How One Japanese Bullet Almost Changed History

[@TJ3]

Hey everyone. First off, I hope you enjoyed. I am working incredibly hard to continue to make these videos for all of you. But I am getting pushed to our limits trying to keep up with our schedule with the increased quality of video I am putting out. Please consider joining our Patreon or signing up for our newsletter below to help support what we do. Thank you guys. :) Join Patreon to support us: Patreon.com/TJ3History Join our free WWII History Newsletter: tj3history.ck.page/tj3history

[@milkman1981]

No clue if you know but if you want to get rid of the fps counter on the il2 footage you can press backspace

[@brokenbridge6316]

This was a nice video. It wasn't until just a few minutes before you announced that I guessed who you were talking about.

[@steveshoemaker6347]

But of course it is George Herbert Walker Bush.....Thanks 👍 Shoe🇺🇸

[@StalinLovsMsmZioglowfagz]

The problem with the entire Bush family is that they are Deep State C.I.A. globalist shitbags. So I’ve got to root for the IJN, here. Cheers, brother. Great stuff as always.

[@dbsoccer79]

Nice video. But respectfully, what evidence is there to support your claim that upon getting hit, one of the crew members were killed? I’m not saying it isn’t possible. In the book Flyboys by James Bradley, his investigation could not determine what happened to his crew prior to one member bailing out and the parachute not opening. When he gave the command to bail out, he turned the plane on the side for as long as he believed it would take for 2 men to bail out. When James Bradley told him nothing was able to be found as to if one crewman was killed beforehand or not, a teary George Bush said not a day goes by that he doesn’t think about them.

[@B-and-O-Operator-Fairmont]

I remember in lead up to the actual start of the Gulf War, President Bush saying at a televised news conference or meeting, "I've been there." He knew what it was like to fight and have planes shot out from under him and see friends and crew mates lost. When he passed a few years ago, there was a beautiful cartoon showing him landing his TBF in Heaven. He was climbing out of the plane with his sport jacket slung over his shoulder as "Bar" and their daughter, "Robin" ran to welcome him.

[@dominicchaize1112]

More likely he landed his TBF in Hell. Best place for the bastard.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

I would like to make that a framed photo for my man room.

[@twinslife1563ferev]

President bush and other presidents that were in the USA millitary were the best for the us, NATO, and the world because they know what it is like out there at war

[@laughingone3728]

Sadly, he is most likely not in heaven.

[@dominicchaize1112]

@@laughingone3728 Most definitely not!

[@rodgerrodger1839]

I knew immediately. I am very familiar with this story. Like him, hate him, those boys were all incredibly brave back then. My poor father was a mess. He tried to put it all behind him, but it just ate away at him. Nobody knew what PTSD was, and you were expected to just get on with your life. It's not easy to do when you're bathing in death for four years.

[@cory4576]

I'm a 100 percent disabled fireman and I'm a lieutenant in urban search and rescue the tradition is you don't talk about shit you see especially from the Era when I joined you have to be tough as nails I got severe ptsd but I just push on with life I don't talk to my wife NY family shrinks or nothing

[@jameshannagan4256]

@@cory4576 What is your problem with the shrinks sometimes if you find a good one they can helo a lot (thank you for your service).

[@Mullysnaps]

1st

[@KanJonathan]

By looking at thumbnail and the headline, I know the man in question is GHWB.

[@jamesbednar8625]

Was told to my face by the VA numerous times that PTSD does NOT exist.

[@TJ3]

Historical notes - George had a variety of different liveries that he flew in 1944, as he lost multiple planes. But, for simplicities sake, I just used "Barbara III" for all clips in this video. Other than that, this one should be pretty accurate. :) Keep political discussions out of here please, as I am just paying homage for this courageous and heroic aviator. Thanks everyone!

[@morganottlii2390]

Only U.S. Naval Aviator to be a President. A CIC who knew what he was sending troops to do. Not many have had that intimate knowledge.

[@Oops_He]

Two of three Japanese carriers in the turkey shoot were sunk by submarines

[@andybreglia9431]

Off the top of my head, there are 3 who served in WWII. George Bush ( I guessed him immediately, knew he was a Navy pilot.), John F. Kennedy, 5 star General Dwight D. Eisenhower. What is not so well known, JFK'S brother Joe Kennedy also served honorably til the day he simply vanished. He was a pioneer in the sort of thing that later evolved into cruise missiles. What they did was pack worn out bombers with explosives and fly them into high value German targets by remote control. Joe would get the airplane off the ground, set up the remote control, arm the explosives, and bail out. On the last mission, something went wrong with the arming sequence, and he simply vanished, the usual result of being right smack in the middle of eleven and a half tons of torpex that blew up. Since we were asked to keep politics out of this, I will ignore Ted and Robert.

