Badass 101-Year-Old P-38 Pilot’s Amazing Stories of the Air War Over Europe
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 23 мар 2024
- Jim Kunkle, a veteran of World War II who flew close air support and escort missions as the allies advanced east after D-Day, describes what it was like to fly the legendary P-38 Lightning in combat. He also details the fateful mission where he shot down a Luftwaffe FW-190 before getting shot down himself.
Thumbnail painting courtesy of artist Doug Castleman.
Subscribe to THE MOOCH REPORT (this channel's free weekly behind-the-scenes update) here: eepurl.com/hDfbsj
Support this channel by using the SUPER THANKS (heart icon above) or by becoming a Patron at / wardcarroll
Buy one or all three of the books in the PUNK'S TRILOGY, Ward's popular first three novels about life a Tomcat squadron, at www.usni.org/punks-trilogy-re....
Also available in KINDLE format here: www.amazon.com/dp/B09R1MX8SY
And as an audiobook here:
PUNK'S WAR: www.audible.com/pd/Punks-War-...
PUNK'S WING: www.amazon.com/Punks-Wing-Pun...
PUNK'S FIGHT: www.amazon.com/Punks-Fight-Pu...
Get official channel gear at my-store-b7f9c9.creator-sprin... 
Развлечения
"I felt like I had been beaten with a 2x4, but it wasn't that bad" just about sums up the tenacity of his generation. Thank you Mooch, for this top notch content.
Exactly!
No kidding! Only the people who went through the Depression could just "rub some dirt on it" and press on. Outstanding!
When I was a kid my dad went to the American legion lots. His bud flew p38's in WW2. He was in the South Pacific. So was my dad. He said the p38 was a Cadillac. Loved the story's. This was in the 60's.
Love that line.
You beat me to posting this. Heard him say that and thought, "what a bad arse!"
I could listen to these stories all day. Thanks for creating this. His memory is amazing but I suppose surviving being blown out of his P-38, free falling through several thousand feet of clouds, dropping his 45 from burnt hands is all something you'd never forget. A true hero.
YES especially when your thoughts are "O" crap this is in the German control area. That US military soldier helmet was probably a sight that he will always remember. 😊 MAN what a memory for just prior to (102) YOA 😊❤😊 this guys memory is sharp. This fighter two engine pilot I would trust so much more than the guy who is sitting in the white House NOW
That's just my Humble opinion 😊
Great interview Ward, it's fabulous, BRAVO ZULU.. I went over to the Home of Heros webpage and looked up his DSC citation. What a humble guy. I recommend looking up and reading his citation.
I agree 100%!
@@rp1645 My thoughts exactly! The difference between this gentleman and FJB is night and day in more ways than just memory. My dad was an electrical/radio repair tech on P-38s. He told me he had worked on new electronics for one of the P-38s and the pilot took him up when they tested the equipment. He told my dad, "If we have to bail out for any reason, you crawl over me, sit in the wing, lie flat and slide off. If you sit up or stand, you'll hit the tailplane/elevator and get cut in half." Dad told the pilot, "Let's not get into a situation where we have to bail." My dad's generation was amazing. We're not likely to see another one like for quite awhile.
@jackstem475 Based!!, Thank You, Brother!!
My Mom is also 101, WWII USMC veteran, and she is not even close in alertness and memory recall as Mr. Kunkle. Heck, I'm 64 and wish I was as present as he is at 101! Absolutely fascinating story.
GOD BLESS YOUR MA!! PLEASE tell her THANK YOU for her service !!
My grandma is 96 and is pretty good still.
I don't believe USMC took women in ranks WW2?
As a South African and fellow pilot, I stand in awe!! What a privilege to "meet" this man - his memory is razor-blade sharp. I would not be surprised if he can still recite the complete P38 pilot's checklist from memory...
My great grandfather flew with Jim… got shot down in Normandy and Jim keeps his memory alive and well…. Much love ❤
Fantastic ❤
A real aviator and a real American.
What a life and what a storyteller. Brilliant interview, Mooch.
I bet he can still fly!!
@@johndalessandro6433 I’d happily strap in if he was the pilot.
Fascinating. My father was a P-38 pilot in the Pacific in Richard Bong's squadron. He was also born in 1922 who sadly passed in 1987.
