The last dive bomber of Midway

Captain "Dusty" Kleiss is the last surviving dive bomber from the pivotal Battle of Midway. He shares his story of air combat in WWII.

[@RK831]

RIP Dusty Kleiss, you are with Tom Eversole now. He had been waiting for you for 64 years!

[@tjanders]

Those 1942 Navy pilots were possibly the greatest warriors in history. They fought selflessly and fearlessly. Unfortunately most have passed but their memory will live on. Whenever I hear or read about these pilots I am filled with admiration.

[@domenicbellino4703]

Imagine how pumped up you have to be to acknowledge this may be my last flight .

[@jamesmarshall9598]

You are a hero Dusty and our remembrance will always inspire.

[@danielanthony8373]

Thank you Dusty You were one of the best... Putting your life on the line for a greater cause Huge thanks to all our veterans

[@fougee1]

Dusty was A Great Man! My father fought in the same battle as well as the Philippines. The best of the best God Bless.

[@yengyengjose7378]

Greetings from Philippines

[@Strato13]

Its both thrilling and horrifying enough to be on one of those rollercoasters going straight down a very steep drop, knowing it's just a rail car and that you'll ultimately be just fine. I cannot even fathom those near 90 degree dives those dive bombers experienced in itself and not even taking into account that they're being shot at, the g force, the fear and adrenaline. Those Servicemen were indeed very courageous and very brave.

[@charismatic1516]

Didn't the guy in the back faced backwards? Imagine his thrill!

[@heathumidity1550]

Thank you Dusty!

[@chumccurry1765]

A real hero did his job twice in a single day.

[@chiccorealo]

Excellent manoeuvres! Thank-you!

[@LadybugRonnie]

thank you dusty!

[@torutomaktu]

truly brave. can't imagine how i would've felt, knowing i would die going into that mission and drown if i don't die immediately from anti-air fire. truly the bravest generation in modern US history.

[@ajbaumgart4774]

God speed to these American hero's who fought for our country and for those who didn't make it back god bless them all my grandfather was in ww2 and had friend's that died in the war that was pilot's i thank these wonderful brave men for there service i salute you mr dusty kless and your fello pilots

[@ECiriachi]

Thank God for courageous pilots like him. So many brave young men died that day. I watched the movie Midway yesterday, hearing his voice moved me deeply. Rest in the peace of the Lord, Captain.

[@LiveAKing1]

Nothing but maximum respect for him and our veterans.

[@DividedByZeero]

He hit the Kaga like a boss, Kleiss was one of the men among Dick Best and wade Mclusky He and many other men attacked the Kaga, Akagi, Hiryu, Soryu at the battle that changed the tide of the pacific He lost his best friend Tom Eversoul (sorry for the bad spelling) He’s now up with his buddies from the battle, with his best friend, and veterans up in heaven Rest In Peace Kleiss you deserve to be remembered for your actions at that bloody day

[@rzipper1716]

Those who broke the Japanese code and A dozen brave US dive bombers changed the momentum in the Pacific. We owe a great debt to thes brave men and their fellow servicemen.

[@Joscope]

Some say the Americans were very lucky at the Battle if Midway but the reality is in this world there’s no such thing is luck. Luck is merely the place where preparation and opportunity intersect. This concept was on full display at Midway in June of ‘42.

[@crazysteve9390]

Joe Scopelite I agree, certain aspects of the battle may have come about by chance but it's still nerve and skill to drop the bombs where they need to go

[@Joscope]

