How 7 American Pilots Risked Everything To Protect Pearl Harbor 

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Any man that strapped on a P-40 to enter combat with hundreds of Zeros already airborne deserve the Medal of Honor ........... at least.

Just a minor correction: Both Welch and Taylor were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross (the second-highest American military decoration) for their heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor, not Silver Star.

There was another fascinating, unsung person in Pearl Harbor, that day. A guy named Frontino: a colorblind mechanic who was happy to serve his country any way he could even if he "would never see combat." During the opening of the attack, he said that some younger guys were giggling. This is apparently a common reaction to unexpected incoming fire, and Frontino started barking orders (he was not an officer) at some of the stunned kids scrambling around. That small gang went to the armory, grabbed a machine gun and bullets, and headed to the roof of one of the buildings. They were some of the first to return fire, that morning, and even managed to splash a plane before the first wave was over.

glad we had those kind of guys for WW2,..........balls of steel.

This is why I idolize the airmen of the 2 world wars! They had nerves of steel and didn’t let rules and regs stop them from doing what they were trained and willing to do when they needed to! Thanks for another great vid, TJ!

Quick side note, George Welch sadly he died while testing an F-100 Super Sabre. Also, he was reputed to have broken the sound barrier before Yeager, while doing a shallow dive in an F-86 Sabre.

Historical notes - First off, I believe there was one more pilot that got airborne in a P-36, 2nd Lt. Malcolm Moore - For some reason, there is very little info on him. He did not score any kills, so I did not include him but he certainly still deserves appreciation. Also, I believe all P-40s here would have been C models, but E models are used in this recreation, as it is the closest I had. Finally, I was limited in my skins, so some of the P-40s may have repeat identification numbers on the sides but I did my best. Hope you guys enjoy! Please consider supporting me on Patreon here: Patreon.com/TJ3History and make sure to also check out Stories Behind the Stars here: www.storiesbehindthestars.org/

This men deserved the Medal of Honor.

Later in the war my father was a pilot in the 47th FS. At a reunion in the late 70's he got me Lt Sanders autograph.

What's even more amazing is these boys were in their late teens, early twenties. You won't see that with today's lot.

The P-36 displayed at the Museum of the United States Air Force is painted to represent Rasmussen's ship. He's there too, climbing into the cockpit in his striped pajamas.

Surely George Sterling can be found, the wreck can't be too far from the island.

Back in the early 90s a cache of Pearl Harbor-related pictures and written material that had not previously been published was collected for public presentation. I was lucky enough to attend the presentation in San Jose, CA, and meet several veterans there. The high point for me was talking to Harry Brown, who came across as a very humble, likable man. Not many of them left today.

11:42 I first heard about the story of these two men on Yarnhub. The fact that Welch wasn’t given the Medal of Honor is dumb. It doesn’t even matter if he and Taylor took off without authorization. Enemy planes were attacking and they needed to defend the harbor and their home airfield.

Always great info and storytelling! FYI- I was stationed in Hawaii and went out and found the location of the old Haleiwa (“Holly Eva”) field.

Am glad to see the greater recognition of US Army Air Corp and USN pilots and the number of US planes that were in the skies over Pearl Harbor, as the civilian aircraft, B-17s, and Taylor & Welch serving as an amalgamation of the contributions of them has been what was most commonly known from what was presented in Tora, Tora, Tora.

As fighter pilots, they lived for this stuff!

Great story. True heros. Just imagine if we had been able to get our planes in the air and the outcome of the battle?

It was fun making footage for this video, thanks for the opportunity TJ!!!

Great video! Looking for an idea? I remember reading about a USMC pilot of Guadalcanal who ran out of ammo. The pilot got directly above a low flying Japanese plane, and kept knocking him down with his fuselage until the plane crashed into the ocean. The event was witnessed by a bunch of Navy sailors. I wish I remembered the book it was in.

