The Real Story of Corsair Legend Gregory "Pappy" Boyington 

Footnote: You have the voice for narration, but your technique and vocal mannerisms need a lot of work. You should concentrate a little bit less on enunciation, for starters. It causes your narration to be less inviting, almost robotic. Use more contractions like "it's" instead of saying "it is" or "it was". Also, practice speaking more conversationally, the way you would if you were simply sitting in a bar, talking with friends. It'll add warmth and draw the listener in. The way you're doing it now sounds more like you're reading a script, which you may well be, but again, it sounds robotic. Overall, I found the video very accurate and informative. Just work on your presentation.

Conrad's portrayal was the opposite of the real Pappy, but a real Pappy portrayal wouldn't have been safe for kids to watch 🤣🤣

I loved the show as a kid, but my dad, a WW2 Pacific Veteran couldn't help but always comment that the ground/hills/mountains shown during plane flying in the show were BROWN, hence southern california as he would point out. The South Pacific was all GREEN all the time. It didn't matter to me, I thought the Corsair was cool.

I live in castaic ca.they used to film black sheep near by, next to the Indian dunes motorcycle park.my brother and I would see the corsairs and zeros flying over the hills by our home.cool times.you could see some of the set driving on the highway 126 area

@@caseyhansen4567 Your brother and you would see Corsairs and T-6's flying. There! Fixed it for you.

Same here. Great show.

Very cool!

One story that is sometimes told about Boyington is that he stole food from other prisoners while he worked in the kitchen at Omori. I hope it isn’t true. I wonder if your dad’s diary mentions anything about that.

BZ ! They were the great generation.

In "Unbroken" the book Zamperini mentions that Pappy & he were at the same camp at the same time. Gaga the duck was a sad portion mentioned with what the japs did to that lil creature. The bird, the quack, shithead etc were names of these disgusting individuals.

That's amazing

That is so cool, what a treasure. Hope you put it in a sealed acrylic case, with some zero's diving on fire....

Cool

Cool that you did, I was working for the Sheriff's Dept and he and his wife were living in our police district. We got regular calls from his wife that Pappy had wondered off. I used to know where he went so I along with other officer would always find him. Take him home and sometimes just stop to talk to him. He was a fun guy to talk to when sober. When drunk he could be a little unruly but always maintained his stature as a hero. I was always happy to talk to him and listen to his exploits. I had his book but never asked him to autograph it, I should have. I have met a lot of heros in my life time and he was one of the really. fun ones to be around, Since I was also a Vietnam Vet, he liked to know about the planes and what we did in the air and wished he could go back and fly some. I also had a Sgt who was one of the original Tuskegee Airmen. Good man, always quiet. He would come around to see Pappy as well and they would talk about the old days.

@@RAvery41 was that in Fresno?I got to see him at the air show around 1976 or so.he was autographing his book dressed in his flight uniform and Mar West preserver.he looked tough.Good stories guys.thank for treating him well.an America hero,the real thing

Sorry I hit wrong button.I meant to hit like sorry corrected

One of my favorites was the pissing contest, and I told him that. He got a good laugh.

I was there as well. Didnt get his book but was happy to meet him. It was a good airshow.

I was there as well. Didnt get his book but was happy to meet him. It was a good airshow.

I watched Black Sheep when I was in High school. I read his book a few years later. What a great read. Right there with you buddy.

I met Greg Boyington when I was eight/nine years old. I asked him at a meet and greet if he had helped with the planning of the raid on Adm Yamamoto. To say he and the room were shocked a little kid had asked the question, would be an understatement. Then to the shock and surprise of everyone in the room he said he had helped with the raid. The Army Air Force Pilots had never flown up what was called the "Slot" so they had no idea what landmarks to look for or how to budget their fuel needs. He walked the Army pilots through the raid, what Islands to look for and how they should thin their fuel and roughly what elevations they should fly at. He said, "Kid Ive never told anyone that story. The whole operation was top secret. How the hell did you find this out?" I held up an old battered library book and showed him where he was mentioned. "I'll be God damned!'' when the lecture was over, he GAVE me a copy of his book and then went to Breakfast with my mom and me.

There are SO many stories from WW2 that could be Hollywood movies that write themselves. The Flying Tigers is one, Black Sheep another, and the most dramatic is "Y-29" - an airbase in Belgium that took part in Germany's Boddenplatte opperation on New Years Day. Perhaps you've seen snippets of the History Channel's Dogfights series about Y-29 on that morning? It was the Luftwaffe's last effort, all at low altitude (fatal), and things ocurred that Hollywood could not come up with on their own. It was beyond strange and epic. Well, at least we have "Masters of the Air" coming next year...

The Squdron is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station. Yuna, Arizona

I actually was able to meet Pappy Boyington when I was stationed in Hawaii back in the 70's

Well said. I'm just glad Pappy was on our side!

Not according to those assigned to fly his wing. He was a drunk and a liar.

@@currentbatches6205 We know at least some of his kills were witnessed and verified and Corsairs did have gun cameras unlike the earlier P-40's. Imagine how many more kills he would have gotten if he had been sober! 🤣

@@currentbatches6205 True enough, he was probably a total arrogant egotistical arsehole of a person on the order of a Curtis Lemay. But like Lemay, he did the dirty work and got the job done and didn't care what you thought about him.

@@currentbatches6205 Drunk? Admittedly. Liar? What's your source? Mine was a face to face with a Black Sheep.

