idaho, beautiful part of the country. 58 00:04:25,240 --> 00:04:31,440 But what's really interesting is his heritage, a mix of brulee, sue and Irish ancestry. 59 00:04:31,440 --> 00:04:34,160 Talk about a recipe for a fighting spirit, right? 60 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:35,160 Right. 61 00:04:35,160 --> 00:04:38,000 I didn't realize he had Native American roots and that definitely adds another layer to 62 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:39,000 the picture. 63 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:40,000 Absolutely. 64 00:04:40,000 --> 00:04:43,360 And I heard he was a pretty serious athlete too, even before he took to the skies. 65 00:04:43,360 --> 00:04:44,360 Oh, absolutely. 66 00:04:44,360 --> 00:04:46,080 Yeah, wrestling was his thing. 67 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:51,320 He actually won the Pacific Northwest Intercollegiate Middleweight title while he was at the University 68 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:52,320 of Washington. 69 00:04:52,320 --> 00:04:53,320 Get out. 70 00:04:53,320 --> 00:04:54,600 Oh, and he was also on the swimming team. 71 00:04:54,600 --> 00:04:55,600 Okay. 72 00:04:55,600 --> 00:04:58,720 So, seems like that competitive drive was just part of his DNA. 73 00:04:58,720 --> 00:04:59,720 Okay. 74 00:04:59,720 --> 00:05:05,160 So, we've got this tough athletic kid with a mixed heritage and a competitive streak 75 00:05:05,160 --> 00:05:06,680 a mile wide. 76 00:05:06,680 --> 00:05:09,520 How does he go from there to becoming a fighter pilot? 77 00:05:09,520 --> 00:05:13,880 Well, his path to the cockpit was, shall we say, unconventional. 78 00:05:13,880 --> 00:05:19,280 He started out in the Army ROTC, got his degree in Aeronautical Engineering. 79 00:05:19,280 --> 00:05:23,600 He was even commissioned as an officer in the Army Coast Artillery Reserve. 80 00:05:23,600 --> 00:05:27,360 And like he was all set for a military career, but then he hit a snag. 81 00:05:27,360 --> 00:05:30,480 The Aviation Cadet Act back then wouldn't let married men join. 82 00:05:30,480 --> 00:05:33,000 Oh, so he was married. 83 00:05:33,000 --> 00:05:35,120 And this was a deal breaker for his flying dreams. 84 00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:36,120 Yeah. 85 00:05:36,120 --> 00:05:37,120 What did he do? 86 00:05:37,120 --> 00:05:38,720 He pulled a classic Papi move. 87 00:05:38,720 --> 00:05:43,080 Remember, he grew up using his stepfather's last name, Hallenbeck. 88 00:05:43,080 --> 00:05:46,520 But then when he kind of dug a little deeper, he found out his biological father's name 89 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:49,600 was Boynton, Lightbulb. 90 00:05:49,600 --> 00:05:54,360 He resigns as Army Commission, adopts his birth name, and applies to the Marine Corps 91 00:05:54,360 --> 00:05:56,760 Aviation Cadet Program. 92 00:05:56,760 --> 00:05:59,440 No record of a Gregory Boynton being married. 93 00:05:59,440 --> 00:06:00,440 Smart. 94 00:06:00,440 --> 00:06:01,440 Problem solved. 95 00:06:01,440 --> 00:06:02,440 Wow. 96 00:06:02,440 --> 00:06:03,440 Talk about thinking outside the box. 97 00:06:03,440 --> 00:06:07,440 I mean, I guess it was technically legal, but definitely a bold move. 98 00:06:07,440 --> 00:06:08,440 Yeah. 99 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:11,560 Makes you wonder if that kind of rule bending was already a part of his personality. 100 00:06:11,560 --> 00:06:12,560 Oh, yeah. 101 00:06:12,560 --> 00:06:16,000 I think it's safe to say that Papi had his own way of doing things even back then. 102 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:18,720 And you can imagine that didn't always sit well with those in charge. 103 00:06:18,720 --> 00:06:19,960 Yeah, I bet. 104 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:24,680 But hey, it got him into the cockpit and eventually it landed him a spot with the legendary Flying 105 00:06:24,680 --> 00:06:26,720 Tigers in Burma, right? 106 00:06:26,720 --> 00:06:29,800 Now that's where things start to get really interesting. 107 00:06:29,800 --> 00:06:31,400 What drew him to such a risky venture? 108 00:06:31,400 --> 00:06:35,600 Well, you got to remember, Papi was never one to shy away from a challenge or a good 109 00:06:35,600 --> 00:06:36,600 fight. 110 00:06:36,600 --> 00:06:40,640 Plus, the Flying Tigers were offering a significantly higher salary than the Marines. 111 00:06:40,640 --> 00:06:44,000 And you know, we know Papi was always chasing a bigger paycheck. 112 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:45,000 Yeah, yeah. 113 00:06:45,000 --> 00:06:46,600 But I think it went deeper than just the money. 114 00:06:46,600 --> 00:06:47,600 Okay. 115 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:48,600 So what else was going on? 116 00:06:48,600 --> 00:06:50,720 Remember that competitive streak we talked about? 117 00:06:50,720 --> 00:06:51,720 Yeah. 118 00:06:51,720 --> 00:06:55,480 Well, he was itching to prove himself in combat, you know, to go up against the best of the 119 00:06:55,480 --> 00:06:56,480 best. 120 00:06:56,480 --> 00:07:02,200 And the Flying Tigers offered him that chance to test his skills against Japanese pilots 121 00:07:02,200 --> 00:07:05,000 in some of the most dangerous skies in the world. 122 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:10,240 So it was a mix of ambition, a thirst for adventure, and maybe a little bit of that rebellious 123 00:07:10,240 --> 00:07:11,240 spirit too. 124 00:07:11,240 --> 00:07:12,240 Exactly. 125 00:07:12,240 --> 00:07:14,240 It sounds like a perfect storm for a guy like Papi. 126 00:07:14,240 --> 00:07:15,240 It was. 127 00:07:15,240 --> 00:07:20,800 And all played out in Burma where he racked up six aerial victories against the Japanese. 