DAUNTLESS DICK AND DARING OSE: Reuniting SBD Dauntless Gunners from Guadalcanal

This featurette is available on the "Eleven" Blu-ray at: www.ElevenTheMovie.com/
"Dauntless Dick and Daring Ose" is a short documentary featuring interviews with U.S. Navy Carrier Air Group 11 Veterans, Richard "Dick" Miralles and Ose Veesey from Scouting Squadron Eleven (VS-11/VB-21). Both gentlemen were discovered after the feature-length documentary "Eleven" had been released in 2016 so a subsequent follow-up was produced showcasing the two of them. Dick and Ose were both Radioman/Gunners in the Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber flying land-based missions off Guadalcanal during the fighting in the Solomon Islands and New Georgia operations in World War II.
Filmed on-location in Cameron Park, CA at Vultures Row Aviation and Huntsville, AL at the U.S. Veterans Memorial Museum.
#ElevenTheMovie
Copyright © 2017 Lazy Panda Studios LLC. All Rights Reserved.

[@johneasler9967]

My dad was a tail gunner in SBD's and SB2C's in WWII. Damn, I miss him

[@bread-cf8fl]

What's his name?

[@neils891]

You have good blood in your veins. His legacy lives on in you. On behalf of those who enjoy freedom today and to the honor of your father, I’d like to thank you and your entire family for your service to this great nation. God bless you and God bless America! Thank you!

[@chopprz]

Hans Jandell Felizardo Mr. Easter

[@freyalibby]

Well we all thank him for his service

[@scottpayton1352]

That was fantastic. I'm an old Soldier and that brought tears to my eyes.

[@MAPIER65]

I could stay hours listening to the memories of these "boys"

[@frostedbutts4340]

What a great pair of lads. Really good storytelling.

[@terrydawkins9936]

Thank God for theses men

[@cliffthelightning]

Im from the Netherlands and we were liberated by brave men like these (different theater i know. They will be remembered for eternity.

[@user-ej1qw3pe6r]

We need more people like this!!

[@stevejauncey3086]

What a pair of characters 😊

[@mpayne8206]

I get emotional every single time I talk about sacrifices made in The bravery displayed by these great men. I'm even more emotional about the fact that we are letting them down. The bravery it took to take off of a carrier knowing that you don't have enough fuel to get back but we had to hit Japan hard so they made that flight anyway. The courage it took to stay in a dive seeing your wingman and best friends getting shot down from the massive amount of fire coming from the target you're diving on and from Japanese fighter planes trailing. I thank them for their willingness to continue to serve when the chips were down. What kind of headspace must they have been in to be one of a few planes to make it back only to fuel up and go out again without question? I think about the brave men on the u-boats storming the beaches of Normandy... Being in that first wave knowing that you're charging not for a swift victory but to pay the way and a path for the second wave. Thank you to the men on the submarine who could have played it safe but instead push forward to the center of the hornet's nest. We weren't the best equipped by a long shot we weren't the most skilled pilots, but we were able to prevail because of courage in the face of fear and love of country. I'm thankful for the brave and steadfast women who held the country together while the men were at war. I think a big difference was that Japan was fighting for an emperor but we were fighting for freedom. Some may, but I will never forget your selfless sacrifices and forever grateful

[@SunnyIlha]

Rear Gunner, SBD Dauntless. What a daring thing to be doing in a crazy place in an airplane.

[@derweibhai]

My grandfather raised me. He was the tailgunner in an SBD on USS Enterprise CV6 FreeTime m 43-45. Wish I would have gotten his stories on tape!!!! We lost him in 2004.

[@thestrum71]

This shows how a great generation deals with life in the long run. Nothing short of heroes, their perspective on how they lived it and moved on should be in schoolbooks....

[@cynthiadesmond4906]

Was just watching Midway..a new Fav of mine..looked up Dick Best..lived to be 90!!.. Also Happy Birthday.what a hero🇺🇸👏👏❤

[@stanwatson6616]

Much respect and thanks to these warriors.

[@PAYNEJOHNC]

My dad was a Radioman/Gunner in the Dauntless. He saw combat with the 331st Dive Bomber Squadron in the South Pacific. He was stationed on Majuro Atoll in 1944-1945 and had received orders to deploy to Izena Island off of Okinawa when the war ended. He was then sent to Tsing Tao China after the war where her earned the title China Marine. He's 94 and still telling me stories of his war experience. Amazing generation

[@tyreekmurillo4524]

these are some intriguing stories

[@Bambihunter1971]

Love the story, especially the ending. 🙂

[@charlieaustin2818]

God bless these men from the “Greatest Generation”

[@eugenedouglas1551]

Awesome George just Awesome. Thanks to you and all involved. Most importantly thank you to all those that served in WW2.

