009 - Vietnam Ace

[@myquesttoteach]

Thank you for this interview. Even though I was too young during the time to understand the Vietnam conflict and the politics. I greatly appreciate how aviation has grown, developed, adapted, transitioned during this era. This interview had some very key elements in it to help people mentally grow and mature about the era and the duties of our military. Great Job !!!!

[@TheKevintegra19]

Thank You Willie D for your valiant and skillful service as a naval aviator in Vietnam 🇻🇳 and Top Gun. It’s SHOWTIME!

[@user-qp4sy2dp5b]

This pilot is above the call of a navy aviator. To help your RIO even in real life daily issues, is a true friend and man. I hope many young see and listen to your story. Balls and committment is what it is all about. To be a pilot in a Phantom, says alit with little word. To be a friend is priceless. Many forget about in country, the world was easy after that. Thank you.

[@patrickmccrann991]

Willy Driscoll was a RIO not a Pilot.

[@joevaccaro6655]

Thank you for your service Mr. Driscoll 🇺🇸, certainly a hero

[@LRRPFco52]

How did I miss this one? What an amazing interview....so many lessons for life are contained in this one. Peak performance is a result of: Planning, Preparation, Focus, Assessment, Improvement, and Self-Discipline Panic unchecked is peril. Panic channeled is lethality. "The will to succeed is of little value without the will to prepare." "Daily, gritty, day-in and day-out self-discipline."

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Amen!

[@batukhan2016]

Cunningham and Driscoll were with our sister squadron, VF-96. I was an AQ2 with VF-92 on the USS Constellation (CVA-64) 1971-1972.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Batu Khan thank you for your service!

[@batukhan2016]

@@FighterPilotPodcast It was an honor to serve.

[@KutWrite]

Were you on the Connie when the CO was CAPT Paul Speer? He had been our CO on the BLUE RIDGE just before that.

[@shlomper4291]

The phantom is an amazing aircraft. My grandfather flew them during the war, however he just dropped bombs. He never had to dogfight a mig

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Most pilots never fought MiGs. Kudos to your grandfather!

[@bill2953]

I'm your grandfather's generation, remember where I was when JFK was murdered and Apollo 11 moon landing.. Is social media amazing or what?

[@KutWrite]

Thatnks for doing this. I met Willie when I worked at TOPGUN at NAS Miramar. He briefed the aviators about to go to the first Gulf War about the stresses of combat flying. It was a wonderful prep for the guys and Willie is a humble, wonderful guy.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Concur wholeheartedly.

[@bluesingmusic3443]

When were you there? I was at Miramar in the mid 70s (VF2, Willie's F14 Squadron) our hangar was right next door to Top Gun.

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

Fascinating interview. Thanks to both of you for doing that. .

[@wangfeng1145]

hope someday you can bring Duke back into interview, I know he got history when he was in congress, but still, he is a hell of fighter pilot.

[@jamiegumm4398]

He's forever stained. What he learned in the Navy was supposed to be ingrained in him regardless where he went after that. His character was and is flawed.

[@williamcollins2020]

@@jamiegumm4398 We all have sinned and fallen short. Still though, his service to the navy and to our country should be heard....and noted.

[@mxcollin95]

Wow...helluva story! Thank you guys for your service. 🤙

[@evanbenjamin4578]

The Aviation ordinance , Fuels , Electricians / Avionics , and Jet Mechs who Maintained "Showtime 100" for Cunningham and Driscoll are too, Aces. These men maintaining the Maximum capabilities of that F4 largely contributed to Cunningham and Driscoll's Ace Day. Well done Gentleman.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

True. (FYI, ordnance, not ordinance).

[@evanbenjamin4578]

@@FighterPilotPodcast thanks for the Correction Sir. As a Marine and Veteran Corpsman, Thoroughly enjoy your podcast and Vids.

[@APV878]

Amazing stuff. I also like how Driscoll’s Massachusetts accent slips out just a little bit now and then

[@donno1970]

Wow great interview, loved the story at the end.

[@PopsP51]

Wow, excellent program. Thanks to you both!

[@raylauderback5126]

Great interview! Always enjoy hearing the Commander speak.