128 00:07:20,800 --> 00:07:27,520 But even amidst the success, that independent streak of his started to cause some friction. 129 00:07:27,520 --> 00:07:28,520 It did. 130 00:07:28,520 --> 00:07:29,520 Wait. 131 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:33,240 So he was winning dogfights, racking up kills, but still managed to ruffle some feathers. 132 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:34,240 He did. 133 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:35,680 That's classic, Papi. 134 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:37,520 Who was he butting heads with this time? 135 00:07:37,520 --> 00:07:39,520 His commanding officer, Claire Chenal. 136 00:07:39,520 --> 00:07:45,200 Now, Chenal was a brilliant strategist, legend in his own right, but he was also a stickler 137 00:07:45,200 --> 00:07:48,240 for discipline and following orders. 138 00:07:48,240 --> 00:07:54,720 Let's just say Papi's freewheeling style and his fondness for whiskey didn't exactly 139 00:07:54,720 --> 00:07:57,880 mesh with Chenal's way of running things. 140 00:07:57,880 --> 00:07:58,880 The whiskey. 141 00:07:58,880 --> 00:08:01,360 I knew that was coming up sooner or later. 142 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:04,760 It seems like his love for the bottle followed him everywhere he went. 143 00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:05,760 Oh, it certainly did. 144 00:08:05,760 --> 00:08:08,560 And it definitely played a role in some of his clashes with authority. 145 00:08:08,560 --> 00:08:09,560 Yeah. 146 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:12,960 I mean, he even admitted later on that he drank excessively. 147 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:17,640 And there are stories of him showing up for briefings, still feeling the effects from 148 00:08:17,640 --> 00:08:18,640 the night before. 149 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:20,120 Oh, man. 150 00:08:20,120 --> 00:08:23,760 So even with his incredible talent, those personal demons were always lurking in the 151 00:08:23,760 --> 00:08:25,200 background. 152 00:08:25,200 --> 00:08:29,440 Did this tension with Chenal lead to him leaving the Flying Tigers? 153 00:08:29,440 --> 00:08:34,520 Well, it certainly didn't help, but bigger events were on the horizon. 154 00:08:34,520 --> 00:08:38,920 Remember this was 1941 and the world was on the brink of war. 155 00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:43,440 When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Papi knew he had to get back to the Marines and 156 00:08:43,440 --> 00:08:44,760 into the fight. 157 00:08:44,760 --> 00:08:47,040 And that's where the Black Sheep Squadron comes in. 158 00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:48,040 Right. 159 00:08:48,040 --> 00:08:49,560 Okay, I'm so ready for this. 160 00:08:49,560 --> 00:08:50,560 Yeah. 161 00:08:50,560 --> 00:08:52,640 But first, can we pause for a second and rewind a little? 162 00:08:52,640 --> 00:08:55,960 I'm still trying to wrap my head around the fact that he just quit the army and joined 163 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:57,640 the Marines like it was no big deal. 164 00:08:57,640 --> 00:08:58,640 Yeah. 165 00:08:58,640 --> 00:08:59,640 Like what? 166 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:00,880 That's a pretty wild story, right? 167 00:09:00,880 --> 00:09:03,960 But it tells you a lot about the kind of guy Papi was. 168 00:09:03,960 --> 00:09:08,320 He wasn't afraid to take risks, bend the rules, forge his own path. 169 00:09:08,320 --> 00:09:11,040 Even if it meant leaving a perfectly good career behind. 170 00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:12,040 Right. 171 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,240 You know, you mentioned his fondness for whiskey earlier. 172 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:16,800 Do you think that was just a personal advice or was it something more? 173 00:09:16,800 --> 00:09:18,920 Was he trying to escape something? 174 00:09:18,920 --> 00:09:20,360 That's a great question. 175 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:26,540 And I think it gets to the heart of who Papi was, the complexities he carried with him. 176 00:09:26,540 --> 00:09:29,320 Was he trying to numb some inner pain? 177 00:09:29,320 --> 00:09:33,480 Was it a way to cope with the pressure, the constant danger of his life? 178 00:09:33,480 --> 00:09:39,280 Or maybe it was just part of his rebellious nature, a way to thumb his nose at authority. 179 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:40,520 It's hard to say for sure. 180 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:41,520 Yeah. 181 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:44,800 I guess we'll never know for sure what was going on inside his head, but it's definitely 182 00:09:44,800 --> 00:09:47,600 something to think about as we explore the rest of his story. 183 00:09:47,600 --> 00:09:48,600 Okay. 184 00:09:48,600 --> 00:09:54,280 So we've got this picture of Papi Boyington, incredibly talented, fearless in the air, 185 00:09:54,280 --> 00:09:59,280 but also wrestling with his own demons and a constant need to push the boundaries. 186 00:09:59,280 --> 00:10:04,400 Then Pearl Harbor happens and he's back in the Marines, ready to take on the Japanese. 187 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:06,000 What happens next? 188 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:08,200 Bring on the Black Sheep. 189 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:11,560 Welcome back to our deep dive into the life of Papi Boyington. 