World War Tree - Operation Paul Bunyan 

Keep the video suggestions coming!

Operation Paul Bunyan is the most relevant and accurate mission op title ever.

I was legitimately laughing out loud hysterically at the "appropriate response" as he kept escalating the amount of force that was present. Insane.

After they cut it down, the commander of US forces in the South Korea had some of the wood turned into a swagger stick that he ceremonially gave to his replacement. Also, when the North Koreans showed up, those South Korean special forces guys with the claymore mines strapped to their chests went to the other side of the bridge of no return and screamed at them, daring them to cross while brandishing the detonators. ROK Black Berets are insane.

I cannot express to you how crazy it is that one of the American soldiers who died was named Captain Bonifas when Saint Boniface is famous for having taken an axe to a pagan tree idol. History is amazing.

I love how the South Korean special forces came armed for a battle, while the US special forces came armed for the apocalypse. It's very indicative of how the US military operates.

I absolutely love our idea of "appropriate" response, warms my American heart every time.

"that time America accidentally turned a manhole cover into the fastest manmade object of all time. Because they yeeted it into outer space with a nuclear warhead." You have my attention.

WWI: Wrong Turn WWII: Bad Art WWIII: Tree

NK waking up to 10,000 US soldiers eyeballing them from across the DMZ must of been one hell of a "OH SHIT...!" moment for Kim Il Sung and his ilk.

Okay, that's amazing. The continuous build from pistols, to m16s, to Hueys, to fighter, to Stratofortress's was well done. It reminds me of Praying Mantis, when we trashed Iran's navy. Edit: "huey," not "hughey."

"We can't have weapons IN the JSA....Nobody said 💩 about having them ABOVE the JSA..." BRILLIANT! 👏👏👏👏

I'm sure someone has mentioned it but Ford was a Navy veteran of WWII. During that time when he was the OOD the ship caught fire. Ford descended into the bowels of the flaming ship, figured out the extent of the damage and ship was saved.

The manhole cover video absolutely needs to happen.

As a follow up, Lt Bulldog may have gotten taken out by his own side years later for being too aggressive during a situation that led to a firefight on November 23, 1984. A soviet defector crossed into SK and the Lt had his men open fire, causing a 40 min firefight. Reports are that him and a subordinate were summary executed after the incident and he was never seen again.

I’m friends with a former SK special forces taekwondo instructor who now has a dojang here in Florida. Several years ago he brought a visiting friend from Korea over to use my range and shoot since that’s a bit difficult in Korea. Turns out the guy is top 10 worldwide taekwondo master and works for Kukkikwon, which is THE world body for taekwondo, and was here to evaluate high level people trying to advance their belt rank. He speaks 5 words of English, I speak 0 Korean, but he had such a good time that whenever he’s back in the southeast he comes over and we have a blast. He’s in his 70s, looks like his late 40s, and could wreck me in a heartbeat. Actual fighting taekwondo is no joke and they go hard in sparring and training. I’d imagine the NK troops parked at the end of the bridge were extra nervous about venturing out onto it because that armored engineering vehicle (tank) was there for the sole purpose of bringing the bridge down if they fucked around, and that demolition cannon was already aimed right at a main structural column.

“Buff got to do hot laps?!? Fuck, fuck, FUUUUUUUCK!!!!” -Raptor

These commies bout to find out that YES George Washington DID chop down that cherry tree 🌲 🍒

Operation Paul Bunyan has to be the best "hold my beer" moment of the Korean conflict. The amount of money and manpower used in the operation to get rid of one tree is incredible!

Korean war history is quickly becoming the best part of this channel

Not a tank, it’s a M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle and that “tiny” gun is a 165mm demolition gun.

Knew the story but by god, can't pass up hearing it in the FE style.

The adventures of the Russian Baltic fleet. Keep up the good work

Uncle Sam's idea of a "show of force" is always my favorite part of this country's military.