[@PrimarchX]

Great interview! Loved hearing more details about the bailout after their fifth kill. Any chance of getting Steve Ritchie on the podcast? Both these guys are world class!

[@ratagris21]

Steve Ritchie is a really nice person. I got a chance to meet him at an Air Show.

[@carlfischer4163]

Very good interview, really enjoyed the stories. Thanks👍❤️

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

You’re welcome 😇

[@GLOBALDRUMvideo]

Glad to hear Willie and Duke remains friends. Duke and Willie together would be an excellent interview.

[@therealsenorisgrig]

Except Duke is a crook

[@bobthompson4319]

Bubi harttmann is the worlds leading ace of all time. AND even flew a me-262 and got I think a double jet ace. Excellent pilot who was in a target rich environment.

[@AvengerII]

I think you're mistaken. To my knowledge, and from what I was able to verify online, Erich Hartmann flew combat missions exclusively in the Messerschmitt Bf 109 during World War II. ALL his verified kills were in prop-planes. His superiors wanted to transfer Hartmann to an all-jet unit to fight on the Western front but Hartmann resisted those transfers. He stayed with his Eastern front unit which flew Me Bf 109s to the end of the war.

[@patrickmccrann991]

Hartmann had zero combat missions and kills in the ME-262. His 352 kills all came at the controls of the ME-109. He simply had a test flight(s) of the ME-262.

[@christiancormier7847]

Amazing stuff. Thank you sir!

[@walt2840]

BEST QOUTE EVER Pilot: "Let's go get'em." GIB:"I'm right behind you."

[@dcallaway0604]

Thank you

[@dks13827]

Great interview. ( note to Willy: Superstars are born, not made. Check out Robin Olds, Patton, Rick Mears, McEnroe, Borg, Connors...... to name a few guys of my generation. )

[@raydolinger1980]

Dont forget Steve Ritchie :)

[@mikewysko2268]

Facinating interview. Well done!🇺🇸🏁

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, Mike!

[@bearowen5480]

Excellent interview, Jello and Willy D! like many military aviators, present day and especially of the past, I'm very familiar with Duke Cunningham's story concerning becoming the first US ace of the Vietnam War. As a retired ANG RF-4C Phantom II pilot and former combat experienced USMC A-6 Intruder pilot with tons of respect for B/Ns, RIOs, ECWOs, RSO's and WSOs, I am chagrined to acknowledge that I knew far less about Cunningham's ace RIO. This episode of Jello's podcast greatly enlightened me about the impressive achievements of this man who was the Duke's GIB, and thank you for that. As a Marine who spent two years in AFROTC, ironically graduated from Air Force UPT, instructed in A-4s with the Naval Air Training Command, and spent 14 years flying F-4s in the ANG, I think I have an unusual perspective on the differences and similarities among the three US tactical jet-flying services, four if you count the Air Guard as a semi-separate service! Regarding your discussion about the different tasking philosophy among the USAF and the USN/USMC about whether to have controls/throttles in the aft cockpit, and whether to man it with a pilot (USAF) or a navigator/NFO (USN/USMC), the Air Force did indeed choose to put pilots in the back. when I graduated as a Marine from UPT and headed off to Cherry Point to transition to gold wings, all of my USAF contemporaries who had grades high enough to snag F-4 assignments, went to the back seat! The Air Force eventually figured out that by assigning pilots to the aft cockpit, (a separate Air Force Specialty Code, AFSC) it had created a personnel nightmare. For an Air Force pilot GIB to "upgrade" to the front seat, a different AFSC, it required a trip back to an F4 RTU and incurring an additional two-year active duty commitment. On those rare occasions when GIBs volunteered to extend their combat careers for an additional year to be allowed an informal upgrade to the front seat in-country, they still incurred the extra two years of active duty. These personnel policies created a lot of hate and discontent in the rated officer ranks. As a result, the policy changed, but not before a lot of damage was done to morale and combat effectiveness. Later, in my years in the Guard, we had outstanding WSOs. Of course in addition to their duties and because of the backseat controls, the Air Force required them to get a minimum amount of stick time on the theory that in situations where their pilot was disabled by combat damage or bird strike, etc., they could at least get the aircraft to a safe bailout area and eject both crewmembers. Of course, this was license to steal, and many of our WSOs became very competent sticks. A few logged their time in their private logbook and used the experience to get FAA ratings and airline jobs! I flew with some WSOs that although it violated USAF regs, could take the controls out of the chocks and fly the entire mission from takeoff to landing and back to parking including air refueling and low level navigation flight! All I had to do for them was to move the throttles outboard so they could engage afterburner, and depress the button on my stick to enable nosegear steering during ground ops. For much of its history since becoming a separate service in 1947, the Air Force regrettably treated guys and gals with nav wings as "second class citizens". The USAF was the last of the services to authorize navigators to command flying units. The current era USAF has a dwindling supply of flying billets for navigators. The USN/USMC still do have tactical slots for NFOs in the various types of two-seat F/A-18 Hornets, but technology has finally enabled the elimination through automation of non-pilots in the next generation of tactical jets as represented by the tri-service single-seat F-35. The handwriting is on the wall, the WSOs, navs, GIBS, RSOs, and ECWOs, I'm afraid, are facing the same fate as the horse cavalry officer in 1939. Sad. But my hat is eternally oFf to the B/Ns and WSOs who saved my ass or my reputation on many occasions. Semper Fi, Aim High, and Anchors Aweigh to all you unsung heroes who entrusted your lives without hesitation to us pilots....now that's courage (and/or insanity!)