[@eddiehaskell1957]

@@morganottlii2390 I think that gives a president pause when he has to send young men to war. JFK was another WWII Navy man to become President.

[@jonnyblayze5149]

@@morganottlii2390 what? ALOT of presidents have served in war, hell you talking about

[@HeyBigChriss]

I think the scariest part of this whole mission was what was happening on that island…

[@AnAverageAvgeek]

Weren’t they eating people?

[@crystalr7602]

@@AnAverageAvgeek Yes, they were from what I've read and learned.

[@AnAverageAvgeek]

@@crystalr7602 yeah

[@AdmiralDevil]

@@AnAverageAvgeek they did eat all 8 of them

[@rollandmakinano1744]

The Japanese CO and his men on that island ate the flesh from the prisoners. He had this superstition that it would make them superior against their enemy. Bush was the only survivor of his three man crew. One died during the crash the other bailed out only to be captured and then eaten. The Japanese would filet part of the captured prisoner flesh, cook it and keep the prisoner alive until he died. Then continue onto the next prisoner.

[@darkdinochris6256]

Dear TJ, Back in 1990, I got to know one of the S-Class sub crew that rescued George Bush. He spent a month with the sub crew and never forgot them. Forty-three years later, each surviving sub crew member got a personally signed invitation to Bush’s Innauguration! My friend, Mr. Curry, had the invitation in a frame on his wall with a picture of the two of them together on the sub deck.

[@motuit]

USS Finback (SS-230) was not an S-class. She was a Gato-class boat, launched 25 Aug 1941 and was commissioned 31 Jan 1942. Finback was on her 10th war patrol assigned to lifeguard duty when they rescued George on 2 Sep 1944. He was aboard when Finback sank two cargo ships north of Chichi Jima nine days later on 11 Sep 1944. I'm not at all surprised he remembered his submarine shipmates for all those years. What an experience for a young aviator!

[@et76039]

If I may suggest a story, that of Lieutenant Karl Richter, assigned to the 388th TFW at Korat Royal Thai AFB during the Vietnam conflict. Aircrews required 100 missions to complete a tour of duty, but the F-105 survived an average of 40 before being shot down. He volunteered for a second TOD, and almost made it.

[@shawnreap]

Knew who it was before I clicked. As you said, regardless of politics you cannot deny he served bravely and honorably. I can't even begin to imagine how much the loss of his crew weighed upon him for the rest of his days.

[@kevinroley4680]

He was not any kind of fucking hero. He had his ass shot out from under him and lost his crew. I call bullshit

[@jon-pauluriarte4680]

I was pretty sure who it was until you showed the picture. Then I had no doubt about who he was. Great job on the videos

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@johnheart6890]

Can’t wait to watch this one. You should make a video about how the dauntless divebomber ended the war with Japan several years early- because of midway!

[@FFGOMER17]

According to James Bradley in his book "Flyboys: A True Story of Courage" the other crewmember that bailed out was not killed during the bailout but was one of the cannibalized POWs on Chichi Jima

[@mikloridden8276]

It was so awful. I read, maybe in that very book, that they kept them alive while they cut chunks of meat of his thighs to keep the meat “fresh”.

[@dylanperry7585]

I remember walking into a Barnes and Nobles when I was in fifth grade and picking that book up because of the cover, an hour later I’m reading about the brutal details of the rape of Nanking and competitions between two officers for the most beheadings.. rough to get through at a young age for sure but completely launched my interest in history, recommend it to anyone reading these comments as it expends heavily on the story being told in the video

[@charlie1571]

My father was a turret gunner on a TBF and on one occasion his plane had to ditch in the Pacific. He said his friend the radioman was killed. He and the pilot were picked up later by an destroyer. He also told me it was a custom for the carrier to reward the destroyer with ice cream for rescuing the flyers.

[@nextube_owner]

I always love how everyone has their completely own war stories, some were pilots, others tankers, infantrymen, or like my grandpa they would be in the resistance, hiding people. We need to think of this war like what do we have common, other than what’s our difference. Else there will be a third

[@maxstonecro1]

I like how you used two different games to get the best result for visuals. Now that's called dedication!

[@TJ3]

Haha not many can understand

[@patrykkwaterski6135]

one of them is warthunder right

[@RobertJones-ux6nc]

I knew that George H. W. Bush flew an TBM/TBF Avenger but learned even more from this vidio. Thank👍

[@stulynn2005]

Our CAF wing has an autographed photo of George sitting in Barbara his TBM. You should get a hold of us at RMW/CAF. Ya might get a ride

[@TJ3]

I very well might!