Wow, Dick Bong's squadron.... bet there were some awesome stories!
@roberthevern6169 My grandfather was also a fighter pilot in WWII flying 51's and 38's. I remember vividly them telling their stories with a martini in one had and a smoke in the other.
My brother lives near Bong's crash site (No. Hollywood). There's images online of his P-80 production line - next to the P-38 assembly line. Once, a P-38 pilot ditched in the surf off Ocean Park/Venice Beach, Ca. early in the war. Image search / Santa Monica Historical Library / P-38 in the surf. Agreed - fascinating.
@@sneakerset T Y, Sir!
@@peterbogart4531 You're welcome. Just checked - the SM History museum archives has a date on the photo(s) : May 16, 1942. Lt. William Long (N.Y.) was uninjured after the forced landing due to an engine fire.
My goodness, what a bright mind. 101 year old with a much younger mind and the recall of facts is unbelievable. His ability to recall events is nothing less than spectacular.
At 102, Jim is sharper than some 80 year olds. 😂
Great story! Well done!
He is sharper and tougher than this 66 year old.
Yeah, and wicked sharper than some 78 year olds.
Sharper and tougher than one 80 year old in particular that's currently in the white house!
I thought he was a bit slow at first, but I had accidentally put RUclips playback speed at 0.5x 😂
That's hardly a feat though 🤣@@92naz32
What a whopper of an episode! My father served on USS Enterprise in Midway and my wife's' father was Army on Guadalcanal. I served from 1978 to 1999 United States Marine Corps. Hats off to the men and women that pulled off WW2!! We wouldn't BE HERE without THEM!!!
My Dad, who was born in 1934, talks about knowing Civil War veterans. I think we have just had a similar experience. Thank you, Ward, for introducing us to Jim Kunkle. Mr. Kunkle, it was an honor to meet you, sir. Words and medals cannot express what this country owes you for your courage and tenacity in service to the principals this country stands for. In all sincerity, God bless you.
My father was born in 1923 and also attended Beverly Hills High School. He and his twin brother went on to fly 53 missions in B-25s in Italy in the 486th Squadron. He died in 2008, but was incredibly proud of his time in the USAAC - as am I!
Wow! I wouldn't have believed there were many WW2 pilots left, left alone any who were coherent and able to discuss their war experiences. Such a great story!
There are some great interviews that are recent of WW2 vets from all aspects of the war. Glad someone is getting these online to preserve
Commander, a historical treasure. I am amazed that you found him. As always you do brilliant podcasts!
WOW!!! Jim, is as sharp as a tack, you'd never believe he was 101 years old. Thanks for this amazing interview, Ward.
My relative flew the P-38 in the 9th AF 367 FG 394 FS. He was credited with shooting down an ME-109 after having one of his engines shot out. The group switched to P-47s in Feb of 45.
The Grand Central Air terminal that Jim mentioned still stands. You can see it in the movie Casablanca. Disney animation was next to the Air terminal in the early 90s. I worked on Beauty and the Beast there.
Great interview. Amazing to hear his experiences.
I am always amazed how these WW II heroes always make their great often harrowing service to this country sound like it was merely their duty and not a big deal. It was certainly a HUGE deal, and we cannot ever fully appreciate them enough for giving us our freedom. Fantastic report, Ward!
Thanks so much for posting this. My dad was a P-51 pilot with the 15th in Italy, and I can't get enough of these stories. They bring me closer to him.
I appreciate your interview style. Tee him up, let him run, and stay out of his way. Very well done.
The sharpest mind, memory, speaking and all of a 100+ year old! Amazing!!!
Wow! Great "get" of this interview with the indomitable Jim Kunkle. I couldn't believe how sharp his mind is at 102! Mine's shot at 77! Those WWII guys were really something. I was touched by how hard Jim, despite his injuries, tried to rejoin his squadron and get back into action. I would have been happy just to take the ticket home!
I'm in a Marine and Navy Corpsman group in Denver, Coopers Troopers. We have five Iwo Jima vets who attend our monthly luncheons. One, a Corpsman, Tom Ram, is in his late 90s acts and talks like a 65 year old. Amazing guys!
It's wonderful hearing Jim talk about the P-38 and his experience.