190 00:10:11,560 --> 00:10:16,120 Last time we left him itching to get back into the fight after Pearl Harbor, he finds 191 00:10:16,120 --> 00:10:21,680 himself in the Solomon Islands, a chaotic, sweltering jungle battleground. 192 00:10:21,680 --> 00:10:22,960 This is where he's about to make history. 193 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:23,960 Okay. 194 00:10:23,960 --> 00:10:24,960 This is where the Black Sheep Squadron comes in, right? 195 00:10:24,960 --> 00:10:25,960 You got it. 196 00:10:25,960 --> 00:10:26,960 Okay. 197 00:10:26,960 --> 00:10:27,960 I'm so ready for this. 198 00:10:27,960 --> 00:10:32,360 The Black Sheep Squadron of misfits led by an older, unconventional commander Papi himself. 199 00:10:32,360 --> 00:10:33,360 Tell me everything. 200 00:10:33,360 --> 00:10:34,360 Exactly. 201 00:10:34,360 --> 00:10:36,760 But to understand the Black Sheep, we've got to talk about the plane they flew. 202 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:38,400 The F4U Corsair. 203 00:10:38,400 --> 00:10:43,840 Now any aviation buff will tell you this thing was a beast, fast, maneuverable, and packing 204 00:10:43,840 --> 00:10:48,080 a serious punch with those 6.50 caliber machine guns. 205 00:10:48,080 --> 00:10:53,160 But it was also notoriously difficult to handle, especially during landings. 206 00:10:53,160 --> 00:10:57,600 Some pilots even called it the Ensign Eliminator because of its tendency to stall. 207 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,760 The Ensign Eliminator, that sounds a bit ominous. 208 00:11:00,760 --> 00:11:01,760 Yeah. 209 00:11:01,760 --> 00:11:04,960 So why was this the plane they chose for the Black Sheep? 210 00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:09,200 Well for one, the Marines were trying to get the most out of this powerful new aircraft. 211 00:11:09,200 --> 00:11:10,200 Okay. 212 00:11:10,200 --> 00:11:15,200 And Papi, with his experience and aggressive flying style, was seen as the perfect guy 213 00:11:15,200 --> 00:11:16,360 to lead the charge. 214 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:17,360 Pleak sense. 215 00:11:17,360 --> 00:11:22,240 Plus the Corsair's strengths, its speed, its climb rate, its ability to turn tight, 216 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:24,560 those were all things that played right into Papi's hands. 217 00:11:24,560 --> 00:11:28,320 And starting to see why the Corsair and the Black Sheep were such a good match. 218 00:11:28,320 --> 00:11:29,880 What about the squadron itself? 219 00:11:29,880 --> 00:11:31,960 You mentioned they were a group of misfits. 220 00:11:31,960 --> 00:11:33,320 What did that mean exactly? 221 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:34,320 Think about it. 222 00:11:34,320 --> 00:11:39,840 It's 1943, the fighting in the Pacific is brutal, and the Marines are stretched thin. 223 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:46,080 The Black Sheep Squadron, officially designated VMF 214, wasn't formed with a hand-picked 224 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:48,240 group of elite pilots. 225 00:11:48,240 --> 00:11:52,960 It was a mix of replacements, guys who had washed out of other squadrons, and some pilots 226 00:11:52,960 --> 00:11:54,400 who just didn't fit in elsewhere. 227 00:11:54,400 --> 00:11:59,880 So a bunch of rejects and oddballs thrown together with a hard-drinking, rule-bending 228 00:11:59,880 --> 00:12:00,880 commander. 229 00:12:00,880 --> 00:12:02,600 This sounds like a recipe for disaster. 230 00:12:02,600 --> 00:12:03,920 You would think so, right? 231 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,600 But that's what makes the story so incredible. 232 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:11,020 Under Papi's leadership, these guys became one of the most successful and celebrated 233 00:12:11,020 --> 00:12:13,360 fighter squadrons of the war. 234 00:12:13,360 --> 00:12:17,600 They went from being the underdogs to being the guys everyone wanted on their wing. 235 00:12:17,600 --> 00:12:18,600 How did he do it? 236 00:12:18,600 --> 00:12:22,160 I mean, we know Papi was a skilled pilot and a natural leader. 237 00:12:22,160 --> 00:12:26,480 But how did he turn this ragtag group into a cohesive fighting unit? 238 00:12:26,480 --> 00:12:28,800 Well, for one, he led by example. 239 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:32,280 He was always the first one into the fight, and he always chose to fly the plane in the 240 00:12:32,280 --> 00:12:33,480 worst condition. 241 00:12:33,480 --> 00:12:34,480 Wow. 242 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:37,480 He never asked his men to do anything he wouldn't do himself. 243 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:40,600 And he believed in them, even when they doubted themselves. 244 00:12:40,600 --> 00:12:44,480 He saw their potential, their talent, and he pushed them to be their best. 245 00:12:44,480 --> 00:12:45,480 That's leadership. 246 00:12:45,480 --> 00:12:47,400 But what about his superiors? 247 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,760 Surely, that rebellious streak of his continued to cause some friction. 248 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:53,560 Oh, you better believe it. 249 00:12:53,560 --> 00:12:58,640 His relationship with his commanding officer, a guy he called Colonel Lard in his book, 250 00:12:58,640 --> 00:13:01,520 was legendary for all the wrong reasons. 251 00:13:01,520 --> 00:13:05,440 Lard was a by the book Marine, everything done by the regulations. 252 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:09,720 And he saw Papi as a loose cannon, a liability waiting to happen. 