Don't ever tell me these brave Americans deserved the silver medal cause they DESERVED MORE THAN THAT! Glad this video covers their history! So great, so brave! 🙏⭐🙏⭐🙏. All of them! True Americans! War is ugly, nothing about it pretty,. Just BRAVE men like these men need to me remembered!!

How about a Video based "What If" the Radar Station properly read and reported (and was received) situation? Sure beats the depressing reality of what happened originally...

Whiteman AFB in Missouri is named after George Whiteman and is about 20 miles west of his hometown, Sedalia, Mo. This is where the B2 Stealth bombers are based.

We have the only airworthy p-40b 284 that survived the Pearl harbour attack it’s now back in USA where it’s display in American heritage museum today. Ps sad news Johnny Johnson the world last living dambaster veteran has passed away at age 101 RIP.

While stationed at Wheeler Army Airfield 96-99 with 3/4 Cav Ramussen came back to Hawaii. I got to meet him and get him to sign a print of his plane flying over Hawaii.

Thanks for the video TJ

Thank you for these great stories! And thank you, Stories Behind the Stars!

we're under attack! but make sure you get proper authorization, sign out your aircraft, and brush your teeth before taking off! 😂😂

Great video TJ3 History

I really enjoyed this one. I knew of the others but was nice to hear their stories

this is a great story you told as I didn't know about 3 of these unknown pilots. Thanks for sharing this. My first fascination with Pearl harbor was when I was in the 8th grade (1976-77) and I did a history project of making battleship row. Of course there wasn't anything but the USS Arizona on the marketplace so I just modified the others into its ship's name. Got an A+ on it. BTW...can you find out about an attack on Australia by the Japanese where there was a lone P-38 against 100's of attacking enemy? I barely remember the story but time as taken it toll. I think this would be in 1942.

Cool video, usually for the pilots that got into the air at Pearl Harbor you only hear about the last two in the video.

Thank you for such AMAZING STORIES!!!

Enjoyed this story Much Thank you for your work 😊💜

Winston Brown was born and raised in my hometown of Amarillo, TX. Everybody called him Harry. Such a crazy cool life…he was BORN to be a fighter pilot. He earned his first airplane ride as a kid by digging up and pulling cactus out of a local grass airfield, and became so determined to fly for the US he had his tonsils pulled after being rejected and then came back to the Army doctor the next day for a re-evaluation! He had just completed becoming gunnery qualified in P-36’s and P-40’s literally less than 24 hours before the attack began. That’s the real reason the small batch of aircraft were available at the subsidiary field of Haleiwa. Fascinatingly, all of the guys who were successful in getting airborne from Haleiwa plus Dianes (Brown’s roommate) were all just wrapping up a near all night poker game at the Wheeler Field BOQ where they all lived. Brown was also clad in a unique flight uniform of tuxedo pants, a Hawaiian pajama top, and house slippers. The very articles he was wearing that day are in display at the USAF museum in Dayton. Amazingly, Brown was able to shoot down both of those aircraft (I believe they were Kates possibly) with only a SINGLE MACHINE GUN. Accounts vary as ti the reason; some versions of the story say time was the boy taken to load one gun before he took off, while others say the first time he pulled the trigger the other 3 jammed. Either way, with marksmanship like that, it’s fitting that Harry Brown was the first Texan to be decorated for bravery in WWII when he was awarded his Silver Star. He later flew with the 475th FG (anybody heard of Richard Bong or Tommy McGuire?) and was that group’s first ace. What a life.

Thank you for this historical video and amazing work!👍❤

Hi, your videos are great to watch! Just love the history behind them. How about one on the P-38's intercepting and shooting down Yamamoto? I believe his actual Betty wreckage was recently found. Also, the read on Adolf Galland exploits were fascinating. I believe he was shot down a few times in the Battle of Britain.

Great episode, thank you for sharing it.

Am so glad that so many of the 7 survived the war

Such incredible bravery!

Nice video. I wonder how the P36's stacked up against the zero? Slower but lighter than the P40 so more maneuverable. I think some of the weight gain on the P40 was for armor so it could take more hits, but the water cooling was more vulnerable. A bunch of US planes got shot up on the ground at Pearl Harbor and the Philippines.