3:58 The original plan was to simply trim the tree’s branches to obtain visibility on checkpoint 3 not chop it down entirely. The plan changed however, with the US and South Korea deciding to chop down the tree instead in response to North Korea’s reaction and hostile response (that led to the Korean Axe Murders) to the tree being trimmed under the supervision of an overwhelming force.

They were behind on spending their entire budget that year. Can't let the government think they don't need every penny!

My Dad was an MP in Korea just after the end of the war. He had an incident where his troop hit a baseball over the line. It set off a moment where they had to go into one of those little trailers you saw during Trump's visit. They tried to negotiate getting the ball back but after some time they realized they weren't getting it back. My Dad reached across the line & snatched a pair of glasses off one of the Koreans that were there to negotiate. He uttered this in Korean “These now belong to the US Army” then walked away. From that moment, his soldiers followed him around the globe for about twenty years. Gary if you're out there, my family needs those glasses!

These videos went from 45 seconds long to upwards of 25 minutes long and I am not complaining in the slightest. I just find it amazing to watch him take a breath every now and again.

I was in country on that day assigned to the unit I use as my avatar: 38th Air Defense Artillery Brigade. I had duty the night before and was relieved around 0700 hours, went to eat breakfast, showered and then headed to the hooch in the village. When I awoke that afternoon my lady was making me something to eat and while I was clearing my head I made the mistake of turning on the radio. After the song that was playing was over the DJ made the announcement that all U.S. military personnel needed to return to their duty station. Well, so much for getting one of my favorite meals. On the walk up to the gate I could feel the tension in the air. It felt the same way I remember it feeling during the Cuban Missiles Crisis when I was a young Army brat. When I made it to the gate there were a couple of wives on the phone trying to call their husbands and when they saw me they gave me the phone so I could call my section: SGT L: Where are you? Me: Front gate. SGT L: We're having a muster, get in here now! After I reported in and told to change into uniform, see my section OIC and I'm not saying what happened next. It took about a month for things to start to return to normal. What went from a simple/minor pruning of a tree almost became a war thanks to the outright stupidity of the North Koreans. Oh, every unit in the Pacific, Europe AND the U.S. was put on alert for this. My mom saw what was happening in the news and called the Red Cross who in turn got ahold of me and I had to call her. I let her know I was doing alright, doing my job and until those 2 pull up in front of the house wearing uniforms I'm okay and when things quieted down I'd call back. She was an Army wife so she knew what I was saying. My dad had been retired a few years by this time and wasn't worried.

Best “Keyboard warrior “performance yet! Lmao

I don’t care how many times I hear this story, it will never get old.

Overkill is under-rated. I just kept rolling laughing as he listed more and more equipment in increasing levels of lethality.

"Finish the work left undone." That is an....interesting choice of words, and I am quite thoroughly amused by it.

I started learning TKD in the late '80s from a retired US serviceman that spent a lot of time in South Korea. That man did not teach us a sport he taught us how to "end things".

Been to that site twice. When you take the DMZ tour they tell most of the story but yours is much more in depth. Great vid.

I've a black belt in Tae Kwon do growing up and once we had someone who came to visit San Diego to look after his nephew. Well I was there practicing, and he stepped up and said that he'd like to give me some pointers because I was early for class and I was struggling with my form (there are 9 black belts available. When you reach 1st degree, you are considered a grandmaster, if memory serves). We practiced together for about 30 minutes and I was amazed by how solid and flawless he made it look. I felt like an absolute newbie under this guy, but I gave it my best. at the end, he shook my hand and smiled. His nephew later told me he was a black beret, and he NEVER smiled, not even at home. Edit: 1st degree is newbie, 9th degree is grandmaster. left the original comment intact.

This is the military version of “WILL YOU STOP TOUCHING ME!!!” on a car ride with your parents at age 4.

I worked with an old (E4 Mafia) army vet who was stationed in South Korea when this went down. He said it sucked because he was moved from the motor pool to cleaning and preparing all the surplus M16s packed in cosmoline in case a war broke out then had to repack all of them when things cooled down. That man hated that damn tree!