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

“Mover”…?

[@bearowen5480]

Sorry, Jello, brain fart. Meant you, not Mover Lemoine. mea culpa. Bear.

[@tabascoindy5005]

Great interview specially the ending story about forgetting the past and move on. Thx

[@MasterChief-sl9ro]

Chuck Yeager said. Make less mistakes then your enemy. Be lucky and you will survive...As there still is no substitute for Experience. And having eyesight of a hawk helps. The guy had great vision...

[@antr7493]

Fun fact. Astronaut Jim Lovell was not selected for medical reasons for the Mercury Seven because of a temporarily high bilirubin count in his blood. He became the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II program manager. Then of course eventually selected for the astronaut second group.

[@OhItsThat]

I don’t care, Duke is still 100% an American hero and a beast of a pilot. He’s a Vietnam combat vet. Of course he was likely gonna make some mistakes later on in life after the war. So many of those boys did. Famous Aces right down to the no name grunts in the muddy jungles.

[@briancooper2112]

He's a disgrace because of his FALLDOWN due to bribes!

[@simflier8298]

Awesome story! Maybe one day Duke could also share

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

We could certainly look into having him on the show.

[@Gman-109]

Love to hear Duke on this podcast. Despite the legal problems, he's still an American hero, and I have great respect for him, and have always found him to be a very, very interesting interview subject. Great to hear Driscoll on this podcast. It was the first one I downloaded after finding this channel/podcast from the DCS interview you did with Wags.

[@batukhan2016]

He's been blackballed since his indictment for taking a bribe as a congressman. He's out already, but only Driscoll gets invited to speak now, sadly.

[@codyi5232]

Batu Khan it’s bullshit because these clowns trying to scalp classified access and sell it to our enemies in California used him like a scapegoat and because he is a patriot he did the time standing on his head.

[@thetruthstartshere6694]

I loaded those missiles that Randy "Duke" and "Drifty" Driscoll got the Migs with on May 10, 1972 along with AO3 Gene O'Neill and AO3 Don Wolfe! The missiles all worked and we are still waiting on our Navy Commendation Medals! LOL! Only someone who was there would know the AO Shop Chief was AOC Howard and the LPO was AO1 Dave Kulikowski, a name you can't forget! Others: AO2 Buchetta, AO2 Potter, AO3 Hanks, AO1 Chambers, and AO3 Fred Ruhman. What a great memory that I actually made a difference in defense of our Navy! I am happy that President Trump pardoned the first Navy MIG ACE of the Vietnam War! From scoundrel to Hero again!😇

[@thetruthstartshere6694]

Me: AO2 Wayne Menger.

[@thetruthstartshere6694]

...defense of our Country! Hate the spellcheck!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@thetruthstartshere6694 (KZbin does offer an "edit" feature.)

