Lt. Colonel Bill Bonelli, Combat Pilot, WWII (Full Interview)

Lt. Colonel William Bonelli was at Pearl Harbor on the morning of December 7, 1941, and witnessed the Japanese attack. He survived, and the memories stayed with him. He worked on airplanes during WWII, mostly the B-17 Flying Fortress, and eventually got the opportunity to become a pilot. He flew 30 combat missions over Italy, and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service as a pilot. He continued to serve after WWII, flying tactical bombers in the 1950s.
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[@roycolglazier1061]

RIP Colonel, just read of your passing a month ago! Thanks for your service and for being an exemplar for our youngsters! 🙏🏻✝️AMEN!

[@Kevinfromhtown]

I just sit in awe watching the videos of ww2 vets

[@RegenerationOffical]

Me too, I cannot get enough. & I cannot grasp the quality of these men. True men.

[@jimrutherford2773]

This warrior was a true aviator and a person who thought outside the box. As a leader he made decisions which saved lives at the possibility of being reprimanded.

[@chunxxxxter]

That Gentleman saved alot of crew's lives with his intelligence late turning those vectors on the bomb run's ...What a guy!

[@lowbridgehit]

This man was born at a time when there was a lot going on in the world & stepped up to become a member of the greatest generation!

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

What a character! He has a real flare for the dramatic. The interviewer did a good job in focusing this great vet.

[@dr.barrycohn5461]

@@oktoday8323 Look up the word character.

[@jetpilot3714]

@@dr.barrycohn5461 person marked by notable or conspicuous traits- quite a character

[@NesconProductions]

What shouldn't be lost here in Colonel Bonelli discussion is how using one's own initiative by a junior officer was/is often strongly discouraged in the military. At the same time can also be a life saver.

[@paulk7390]

This guy just passed away I think, wow! Tough dude, I could listen to him for a long time!!!!!! God bless our vets ❤️🇺🇸

[@shawnpa]

Brilliant bombing strategy. You thought it through saved many lives. Thank you service. Proud that you're a fellow western Pennsylvanian.

[@brendanoreilly6917]

This is why America is Great. Amazing man & crew.

[@2112777]

This guy is still ready to report for duty

[@brendanoreilly6917]

@@2112777 Fantastic. Thank you for letting me know and if you know Lt. Col Bonelli please give him my best regards.

[@Nomad111.]

bill I have said to many people only to be told i'm wrong japan could have taken Hawaii, with limited troops. Your a wise man the armed forces were lucky to have you. Loved listening to you.

[@Impailer67]

i'm glad he wasn't Yamamoto..i believe the Col was a very dangerous man. glad and proud he was one of ours !

[@sharonslevin2422]

An amazing man who lived an amazing life. Thank God for these brave men and women who saved the world.

[@redwatch1100]

Haha, I love this guy. He's awesome. I lived in Hobbs, NM a few years ago. I know right where he went. I went out to that airfield all the time. Huge tarmac where they used to park a lot of B-17s. Bomber training base. It is extremely windy out there, usually 40-55 mph and gusting, but always 25mph. I cant imagine trying to land B-17s in that stuff as a new B-17 pilot.

[@Jakal-pw8yq]

My uncle Harold Willard was in the submarine Fleet in World War II and stationed at Pearl Harbor. He was out hiking with a couple of buddies going up Diamond Head when the Japanese attacked and they watched the whole attack from Diamond Head. He told me they didn't know what to do because they were stationed on a submarine therefore is Battlestations would have been useless. He was a great man!

[@tarjeik7162]

such a cool guy...full of life at 95 yrs old

[@triode1212]

"We had barracks and..a couple thousand mosquitoes" he says that with a straight face but got me laughing out loud - perfect comedic timing too. I noticed almost all of the vets interviewed on this channel have this dry sense of humour.

[@russclewley6945]

An amazing gentleman and a credit to our history. Thank you for your service. Thank you for this interview.

[@ctheflower7818]

Amazing gentleman, amazing generation. GOD bless All of our veterans past, present, and future 🙏

[@docteurfabian]

This guy is great, God bless him !

[@mariekatherine5238]

An extremely intelligent gentleman! Thank you for your service!

[@TictacAddict1]

What an absolute pleasure to hear this man's story. The service has not changed WRT stupidity at all levels, some more than others.

[@trevercampbell8757]

Incredible interview, pay close attention!

[@gruntlifetruckingserio8914]

Thank you for your service. Your one hell of a gentleman. You sir are part of the best generation ever. Im honored to listen to your interview an to learn about the history you an your fellow comrades made. I'm very proud. Thank you an God bless you an your comrades.

[@shaker7804]

Truly an amazingly gifted man.