[@petebjerkelund5088]

Man that was great. The rest of us are so lucky that you've put these men's stories down so well, Rattleass Jr. Thank you.

[@strix7833]

These men truly were in the greatest generation this country has ever had. It is such an honor to have amazing men like this on our side. I have full respect for all the survivors left and those who have fallen in the war 🇺🇸

[@HondaWyo]

there will never be men on this planet again like the men that served during ww2

[@kbanghart]

@@HondaWyo wrong, they have existed throughout history

[@MilitantMountaineer]

@@kbanghart there are fewer and fewer with each passing generation and thats a fact.

[@kbanghart]

@@MilitantMountaineer tell that to the military

[@65stang98]

exactly. people dont have the knowldge or know how nowadays like these men. every single one of them can fight, hunt, grow a garden, and provide for their own no matter the circumstances i realized that watching my grandparents. that generation had the old way of an upbringing but with the advantage of rapidly growing technology. Best generation and in my opinion one of the best times to live before social media and stuff like that

[@wimsele]

Glad someone had the intelligence to interview these men and document their stories before they were gone.Thank You.

[@universalpancakes4101]

The men that served in WWII, hell, the men that serve/served in every war are fucking legends.

[@grimkupid8478]

It's a damn shame how many of the these stories will never be told because the hero's have already passed. Thanks for sharing this!

[@roseybut]

As time passes these wonderful old warriors get fewer and fewer. We must celebrate and honour their achievements by recording for posterity their experiences for those fortunate generations untouched by war. Great film. Well done.

[@MrStormtroopa]

Awesome story

[@yes_head]

Thanks for this! Dick's story about half hanging out of the back of a Dauntless in a dive, trying desperately not to go flying out of it, all while trying to hang onto this big double machine gun mount, PLUS chucking bits of equipment at the Zeros coming at them... If you saw it in a movie you'd think, "That's just Hollywood."

[@kbanghart]

Exactly, many times movie directors have to tone events down, because the audience would just complain it's not believable.

[@terryrussel3369]

This interview is Precious Beyond Price. God Blessed America with Men like these and Still Does.

[@firefly510]

Super stuff. Love it.

[@zacharyatwell5868]

Can’t stop crying this is powerful

[@redwatch1100]

Ikr. Me too bro.

[@rc_videoshooter9638]

As somebody who spent a career in concert production working with the biggest names in entertainment, your creative talent and ability to get these amazing veterans to get so specific is just phenomenal. "Sneaky Pete" and "washing machine charlie?" Come on!

[@4424718]

Precious

[@kerryjones1257]

Amazing men

[@seansky2721]

"You still owe me $5.00." I laughed out loud, which was good because these old, steely eyes inexplicably leaked as these two grand gents told their story. Thanks George.

[@armedinbama]

FYI: Ose Veesey passed away September 9th, 2021. He was 97. May he rest in peace.

[@richardmiralles1676]

I am Richard Miralles and I am almost 98. I will miss my great buddy Ose and I am lucky to have fought the war with him and had him as a friend. I know my time is very short and I can't wait until we can be together again.

[@armedinbama]

@@richardmiralles1676 God bless you, Richard! 😊🙏

[@GeorgeRetelas]

@@richardmiralles1676 It's been an honor to call you friend! Ose was a real treat to meet and interview. My favorite part was watching the two of you interact after all those years.

[@TheHuntercamper]

Thank You

[@SeverSTL]

Thanx. Better than any war movie.

[@armedinbama]

Mr. Veesey was my next door neighbor when I was a kid. I wish I had been more cognizant of such things when I had daily access.

[@kbanghart]

Don't beat yourself up over it. A lot of us experienced the same.

[@armedinbama]

@@kbanghart Thanks. 👍 By the way, Mr. Veesey passed away September 9th, 2021. He was 97.

[@stulynn2005]

Thanks for sharing these mens stories

[@wb256]

Dad enlisted in the U.S. Navy in October of 1941 at the age of 17. He served as radioman/gunner in Torpedo Squadron 14. He flew in Grumman TBF Avengers and Douglas Dauntless Dive Bombers aboard the second WASP aircraft carrier (CV-18) in the Pacific until the end of the war.

[@joer5627]

Thank you Gentlemen!

[@totallysmooth1203]

Thanks for this.

[@isaacmcpeek9636]

I knew many of these men of Greatest Generation as my Grandfathers church friends. He was a veteran with the Ohio 37th Infantry Division. The war stories in the Pacific of Guadalcanal, Munda, Bouganville and the Philippines were common in trips to Grandpas house and or his friends. His uncle fought on the Marne in France in WW1 we still have his service .45. My father 20 years with the Signal Corps in the Army. My brother & I Iraq war vets. We love our country & our vets are all our heroes in my house hold.