Mooch, this has to be one of your best interviews! What a character. I can just see his bros from the squadron walking through Paris: "I wonder what happened to Jim, I guess he got shot down?"' And then there he comes out of the door from pushing it up in the Burlesque bar, with lipstick on his collar, no doubt. That's legendary, man! The Greatest Generation, indeed. And thank you for including the Air Force song at the end--it does my heart good. Great episode, thank you so much.
Unfortunately, that was the last great generation. Every generation since has degenerated and continues to do so. We may be heading for the last American generation.
God bless the true Patriots & Warriors and veterans that served/serve our country!
Oh shut up, America just got done with it's longest war in it's history, 20 years, and it didn't have to draft a single one to fill the ranks everyone volunteered even when thing's went sideways because there wasn't any WMD's and support plummeted after a few year's of it, but in WW2 ⅔rds of those in it were drafted, and by the way in Vietnam ⅔rds volunteered, only ⅓rd were drafted despite the image being that everyone marched off to war for WW2 the day after Pearl Harbor and in Vietnam everyone was drug over there by their hair kicking and screaming because they were drafted.
On average in WW2 a serviceman spent 40 days out of the year in combat, in Iraq and Afghanistan it was over 260 days a year in average, and before you go popping off at your pie hole the next time about how the generations keep deteriorating you should look into the acts of some of those who were awarded the MOH in Iraq and Afghanistan, they were just as dedicated, just as brave and gave just as much as any generations ever have in the history of this country and they don't deserve one bit less than that.
Seeing as how you're so critical when did you serve?
@dukecraig2402 Thank you for setting the record straight. While WWII vets surely deserve the pedestal we put them on, America, and real Americans, still exist and thrive, despite what we hear and see in the horrible news and social media dispatches of today. 🫡🇺🇲
@@JHillNC
Yea, people only wanna base everything on war movies, they forget that it's the same generation that came home from the war and wouldn't let a fellow veteran buy a house next to them because they were the wrong color, nothing great about that.
@dukecraig2402 Thank you for truthful facts. Each generation has those who are great, serve their country before themselves. Sadly, the media diminishes anyone who does anything to make or keep America great. The real change in the US is the anti US media, more corrupt, brazenly spreads half-truth (lies) about our nation & those who love her.
Aviators are another breed!
They hardly seem to age!
This interview was much too short. I could listen to this guy for a straight week. They were a different breed back then. Imagine 500,000 18yr old volunteering for the military today, and not just the military, ONE job.
Image America just getting done with the longest war in it's history, 20 years, and not a single person involved had to be drafted.
Oh wait, that just happened.
Image American troops being in a war where on average they spend over 260 days out of the year in combat compared to WW2 where they spent 40 days out of the year in combat on average.
Oh wait, that just happened.
Now image being one of those guy's and you have to spend the rest of your life hearing all about how your generation can't compare.
Me too. These stories are too awesome for an hour. So much happened to these guys. But at their age, they tire out easier so often dont have the energy to talk much.
Absolutely incredible. What luck, being able to both work on the production line; then actually getting to fly the same type!
Sharp as a tack! Excellent story. My dad was a TBM pilot, and he shared the notion that “fighter pilots like to talk, but bomber pilots don’t”. Amazing generation. Cheers!
Wow. 102 years of age is impressive. 102 years old and the ability to recall events, in detail, of eight decades ago is incredible. Thank you for getting his story on the record for all of us.
My father was an Aviation Machinist mate during the war. Tail gunner/navigator on a Kingfisher 2 flown from the USS Iowa. Just before he passed in 2017 (98yo) I was able to get him to recount some of his memories about the War. They truly were the greatest Generation. I feel like my time in the navy (6yrs aviation corpsman) doesn't even scratch the surface of what these men did. Thank you Mooch.
I was just at the Santa Ynez, CA airport (KIZA) that is named after Jim Kunkle. My father was also a P-38 pilot and six victory ace that came from the Washington Air National Guard flying as a radioman/observer in the pre WWII observation type aircraft. It is a small world!
Fascinating, 101 year old. What a living treasure! Thank you for conducting and posting this rare and valuable interview Mr. Carroll.
How much we are indebted to men like Jim is hard to express; What a fighter, and a gentleman!