This video was a delight to watch. I love it when lesser known people get the recognition they deserve.

Great video 👍💯

Great history show

I remember when Ben Affleck shot down all those zeros then was on the hull of the Oklahoma. He then went on to fly in the Doolittle Raid. True American hero.

Enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up

The last story of the two pilots, were awarded The Distinguish Service Cross for there actions and one did receive a purple heart.

Just like my uncle who flew B-25's in the Pacific, they were very brave and didn't hesitate to do there job ,and do it well! Bravo to the greatest generation ! 👍🇺🇸

That's gratitude for you .Help save the the people along side of them then get reprimanded for doing what is right.

Someone needs to find Stirling’s P-36!

Hey man! AMAZING video!! Just one point, I thought the last 2 pilots received the Distinguished Service Cross? Not the Silver Star. Just a small thing. Amazing video. Please keep making them!!!

Thanks 4 remembering Sterling !! There were 2500 heroes that day weather recognized or not !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Imagine you fight so hard and bravery then gunned down by your own side.

That air field located on the NW of Oahu is actually pronounced: Holly-ee-vah. Great video.

Always a Great watch 👍 Top-Class Upload 😁 Thaaaaaaaaankyou……..

the supertors that ordered them to stay out of the air should have been court martialed for dereliction of duty

The last 2 stories I learned about through Simple History or Yarnhub both do really well and are accurate, but yours is good too.

As always, I loved this! I understand that one of the P-36s that flew at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 is still in flying condition.

Great video! (subscribed!) You might consider the story of the defenders of Wake Island in their F-4F's....

You should cover the Philippine Guerillas next! Great videos!

Harry and his wonderful wife Sylvia were my across-the-street neighbors in Alamo Ca, when I was in high school in the late 1960's, and they became life-long friends. Harry was a great man- smart, humble and kind. On December 7th, there was some sort of Officer's Club party, he had been up all night and was finally back at his accommodations relaxing that morning with some other pilots, partially dressed in his Officer's uniform, when the attack happened. They could tell right away that there wouldn't be any planes available in Honolulu, but there were some airfields on the other side of the island, where they maybe could take off. So he and another pilot hopped into Harry's brand new car and drove towards Wheeler Field. A Japanese pilot saw them driving, and kept strafing them. But the pilot made a game out of it, and tried to shoot them from the side, which was much more difficult than shooting them from behind. After several passes the pilot gave up and flew away. Harry was real happy that his new car didn't get shot up. Did I say that Harry was a great man? Harry was a great man.

Great vid. Now cover what was going on on Honolulu and the other islands the night of Dec 7 1941. Very much overlooked in our Military History .

Thanks

I like the darkness camo with p40

As far as future videos I think pilots who fought against the odds in the Pacific; Henry Elrod MoH on Wake Island, the torpedo bomber squadrons at Midway, and the pilots of the Cactus Airforce at Guadalcanal.

good video and good use of warthunder

Content I crave ty

8:48 Rasmussen giving them "The Bird" ! Where are Hero's like that today? Those Officers that told them not to go up and fly should have been put in the Brig. All enemies foreign and domestic!

Contrary to the narration, 1st Lt. Lewis Sanders was not the C.O. of the 46th Pursuit Squadron. He might have been a flight leader, but his Silver Star citation reads: "for gallantry in action while serving as a Pilot with the 46th Pursuit Squadron."

Digging your videos

I've stayed at Bellows for vacation. Quite possibly the most beautiful location on Oahu.

Thank you for another excellent video; I'm a little confused, though. In the beginning, you said that you would tell the story of 7 pilots. If I am not mistaken, you tell the stories of 9 pilots.

I wana fly these planes..... back when it was visually on you in the cockpit. What courage it took to rush to a plane in this attack. That car how did that guy make it to the airport? Incredible

There were also 7 SBDs from the Enterprise that were shot down that day, some from friendly fire and some from enemy action.