[@beingright]

"My guts your blood." Happens in the corporate word too, unfortunately. Good lesson for the younger folks.

[@burtthebeast4239]

Thank you Sir, God bless you ALL 🙏

[@michaelmccotter4293]

We are so fortunate for this man's Service. Fortunate this interview will be preserved. God Bless you always Lt Col. Bonelli!!!!

[@AwesomeBeatles]

Jimmy Stewert was from Indiana , Pennsylvania. My folks were from Meyersdale , Pennsylvania.

[@jamesmason8052]

I could listen to him all day.

[@ramamurtipaluri2420]

Very good interview. Very energetic flier.

[@geneapeveto2559]

a very smart man

[@auntkaz422]

This guy is a master tactician. Too bad people were too busy collecting points to realise it and maximize the benefits during the war.

[@richardpoplis6777]

GOD BLESS YOU SIR

[@joycecampbell2753]

I LOVE that man did not no him he just tells IT like IT is

[@frederickiiprussia7699]

I love our veterans, especially legends like Colonel Benelli

[@stevecastro1325]

I could listen to his stories for a month straight and not be bored.

[@kabbey30]

What an amazing storyteller. God bless him, always.

[@crystalheart9]

Awesome hearing your story Mr. Bonelli, thank you for your service. what a great guy he is! Disturbing to hear how the higher ups are so clueless and risk peoples lives needlessly.

[@thomasconnolly7452]

Wow! What a man and career!

[@AlexPriceMusician]

What a joy to come across this interview of a hero born and raised in the small western Pennsylvania town I now live in. I wonder if any of his relative are still in the area and aware of this interview. It shows that he ended up living most of his live in and eventually passed away near Philadelphia in 2021.

[@nikibriziibrahim1225]

William P. Bonelli, age 100, died peacefully at his home in Radnor, Pennsylvania on May 12, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. Mr. Bonelli was born in Indiana, PA, on March 17, 1921, son of the late Constance Bonelli. William was preceded in death by his wife of 50 years, Geraldine... R.I.P Sir....

[@mattrutz4361]

This man was a neighbor to my mom when she moved in with an old college boyfriend. I got hear his story in person. He was very humble about his life. As a history teacher and history nerd, this guy was a rockstar to me. He survived Pearl Harbor and went on to fly bombing missions. After I met, I found out that he was at the same base as my grandpa, who had commanded a company in an ordnance battalion. 'Bony' was just a super cool dude.

[@jadedannar5877]

Thank you sir.

[@matrox]

Whats he talking about of the people he saw in a car? I don't get that part.

[@mlee81]

This guy is hilarious. Anyone else chuckling through the first part especially?

[@brownspot9]

Amazing 🇺🇸

[@ericcrawford3453]

Adap, improvise and overcome,this man is a fine example of has he said " putting 2 & 2 together

[@douglashine9638]

His tacking maneuver was Genius. I also learned long ago that it’s easier to ask for forgiveness than permission. He actually applied that philosophy in war!

[@dfusco73]

What a great guy ,I could listen to him all day , RIP

[@ramamurtipaluri2420]

I wonder what did he do after retirement.

[@sunstatejon1928]

AVC AS I WORK ON MY COMPUTER I LISTEN TO SHOWS AND STORIES IN THE BACKGROUND ON GOOGLE, WOW I FOUND THIS, WAR HEROS THEIR OWN PERSONAL STORIES , THX FOR ALL THEIR SERVICE AND SO WONDERFUL TO HEAR THEIR STORIES

[@haroldmclean3755]

A Interesting and Great Account of Lt Col Bonelli's Wartime Service , R. I. P

[@vavavushop8230]

Please give us a link to the brief William wrote about PH.

[@RegenerationOffical]

What a legendary man.

[@ROLFCOPTERZZ]

hes right about yammamato and the ground troops

[@rerite2]

The upside to KZbin: you discover cool people you'd love to hang out with. Downside: you find out they've moved on from this world. RIP, Lt. Bonelli.

[@maureenorourke3292]

God Bless them All. We are safe because of them.

[@bentnickel7487]

Here the Colonel reminded us of the politicians and officers that used war to their advantage. Using men's lives to gain points. Thank God for men like him.

[@afvet52]

Great Story!!! Do you have the link to Col.Bonelli's to his 4 page letter he said he posted? 47:15

[@paulk7390]

I’m trying to find it too, lmk if you have any luck Please! ❤️🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@mountainguyed67]

He didn’t answer the first question, but you can figure out the answer at about 42:00.

[@AdamAloha808]

The 15 dislikes: “I was gonna join the military…” God bless our serviceman/woman, thanks LtCol. Bonelli for defending my home during that tragic event in our history.