His mind is so sharp. I could listen to his stories for hours. He reminds me of my uncle who flew spitfires in England, France and Italy and later sailed to USA on the Queen Mary to teach American pilots.
These were exceptional men!
Thank you for this wonderful interview Ward, it's a real treasure.
Man, I could listen to his stories for hours. What a hero.
IF I ever get to 100+ years of age I really hope I am as sharp & and clear minded as Jim Kunkle.
*The bloke is a total inspiration as to what you can aspire to be*
AND he already achieved an impressive amount on his way to getting to here
Mooch, you've done us ALL proud finding Jim and brining him onto a world covering platform.
Deep thanks to both of you
Probably part of the same tenacity which kept on taking him back to the Squadron
Top Bloke indeed
Glad his (and the folk around him)'s history is now 'On the record'
'Screwball' Buerling - that is the first time I've heard him called that. He was a Canadian, ( and a very well known in Canadian circles) and I have always heard him referred to as 'Buzz' Buerling. That is pretty awesome you can get living history like that. Thank you for keeping it going.
I've heard both of those nicknames for him pretty often. Try to find his book; it's an amazing read.
Great vid. I cant believe he is 102, his mind is sharp as a tack. Yes, this guy is a true bad ass and I love hearing from these guys. When I was a kid I would read about their exploits in the air it's nice to hear it in their own words.
My uncle was a instructor on T6s during the war and he just passed away at 102. Great episode, we need to hear more from the remaining flight crews before they are all gone.
Just amazing. What a great man and so sharp in his memory. Please keep in touch with him.
Far out Ward, you've excelled yourself here, testimonies of old timers like Mt Kunkle are priceless. You've outdone all your other RUclips colleagues in the aviation genre with this chat!
Great video Ward. His story is very similar to the path my father followed. He became a Senior Design specialist in the Lockheed Skunk Works.
The P38 will always have a special place in my heart. Such a beautiful plane. And such a hard task to fly those very long distances to guard bombing missions. Todays passenger jets are faster, but we still expect to be able to stand up and move a bit while we are crossing the Atlantic.
Bless him. A living legend.
Nice one Ward. One officer and gentleman interviewing another. Class act as always. And such a valuable historical record from a legendary source. Thank you.
Wow.... Again. More of the Real Deal. So many guys like him had such amazing experiences. For him to live to 101 and still be able to recall is such detail those experiences..... Wow. How do you find these people. You are so well connected. Just love your channel. Thanks again Ward.
Amazing story Mr Kunkle thank you for your service. Without people like you Europe would look a lot different. Mooch thank you for this story. Kind regards from the Netherlands
Dag, Nederland!
That guy has it together better at 101 than I do at 53. Thank you for your service sir and thanks Mooch for another fascinating interview.
Ol' Cougar - quite a story! He's amazingly reslilient for 101. God bless him and much gratitude for his service. He would be close in age to my Dad who was in the infantry in the South Pacific. What these guys didn't go through -
Thanks for sharing.
One hell of a guy with a great story and he was so very sharp and articulate as if it were last month. Amazing man, we cannot thank him and his generation enough for what that gave us all!
Great interview. He is pretty sharp for 101 and much younger. Loved his stories. Thanks for sharing.
Great man! I am amazed at his total recall of events and timeline and all! He has a far better memory than i do and I am only 76.
Thank you for this video!! I thank you both for your service to our nation!! My Grandpa built P 38s at Lockheed in Southern Calif. Seems that he did a good Job, Mr. Kunkle is still with us.
Awesome video. Thank you Jim Conkle for your service. My father was a copilot on B-29’s and was on Saipan and Tinian. He was also a photographer and managed to get some of his mission photos cleared through processing as unrestricted. Don’t ask me how he did that but we found them after he passed in 2012. I have digitally restored them and they have been handed down to my son who is a Coast Guard aviator.
Hey Mooch. Keep up the good work. Thanks for this special episode.
Ward, this is a captivating interview. I can't get enough of these types of stories.
My father and uncle moved from Utah to work at Lockheed. My father was a tool and die technition, woking on P38 and later P80 production. This was very interesting.
Great interview Ward. This man was mentored and lead through a thought process that had him aware of cloud heights while he was falling from the sky after being blown out of his plane. Outstanding. I get a sense he didn’t want his last flight to be the crash. Find some more of these men. We need them now more than ever.