I sincerely hope you do talk about Operation “Plumbob”. Absolutely hilarious. That manhole cover was on that camera for 2 frames before it was just gone. And nobody found it.

Not only do you have an engaging way of telling a story, but your editor is amazing. The choice and timing of the BGM in your videos always impresses.

SK: sneaks m16s, grenade launchers, and claymores in America: "that's cute" *gestures above* "we brought literally everything else."

I really enjoy the emphasis on the Korean War era. I feel as if this period of our history isn’t talked about anymore. Thank you for the top notch content!

Based on that force deployment, had World War Tree actually kicked off it would have been exciting and brief. I literally said, "They did What?" when you brought up that many BUFF's above. I was expecting the escalation to be gunships. B-52 is an entirely different kind of party.

Takes a lot longer to watch one of these history lessons than you might think, I keep doubling back to replay bits I missed because of laughter.

the US Army really said "Ok now either you make me trim this fucking plant or I'mma get real "PROPORTIONAL" around these parts"

I participated in President Ford’s funeral. Second greatest honor I had in while stationed in DC. The first? Helping to plan the ceremony for and being a rifleman guarding the MoH flag as it was presented to LT Michael Murphy’s family at the Navy Museum and carrying the National Ensign for colors during his induction into the Hall of Heroes in the Pentagon.

That tank is a CEV (Combat Engineer Vehicle) and it fires a huge watermelon of high explosive to take out bridges, bunkers, Dollar General, etc. it is actually the only tank gun the Army had that was in the danger zone of its own round when engaging targets.

This is exactly how history classes should be taught. Effing phenomenal storytelling dude. Every video is a gem. If we could live in a world where people were this openly passionate about history and were willing to talk about it as "creatively crude" as you do, this world would be a better place.

12:51 haha I just imagine the Black Berets tryin to look all tough and smirking that they snuck all their goodies in "puny Americans" and a American solider just laughs back, points up, and the Beret's just jaw drop.

In Jan 1996 the first time I went to South Korea (three times total), I had to go on a tour of the DMZ. There was a small museum with the stump inside of plex-glass, about 4x4'. Also the south Korean soldiers standing half exposed at the edge of the building (1:56) are at the "R.O.K. Ready" position. The rubber mats under them, tells you how often the position is manned. Half way down the blue buildings is a concrete line, it represents the separation line of north and south within the DMZ. Inside the blue building my group was taken to was a table at the half way line inside the building. At one point the tour guide left us alone in the room. I will not confirm or deny, weather anyone walked to the north side of the table. We were told not too, by our tour guide before being left alone. From the picture (1:56) the museum would be to the left, if I remember correctly. On top of going to the DMZ unarmed, we had to be in our class A uniform. We were cold.

Losing two guys for a tree is a tough pill to swallow, but a tree is better than nothing and way better than WW3 kicking off. I want to know more about those Korean Black Beret guys. Would still really love to hear The Fat Electrician Rendition of The Battle of Castle Itter story.

Good Old Fat Electrician teaching us more about the Korean War and adjacent conflicts in 2-3 sub 1 hour videos than the whole of the American education system

The logical extreme of "it's about sending a message."

In reference to “the fastest man-made object yeeted by a nuclear warhead”, it was actually a nuclear powered gun (basically) Instead of gun powder you had a nuke instead of a bullet you had a manhole cover

So I am new to the channel but I think I have watched all your videos, and all the unsubscribe pods casts too. You have a timing, and delivery unmatched. Thanks for all the laughs.

This is the most accurate retelling of the incident I've ever heard. This is what we were told when I went to JSA in 1983. I spent 82-84 at Osan.

12:22 “an appropriate Response….”

We need either Audie L. Murphy (the most decorated soldier in US history) or Operation Plumbbob (the manhole cover story) next!!!!