253 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:14,520 Papi, on the other hand, saw Lard as a paper pusher, more concerned with paperwork than 254 00:13:14,520 --> 00:13:15,520 with fighting the war. 255 00:13:15,520 --> 00:13:18,640 Ah, sounds like a classic clash of personalities. 256 00:13:18,640 --> 00:13:19,640 It was. 257 00:13:19,640 --> 00:13:21,640 And alcohol probably didn't help smooth things over. 258 00:13:21,640 --> 00:13:22,640 Not at all. 259 00:13:22,640 --> 00:13:26,600 There are stories of Papi showing up for briefings hungover, or even sneaking a drink or two 260 00:13:26,600 --> 00:13:27,600 before mission. 261 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:28,600 Seriously. 262 00:13:28,600 --> 00:13:30,120 Yeah, drove Lard crazy. 263 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:31,120 Wow. 264 00:13:31,120 --> 00:13:34,320 And it's amazing Papi managed to stay in command as long as he did. 265 00:13:34,320 --> 00:13:36,560 But Papi also had supporters in high places. 266 00:13:36,560 --> 00:13:41,000 Yeah, like General Knutz Moore and General Chesty Polar, those are some legendary Marines. 267 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:42,000 Exactly. 268 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:48,680 They recognized Papi's talent, his raw ability, and they were willing to overlook some of his, 269 00:13:48,680 --> 00:13:50,920 you know, less than stellar behavior. 270 00:13:50,920 --> 00:13:52,320 Yeah, right. 271 00:13:52,320 --> 00:13:57,240 They saw him as a valuable asset, a guy who could get the job done, even if it meant bending 272 00:13:57,240 --> 00:13:58,240 the rules a little. 273 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:03,720 It's like they saw the good outweighing the bad, even if it was a close call sometimes. 274 00:14:03,720 --> 00:14:08,640 So with the black sheep, Papi was leading this group of misfits, flying this amazing 275 00:14:08,640 --> 00:14:14,160 but tricky plane, and constantly pushing the limits with his superiors. 276 00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:16,160 What was it like for them in the air? 277 00:14:16,160 --> 00:14:18,360 Were they as successful as I'm imagining? 278 00:14:18,360 --> 00:14:20,320 Oh, successful is an understatement. 279 00:14:20,320 --> 00:14:23,840 These guys were racking up victories against the Japanese. 280 00:14:23,840 --> 00:14:28,400 And Papi was leading the charge, always eager to engage the enemy, always pushing the limits 281 00:14:28,400 --> 00:14:29,840 of what was possible in the air. 282 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:30,840 Okay, give me some details. 283 00:14:30,840 --> 00:14:34,880 I want to hear about the dogfights, the close calls, the sheer audacity of what they were 284 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:35,880 pulling off. 285 00:14:35,880 --> 00:14:36,880 Imagine this. 286 00:14:36,880 --> 00:14:41,520 Papi, at the age of 31, leading his squad in a corsair against a much larger force of 287 00:14:41,520 --> 00:14:42,520 Japanese zeros. 288 00:14:42,520 --> 00:14:43,520 Oh, wow. 289 00:14:43,520 --> 00:14:48,280 Now, the zero was known for its maneuverability, but the corsair had the edge in speed and 290 00:14:48,280 --> 00:14:49,680 firepower. 291 00:14:49,680 --> 00:14:53,120 And Papi knew how to use those advantages to his advantage. 292 00:14:53,120 --> 00:14:58,560 So he's out there going toe to toe with the best the Japanese could throw at him. 293 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,440 What kind of tactics was he using? 294 00:15:00,440 --> 00:15:02,520 He was aggressive, for sure. 295 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,560 He believed in hitting the enemy hard and fast, disrupting their formations and taking 296 00:15:06,560 --> 00:15:08,200 them by surprise. 297 00:15:08,200 --> 00:15:11,800 He wasn't afraid to get in close to mix it up in a swirling dogfight. 298 00:15:11,800 --> 00:15:12,800 Oh, man. 299 00:15:12,800 --> 00:15:18,480 And he was a master of using the corsair's strengths, its speed and climb rate, to out 300 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:19,640 mess with the zeros. 301 00:15:19,640 --> 00:15:21,760 I bet that was a sight to behold. 302 00:15:21,760 --> 00:15:25,360 And all the while, he's chasing Eddie Rickenbacker's ace record, right? 303 00:15:25,360 --> 00:15:26,360 Yes. 304 00:15:26,360 --> 00:15:27,360 The pressure must have been immense. 305 00:15:27,360 --> 00:15:28,560 Oh, it was. 306 00:15:28,560 --> 00:15:34,000 Every mission was a chance to add to his tally, inch closer to that legendary mark. 307 00:15:34,000 --> 00:15:37,800 He was already a hero, but that record, that would cement his place in history. 308 00:15:37,800 --> 00:15:42,160 So he's pushing himself, pushing his squadron, pushing the limits of what's possible. 309 00:15:42,160 --> 00:15:43,560 Did he ever reach that record? 310 00:15:43,560 --> 00:15:44,560 He came close. 311 00:15:44,560 --> 00:15:49,960 He set up with 28 confirmed victories, just shy of Rickenbacker's 26. 312 00:15:49,960 --> 00:15:53,600 But even without breaking the record, his achievements were legendary. 313 00:15:53,600 --> 00:15:58,200 He was awarded the Navy Cross, the Medal of Honor, and became a symbol of American courage 314 00:15:58,200 --> 00:15:59,720 and fighting spirit. 315 00:15:59,720 --> 00:16:00,720 Incredible. 316 00:16:00,720 --> 00:16:02,400 But there's a dark side to this story, too, right? 317 00:16:02,400 --> 00:16:03,400 Yeah. 318 00:16:03,400 --> 00:16:04,560 A moment where everything changes. 319 00:16:04,560 --> 00:16:05,560 There is. 320 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,560 It happened on January 3, 1944. 