[@spankthatdonkey]

What missions is he talking about?

[@rexgeorg7324]

does he talk about the foo fighters . . . i dont see them mentioned in the listings ?

[@banditeastlick2471]

I've seen three or four veterans veteran mention the Rock Ape

[@claytonmunsey9740]

Remarkable human being, a true hero Lt. Colonel William Bonelli. Pearl Harbor Survivor Relates His World War II Odyssey DEC. 19, 2019 | BY DAVID VERGUN, DOD NEWS www.defense.gov/Explore/Features/story/Article/2044445/pearl-harbor-survivor-relates-his-world-war-ii-odyssey/

[@robr1656]

Thanks a lot for this link!

[@chadjackson4761]

I want to know more about his career post WW2, lost opportunity

[@nmr6988]

I believe the Lord has given many of The Greatest Generation long lives so they could inspire later generations when we need it most! Writing this in August 2020. There are still many Americans with this kind of bravery and toughness. I think we're going to need every ounce of courage and steadfastness we can muster.

[@shawnpa]

Long life to the wise. God bless him.

[@davehiggins5903]

Amen!

[@sasukegodmode7213]

@@davehiggins5903 Lol you say "Amen" say that to all Kids who been m****** with less than a Year of Age God doesn't exist and if he Exist i would spit on him

[@jeffjacobson3388]

Is it just me that caught this patriot telling us that there was foreknowledge of Pearl Harbor and even told us lower ranking officers or not to know about the situation which just happened to be watching the Radars.

[@jasondavis8372]

I’ve been listening to these all week. Like a LOT of their stories. It’s kinda changed my outlook. Like what I thought was important really isn’t. They did the impossible and a lot of these bad asses VOLUNTEERED. We are riding comfortably on the results of their bravery and daring and what’s worse, taking it for granted. I’m going to do better, do more, be a stronger man. It’s the least I can do.

[@thomasowens2577]

What was a communications intelligence intercept vehicle doing on the northern shore of the island on the morning of the Pearl Harbor attack.

[@sgtpepper2469]

That's what I was wondering

[@thomasowens2577]

@@sgtpepper2469 Tracking the Japanese carrier assault force.

[@johnmarlin4661]

Dam shame people like this guy dont get to be flag rank and change the old fashion tactics used in the very last war thinking ! Im thinking of operation rolling blunder which I am a veteran of .

[@redwatch1100]

Joe Biden could learn a thing or two from this clear head.

[@thomasjr8360]

So who was in the dam car??

[@RaoulThomas007]

He explained that Army General Short and Admiral Kimmel had been informed of the potential for sabotage on Hawaii and also just before the actual attack informed of an eminent attack. He was suggesting that the four individuals in the dark vehicle, with two whip antennas were possibly communicating and/or signaling the Japanese invasion force.

[@nathanieljernigan490]

A very brilliant man should have been a general

[@gerrylanteigne6289]

Did he let out some secrets I think he did about the attack Ground troops withdrawn by Yamamoto .

[@loythomas4586]

AGAIN...VOLUME "TOO" LOW!!??

[@mountainguyed67]

Turn it up... I can go up another four clicks, and it’s fine here.

[@Logan_P.999]

Man, hearing what he said about Hitlers death was lowkey funny

[@newsnowmilitia1147]

I clicked the like button at 777 that's gods number

[@bm7024]

Mr. Barelli…

[@billchessell8213]

I got 11 minutes in and I’m still dizzy from the circles he’s talking. If I could have made it further he might have said something, but I get the feeling he’s still trying to cover up what really happened there. Thank you for your service sir. Someday I will try to listen again.

[@outdoorrn2980]

Why would the Japanese invade Hawaii on Dec. 7?...They were looking to cripple our fleet not be an occupier. And history tells us Japan had never been defeated in naval warfare in their history, so why would they think it would happen now?........

[@bobcruse624]

I pray we meet in Heaven No war No sin Jesus, The Father ! The Son ! The Holy Spirit

[@domdegood5376]

The Japanese never attacked Pearl Harbour.

[@robr1656]

Oh really.......... Who did then?!

[@FIGGY65]

@@robr1656. You can rest assured that every great video of historical significance will have some looney tunes coming out of the woodwork to flex their minute brain power.

[@FIGGY65]

@@robr1656. You can rest assured that every great video of historical significance will have some looney tunes coming out of the woodwork to flex their minute brain power.

[@robr1656]

@@FIGGY65 I have a personal reality check for the M/F'in Dom Degood P.O.S.!

[@geneapeveto2559]

Hitler did not kill him self. He died an old man in Jamaica.