I was in the Navy at the time and I well remember this incident. FYI - your wife's interruptions are welcome! Great video again. Keep them coming,

I"ve been to the DMZ when i was stationed in Korea, there's a museum before you get up to the DMZ and a display case there is made out of the tree that was cut down containing articles of that day. I love how we gave NK such a massive show.

Kind of surprised you didn't mention the fact that Gerald Ford served aboard the US light carrier USS Monterey. And was almost washed overboard during Typhoon Cobra survived when he caught a railing and pulled himself back onto the boat while be sent to check on the status of the fire in the hanger deck, during the height of the storm.

I can watch these all day, you may want to look into being a professor cause you know how to keep people's attention.

That wasn't a tank, it was an engineering vehicle. The one based on a M60 chassis. The gun fired a round that was essentially a spitwad of C4 against a bunker which, when it detonated, made everyone inside deaf if the spalling concrete didn't kill them

Dude, the way you speak and tell your stories and the way you write your scripts are wonderful and you could easily be a star in the stand up comedy field. You could be the masculine, badass "Jerry Seinfeld" as far as popularity and success would be concerned.

10:01 "Also they brought a tank" Not going to lie I burst out laughing at that part. Of _course_ America would be the ones to bring a fucking tank to a knife fight.

I live in Southeast CO, near Pueblo, CO. North Korea still has the USS pueblo since its capture during the Korean war. That may be a good topic at some point. I had never even heard about it until memorial day last year, its still currently listed as a part of the US fleet and has received citations for the GWOT. Sort of a weird series of events

So, I just recently found this content. I have proceeded to watch every video, some more than once. Appropriate, proportional...yeeting Volvos...it doesn't get much better than this.

Those of us that have been Stationed at Camp Castle in the 2nd Eng. Bn. 2nd ID in South Korea, It is Lore in the 2nd Engineers. And that photo you posted of the those Soldiers cutting that tree down was in The Entrance to the 2nd's Engineer Battalion HQ. It was a huge Photo. And that M51A2 dump truck seen in the Photo was still there in the Battalion when I was there in Alpha company. Now that tank with short barrel cannon? That is a M728 CEV (Combat Engineering Vehicle) That Cannon is the Biggest Cannon Mounted on a US Turret Tank, it is a 165mm or affectionally known as 165 Mighty Mike. It fires an 80 lb HE round we call a Cratering Charge. That is the only tank that was needed there that day, and the North Koreans knew it!

Oh, Fat Electrician getting a double-sponsorship? Amazing man! Good for you!

Hey man, I just wanna say that I only found your channel recently thanks to a friend, and not only do I love your method of storytelling, but it's also reignited my love of military history and the like and is all gives a good reason why our veterans deserve a lot of the respect I think they don't get enough of.

Who was Ford's advisor in the CIA, Lewis Millett? That kind of response sounds like something he would do. Nice cameo Mrs. Fat Electrician! I'm calling this video "Requiem for a Keyboard Warrior"

I was there.. At Camp Stanton... Assigned to the 284th...attached to D Trp 4/7 Cav... RKSR was where all the choppers and grunts held in place so the political minds could decide what to do...

I would absolutely love to hear about the fastest manhole cover in history.

You should be a history professor. I never liked it myself but when a teacher has this much knowledge on the topic and can present it in an entertaining way; it makes it stick with you forever.

Outstanding video yet again. And...the manhole cover into space may not have really happened. You could do a video on the Titan II accident at McConnell AFB in 1978 or the time a nuclear bomber crashed because the crews' mattress caught fire and almost took out the forward listening post in Greenland.

I absolutely love your show. You tell The stories of these heroes and events in history like I've never heard them told before and actually I've never heard the majority of these stories told before. Thank you for sharing the stories with us cuz I truly appreciate it.

I'm fairly certain that that was not a tank, it was a CEV (Combat Engineer Vehicle) and the gun on the front is for punvhing holes through hardened bunkers and not for anti-tank missions. The gun fires a 165 mm round with is one of the largest land based round that was in the US inventory.