[@RogerBlackwell19004]

I am blown away chocks away to you mate I can't believe that one bullet could have changed history keep making these videos as you bring the forgotten past of history to life and thnx for the memories of the pilots who survived and lost 💜💜💜😊

[@LancelotChan]

Thanks for the nice story. I knew who you were talking about from the beginning, but it doesn't make any difference in how courageous and inspiring the story is.

[@aproudamerican2692]

My Grandfather and President G.H.W Bush 41 had worked together in Houston Texas for many years. So I've met President G.H.W. Bush and his son George Bush 43. I have alot of respect for President Bush 41.

[@orbitalpotato9940]

Ah that war criminal

[@hariszark7396]

Respect for what exactly? ...............

[@KenSerpico5450]

Please consider covering the story of Vietnam veteran, Freddy Gonzalez from Texas and how a United States destroyer was named after him.

[@JUNKERS488]

Another great video TJ. Thanks for all the hard work you put into these videos and the facts. Keep 'em Flying buddy.

[@roberts1938]

As soon as I heard the name George and saw his wife Barbara's name written on the plane, I knew it was President George Bush. Greetings from Poland.

[@crystalr7602]

I also knew who the pilot was and from my understanding, the pilot's crew's disappearance haunted him since the day it happened and he lost many nights of sleep over it. Where did the information about the crew come from? He spoke about his crew highly and often during his presidency. There's a book out called "Flyboys" that gives the details on what they did to POWs on Chichi Jima and the rescue of the pilot.

[@ba1868]

Every great man as a great story. If GHW had not survived, it would have been someone else's story. Every warrior and soldier that lost their lives is a lost story of greatness... Never forget them or their sacrifices.

[@stephenhosking7384]

1:00 - I've got it, even before you call him "George". :) Any president with an active service record is interesting, but one who survived the death traps of Avenger bombing from carriers is especially memorable.

[@SpaceForceCooks]

Pilots says the "turn on the lights" was a mixed blessing because it was ordered that ALL ships turned on their lights, not just the carriers and they had difficulty locating the carriers...

[@Night-211]

Tj, ur such a good historian, person and KZbinr

[@j.albertogratacos2076]

Thanks Mike Mueller for the great input. I would like to add that the Germans treated fallen allied pilots well if they were captured by the Luftwaffe. However, those who were captured by the Gestapo were tortured. Knowing this, the Luftwaffe crews would go out of their way to capture them before they were turned over to the Gestapo.

[@pedropinos8030]

Thanks for your excellent English speaking! Best Regards from Spain. Long Life for US ! 🇺🇸

[@mchume65]

I got to shake his hand when he was visiting NAS Moffett Field in 1988 where I was stationed at the time. A restored TBF/TBM was on hand inside Hangar One for photo ops which he participated in.

[@tordlarsson9423]

I did know the story about GB, Your film was very well done and intresting, thanks! Regards from Sweden.

[@shermantankstudios9086]

I knew who the pilot was right when I found this video!

[@loyalpiper]

I knew who it was based off the title and the name George confirmed it

[@carelvanheerden6589]

I wonder if some of the pilots ever though of turning off the lights inside then their eyes could have adjusted to the dark nights a bit more resulting in better vision in a sense.

[@e.b.1728]

I recently discovered your channel and, speaking as a WWII history buff, I am thoroughly enjoying your videos. Looking forward to future videos!

[@TJ3]

Thank you!

[@jimvanderpoel4467]

I have a funny George Bush story, years ago while president or shortly after he was at his home in Kennebunkport Maine during a particularly cold January day. Barbara, who was such a sweet lady became upset because the secret service agents who were patrolling the compound were not dressed for the cold. She went upstairs in the house and pulled every ball of yarn out that she could find and knitted each agent mittens and a hat. A day or two later after she finished the 10 plus sets she called all the secret service agents into the house and gave them their mittens and hats, the agents looked puzzled and the senior agent turns to George and says "Sir" almost in protest of having to wear the stuff and George says " Hell boys if I have to do what she says so do you"

[@BamTehBrent]

Imagine all the possible history we DID lose

[@johnparsons1573]

Awesome video. Thank you

[@williammurray1341]

One of the youngest carrier qualified pilots ever.

[@morganottlii2390]

Wow!

[@randykelso4079]

At 19, he was the Navy's youngest pilot.

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Great video as always 👍

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@TonedVirus3]

Another interesting thought, but what else could have changed depending on who survived the war? Since this incident and the JFK PT boat incident could've changed world history, who else did we never get to see become famous because they died in the war?

