The Backstory - Aboard the Wild Goose 

Fabulous interview. John Wayne will always be a hero

My brother moved to California in1975 and after getting his scuba certification worked for the company that would clean the barnacles off of the hull while it was in the harbor..he saw the great man once while working on the boat and said hello....

I was in Year 1 of getting an MBA at USC in 1979, decided to sail over to Catalina from Marina del Rey for the Easter break. Tied up to a can in Avalon in the early evening, took my dinghy to the dock, walked up the nearly-deserted dock to town for a pizza dinner. Wayne was standing by himself on the dock. I'd never met him before, but it was instantly obvious who he was. I walked by, said "Hi, Mr. Wayne!" and he said Hi back. Tall and very thin. I read later that he wanted to take the Goose over to Catalina that weekend with his crew, but once he got to the dock he told the skipper he felt like crap and asked him to take him home. He went back to the mainland, checked into the hospital, and never came out again. So I guess I was lucky to be one of the last folks to see him out and about.

In 1970 my dad and I worked on a John Wayne feature filming Mexico, titled “Rio Lobo” and at wrap, my Dad and a few others were flown out to have dinner on the h is boat. My dad started working with Wayne in the 1930’s at Republic Studio.

I used to live in Garden Grove and on the way to the sea there was a fish store where from John Wayne's ship, fish and sea food was brought. The deal was they would smoke half the fish and keep the rest for payment. After the Duke passed away they went out of business. I bought Abalone once, but the price was very high at that time, early 60's, and $20 a pound, so I only bought it once. Broke my heart when John Wayne passed away and again when the Fish Store was gone too.

I met John Wayne in the late '60s on the Wild Goose. Great, very big man, in all ways a giant, but a very humble, personable man.. "Wild Goose" "He climbs the wind above green clouds of pine, Honking to hail the gathering migration. And, arching towards the south, pulls to align His flight into the great spearhead formation. He’ll find a bayou land of hidden pools, And bask amid lush fern and water lily, Far from the frozen world of earth-bound fools Who, shivering, maintain that geese are silly." Written by Curtis Heath

Thank You, doesn't seem to cover my feelings. John wasn't just a good actor, he was a patriotic American, I never tire of hearing about him and his life. THANK YOU, Amen...

His type of acting was natural. What you see is what you get. A heck of a lot more entertaining than most of the so called actors we have today. RIP Sir. 5:41

People like John Wayne personify America's greatness. This is a country where you can be an average person without a wealthy upbringing and become world famous actor, entertainer, athlete etc.

This is great stuff. The skipper absolutely comes across exactly as I would expect him to. If he'd been like, "I always took care of John and we were great pals" I would have known straight off he was a phony. He was Mr. Wayne and that absolutely sounds like a ship's captain of that era.

John Wayne was,in my opinion, one of the top five men in the United States. He was a true American.

Great story . Wild Goose beautiful old ship .

Thanks for the great video. It's like being a guest of the John Wayne on his ship. And Burt, the skipper is also a colorful fellow.

My father was the Air Traffic Control Tower Chief@Santa Ana Airport in the late 50s thru '67. John would fly in where he got to know him. He took my parents to Catalina Island and my mother brought home a deck of cards John gave her, that he had made with larger print so he didn't need glasses. I always thought his skipper was also his pilot.

Great tour but some clarificatiom is in order. Capt Harold Jones, owner of the Black Ball Ferry Line in Seattle/Vancouver BC, acquired the surplus USN minesweeper In the early 1950’s. His daughter, was Beverly, hence the ship was re-christened La Beverie. In 1956, my dad’s friend and associate, Capt Jones invited our family to cruise the Inside Passage with him from Vancouver. So, at the age of 9, we spent a week on board. My sister and I even managed to somehow loose a fitting for the fuel bunker overboard in Vancouver Harbor. About 10 years later, while sailing with a college pal in Newport Bay, we came across a mega-yacht that seemed somewhat familiar. My friend chided that I couldn’t possibly know this vessel. A crew member on-board, (I think it might have been Capt Hinshall,sic) hailed us and asked if we were ok. I responded that his vessel reminded me of La Beverie, to which he laughed and said that it indeed was the “Bev”, but it was now the Wild Goose. We were allowed to board, but stayed topside, and the Captain confirmed that the fantail had been enclosed with wraparound glass, and the Ceilings raised for John Wayne, the owner. I was stunned by the coincidence. It was wonderful to see the interiors in your video, especially the quarters which we had not had access or see then. Phillipe Cousteau, a passing acquaintance, on hearing my tale, confirmed that his father’s research vessel, Calypso, was La Beverie’s sister ship. It too had been constructed at the Ballard Naval Shipyards during WWII. Small World

Great job on the interview, very interesting, and what a beautiful old boat.

