#394: The Incredible True Story of the Renegade WWII Pilots Who Helped Win the War in the Pacific

#394: The Incredible True Story of the Renegade WWII Pilots Who Helped Win the War in the Pacific

In 1942, the United States was fighting a war in two major theaters: Europe and the Pacific. But in the early days of WWII, the US and its allies had a “Europe First” strategy which resulted in more troops, supplies, and attention being funneled to that theater. American forces in the Pacific were charged with protecting Australia from Japan, but given scant resources to fulfill that mandate.
But a group of enterprising and rebellious bomber airmen stationed in Papau New Guinea grew tired of playing defense against the Japanese and decided to take the war to the enemy by going on daredevil, near-suicide missions.
In his book "Lucky 666," Bob Drury shares the incredible story of these airmen and their ringleader, Captain Jay Zeamer. Bob walks us through the history of the war in the Pacific, including internal battles between U.S. commanders and the lack of logistical support American forces in the Pacific received during the early days of the war. He then introduces us to Zeamer, sharing what set him apart from other airmen and why so many were drawn to his charismatic leadership. Bob then shares how Jay and his renegade crew took an old dilapidated B-17 bomber and fixed it up themselves so they could take the war to Japan, and how the men split their time between landing in the brig and receiving awards for valor. It all leads up to a climatic dogfight — the longest in US aviation history — that would help turn the tide of the war in the Pacific.
This is a story about friendship, leadership, and gritty boldness that's also incredibly moving. Grab a tissue. You’re going to need it by the end.
Get the full show notes at aom.is/lucky666

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Episoder(1158)

Chasing the White Whale — Into the Depths of Moby-Dick

Chasing the White Whale — Into the Depths of Moby-Dick

If you went to high school in America, you probably read Moby-Dick — or, more likely, you skimmed the CliffsNotes and wondered why this dense, whale-obsessed novel was considered a classic.That was me...

21 Okt 202550min

The 6 Practices of the Ultimate Morning Routine

The 6 Practices of the Ultimate Morning Routine

There's been a lot of talk about morning routines in the last few years. But the idea is hardly new; famous men from Thomas Aquinas to Benjamin Franklin structured their mornings to accomplish great d...

14 Okt 202548min

The Classical Code of Manhood

The Classical Code of Manhood

What does it mean to be a man? It’s a timeless question that's been answered in different ways across the ages. For the ancient Romans, the word for manliness was virtus — the root of our word virtue....

7 Okt 202559min

Why You Need the Good Stress of Socializing

Why You Need the Good Stress of Socializing

You may have heard of hormesis — the idea that intentionally embracing small stressors activates the body’s repair and defense systems, building resilience, improving how the body and even the microbi...

30 Sep 202552min

Build Muscle Without the B.S. — A Straightforward Guide to Size and Strength

Build Muscle Without the B.S. — A Straightforward Guide to Size and Strength

Whether you’ve never stepped foot in a weight room or you’ve been lifting for years without seeing significant results, figuring out how to get big, strong, and jacked can feel overwhelming. There are...

23 Sep 20251h 5min

The Preparation — An Adventure-Driven, Skill-Building Alternative to College for Young Men

The Preparation — An Adventure-Driven, Skill-Building Alternative to College for Young Men

For generations, the path to adulthood was straightforward: go to college, get a job, build a life. But many young men are beginning to question the college component of that path; tuition keeps risin...

16 Sep 202551min

Overdiagnosed — How Our Obsession with Medical Testing and Labels Is Making Us Sicker

Overdiagnosed — How Our Obsession with Medical Testing and Labels Is Making Us Sicker

Modern medicine has given us incredible tools to peer inside the body and spot disease earlier than ever before. But with that power comes a problem: the more we look, the more we find — and not every...

8 Sep 202559min

Good Anger — Harnessing a Misunderstood Emotion

Good Anger — Harnessing a Misunderstood Emotion

Most people think of anger as a problem — something to avoid or repress. It’s irrational, immature, and best left behind.But what if anger isn’t bad? What if it can actually be an incredibly positive,...

2 Sep 202550min

Populært innen Fakta

mikkels-paskenotter
fastlegen
dine-penger-pengeradet
relasjonspodden-med-dora-thorhallsdottir-kjersti-idem
foreldreradet
treningspodden
rss-strid-de-norske-borgerkrigene
rss-bisarr-historie
jakt-og-fiskepodden
hverdagspsyken
sinnsyn
tomprat-med-gunnar-tjomlid
fryktlos
level-up-med-anniken-binz
gravid-uke-for-uke
rss-kunsten-a-leve
rss-kull
takk-og-lov-med-anine-kierulf
hagespiren-podcast
uroskolen