I'm a South African and I love your videos. I was wondering if you could make a video of either South African Ace Sailor Malan or the highest scoring commonwealth Ace Pat Pattle

How did you get the AI ships shoot at enemys on the WT USA Test Flight Map? Did you have multiple people and made a custom battle? Great Video.

The beach you shown the crash is MCBH by the looks of it or back then MCAS Kaneohe Bay

Damn - Those guy's had some stones !

TJ3. Great video and I learned through this video that more than the 3 aircraft that I knew of got airborne and into action against the Japanese attackers that day. Thank you again. Enjoy the weekend.

Thank you for telling us about history that until now 80+ years afterwards has not been made available to the majority of Americans ! I'm the soon of a WW2 veteran and this is the first time I've heard that we had Aircraft that engaged in air combat at Pearl Harbor !

Great video! Didn't one of the SBDs from Enterprise score a kill?

Awesome

Do not forget, the USS Ward a old WWI destroyer was coming into Pearl Harbor after fishing her parole just outside of the harbor... She got a report of a parascope was fallowing a gunnery target being pulled into the harbor. She later found a IJN mini sub that was partly surfaced. She opened up with her 4 inch guns first 2 shots missed and 3rd hit at the waterline of conning tower. The sub dived and she sank it......I can not remember if that was hours before the attack or day before, but I want to say the morning of hours before the attack.....One of the Wards main guns is at the Minnesota state capital, I remember meeting one of the gunners and he was telling me how to use the gun back in 91... In the early 2000's they found the shipwreck of the sub that the Ward had sunk...... Also do not forget the new radar station that was set up on top of a mountain/hill top that spotted the IJN flight of aircraft that was flying in... The reported it but the guys in the office said it was a flight of B-17's that was expected coming in from the North East, where the INJ aircraft was coming in from the North West.....

They were true heroes

Being told to stand down while under attack. That is a superior officer just trying to assert his control. I'd like to know what happened to him after the story got out her told the pilots to stand down.

Kenneth Taylors son became a pilot in the airforce and ended his carreer as the Adjutent General in the Alaska National Guard as a 2 star.

lol on your segue to the Manscape ad

Lts Taylor and Welch did not get Silver Stars as mentioned in this video. While their Medal of Honor nominations were rejected on ridiculous grounds, they both were awarded Distinguished Service Crosses. This medal is right below the Medal of Honor. While many attempts have been made to upgrade the medals of these two heroes, for whatever reason, we still wait. In any event, these two pilots deserve the proper recognition. God bless them and their families.

The real Magnificent Seven

FYI....Correction @ #3 involving Taylor/Welch....Haleiwa=Hah-lay-ee-vah. Still, better than average presentation than most other entries

The aircraft at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 were Boeing B-17Bs, B-17Cs, Consolidated PBY-3s, PBY-4s, Curtiss P-36s, P-40Bs and P-40Cs on the US side and Aichi D3A1s, Nakajima B5N1s, and Mitsubishi A6M2s on the Japanese side. P-36s were then modern fighters and were actually still being built in newer variants. It's pronounced Holly Ava rather than huh lay wha (Marine Corps Air Field though damned if I remember how it's spelled)

Not fearless, as John Wayne said, Courage is being scared to death and saddling up anyway.

Other American heroes flying P40's took on the Japanese during the first attack on Darwin

Took off without authorization, that sounds like the Army I remember

Reprimanded those men for taking action... Bureaucracy at its finest.

Suggestion: Pappy Boyington I bet you could reconstruct a good story from his book: "Baa Baa Black Sheep"

Gotta love that military bureaucracy. Dude disobeys orders _to fight the Japanese during the attack on Pearl Harbor,_ and the brass, who did a terrible job organizing any kind of resistance to said attack, deny him the MoH because of that insubordination (which likely saved at least a couple of lives).

Brave, brave, brave fellows.

As a fighter pilot, you most often engage the enemy one on one !! You have to be very cocky to do that !! It's one on one !!!