[@andymcevoy7822]

Kennedys brother, Joe Kennedy. He was the one they were grooming to be President, but he was killed over England in '44. That's a crazy story, Kennedy was piloting a B24 that was filled to the brim with explosives. At a certain point, Kennedy and his copilot were supposed to bail out, and the controls would be taken over by remote control from a nearby B17. Remotely, the B24 would then fly straight into a UBoat pen. Before they bailed out, the B24 exploded killing them both. After that, Kennedys father, JPK senior thrust his next oldest son into the political ring. That son was JFK.

[@dormandavis2767]

I have more respect for a person who fought in the military during times of war and became a politician, then somebody who dodged the draft and tried to hide from military service.

[@Cuccos19]

Although not an aviator, but J.F. Kennedy also served and miraculously survived a clash with Japanese in the WWII. He was the commander of the PT-109 Patrol Torpedo Boat.

[@rylandpowanda6567]

As a huge history buff I am 19 seconds in the video and already knew that Bush was in the navy and this is his WW2 story I love this story but the details to what happened to his men are unbelievable/unspeakable and harsh. Thanks I already subbed and this is the first video I saw keep up the good work.

[@guyfox7830]

There was an Avenger placed on a float and paraded through Washington during his Inauguration parade. I remember they had the wings out but had to fold them a few times to avoid hitting buildings.

[@somebodyyoudontknow2464]

You should make a video on what happened in the book Flyboys.

[@karlheinzekruger4733]

AMAZING CONTENT ONCE AGAIN, SIR!

[@georgejudd9215]

I did not know this about senior Busch I knew he always had class

[@glennschemitsch8341]

The torpedo problems were never really solved during WW2. Even at the end of the war there were still issues.

[@exidy-yt]

Heh, soon as I saw the face I was pretty sure, by the time I saw the Avenger pic I was 100%. Excellent video, amazing story!

[@roywilkowski2326]

I knew right off. Youngest naval aviator at the time and the last of the old time, old school Presidents. Since then we've had loud mouths and incomptants in the Oval Office. He said that a day never passed that he didn't think of his fellow pilots and crew who died.

[@calwianka]

Excellent video

[@Msgtags]

Yes perfect no mistakes very well done with the maneuvering and getting on his ‘6 a’clock

[@thepolicyguy]

George told the author of the book flyboys that he thought about his bombadier and tail gunner every day of his life.

[@cba6084]

The biggest mistake of RR was to choose GHWB for veep.

[@Spitfiresammons]

Great story of the surviving story of George bush TJ3. Please do the story of Lance Wade the top American spitfire ace in the RAF.

[@radiolo1]

Hey can you make a video about charles carpenter aka "bazooka Charlie" andAleksey Maresyev. If you can

[@ernee100]

I watched the commercial in the 80s. Figured it out in 3 notes.

[@richardrodway5637]

Another great video and history lesson. Thanks mate.

[@footballboss2069]

You should talk about the pilot Hans-Joachim Marseille and his stall dog fight

[@QualiteaEntertainment]

Great video TJ

[@TJ3]

Appreciate it! 😀 Couldn't do it without ya!

[@gnilogaming]

Do you film on warthunder? it looks very similar, and your work is very good!

[@thedawg16]

First time hearing this! Never expected Bush!

[@msgfrmdaactionman3000]

I met former President Bush later in life aboard a Navy carrier, the USS Harry S Truman (I think). I was a Navy reservist on training, I flew in off Puerto Rico on a Greyhound (COD). I got to get a picture with him in the ASW room by CIC. It was a good memory. God bless America, the CIA and shit like that. I would volunteer as a Navy reservist to serve on the ground in Iraq in 2004 so impressed by the Bush's. Glad I'm still around.

[@企業]

I went on that exact plane that the guy was talking about in the background, it’s in a museum

[@moonshineofthemoon8054]

You should do a story on about Saburo Sakai!

[@marcomuiretta362]

Regarding the torpedo issue you forgot to mention that the early USA torpedo had alcohol in the guidence mechanism and most had this drained out before being armed lol

[@larryblanks6765]

Great historical event video.

[@fafa.m4900]

Wow!! Great history! Congratulations!

[@BwoahBwoahBwoah]

You should do a video of the USS Laffey DD724 the ship that wouldn't die.

[@simonayers8033]

Imagine the terror the poor guys who’s chute didn’t open went through as he plummeted to the ocean

[@stevemaynards.g.t]

Great story TJ Thanks 😎👍

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@devildogcrewchief3335]

Great video and history lesson covering one of our Presidents however, it wasn't the captain of the Hornet that made the decision to illuminate the carriers, it was the decision of Vice Admiral Marc Mitchner to do so because he knew that the pilots were going to be at the extreme edge of their fuel range.