[@ThePandaJedi]

My Grandfather (currently 96 years old) was a tail gunner on an SBD. He was tellling me and my brother stories about his time just the other night (10/18/20).

[@HondaWyo]

watching this makes me tear up. my grandpa severed and he was so full of stories. but i would always listen to them. but there was a lot of thing he wouldnt talk about. Found out later that was because the work he did was classified during the Manhattan project. he passed april 22nd this year and hate knowing i will never beable to hear a story from him again. and what makes me even more mad is at myself for never recording any of them. he was such a smart man, taught me so much with mechanics, electrical, welding, photography, and even though i never got to go up in a plane with him he taught me alot about aircraft.

[@Capt_OscarMike]

I'm a grown man who has experienced the best and worst of men...Have defended, spilled blood, and had my own blood spilled for this country...Yet, there is something about the men (men, please, these were kids, kids who became men extremely quick) of The Greatest Generation that moves my often static emotional gauge...I must confess I found myself smiling, chuckling & that emotional tug occur during the final minute of this video...Each day I find myself seeing those I have admired my entire life become frail and pass...maybe reminding me of my own mortality or more likely is me yearning for a time when American's understood what it meant to be an American...when a handshake and a man's word meant something; when if you messed with my family then you messed with the entire family...in short, a yearning to live life again knowing what I didn't realize or recognize when I was young. The one consistent however is never doubting the gratitude, honor, and respect we all owe these men and all of America during those years... America, n infant nation compared to Europe, biblical, Middle Eastern, Russian, and Asian countries...America's foundation has been shattered, broken and eroded under causing the collapse of significant components which IMO are not repairable...America was a blessed country and a blessed people...no longer and it saddens me personally...the leftist BS of entities such as this medium and their ignorance is disgusting...yet, what option do people have these days??? placating to 10-15% of the population based on misleading and unsubstantiated information (ie not on facts)...young people not being emphasized absolutes exist, genders are 2 & getting the *hit knocked out of you for running your mouth or bullying will happen again unless the change occurs... Yes, yearning for yesteryear is what ails me these days. God Bless these men and thanks for sacrificing for the rest of us.

[@kbanghart]

A lot of your comment was fine until you started complaining about leftist BS lol, sounds like more pathetic excuses, just enjoy these videos and try not to bring politics into everything.

[@Flyntiger-df7jh]

Awesome

[@georgecampbell9638]

These old pilots look great for over 70 years later

[@ediz6984]

SBD Dive-Bomber is one of the best fighter machines ever produced. Its rear gunner makes it a fighter which actually makes the real feel of a fighter against its enemy on its tails.

[@nagumobutai1701]

This is awesome for these heroes.

[@chew2elah]

My grandfather was a gunner/ radioman in the SBD with the Marine Corps VMSB-234 through Guadalcanal, New Hebrides, Solomon Islands and into New Zealand.

[@larrytischler570]

I had a friend at work that was a rear gunner on a torpedo plane at the Battle of the Philippine Sea. He was very young and had little experience so he was in the flight group that was held in reserve. This bunch were not sent out since the enemy had already turned and were running away and the first US Navy attacks were at extreme range and many failed to reach their carrier on the return trip due to empty fuel tanks. Torpedo plane rear gunners were not nearly as sure of a completed mission as the dive bombers due to lack of speed and the low angle of attack.

[@davidpiano8551]

a fond salute to these old warriors and aviators.

[@davedavis662]

What an honor just to hear these two old war hero’s reminiscing. May God still bless them and all the rest past and present. No one can truly appreciate what they sacrifice unless they have done so themselves. But we are obligated to try. Thank you gentlemen!

[@rbrockhaus]

God bless these brave men

[@bartomand3681]

Watched this on Remembrance/Veteran's Day 2019. Thanks to the Greatest Generation, and all of those who sacrificed and served.

[@tomservo5347]

Having your plane catch on fire during startup yet going out and finding another plane that had probably been redlined just so they wouldn't miss the mission shows the 'can do' attitude of these men. Our country misses them!

[@peanutbutterisfu]

It’s too bad digital video and KZbin wasn’t a thing a few decades earlier we lost out on a lot of stories. To anyone with grandparents still around go hang out with them more don’t worry about ur friends so much.

[@OatStreetAmerica]

At 16.you were willing to be in war. Many respects

[@mhsvz6735]

The Greatest Generation for sure!

[@livingadreamlife1428]

Nothing compares to hearing a first person account of battle and the small details that make it real.

[@p38cobra]

Beautiful

[@geebody8969]

I could listen to these men all day long. Salute to the greatest navy on earth.