[@maazrizwan5966]

Great interview!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, and this was a year ago when I was still pretty new!

[@darkkxxzeroxx]

Wasn't allowed to go on medical issues never served or even been in a plane but I love this podcasts

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks!

[@MrKbtor2]

Super interesting interview

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks.

[@Carlos27thFS]

"There was smoke....and it was a pretty unpleasant situation".

[@timothyosborn1697]

Is there any way to give this a thousand thumbs up?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

No, but you can always come express your appreciation on our Patreon page! www.patreon.com/ftrpltpdcst

[@arnie24070127]

I hope he goes. As an Infantryman who fought in Iraq, I'll never have the opportunity to sit across the table from my counterpart in Sadr City. He's lucky that he fought an honorable enemy who can respect the adversary. I envy him.

[@codyi5232]

James A 🇺🇸✊

[@BrodyDCS]

does anyone know the name of the book they mention reading from erich hartmann?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

The Blond Knight of Germany www.amazon.com/gp/product/0830681892/ref=as_li_qf_asin_il_tl?ie=UTF8&tag=ftrpltpdcst18-20&creative=9325&linkCode=as2&creativeASIN=0830681892&linkId=5f89a12ccd8697e956d8f73a79e4b47e

[@14katay]

What was Showtime 100's configuration on 10 May 1972? Did it carry 6 or 4 Mk 20s?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

I'm not sure. Willy D talks about the attack right around the 15:35 mark but I did not hear mention of how many Mk 20.

[@thetruthstartshere6694]

It was 4 Sidewinders and 2 Sparrows. They were on a mission to hit a anti-war craft site and were loaded with 4 Rockeyes.

[@pontiacGXPfan]

VF-96 Fighting Falcons......the most phamous Phantoms ever

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

Really special interview, well done by both of you 👍👍

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Thanks, Shamu. It seems you have started at the beginning and are working your way through…

[@ShamuXEagleDriver]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Exactly, glad to have found your channel.

[@benniethomas6614]

What happened to the f46 50 caliber machine guns

[@thetruthstartshere6694]

F-4J had no guns unless you hung a MK-4 Gun Pod on the centerline.

[@A_Slayer_Named_Buffy]

43:57 - this has been confusing me during this interview. Is the pilot telling his wingman or the backseater to “break left or break right”? I thought the navy planes didn’t have flight controls in the backseat. I have the same confusion earlier on during the retelling of the dogfight with the MiG. are there two fighters encountering the mig or was it the pilot and his backseater. Sorry. I know am missing something basic. Still,this is a fascinating interview! Edit: Ok, I got it, Mr. Driscoll was the RIO. Now I understand! I knew I was missing something basic.

[@MrFarnanonical]

damn, that's a good-looking airplane. Normally you see that really ugly green paint job on the F-4. Sherman Green. At least that's what i always envision.

[@bluesingmusic3443]

That camo paint job seemed to be a USAF staple, when I worked F5E at Clarke, they had a brown camo paint job, some had blue. The Navy let's us paint our aircraft, especially the tails, with various Squadron colors & logos [at least they did when I was in]. Our aircraft 200 (1 of the first two F14As sent to the Fleet), had a light gray, dark gray, white angled camo job. One day on the flight deck, the deck rolled up above the horizon. All I could see was the black tires & flight deck chains. It seemed to disappear. Was told it was a new type of camo, "computer engineered" or something like that. VF1s aircraft 100, had the same scheme only in darker grays. Amazing. But yes the Navy had some pretty cool paint jobs VF114 (I think) had an Aardvark, one Squadron had a Lion, ours had Blue rudders with 2 gold stars, & Red,White,& Blue stripes running vertically down the side (sort of at a 45° angle) under the cockpit. Looked really cool, VF1 had a Wolf's head (Wolf pack) on theirs. Long ago.

[@lukesargent7551]

The f105 was a superior aircraft. As was our Delta Dart. With all respects to our Air Force. Salute.

[@kenp1013]

Willie said “we” as in, we were aces?.. does the RIO claim the title as well?

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Absolutely. It's a crew concept in the F-4 Phantom.