321 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:08,560 Okay. 322 00:16:08,560 --> 00:16:14,400 Papi was leading a fighter sweep over Rebelle, a heavily fortified Japanese base in New Britain. 323 00:16:14,400 --> 00:16:19,800 They encountered a large force of enemy fighters, and the sky erupted in this chaotic ballet 324 00:16:19,800 --> 00:16:22,200 of twisting metal and tracers. 325 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:23,680 I can only imagine. 326 00:16:23,680 --> 00:16:27,600 Papi scored his 27th and 28th victories that day, but then... 327 00:16:27,600 --> 00:16:28,600 Then what? 328 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:29,600 What happened? 329 00:16:29,600 --> 00:16:30,600 He was hit. 330 00:16:30,600 --> 00:16:31,600 Oh, no. 331 00:16:31,600 --> 00:16:34,120 His corsair riddled with bullets, burst into flames. 332 00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:38,840 He managed to bail out, but he was alone, surrounded by enemy territory and with a long 333 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:39,840 swim ahead of him. 334 00:16:39,840 --> 00:16:40,840 Oh, no. 335 00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:43,080 This is where his story takes that dark turn, right? 336 00:16:43,080 --> 00:16:44,080 The prisoner of war years. 337 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:45,080 It is. 338 00:16:45,080 --> 00:16:48,880 I mean, I know he survived because we're talking about it, but 20 months as a POW, that must 339 00:16:48,880 --> 00:16:51,000 have been an unimaginable ordeal. 340 00:16:51,000 --> 00:16:52,000 It was. 341 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:55,840 He was picked up by a Japanese submarine, and his journey through hell began. 342 00:16:55,840 --> 00:17:01,840 He was beaten, starved, interrogated, and shuffled between different POW camps, including 343 00:17:01,840 --> 00:17:04,480 the notorious Ofuna and Omori camps. 344 00:17:04,480 --> 00:17:05,480 Those are brutal places. 345 00:17:05,480 --> 00:17:10,840 I've heard accounts from other POWs who survived those camps, and it's just horrific, the conditions, 346 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:13,600 the cruelty, the psychological torture. 347 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:15,360 How did Pappy survive that? 348 00:17:15,360 --> 00:17:20,400 It's hard to say, but his resilience, his stubbornness, that same fighting spirit that 349 00:17:20,400 --> 00:17:23,840 had gotten him through so many battles, it must have played a role. 350 00:17:23,840 --> 00:17:27,960 There's also something to be said for his dark humor, his ability to find a glimmer 351 00:17:27,960 --> 00:17:30,160 of absurdity even in the darkest of times. 352 00:17:30,160 --> 00:17:33,360 I guess sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying. 353 00:17:33,360 --> 00:17:35,840 But he wasn't completely alone in those camps, right? 354 00:17:35,840 --> 00:17:39,040 Didn't he meet another famous POW, Louis Amperini? 355 00:17:39,040 --> 00:17:42,560 They did cross paths in Omori towards the end of the war. 356 00:17:42,560 --> 00:17:48,320 Two incredible men both facing unimaginable hardship, finding a moment of connection in 357 00:17:48,320 --> 00:17:49,520 the midst of hell. 358 00:17:49,520 --> 00:17:52,320 It's amazing to think that they both came out of that alive. 359 00:17:52,320 --> 00:17:54,320 But there's something else, isn't there? 360 00:17:54,320 --> 00:17:57,440 Something almost unbelievable that happened while Pappy was a prisoner. 361 00:17:57,440 --> 00:17:58,440 It is! 362 00:17:58,440 --> 00:18:01,600 It's one of those twists of fate that you couldn't make up. 363 00:18:01,600 --> 00:18:06,360 While he was still a captive, presumed dead by the outside world, Pappy Boyington was 364 00:18:06,360 --> 00:18:08,400 awarded the Medal of Honor. 365 00:18:08,400 --> 00:18:13,640 Wow, what a strange and incredible twist to be honored for your bravery while you're 366 00:18:13,640 --> 00:18:15,800 suffering in a POW camp. 367 00:18:15,800 --> 00:18:18,240 It's almost too much to comprehend. 368 00:18:18,240 --> 00:18:19,480 What was the citation like? 369 00:18:19,480 --> 00:18:21,440 What did it say about Pappy and his actions? 370 00:18:21,440 --> 00:18:24,200 Yeah, you're about to hear something truly remarkable. 371 00:18:24,200 --> 00:18:25,760 But let's save that for next time. 372 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:29,000 We've covered so much ground already, and I think we need a moment to let everything 373 00:18:29,000 --> 00:18:30,000 sink in. 374 00:18:30,000 --> 00:18:31,240 You're right. 375 00:18:31,240 --> 00:18:32,240 This is a lot to process. 376 00:18:32,240 --> 00:18:37,240 We've gone from the thrill of victory to the depths of despair, and now this incredible 377 00:18:37,240 --> 00:18:39,440 twist with the Medal of Honor. 378 00:18:39,440 --> 00:18:42,040 I'm on the edge of my seat waiting to hear what happens next. 379 00:18:42,040 --> 00:18:44,440 Okay, I've had a moment to catch my breath. 380 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:49,480 We left off with Pappy Boyington as a POW, facing unimaginable hardship, and then bam, 381 00:18:49,480 --> 00:18:50,880 he's awarded the Medal of Honor. 382 00:18:50,880 --> 00:18:53,360 It's almost hard to reconcile those two realities. 383 00:18:53,360 --> 00:18:54,360 So let's hear it. 384 00:18:54,360 --> 00:18:55,360 What did the citation say? 385 00:18:55,360 --> 00:19:00,080 Well, the Medal of Honor citation is really a powerful testament to Pappy's courage and 386 00:19:00,080 --> 00:19:01,120 leadership. 387 00:19:01,120 --> 00:19:07,960 He talks about his extraordinary heroism, his brilliant airmanship, and his utter disregard 388 00:19:07,960 --> 00:19:09,920 for personal danger. 