So glad I went to lunch when I did... this video nit only shed some light on something I knew very little about but was also just hilarious. Very good work, sir. I'd tip my hat to you, but you can't see it.

THANK YOU for making this video! I knew about this story but your way of telling it made it sooo much more entertaining. Probably the most ever spent on trimming a tree (would hate to see the logistics bill for the fuel alone, not to mention the maintenance) . And probably one of the biggest "Please fuck around so you can find out" blue balls moments.

"we are her to finish the work left unfinished" More than one NK officer shat their pants thinking the war was about to go hot again, guaranteed

Your story telling ability is second to none, not to be presumptuous but I would love to see a video about the less fortunate, I know that some military families go through a lot, like a story of a make a wish child who has plot armor and how the military supports the family

The whole air wing was just there to watch. Got to love having am overwhelming ability to do overkill. So rarely necessary but oh so much fun. Keep educating us on this stuff. Love it.

Every time I think we have found the most ridiculous thing to argue/start a war over, my expectations get completely blown away. I mean, this is right up there with the War of Jenkin's Ear!

That gun on the Combat Engineer Vehicle isn't 'small'. It's 152mm demolition gun. It's literally designed to shoot down BUILDINGS.

William Cushing a navy officer during the civil war has to be the most interesting officer I’ve ever seen check him out! (Also this video is a blessing my dog literally died today you literally made my day a little bit better thank you)

We have always had a hell of a way for coming up with names for operations 😂

Loved this one. I served in the Midway battle group from 1980 to 84 on a guided missile cruiser. The USS Reeves CG-24.

While stationed in Seoul '85-'86, I took the JSA tour with a couple of my squad mates. This story figured prominently in the tour. A few years after that, I wrote a paper on the subject for one of my college classes.

This story is of the best examples of Fuck Around and Find out and the phrase "That escalted quickly" that exists. Also, the video about the yeeted manhole cover needs to happen because the situation is funny as hell.

Bring the wife into the vids more often, she’s funny.

Was a mail man and when I quit I cited the safety of LLV as one of the reasons . Bureaucracy was a secondary depressing reason

Nick you are by far the best story teller of all times. Thanks brother! Can’t wait for the next one.

So...about a month or so ago I stumbled onto your channel and spent the next couple hours laughing my ass off. Somehow or another, "It's never a war crime the first time" and "Warheads on foreheads" became common utterances, so much so my girlfriend commented on it... Then I saw the Doc episode and linked it to her by way of explanation. I spent six years as Doc to my Marines and can say for absolute certain that if I died, I died secure in the knowledge we were going to win. I got a birthday coming up, and the girlfriend found the "It's never a war crime the first time" T-shirt after noticing the Doc reference I had missed, she ordered it and it arrived at my house today. I have a new favorite t-shirt.

A couple things i heard that were not included. 1. The nearby check points were renamed after the Americas that died. 2. One of the Americas didn't die right away, he was alive in a ditch, the North Korean then took turns beating him and hitting him with a axe they stole, until he died. 3. The North Koreans kept the axe and hang it in a near by checkpoint, like a war trophy.

I was stationed at Kunsan AB, Korea when that happened. We had B-52's flying overhead, to bomb N.Korea further back into the stone age. It was pretty intense for about a month. Very nice video.

YES YES YES I've been waiting for this story. Lmao it's funny by itself but now it's done with the TFE. It truly is a wonderful day. Thank you so much for this story.

I had forgotten all about this! 😂 I feel like the idea of an entire army hiding behind a poplar tree is perhaps a little paranoid. Great video broski. Thanks

I love how you get so far into the story you forget what it’s about and then it all circles back to the tree

Dude you're a stellar story teller 🤘🏻 Keep it up mate 😊

Man, I am so glad you got away from doing TikTok shorts and started doing these longer form videos. These have all been awesome!