The best quote from WW2 in my opinion.

All true fighters are flawed bums in a way. Those imperfections make the greatness of the man.

I too met him at an air show....I was 18yo. Asked him to sign a Bonzi head band that I had gotten the guy who shot down Pappy to sign too. Pappy refused, however he did sign a F4 post card for me. Saddly it was stolen years back. Anyway. Lololol, old man Pappy got in a fist fight with the Jap at a airshow too. Sometimes wars never end.

I meet “Pappy Boyington” at an air show in Madera Ca. I took a picture of him with my Polaroid camera. I asked him to autograph the photo and he grumpily suggested that I buy one of his books. I did and he autographed both. He was kind of abrasive.

J went a book signing when I was 15 or so. My dad said, "Ask him if he knew Duke Headman"(a Flying Tiger pilot from near my dad's hometowwn). Paooy said, "Sure, I know Duke!" I think hot an autograph on a piece of paper. Didn't have money for a book. He was cool with me. Maybe the "Duke" connection helped. Lol!

That is awesome!

I think I heard something like that. Imagine owning 6 grand to A+P 😅

I'm a good editor for gun cam footage

Bidennomics got ahold on you does it ​@@connormickle280

Yup, but it wasn't just any bar. It was the bar at the Waldorf Inn, which was considered to be a pretty swanky joint back in those days. One of the guys that joined the party to welcome Boyington back was none other than Joe Foss, and after a few drinks Boyington challenged Foss to a wrestling match. But before Foss could respond, Pappy attacked him like a tiger. And according to legend, the Black Sheep also got in on the action too and proceeded to wreck the place......The next morning, Foss was awakened by the sound of someone loudly pounding on the door to his suite, which only compounded his hangover. When he opened the door to see who was making all the racket, he was surprised, and somewhat amused to see that it was Pappy, challenging him to a "re-match" from the previous night's bout !

@@troybullard9631 think that I have heard the story

Go to Google Books Advanced Search to the October 1 1945 issue of Life Magazine and read the whole story.

Excellent

Col Boyington portrayed General Moore on the show.

@@vwalsh63 Simon Oakland was General Moore. Boyington made cameos as General Kenlay in three episodes.

How did you like the audio? I've heard that the audio speaker was so annoying (Amazon Audible) that it got low scores. But, maybe you and I are of the same mind when such things don't matter so much?

@@Jonno2summit The speaker wasn't bad in my opinion. He wasn't monotone to the point you'd fall asleep out of boredom and sounded like he knew his stuff. I could understand almost all of what he was talking about, maybe a couple of things were hard to hear, but that might have just been me as I listened to it mostly at my job to help pass the time.

@@stevegoesrogue Thank you for a quick reply. Probably like you, my stack of books is ridiculously high, and I enjoy audio books to augment that. So much to learn, so little time.

@@Jonno2summit No problem. Hope ya enjoy the book

The same POW Camp had Lt Commander Richard O’Kane who was the Captain of the USN Tang. The Tang was the highest scoring Submarine American Submarine in WW II. O’Kane was also awarded the Medal of Honor and weighed under 100 pounds by the wars end.

BZ

Thanks for flying with us!

@@TJ3 Have You Ever Thought About Making A Video On The Japanese Ace Saburo Sakai?

Lol sounds about right.

Somebody posted that the Japanese pilot "riceball?" Was real? Wow - I thought that was Hollywood! Now I seriously want to read this man's book - I would love to read his side!

Wars aren't won by politically correct shallow idiots. Those types are promoted in peace time, so never judge a veteran by current standards.

Thank you!

Cigarettes were in my rations in 1976

I also got his autograph and shook his hand in California. Can't remember the year It was at the Chino airport. Bought one of his books which has his autograph.

Same here, along side of R.T. Smith Madera Ca, Gathering of Warbirds. I think it was 1988. I also met the crew at Indian Dunes while filming the TV show. Conrad was okay, but James Whitmore Jr. was the nicest.

2 bad ass Marines

@@tonyd1031 Same here. It was August. 16 1987! Sadly, the Colonel passed away 5 months later on January 11th,1988.

@@philgiglio7922 Roger that! Semper Fi Marines.

Haha that's awesome. Thanks!

@@TJ3 a mistake he would never repeat so much so that (another fun fact), Gregory Boyington learned enough Japanese to talk trash to them and call them to come up and fight over the radio … and he promised he wouldn’t fire a single shot until they were airborne… There are reports of Japanese pilots, who not only knew who Gregory Boyington was, but had a tremendous amount of respect for him, because he wanted a fair fight.😂 he promised them an honorable death in service of their empire 😏 ….Fn A

i heard that the planes were destroyed on the ground

Ahh! I thought I read the article correctly. Apologies if I mixed that up.

@@TJ3 Also small Nit to pick and may not be your fault but the thumbnail for this article if from WWII is of a USAAC pilot although I suspect it is a still from a recent WWII movie about a group of pilots that are famous for having a perfect record while escorting bombers over the Reich. A very unique group of heroes that neither the USMC nor USN had in their ranks.

Lol true. Perhaps "More than regular" smoking

Was "kiff" his thing?.@@TJ3

"There are exceptions, of course, but as a general rule, I never trust a fighting man who doesn't smoke or drink." - William Halsey

He was actual from Coeur d'Alene

He was already 32 when the US finally entered the war and his contribution was far beyond most. Many vets had problems, so lets just remember them for their wartime virtues, and Gramps had many positive attributes.