[@australianmade2659]

I love these men. From Australia 🇦🇺

[@terryroth2855]

My Dad was an 18 year old USMC radioman on a SBD. I once asked him if he was ever afraid of getting shot down. Hell no he said. When that damned Major put that thing in a dive and we were going 800 MPH😃and the wings were flapping like a bird, I knew they were going to break off. That's when I thought I would die.

[@clyde8661]

They are Legends and legends might gone but their heroism stay in our memories and in the History

[@michellevesque2130]

Wow...

[@davesims1615]

These guys were definitely the best of best generation we will ever have the honor to enjoy god bless them....

[@EasyTiger700]

What an absolute joy to watch. 👍🇬🇧🇺🇸👍

[@baja600Tom]

I never realized your role in WW2 Dick. I am honored to know you, and to have worked for you. PS....you never were very good at horseshoes... LOL

[@richardmiralles1676]

Tom, Thanks for the comments. Now you can buy my book War and Fire at Amazon Books and fined out what I really did. By the way I used to kick your butt in horseshoes almost on a regular basis. Hope everything is going well with you. Your Friend, Dick Miralles

[@MrSweeperUSA]

The balls these heros have are so big I'm surprised they could get on the plane again! What they went through just unimaginable. Thank you for your service.

[@petejoseph8257]

Brave boys to great men. Thanks for your service, guys.

[@richardthorn7726]

As a former Naval Aircrewmen what a great video

[@ericjensen1740]

These guys had the best view. Especially at Midway.

[@garyolivier792]

That was great !! Thank you for doing this!!

[@jcchienx]

True heroes and great victory!

[@steveb6103]

My dad recieved his carrier rating on the day the Hornet was sunk. He ended up on the USS Essex. Ended the war on the second USS Hornet.

[@blind1294]

Just to say thank you to you all !! words cant explain how much I appreciate what you went through for me to be here today, love from the uk.

[@cashoutmurkn2367]

Beautiful stuff man ⚓️

[@paulw176]

thanks for uplaoding this! Beautiful aircraft...my Uncle was a tailgunner in WW2 on both Wasp and Hornet ...

[@zenodotusofathens2122]

Thanks for putting this together. It is a great contribution to the historical record

[@terryblack4385]

Thanks for sharing the memories. Thanks to the "Eleven" for your service to our country.

[@bluetopguitar1104]

God bless

[@johnsiegel7912]

Absolutely brilliant. Thank you!

[@IndependentBear]

Beautiful!!! Thank you for making this video.

[@birdking6389]

great man, salute!

[@bruceli9094]

Thank you for your service... forever. Your brave spirit will always live on 🇺🇸❤🇺🇸❤

[@user-nf9et9po3e]

Вы молодец вы герой я не забуду никогда вас уважение и знаю что таких людей очень мало я рад что есть такие люди .

[@ernietheattorneycom]

My god this is priceless. Thank you for this incredible share. God bless these men.

[@fazole]

I've read a number of WW2 aviation stories and these are among the best! I knew a guy who was a Navy mechanic flying in the back of an old SNJ just after the war. He was carrying a tool box on his lap and the hotshot pilot decided to do some aerobatics. The toolbox went right thru the floor!

[@jamesmartin4902]

Awesome documentary, good job....

[@sallyb3]

Great video and reunions

[@Meepmeep888]

Imagine doing this when you were 18. Smh our society is so soft now

[@ImranPangilinan]

Too soft. My grandfather in the Philippines fought the Japanese when he was 16! He is enlisted in the armed forces as well

[@kbanghart]

Exactly! People can't even wear a mask. Idiots.

[@MilitantMountaineer]

@@kbanghart lmao so weak and weak minded they have to.

[@kbanghart]

@@MilitantMountaineer exactly, they have no clue how to, total idiots

[@galangputra8833]

13:27 this hit me hard in reality

[@SolidMikeP]

Just leaves you wanting to hear more about them and all the incredible acts they have committed in their lives.

[@richardmiralles1676]

You can read a Amazon book written by R. Miralles called WAR and FIRE an Autobography.

[@danne941]

Amazing. Thanks for this.

[@floundergearjam]

Do any of these guys know what a real walking badass they are? Probably too humble.

[@GeorgeRetelas]

Check out Dauntless Dick's new memoir "WAR AND FIRE" on Amazon: read.amazon.com/kp/embed?asin=B08888NWD5&preview=newtab&linkCode=kpe&ref_=cm_sw_r_kb_dp_S4nRFbM8Y12WM

[@frankdodgee]

Can’t imagine any 18 year olds doing this today.

[@jasonhuiting5193]

I don't know how those planes could get airborne being weighed down so much by the weight to those guys steel balls

[@keepemclassic6791]

Those planes were built for the weight of 400+ pound balls of steel.