389 00:19:09,920 --> 00:19:16,120 It highlights how despite facing overwhelming odds, he consistently led his squadron against 390 00:19:16,120 --> 00:19:21,440 the enemy, inflicting heavy casualties and inspiring his men to achieve incredible feats. 391 00:19:21,440 --> 00:19:23,880 Yeah, I'm getting chills just thinking about it. 392 00:19:23,880 --> 00:19:29,000 To receive such an honor while enduring the horrors of a POW camp, it must have been a 393 00:19:29,000 --> 00:19:30,400 surreal experience. 394 00:19:30,400 --> 00:19:34,280 It was, and it gets even more interesting when you compare the Medal of Honor citation 395 00:19:34,280 --> 00:19:37,800 to the one he received for the Navy Cross, which was actually presented to him first 396 00:19:37,800 --> 00:19:39,880 in December of 1945. 397 00:19:39,880 --> 00:19:45,200 You see, the Navy Cross citation paints this picture of a daring, tenacious, fearless leader, 398 00:19:45,200 --> 00:19:46,600 a brilliant tactician. 399 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:47,920 Okay, so far so good. 400 00:19:47,920 --> 00:19:50,080 It sounds like a pretty accurate description of Pappy. 401 00:19:50,080 --> 00:19:51,080 What's the catch? 402 00:19:51,080 --> 00:19:54,680 Well, it's what the Navy Cross citation doesn't say that's so fascinating. 403 00:19:54,680 --> 00:19:58,320 It completely glosses over the other side of Pappy. 404 00:19:58,320 --> 00:20:04,160 The rule breaker, the hard-headed maverick, the guy who loved his whiskey a little too 405 00:20:04,160 --> 00:20:07,000 much, the guy who constantly clashed with authority. 406 00:20:07,000 --> 00:20:10,480 It's like they tried to sanitize him for the official record. 407 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:16,360 So two very different versions of Pappy, depending on which citation you read, how did he react 408 00:20:16,360 --> 00:20:21,800 to receiving these awards, especially knowing the discrepancies between the official narrative 409 00:20:21,800 --> 00:20:23,800 and the reality of who he was? 410 00:20:23,800 --> 00:20:28,400 He actually called the Navy Cross a booby prize compared to the Medal of Honor. 411 00:20:28,400 --> 00:20:29,400 Really? 412 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:30,400 He was that unimpressed. 413 00:20:30,400 --> 00:20:31,400 It seems that way. 414 00:20:31,400 --> 00:20:34,880 Maybe it felt too conventional to buy the book for a guy who spent his whole life bucking 415 00:20:34,880 --> 00:20:36,280 the system. 416 00:20:36,280 --> 00:20:39,240 The Medal of Honor ceremony, on the other hand, that was a different story. 417 00:20:39,240 --> 00:20:40,600 He found it much more fitting. 418 00:20:40,600 --> 00:20:43,560 The solemnity, the dignity of the occasion. 419 00:20:43,560 --> 00:20:46,400 It seemed to resonate with him on a deeper level. 420 00:20:46,400 --> 00:20:50,440 It makes you wonder what was going through his mind during those ceremonies. 421 00:20:50,440 --> 00:20:55,480 Here he is, this decorated war hero, but he's also a man wrestling with his own personal 422 00:20:55,480 --> 00:20:57,440 demons. 423 00:20:57,440 --> 00:21:01,120 Did that recognition, those awards, bring him any peace? 424 00:21:01,120 --> 00:21:02,920 That's the million dollar question, isn't it? 425 00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:07,600 And I think it leads us right into the most complicated part of Pappy's story, his life 426 00:21:07,600 --> 00:21:08,600 after the war. 427 00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:11,960 Right, because the war ends, he's a national hero, but his struggles don't magically 428 00:21:11,960 --> 00:21:13,520 disappear, do they? 429 00:21:13,520 --> 00:21:14,960 Unfortunately, no. 430 00:21:14,960 --> 00:21:19,560 He came home to a world that had moved on and he struggled to find his place in it. 431 00:21:19,560 --> 00:21:23,280 He tried to stay in the Marines, but his physical condition wasn't what it used to be. 432 00:21:23,280 --> 00:21:27,640 Years of hard living, the injuries from his combat missions, the toll of his time as a 433 00:21:27,640 --> 00:21:29,880 TOW had taken their toll. 434 00:21:29,880 --> 00:21:33,800 So even with the Medal of Honor, a military career wasn't in the cards. 435 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,240 It was complicated. 436 00:21:35,240 --> 00:21:39,600 There were bureaucratic hurdles, concerns about his health, and maybe even some lingering 437 00:21:39,600 --> 00:21:41,920 doubts about his past behavior. 438 00:21:41,920 --> 00:21:45,360 It's hard to say for sure what ultimately tipped the scales against him staying in the 439 00:21:45,360 --> 00:21:46,360 corps. 440 00:21:46,360 --> 00:21:50,600 But on the personal front, was he able to find stability and happiness after everything 441 00:21:50,600 --> 00:21:51,600 he'd been through? 442 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,160 Sadly, no. 443 00:21:53,160 --> 00:21:55,580 His personal life was tumultuous. 444 00:21:55,580 --> 00:21:59,880 He went through multiple marriages, always searching for something, as he put it, to 445 00:21:59,880 --> 00:22:00,880 be wanted. 446 00:22:00,880 --> 00:22:01,880 Wow. 447 00:22:01,880 --> 00:22:06,680 It's a heartbreaking statement, especially coming from a man who had achieved so much. 448 00:22:06,680 --> 00:22:11,600 It makes you wonder if all the accolades, all the fame, could ever truly fill the void 449 00:22:11,600 --> 00:22:13,040 he felt inside. 450 00:22:13,040 --> 00:22:15,000 That's a really poignant observation. 451 00:22:15,000 --> 00:22:20,080 It's like he was constantly chasing something that always seemed to be just out of reach. 452 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:21,520 What about his finances? 