[@bluesingmusic3443]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Absolutely correct. I worked F4D & RF4C as a civilian (defense contractor) both models had joy sticks in the back seat, (with a washer that was installed on the RH side a real b*tch to reinstall) I had no idea Navy birds didn't have one. (Worked F5E, KC135, UH1H, H58, OV1D, & a lot more,as well, as a civilian, we did what the USAF called TCTOs. I've forgotten what the Navy calls them, the Army calls them MWOs.)

[@wilhelmtell4880]

So sad that Cunningham became a corrupt congressman and went to prison

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

I am also far from perfect.

[@KutWrite]

@@FighterPilotPodcast: Nice of you to say, but I doubt you reached the depths he did.

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@KutWrite Perhaps, but who are we to judge?

[@brianhopkins3857]

Washington corrupted Duke....just like it corrupts everyone in that town. No matter what that town did to him, and despite his human failings, he is still a dang hero in my book.

[@mandoruiz619]

They are all criminals but none are the hero that randy "duke" Cunningham was

[@danelinderman2671]

Flaps setting on the picture is irritating me

[@raydolinger1980]

Jello you have to get Steve Ritchie on for an episode... :) That's a good man.... Awesome podcast you all created I really appreciate you doing this.... :)

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Any idea how to get ahold of him?

[@raydolinger1980]

I thought you fighter guys all knew each other?? 😉

[@724bigal]

Awesome 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸 “Motel” is nothing like “Goose” lol

[@dancripe9224]

I saw a video about this dogfight years . Does the name Col. Toon NV Air Force ?

[@clintonsmith9931]

Most planes I saw incountry looked like the thing in the TV series Of a monster going thrue the sky eating everything in sight

[@larryprobus3263]

The Duke !!!!!!!!

[@bluesingmusic3443]

How are you doing Mr Driscoll? Haven't heard from you since our days in VF2. Question: did you ever get rid of that cigar butt, you always seemed to be chewing on? Had no idea you were a man of notoriety, while I was in VF2. Read about you & Cunningham in a Time Life book, in the mid 80s, when I worked for Lockheed Georgia. Wishing you the best.

[@mohawksniper79]

It was one of those Russian Asian I bet I heard they were popular in Vietnam. 👍🏼🤠🇨🇦

[@user-qp4sy2dp5b]

The leading Ace is no more. I guess the Navy showed you was best!

[@user-ks3jg7if9x]

"หรู"เจ๋ง.มากๆครับ.

[@USNRaptor]

Fly this historic mission and others on Jane's Fighters Anthology with my usnraptor playset add-on, found here: myplace.frontier.com/~usnraptor/

[@jimmyboudreau4207]

No Duke!!

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Not this time, true.

[@mshieh70]

He was shot down .

[@HongLe-qp6gj]

US A

[@TheMetahedron]

⛥ UNIVERSAL EXPORTS ⛦

[@alpteknbaser7773]

👍🙏

[@user-qp4sy2dp5b]

I hear enemy weapons...they issue is even today, North Vietnam played the game so unruly, soviet, chinese, who knows who else there as they took it all even a kitchen sink. Ho preached his BS, but sure took all the other's men, as nobody in rubber shoes, could of handled all that top radar gear, so lopsided, at least America, Americans fought, not England doing all the radar? They enjoyed all there Propoganda warfare, and the youth fell for it, same with French. Never could stand toe to toe and punch it out, as we could of rode into Ho land and built a Burger King. Blame LBJ also, not enough Prozac back then to get that bumkin out of bed. Could of been way different if him and Mcnamara had a clue. Yes it's history, but today we have another LBJ in office. Cut and run man.

[@rich6081]

Too bad her was convicted for taking bribes and pay offs and did 14 years in federal prison

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

Our guest’s pilot, Randy Cunningham, did later fall from grace. That is true.

[@rich6081]

@@FighterPilotPodcast Yea I get tired of people making excuses for his felonious crimes

[@FighterPilotPodcast]

@@rich6081 understood

[@raymondparsley7442]

"Duke" Cunningham, once was a great man, for doing great things. President Trump was and is a great man who kept his word, doing great things for this country, including showing mercy as explained in this video.... The one disappointment, in my thinking.... was his failure to pardon Edward Snowden on the way out.