What surprised me most in this interview was how early the Duke went to bed. He must have been an early riser. I met the Duke once in 1978 when I was a young Marine in his front yard, I forgot the small talk. I knew the kid that lived next door. Also, I,ve been to his boyhood home in Iowa. He came from common roots. He was an Ameican success story, He was not raised with a silver spoon. From a nobody to a somebody, this is why he related so well with common people. He was not my favorite actor, James Garner was the man. :)

Wow!. Billions of people, including me, will never have the opportunity to do what Bruce has done. He earned John Wayne's respect!

Super fantastic! Thanks.❤

Met him at a Drug store in Newport! He was just cool!

America needs John Wayne now more than ever.

In the early 1960's to '71, my Grandad lived on Lido Isle just down the way from where the Wild Goose was berthed. As a wee lad I used to walk by the ship on my way home, hoping to get a glimpse of The Duke. To my dismay, I never got to meet him.

I remember waving to him out on the Puget Sound. He was seen quite frequently around in summer, especially around Sequim, WA where the marina now bears his name.

Have to say this best Video I seen here on RU-vid 👍

I love this type of History.

Real decent job on this! Go Burt!

They don't make guys like this anymore, ship captain, carpenter this guy seems like he could do it all back in his prime.

the Duke was and is the best there is

Beautiful

Seen him on TV when I was a kid. Never struck me he enjoyed playing bridge and messing about on a bridge.

Loved it

Good stuff

my dad albert dundas ayers, was on the first btitish built minesweeper mms1 built at richards iron works lowestoft. i have a photo of the launching..

If I am ever in Newport News, first place I'm going is to go see that boat.

I'm more of a Stingray but the Wild Goose is good too

6/2020 The Duke had a beautiful Yacht 🚤

My Uncle served aboard the HMS Wild Goose in the Middle East, as a member of the Royal Navy. Is it possible that this was the same ship, or was there a USS Wild Goose, as well?

How do you contact Bert?

Just great guys thanks.

Bert Minshull sounds like a scouser - the woman was English too. [Just like to say the assassination of JFK was a major news event in the UK and he was mourned deeply.]

The Duke had exquisite taste.

Question...I see a pipe holder in his bedroom anyone know weather he smoked a pipe what type and tobacco.... thank you

Started the beginning of 63', October, lol

WWll MINESWEEPER TURNED INTO JOHN WAYN'ES PRIVATE YACHT 1963-79

EARTH ANGEL😇. 👍 SUPER INTERVIEW!!!😍🤗👏🧜🏼‍♀️🛳⛴⚓️🚢. I JUST LOVED THIS CUTE SEA 👨‍✈️ CAPTAIN!!!⛴😍

Otto Preminger brought me here.

that looks like the room from north to Alaska

Wow, this was great. I can almost smell the nicotine stained walls from here.

shame they couldn't afford a second mic we wouldn't have missed half of what Bert said lol

what a realy nice down to earth man you are burt , dirty boy lol,good on you i hope your still fit and well

Pretty slow work ????

It's a shame that Wild Goose is sitting in enemy territory right now.

ditto.

It’s just a damn shame it has to be in that god forsaken place. The duke would agree! But, where? Florida? The Bahamas?

ditto

The boat nearly bankrupted Wayne.

The wild goose was a United States Navy minesweeper from ww2. John Wayne had her converted to a yacht. This is a real ship. One goof referred to it as a house boat. That is inaccurate this is a converted navy ship the real deal like John wayne

B

Who knew that the liberal cancel culture would use that Walter interview to smear a great man in his last days. Shameful but Duke will persevere through time. The greatest movie star and a great American!

Google -John Wayne Todd Wolf- i done a voice over as John Wayne for thier family but permit didnt go throw. Tawolf is my stage name.

hard interview with the little cap,,he looks like hes leaning back,,plus he talks very low

7i

You didnt show the insane california cancer warning notice under the ships name at the gangplank.. Only in cali would you have to have a sign like this on a classic ship.

you need to learn how to use that mic

speak up please.

you need to learn how to use the mic.

Jesus, low budget or what, couldn't afford 2 mikes!

If Wayns one of the top 5,Trump is one of the bottom 5.

The Duke had exquisite taste.