453 00:22:21,520 --> 00:22:24,240 Did he ever find financial security? 454 00:22:24,240 --> 00:22:28,320 You'd think a war hero with his level of fame would be set for life, right? 455 00:22:28,320 --> 00:22:30,600 But the reality was far more complicated. 456 00:22:30,600 --> 00:22:33,420 Remember, Pappy had always been chasing a bigger paycheck. 457 00:22:33,420 --> 00:22:34,600 Even before the war. 458 00:22:34,600 --> 00:22:38,800 He struggled with money her whole life, and even with his newfound celebrity, he couldn't 459 00:22:38,800 --> 00:22:41,400 seem to escape those financial woes. 460 00:22:41,400 --> 00:22:45,360 He bounced around from job to job, trying to capitalize on his name recognition, but 461 00:22:45,360 --> 00:22:47,160 nothing seemed to stick. 462 00:22:47,160 --> 00:22:48,160 Wow. 463 00:22:48,160 --> 00:22:49,160 That's surprising. 464 00:22:49,160 --> 00:22:50,600 But then there's that whole wrestling thing, right? 465 00:22:50,600 --> 00:22:56,600 I mean, Pappy Boyington, war hero, Medal of Honor recipient, becomes a wrestling referee. 466 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:57,960 How did that even happen? 467 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,040 It's one of the most bizarre twists in his story. 468 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:06,240 He spent several years working professional wrestling matches, not as a wrestler himself, 469 00:23:06,240 --> 00:23:07,640 but as the referee. 470 00:23:07,640 --> 00:23:08,640 What? 471 00:23:08,640 --> 00:23:09,640 That's wild. 472 00:23:09,640 --> 00:23:11,280 Why in the world would he choose that path? 473 00:23:11,280 --> 00:23:15,000 It's hard to say for sure, but I think there are a few things that play here. 474 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:17,640 Remember, Pappy was a showman at heart. 475 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:23,520 He loved the spotlight, the adrenaline, the roar of the crowd, and wrestling, even as a 476 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:25,800 referee offered him a taste of that. 477 00:23:25,800 --> 00:23:31,240 Plus, it was a world where he could bend the rules, be a bit of a rogue, and still be adored 478 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:32,240 by the fans. 479 00:23:32,240 --> 00:23:33,240 I guess in a way it makes sense. 480 00:23:33,240 --> 00:23:37,120 It was a world where he could be himself, flaws and all, and still be celebrated. 481 00:23:37,120 --> 00:23:40,000 It's both sad and fascinating at the same time. 482 00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:41,000 Exactly. 483 00:23:41,000 --> 00:23:45,280 And of course, there's the TV show, Ba Ba Black Sheep, which brought him a whole new 484 00:23:45,280 --> 00:23:50,000 wave of fame, but also added another layer of complexity to his life. 485 00:23:50,000 --> 00:23:51,000 Right. 486 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:54,480 The show that made him a household name for another generation. 487 00:23:54,480 --> 00:23:56,560 But we talked about how he had mixed feelings about it. 488 00:23:56,560 --> 00:23:58,440 Can you remind us what those were? 489 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:03,680 Well, he appreciated the recognition, of course, but he also criticized the show for its inaccuracies. 490 00:24:03,680 --> 00:24:06,280 It's Hollywood Hockham, as he called it. 491 00:24:06,280 --> 00:24:11,600 He felt it glossed over the realities of war, the sacrifices, the losses, and maybe, just 492 00:24:11,600 --> 00:24:15,880 maybe, it presented a version of himself that he wasn't entirely comfortable with. 493 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:16,880 It's interesting, isn't it? 494 00:24:16,880 --> 00:24:22,200 He seemed to crave recognition, to be wanted, but then when he got it, it wasn't quite 495 00:24:22,200 --> 00:24:23,200 what he expected. 496 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:28,200 It's like he could never quite reconcile the image the world had of him with the reality 497 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:29,200 of who he was. 498 00:24:29,200 --> 00:24:32,720 Yeah, it's a struggle many people face, I think, especially those who live in the public 499 00:24:32,720 --> 00:24:38,160 eye, the pressure to live up to expectations to maintain a certain image can be incredibly 500 00:24:38,160 --> 00:24:39,160 isolating. 501 00:24:39,160 --> 00:24:40,640 So how did it all end for Pappy? 502 00:24:40,640 --> 00:24:44,480 Did he ever find peace, resolution, in those final years? 503 00:24:44,480 --> 00:24:46,680 His final chapter was bittersweet. 504 00:24:46,680 --> 00:24:50,840 He passed away from cancer in 1988 at the age of 75. 505 00:24:50,840 --> 00:24:52,880 His fourth wife was by his side. 506 00:24:52,880 --> 00:24:57,680 He had experienced incredible highs and devastating lows throughout his life, including the tragic 507 00:24:57,680 --> 00:25:00,600 loss of one of his children to suicide. 508 00:25:00,600 --> 00:25:02,880 But he also had reasons to be proud. 509 00:25:02,880 --> 00:25:07,440 His son followed in his footsteps, graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy and retiring 510 00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:11,480 as a Lieutenant Colonel after a successful military career. 511 00:25:11,480 --> 00:25:13,200 What a rollercoaster of a life. 512 00:25:13,200 --> 00:25:14,920 Triumphs, tragedies, contradictions. 513 00:25:14,920 --> 00:25:16,960 It's almost too much to process. 514 00:25:16,960 --> 00:25:17,960 What do we make of it all? 515 00:25:17,960 --> 00:25:22,560 What's the take away from this incredible, messy, complicated story? 516 00:25:22,560 --> 00:25:26,640 I think Pappy's story reminds us that heroism isn't a simple equation. 