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.

[@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

[@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!

[@HeyBigChriss]

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

[@TheManWhoAteTheWorld]

Weren’t they eating people?

[@crystalr7602]

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

[@TheManWhoAteTheWorld]

@@crystalr7602 yeah

[@AdmiralDevil]

@@TheManWhoAteTheWorld 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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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.

[@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

[@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? ...............

[@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!

[@JUNKERS488]

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

[@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

[@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!

[@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!

[@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!

[@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.

[@RobertJones-ux6nc]

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

[@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.

[@tordlarsson9423]

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

[@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

[@Night-211]

Tj, ur such a good historian, person and KZbinr

[@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.

[@richardrodway5637]

Another great video and history lesson. Thanks mate.

[@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 💜💜💜😊

[@johnparsons1573]

Awesome video. Thank you

[@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

[@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...

[@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.

[@karlheinzekruger4733]

AMAZING CONTENT ONCE AGAIN, SIR!

[@KenSerpico5450]

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

[@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.

[@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!

[@pedropinos8030]

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

[@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.

[@tomstarcevich1147]

Great video as always 👍

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@QualiteaEntertainment]

Great video TJ

[@TJ3]

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

[@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.

[@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.

[@shermantankstudios9086]

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

[@fafa.m4900]

Wow!! Great history! Congratulations!

[@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!

[@cba6084]

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

[@loyalpiper]

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

[@stevemaynards.g.t]

Great story TJ Thanks 😎👍

[@TJ3]

Thanks!

[@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.

[@gnilogaming]

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

[@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.

[@BamTehBrent]

Imagine all the possible history we DID lose

[@larryblanks6765]

Great historical event video.

[@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"

[@Msgtags]

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

[@williammurray1341]

One of the youngest carrier qualified pilots ever.

[@morganottlii2390]

Wow!

[@randykelso4079]

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

[@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.

[@brandondodd965]

The story wasn’t even started an I knew this was about George bush’s raid on chichijima,absolutely loved this story

[@simonayers8033]

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

[@calwianka]

Excellent video

[@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.

[@thepolicyguy]

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

[@glennschemitsch8341]

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

[@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?

[@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.

[@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.

[@moonshineofthemoon8054]

You should do a story on about Saburo Sakai!

[@georgejudd9215]

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

[@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.

[@somebodyyoudontknow2464]

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

[@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

[@footballboss2069]

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

[@ernee100]

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

[@thedawg16]

First time hearing this! Never expected Bush!

[@AG-qh9hc]

He’s a traitor, don’t be lazy, research it. Him and his father both. You should tell the story of how he caused a major fire on a aircraft carrier, from a stunt he pulled, creating a lot of damage to the ship and its crew.

[@企業]

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

[@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.

[@alexandreabecasis6659]

The War Thunder footage 💀

[@josephchitaro764]

My request is a most difficult one. The former Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) late Prime minister Ian Smith was a spitfire pilot. We would like to hear his combat stories.

[@sdboy1978]

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

[@CASA-dy4vs]

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

[@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.

[@BwoahBwoahBwoah]

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

[@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.

[@davidpuissegur1263]

And he was there , Dallas Texas, the morning of Nov 22, 1963. Anyone else old enough to remember the Nov 23, 1963 WH morning press conference ? The last time any WH briefing told the truth. He wasn't all apple pie and puppy dogs.

[@rudolfrednose7351]

Any bullet hitting its target changes history.

[@bad74maverick1]

Almost 50% of US torpedo's were faulty, the biggest problem being duds especially with Mk 14 torpedo's. For two years sub commanders complained and the Navy didn't want to listen. The Navy told commanders that they were firing from bad angles. they agreed with the sub commanders that a 90-degree hit was most effective. In reality, the mechanical failures were most common at exactly 90 degrees, failing 70 percent of the time in later lab tests, the mechanical initiator being the problem. A lot of subs later carried WW1 MK 10 torpedo's which had an extremely high rate of success and were reliable. Once the Mk 14 torpedo's multitude of issues were rectified in late 44' early 45' they were one of the most superior torpedo's. They were used all the way into the 80's.

[@TJ3]

I have an upcoming video on the TBF and cover this in depth :)

[@bad74maverick1]

@@TJ3 Oh man I can't wait for that! Not many know the details of the Navy's torpedo's and their faults, and then their legacy as a great torpedo!

[@andysnyder4506]

That is true. We had a few MK 14 torpedoes on my sub probably until 1981 when they were removed.

[@paulmazan4909]

How about videos on Butch O’hare and Robin Olds

[@cory4576]

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

[@medzlopez]

HI. Great story and animation. What software did you use?

[@bikeny]

You have his name in the description right at the top without even hitting the 'show more' link. But I am still gonna watch the video.

[@TJ3]

Lol I thought I put it down lower

[@johnholliday5874]

Read James Bradley's "Flyboys". A harrowing tale.

[@billcrawford1723]

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

[@radiolo1]

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

[@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.

[@GIJoe3333]

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

[@nextube_owner]

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

[@speedomars]

Big reach that Bush's survival changed world history. Others lost had they survived may have had the same or similar impact. JFK for example also survived his war ordeals and became a president during the cold war. A far more critical role in dealing with the Cuban Missile Crises and world nuke war.

[@ty23uywra]

When you showed that picture I knew who it was.

[@kystars]

I am a Republican , so of course I like George W Bush. But politics aside, he was a war hero. He did do a great job during the first gulf war crisis. He got so many countries together to fight against Iraq , it was really incredible. Except when he said read my lips, no new taxes. whoops. But overall he was a good man for sure. NOBODY can have any idea about combat unless you were really there. My uncle was in the 101st Airborne in Vietnam. He was in a number of battles. I saw his uniform with the Eagle on it and just stared in awe. He said very little about the war. I can understand why.

[@samhunt9380]

He was a brave man like every other man and women in WW2 and definitely more of a man than his cowardly son......

[@jonnyblayze5149]

Says you

[@juliusdream2683]

Good video though. Not sure he’s such a hero being in a secret organization and that new world order thing. Funny he mentions Kennedy in the same sentence. People who can think for themselves know what I’m talking about.

[@ClarksonsinUSA]

Bush's looked very simular when he was young!

[@bobhart677]

I knew it when you showed the aircraft name.