I always thought the P 38 was a beautiful plane, and what a wonderful person as well. Thanks so much to you both.
Hey Mooch, I was born in 1966, have never had to fight a war thanks to men like this. Can you please conduct more of these interviews. Your own experience as aircrew makes it possible for you to interview these men on something close to an even basis. Thank you so much. Matthew (South Australia)
The sharpness and Clarity of his memories are amazing.
Respect and gratitude Mr. Knuckle.
It really sounds like you’ve got quite the life going.
George Buerling was Canadian serving initially in the RAF and then the RCAF. He shot down 27 aircraft in 14 days over Malta. He ended the war with 31 kills. He died in an aircraft accident delivering aircraft to Israel in 1947.
Awesome interview! Jim is so sharp at 101, remembering details and names of those he served with. And wanting to go back to fight after such a harrowing down is testament to his patriot duty. It's becoming increasingly rare to still find people that served in WWII and especially ones so vital to be able to share first hand stories in great detail. Kudos Mooch for the interview.
I could listen to Jim all day! Thanks for bringing him to us.
Thank you for the interview, Ward.
I am old enough to remember when we started to lose the last WWI veterans to the rages of time. The videos you create are an important time capsule to preserve the stories of individuals like Capt Kunkle, who played an important role in military history.
I can't possibly thank you enough for interviewing Jim. What an incredible guy. What an incredible story. Many thanks also for recognizing the Army Air Corps, and their great contributions -- including flying and fighting in P-38 Lightnings, an awesome aircraft in every way.
God bless Jim Kunkle, who is a bonified war hero. What an amazing life experience he's had! I can't express how much joy I have to hear his story directly from him, now in 2024. He is sharp as a whip, and this was an absolute treat. This is one of your greatest episodes, Ward. Thank you Jim and Ward.
Thank you for documenting the stories of another one of our WWII hero's on film. These men are living history and it’s so important to document everything they have to offer us while they’re still here. So awesome to hear a man who is 101 years old talk about working on the assembly line that built the very first P-51’s! I could listen to him tell the stories of what he saw and learned at that factory all day.
Jim causes me to reverse my thinking on "living too long." WOW, he is sooooooo sharp...and the details of aviation industry pre-war. Imagine actually working, building the first 10 P51s!!!!!!
What a fantastic old airman, great memory too !!! Thanks for this !!
A living legend, it's an absolute privilege to listen to this hero share his experiences as he lived them! I hope anyone watching this truly appreciates the significance and bravery of this gentleman's actions. Thank you sir for your courage and perseverance in your service to this country.
Wow. I will watch this one again and again. Thank you Ward. That Hero has quite the story. It is good to know you have captured it for history.
My Great Grandmother, Ruth Hartka worked at Lockheed during the war.
She lived to be 94 or maybe even 95 and smoked a pack a day her entire life.
These people are the toughest.
I could go on and on about my relatives from The Greatest Generation.
..but yes, Ruth Hartka worked at Lockheed.
Anyways,
Thank you so much for this Mooch.
I really appreciate your efforts and may God Bless Jim Kunkle!
This is the most AMAZING interview i have EVER seen of an air combat pilot of WWII....God Bless Jim Kungle AND HE IS 100 and one years old and i am 81 years.....An i see by the clock on your wall Ward just how long it really was......Thanks Ward.....Shoe🇺🇸
101 years old, still sharp as a tack. Great stories.
Ward, this is one of your best episodes ever. What a find in this centurion who is as sharp and elequant as man half his age., and as you said, epitomizes the greatest generation. It is something that he was sent home by General Spaatz himself!
Great episode Mooch. Not a lot of those guys left to talk to. Good job getting him to talk about his service.
What a great interview Ward and thanks to Jim for his recounting of tines long ago, I was just a toddler in those days having been born in December of '41. Not nearly as old as Jim as he has a couple of decades on me. Anyway, thanks Ward these kind of interviews are few and far between not many of the guys who went through those times are still around to recount them. My dad was a Chief Petty Officer in the Navy in the Pacific for the whole war and also before and after and he did not talk very much about his combat experiences did mention his Destroyer was hit with a Kamikaze raid that nearly sank his ship but not much more than that but I was too young to really care about those times so I did not question him much and now I regret not getting to know his side of WWII. I'm sure he was just as happy to not have to recall those times.