517 00:25:26,640 --> 00:25:28,560 It's not about being perfect or flawless. 518 00:25:28,560 --> 00:25:30,560 It's about facing adversity. 519 00:25:30,560 --> 00:25:33,680 Filling your own demons and finding a way to make a difference in the world even when 520 00:25:33,680 --> 00:25:35,600 you're struggling to make sense of your own life. 521 00:25:35,600 --> 00:25:40,320 It's a powerful reminder that heroes are human with all the complexities and contradictions 522 00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:41,560 that come with being human. 523 00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:42,560 They make mistakes. 524 00:25:42,560 --> 00:25:43,560 They struggle. 525 00:25:43,560 --> 00:25:44,560 They... 526 00:25:44,560 --> 00:25:46,400 Pappy Boynton was a flawed hero, no doubt. 527 00:25:46,400 --> 00:25:51,320 But his story is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, the enduring power of 528 00:25:51,320 --> 00:25:55,360 courage, and the importance of embracing our own complexities. 529 00:25:55,360 --> 00:25:56,360 Well said. 530 00:25:56,360 --> 00:25:58,880 Pappy's life was a wild ride. 531 00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:02,720 A story full of twists and turns, triumphs and tragedies. 532 00:26:02,720 --> 00:26:05,640 It's a story that stays with you long after you've heard it. 533 00:26:05,640 --> 00:26:07,840 And I think we've only scratched the surface here today. 534 00:26:07,840 --> 00:26:13,280 There's so much more to explore to understand about this incredible and enigmatic figure. 535 00:26:13,280 --> 00:26:17,320 This deep dive into Pappy Boynton's life is just the beginning. 536 00:26:17,320 --> 00:26:22,320 We encourage you to dig deeper, read his autobiography, Ba Ba Black Sheep, learn more 537 00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:26,640 about the Black Sheep Squadron, and consider the complexities of heroism in the face of 538 00:26:26,640 --> 00:26:28,120 personal flaws. 539 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:29,680 What resonates with you the most? 540 00:26:29,680 --> 00:26:31,680 What questions linger in your mind? 541 00:26:31,680 --> 00:26:34,200 What are your own takeaways from this deep dive? 542 00:26:34,200 --> 00:26:36,080 We'd love to hear your thoughts. 543 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:39,520 Thanks for joining us on this journey through the life of a true American legend. 544 00:26:39,520 --> 00:26:43,120 Until next time, keep exploring, keep questioning, and keep diving deep. 545 00:26:43,120 --> 00:26:50,080 This interview on Pappy Boynton just scratches the surface really of a pretty complex guy. 546 00:26:50,080 --> 00:26:52,600 Like most of us are, I suppose. 547 00:26:52,600 --> 00:26:55,560 This was an AI-generated interview. 548 00:26:55,560 --> 00:27:00,560 It was created out of a chapter that we wrote. 549 00:27:00,560 --> 00:27:05,800 And so we know it has solid bones and content, and we hope you enjoyed listening to a little 550 00:27:05,800 --> 00:27:09,600 bit of it here on Veterans Radio. 551 00:27:09,600 --> 00:27:12,520 And I want to thank everybody for listening to Veterans Radio today. 552 00:27:12,520 --> 00:27:14,080 I am Jim Fossone. 553 00:27:14,080 --> 00:27:16,360 It's been a pleasure to be your host. 554 00:27:16,360 --> 00:27:21,120 I'm a Veterans Disability Lawyer at Legal Help for Veterans, and you can reach us at 555 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:28,680 800-6934800 or LegalHelpforVeterans.com on the web. 556 00:27:28,680 --> 00:27:33,600 You can follow Veterans Radio on Facebook and listen to its podcasts and internet radio 557 00:27:33,600 --> 00:27:38,200 shows by visiting us at VeteransRadio.org. 558 00:27:38,200 --> 00:27:40,800 That's VeteransRadio.org. 559 00:27:40,800 --> 00:27:46,400 We again want to thank our national sponsors, the National Veterans Business Development 560 00:27:46,400 --> 00:27:50,320 Council, NVBDC.org. 561 00:27:50,320 --> 00:27:57,280 LegalHelpforVeterans, a Veterans Disability Law firm with a national practice before the 562 00:27:57,280 --> 00:28:02,480 VA, can help you on your claims and your appeals. 563 00:28:02,480 --> 00:28:11,240 It can be reached at LegalHelpforVeterans.com or 1-800-6934800. 564 00:28:11,240 --> 00:28:16,080 And PuroClean, a leader in property emergency services. 565 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:22,400 It's the paramedics of property damage, providing water damage remediation, flood water removal, 566 00:28:22,400 --> 00:28:28,000 fire and smoke damage remediation, mold and biohazard cleanups. 567 00:28:28,000 --> 00:28:36,320 You can reach them at PuroClean.com or 800-775-7876. 568 00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:39,280 We also want to thank our local sponsors. 569 00:28:39,280 --> 00:28:47,120 This would include the Charles S. Kettles chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America, 570 00:28:47,120 --> 00:28:49,120 that's chapter 310. 571 00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:57,600 VFW, Graf O'Hara Post 423, the American Legion, Erwin Preskin Post 46 in Ann Arbor as well. 572 00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:04,560 The VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and certainly the National Vietnam Veterans of America Association. 573 00:29:04,560 --> 00:29:11,520 You can be a sponsor by going to veteransradio.org, clicking on the about us and our sponsors 574 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:12,560 and help us out. 575 00:29:12,560 --> 00:29:18,400 Keep this program alive for the 21 and 22 years. 576 00:29:18,400 --> 00:29:20,160 Keep us going for another 20. 577 00:29:20,160 --> 00:29:36,160 Thank you.