[@ClarksonsinUSA]

Bush's looked very simular when he was young!

[@angc214]

One minute in. George HW Bush.

[@dbj1941]

GHW Bush was mentioned as a member of the House of Representatives, director of the CIA, and President. Strangely not mentioned as the Vice President or as the father of a President. In the book Flyboys, a Japanese soldier who watched the downing and the rescue of GHWB from his hilltop post said to his buddy, "can you imagine our country sending a sub to pick up one guy"? Excellent book is written in the same way as "Flags Of Our Fathers." ChiChi Jima was an important radio outpost and was heavily manned.

[@sdboy1978]

Once the name George popped up, the plane being Barbara III and a George that got shot down, that gave it away!

[@johnshafer7214]

I remember he took flack for supporting the civil rights act. He stood his ground and said he fought to stop human rights abuses during WWII by the Axis powers and Bush didn't want it to happen here. I admire him in many ways and he put country ahead of party and himself.

[@JellyFanRBLX]

when i saw the pictre with george i realised it was george HW bush

[@cory4576]

With the spot lights even though it was dangerous you never leave brothers behind

[@CASA-dy4vs]

Japanese AA crew watching the avenger on fire but still attacking: “Man what the **** this man braver then our kamikaze pilots.”

[@bigblue6917]

Guess? Why guess when you tell us it is George HW Bush. During the naval Battle of Jutland two midshipmen stood on the deck of their warship taking a minute to catch their breath when they saw an armour piercing shell heading towards the turret of another battleship. If the shell had hit the turret all inside would have been killed. Fortunately the shell passed several feet above the turret leaving all inside unharmed. After the war one of the officers in the turret got married and had two daughters. Later after his father died his brother took over the family business but only briefly. He ran the business until his untimely death and then his eldest daughter would take over and run it for some 70 years before she died last year. She was Queen Elizabeth II. Britains longest reigning monarch.

[@melianhoover1910]

If he had died,who wojld have taken the throne?

[@andrewvelonis5940]

I knew who it was the second they said "We won't tell you who it was until later". I knew even before they mentioned his first name, and it wasn't a guess. Anybody notice the name written on the side of the plane?

[@GIJoe3333]

Wow, no one is gonna guess who that might be after 10 seconds of viewing.

[@lisagonzales2613]

I love the Tbf Avenger

[@Newdivide]

The torpedo's poor performance was depicted in the film midway (2019)

[@alexandreabecasis6659]

The War Thunder footage 💀

[@tonk5242]

Me into the video: I still don't get it Now: *Respect*

[@FlyingCircusPeanut]

Is the belly turret just never manned? Does the dorsal gunner just jump to he belly turret on the fly??? I am legit confused.

[@fredvanduyne8684]

My father was a gunner for VT-10 flying from CV-6 USS ENTERPRISE. The gunner was able to be seated in the rear turret during takeoff and landing but had the ability to take a position behind the pilot during flight and was also responsible for the radar operations on TBM’s that had been fitted with radar systems on the wing. The other gunner in the stinger position was also able to move about and was radio operator and had a view facing forward when the bomb bay doors opened to launch the torpedo

[@billcrawford1723]

Even before he said George I was like "it's H.W."

[@ronjones1077]

Excellent research and presentation! My only suggestion would be to add the American figures as well as the metric. Miles per hour, feet per minute etc.

[@nextube_owner]

He’d be glad his airplane wasn’t hit by a shoe

[@bobhart677]

I knew it when you showed the aircraft name.

[@COACHWARBLE]

Wasn’t he the youngest naval aviator in Navy history also?

[@randyshaffer9939]

Knew before the video started.

[@rickpatricio3116]

Knew it was Bush Sr. when I saw the plane. Whatever you think of him as President. It took guts to fly those big targets. Fyi not my favorite pres but he was a good one

[@paulmazan4909]

How about videos on Butch O’hare and Robin Olds

[@rudolfrednose7351]

Any bullet hitting its target changes history.

[@takeo4637]

I loved the use hornet, it has beed retired but I have been in it

[@mattclark6246]

Don’t forget that the navy also used the hell diver Dive bomber and torpedo bomber during World War 2 Which was another famous aircraft for the navy but not as famous as the avenger or the devastator All our avengers & devastators were like the heavy bombers of the army air corps Shalom dove 🕊️ of peace ☮️

[@karstenerdinger2167]

The devastator should have been dumped by the Navy because it was junk. The Avenger on the other hand was a very good plane.

[@ty23uywra]

When you showed that picture I knew who it was.