An incredible airman who at 101+ can recall clearly the details of his service, locations, units, individuals, etc. Thank you, Ward, for a most informative, remarkable interview. Thank you both for your service. Do you have an update on Jim Kunkle? His home location?
Great interview, Ward! So fortunate that he is able to recount his experiences so well!
Thanks!
Thanks for sharing Jim Kunkle's story. I salute him for his service
Lovely interview, what a true gentleman Mr. Kunkle is. The last of a lost breed unfortunately. Thank you sir.
I had the good fortune to briefly speak with a P-38 pilot several years ago, he had flown in the Pacific theatre, he was working in NASA on their Now & Then tour, another wonderful gentleman.
What a fine-flying gentleman! Thanks, Mooch, for starting this conversation; my Dad and his pals were of this generation, and like all the others, they were a tough, no-nonsense bunch. How I miss them all and their stories! Once again thanks.
Great video. Heroes like Jim need their stories told. People today could learn many things.
102 years old, and he remembers all of this like it happened yesterday! Even people's names. Great story. great guy!
Outstanding interview Ward! In the book, “Masters of the Air” is a detailed history about what the Flak houses were like for the bomber crews for R&R. Back in the days before anyone knew what PTSD was this was a therapy,it seems. I guess they thought they were doing Lt Kunkle a favor to send him there.
The clarity of this man's mind is astounding!
I once visited an Alzheimer's facility looking for a place to take care of our mom.
While checking out an activities room for patients, a tall guy began talking to me about the last 'mission' we were on. He was apparently a former Mustang pilot in Europe and somehow thought I was a squadron mate!
Now I look like a biker, I have very long hair and a typical goatee... black T-shirt and levis.
How he could mistake me for one of his squad mates really gave me a sense of how bad that disease is.
Anyway, I understood what he was saying and played along as best I could.
This was several years ago and my mom has since left us.
This guy's recollections are a treasure that needs to be saved for posterity for all Americans as well as all others!
Fantastic example of that generation!
That was by far one of the best interviews you have had on this channel, Ward. This gets my vote as this year's Moochie award, hands down. Thanks for this.
This guy has amazing mental clarity. God bless these ww2 vets. Larry Lowthorp lives in southern Cal and is 101 too. He too was in the military in ww2 and spent time on Espirto Santos in the south pacific as a aviation metal smith
WHAT A GUY! Thanks Ward.
Wow. Just wow. What an interview. Deepest appreciation for him, that generation, and the country that once was.
Interesting; I, too, was born in Santa Ana in '54 while my dad was USMC aviation. He had finished his tour in Korea flying Corsairs in VMF 212. Switched to helicopters rather than direct air traffic in the desert.
Fantastic Ward. Thanks for snagging this interview. My dad's very good friend when I was growing up was a P-38 pilot. My dad was on B029s.
Mooch, that was pure class, the way that interview was conducted. Mr.Kunkle is a true hero.
That was a delightful episode to relive those days of the greatest generation! Thank you Jim Kunkle, and thank you Ward. God Speed!
Stunning mental clarity. No prompts needed.
Mooch, love this interview. I hate to think that that generation will soon be gone 😢. We need as much of this as we can get while we can. Thank you so much for what you do! 🙏🏻
Outstanding video! I, like so many others, could listen to these guys stories for hours. Such bravery and determination! And yet, most are humble and proud to have been able to serve. These men are truly heroes no matter how much they try to deflect that distinction!! This country should be proud of EVERY military person who served!!!!
What great stories from a great soldier. Glad he's still with us. I would love to sit down with him and listen to him all day.
Thank you so much for introducing us to Jim Kunkle, an amazing patriot, aviator, and hero!
Great interview, Mooch!! And at 102 - just in time. It's sad that the turmoil of the Vietnam era didn't permit the population at large to appreciate the service and sacrifices of all generations who served a lot sooner than we have.
Thank you so much for making this video with Jim Kunkle. It is so important to preserve the memories of as many old soldiers as possible. It was an honor to listen to his recollections. Thank you again.