Crazy Steve Crazy Steve True, but the Navy trains up the nerve and the skill in its fighting men. Nerve and skill are the result of training and preparation, you never get one without the other. I just think the work undertaken by the code breakers to prepare the Americans for battle made a ton of difference. The Japanese naval force was twice as strong but not nearly as prepared. That evened up the odds to 50-50. What swung the battle the American’s way was the Japanese failure to seize the opportunities that presented themselves and the American’s ability to not only seize opportunities that fell in their lap but to go find opportunities that were somewhat hidden. The opportunity to strike the American carriers was lost to Nagumo’s indecision. He should have launched right away with bombs and not wasted time refitting for a torpedo attack. He missed his opportunity and in doing so compounded the problem by presenting the Americans with the perfect opportunity to sink his whole force. He missed an opportunity earlier by not being perceptive enough to know that when his scout planes reported seeing surface ships but no carriers, there HAD to be carriers in the area of those ships otherwise they’d have no reason for being there in the first place. This is the exact same scenario that the Enterprise dive bombers faced when they saw the lone IJN destroyer steaming north. They knew it had to be hurrying back to the fleet so they took the opportunity to follow its course rather than play it safe and return to Enterprise because they were low on fuel and man did that ever pay off big time. Couple the fact that the earlier waves of Devastator torpedo attacks being decimated kept the Zeros at low altitude providing the dive bombers the OPPORTUNITY to arrive on the scene and make their high altitude runs unmolested by the Japanese fighters. The sacrifice of the torpedo squadrons in effect set the table for the success of the USN dive bombers to slam the (3) southern most carriers. The Japanese could maybe have saved Hiryu right then if they took the opportunity to break off the attack and returned to the battleships but they chose instead to slug it out against all 3 US carriers and open the door for the Americans who gladly obliged by counter-attacking from Enterprise and Hornet to bomb Hiryu out of commission forever. Game over. Midway was a textbook case that victory in battle is all about who is better prepared and who is more hungry to act to ferret out and seize the opportunities.

[@crazysteve9390]

Thank the Lord for men like that

[@johnburke568]

Thank you, Dusty.

[@theonemodifier]

Why was he not portrayed in the movie 2019 Midway? It seemed to be more focused about Richard Halsey Best 2 direct hits. Respect for both and all who served

[@Nikohere]

nice I honor all veterans, by being in rotc and performing in 30 movements in today's veterans parade. that's why I'm joining the navy after highschool

[@January.]

BRAVE AND COURAGEOUS HERO

[@stonecrasherxd5072]

Thanks CNN for uploading

[@johnrobinson3852]

You are an angel my man

[@maxwellpeter9921]

someone make a tv series or movie about this honorable pilot

[@Dogmeat1950]

+Maxwell Peter They made a movie back in the 70's called Battle of Midway, kind of strange nobody has made really any movie on some of the naval Battles, Japan and the USA fought the Largest Naval battles in Human History

[@GrowthruGod]

He took out two aircraft carriers! amazing this man saved America after USN had suffered massive losses on previous attacks on the 4 Aircraft carriers!

[@goldenstar_1007]

💯he a legend

[@steveeckert8396]

He and Dick Best are the only two pilots to bomb two aircraft carriers in the same day. Both happened at Midway. Go see the 2019 version if you haven't already. Its historically accurate by "Hollywood Standards"

[@domenicbellino4703]

Imagine flying to the Japanese carriers and seeing all your buddy torpedo planes in the sea. You don't want to fail them for there ultimate sacrifice you knew them personally they where the hero's and you must succeed.You cannot measure what they done to what you did.

[@roderickwilson2819]

Great man

[@jhuenda]

Best ever.

[@ATBatmanMALS31]

Fair winds and flowing seas Mr. Klease

[@MrKe4bss]

Norman Jack (Dusty) Kleiss never referred to himself as a hero. I have recently finished reading his book Never Call Me a Hero which is a great book as he tells his story of his life and Naval career. I do respectfully disagree with him, he was indeed a Hero.

[@justinperry2392]

The US Navy should totally name a ship after Dusty!

[@nicholassingh1476]

dang

[@lukelaser5397]

True America heros!

[@macduggles]

Is there any more about the heroes of Midway?

[@sherinasheltermonarchi8817]

Yes,lieutenant richard halsey best

[@abalexlim254]

Theres also a mobie about it called midway

[@zamzampriyamitra6361]

2019 gooo

[@gamerbro4780]

The fcking circle red is the target bois

[@keatonhowarth1683]

Wonder if he knew Dick Best

[@fattchuenleow7293]

There’s still evidence of this naval battle.

[@srercrcr]

...and todays kids play video games. :(

[@thecodgamer57]

There's nonthing wrong with playing games

[@srercrcr]

***** Yep, we've identified the problem!

[@jgunther3398]

@Lilian Hayes You are right. Your spelling and writing is GREAT for 3rd grade too. I'm impressed.

[@lemonman8929]

Ok boomer

[@dickjohnson5025]

And live in their parents basements until they are 30

[@bjim69u]

HA HA HA HA HA.....FUCK CNN !!!!!

[@AngryHatter]

LOL - mach one. The dauntless could not withstand 650 mph. Ask him how many touchdowns he scored. A "fish story."