"You're fired!" - WWII ace, hero and American legend Joe Foss

Рет қаралды 47,324

Күн бұрын

Aviation artist, writer and filmmaker John Mollison interviews Joe Foss - an inimitable voice of the rugged, uniquely American, ideal.
In this video, Joe describes how he was relieved of command... but then describes in detail, the tactics used by both Japanese and American pilots in the grueling air battles over Guadalcanal.
Joe's sense of leadership is readily apparent.
This video was captured in October of 2002 and edited in 2024.
www.JohnMollison.com
NOTE: Please accept my apologies for the less-than-excellent audio and video quality; the camera that I had available wasn't the greatest and my intent was to get the audio for archival sake rather than rely on my (oft) horrible handwriting...
#ww2 #joefoss #johnmollison #americanhistory #historygeek #guadalcanal

Пікірлер: 55

@stevemartin6144 Ай бұрын

I knew a guy who had a few 8 X 10 original photos of Foss taken during WW2. He gave me a couple of these and I mailed these off to Joe and he most kindly signed both for me, returned them and replied with a very kind letter. This was some time in the late 1980s. I still treasure all of this today. RIP Joe Foss.

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

Indeed... Joe remains a hero for the rest of us...

@macneel359 13 күн бұрын

“Swivel Neck Joe” was his nickname as a pilot. A true hero. We need more like him today.

@andrewmacdonald4833 Ай бұрын

He was one of my childhood heroes...sadly died just a few months after this interview in January 2003.

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

I think I have either the last or second-to-last video interview with him... :(

@xfire7 Ай бұрын

Men like him won the war , instinct , pure instinct .

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

And a honed sense of Character and Duty

@RedRuffinsore Ай бұрын

I met him at an NRA convention in Colorado maybe 1968 or 69 when I was an young teenager. My Dad saw him and said "Do you want to meet a real hero?" and took me over and Mr. Foss leaned down and shook my hand.

@williamstel9330 19 күн бұрын

What hero, so similar to so many my dad's age. Just great modest fellows that meant what they said. And knock you around if you didn't listen, so you listened. God bless those great men.

@RadarHawk52 Ай бұрын

I had the privilege of meeting and talking with him in 2000. A gentleman and a good man and a brave man.

@melfisher1683 Ай бұрын

Joe Foss was bigger than life. I often drive by the airport named in his honor. I would have loved to have met him.

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

Joe had the kind of leadership ability that came from work, practice and the courage to believe in the idea of "character." He's a great representation of what people CAN do.

@pigdroppings Ай бұрын

After the 9/11 attack...Foss went to get on an airliner at a big airport, while wearing his Medal of Honor....the TSA guy tried to rip the MofH off of his chest, declaring it to be a weapon. A supervisor finally let Foss get on the plane with his MofH.

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

ALMOST right - Joe's MoH wasn't on his chest (it's ceremonially worn around the neck) and he had it in his pocket... but indeed, it was threatened to be confiscated. Gobsmacked that anyone would do that but... "ya never know these days!"

@pigdroppings Ай бұрын

@@ww2Mollison Thanks...from my memory of a news account from about 25 years ago. ( Much more exciting that your version. I could imagine the TSA guy whirling Foss around and around in the air.)

@johngrogan7585 2 ай бұрын

Thank you Sir

@ElkoJohn 3 ай бұрын

Much obliged.

@RSLindsay Ай бұрын

I was recently at Arlington National Cemetery, where I happened upon his grave. He is buried in the same section as Joe Louis and actor Lee Marvin.

@richardgodwin2967 Ай бұрын

"Joe Foss Way" is a street in Scottsdale AZ where he was living at his death.

@thewatcher5271 Ай бұрын

Great Video! Medal Of Honor Recipient With 26 Kills & All In The Grumman F4F Wildcat! I Believe He Was The Top Scoring Marine Ace Unless You Count Major Boyington's Kills With The AVG. Thank You. (Like #599)

@stonewalljackson7590 Ай бұрын

Something about the name Joe Foss sounded familiar. I just looked it up and he was the first commissioner of the American Football League.

@otpyrcralphpierre1742 Ай бұрын

They don't make Men like him anymore.

@jerryumfress9030 Ай бұрын

They were the greatest generation

@stanleybest8833 Ай бұрын

That's a way better story than most.

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

Thank you - apologies for the lousy sound and video quality; it was the only camera I had available and I didn't want to just rely on my note-taking...

@stanleybest8833 Ай бұрын

@@ww2Mollison Content is king.

@afvet52 3 ай бұрын

too much music and noise in the background... Sorry..

@FredSmith-s5t 19 күн бұрын

Thank you for your service!

@christopherdesloge3320 Ай бұрын

Like Douglas Bader. Great generation

@ww2Mollison Ай бұрын

I read "Reach for the Sky" as a kid... a hero for sure.

@mikearakelian6368 Ай бұрын

Personal initiative always around upon in military...but this is the American way.. Check all medal/honor recipient s....

@mikearakelian6368 Ай бұрын

Always got your 6 bro..

@U812-k7j Ай бұрын

Okay who farted at 9:18?

@ww2Mollison 6 күн бұрын

HA! I don't think it was me... I'm going to blame the chair. Yes. The chair.

@robertsansone1680 Ай бұрын

Good old Joe Foss. I used to what him on outdoor shows when I was a kid. My father, also a WWII airman, would always point him out. "That's Joe Foss. He won the Medal of Honor".

@lrheaume 11 күн бұрын

I had the honor of flying him from Scottsdale, Az to South Dakota a few times for pheasant hunting. He always used a.410 shotgun and always bagged the limit. He was about 82 at the time. Great guy who was kind enough to autograph a photo of a Hellcat for my marine son in law.

@shastalittlebigman Ай бұрын

they tried to close the shooting range named after him in Buckeye az

@TRHARTAmericanArtist 2 ай бұрын

I wonder if the General ever apologized to Foss? Thanks for sharing.

@ww2Mollison 2 ай бұрын

That's a great question! I don't believe we'll ever know.

@TRHARTAmericanArtist 2 ай бұрын

@@ww2Mollison I saw Foss on To Tell the Truth when I was a kid.

@TRHARTAmericanArtist 2 ай бұрын

Correction: it was What's my Line. Foss had previously appeared on the long-running game show What's My Line on May 1, 1955.

@jimbeckley872 Ай бұрын

The Silhouette Nationals was held in PHX in 2001, Joe was there as a guest of honor. What a treat to meet and shake hands with him. He was a legend!

@richardsimms251 10 күн бұрын

Very interesting guy. Courage. Intelligence RS. Canada

@robrobinson7340 8 күн бұрын

It's the medal of honour not the congressional Medal of honour

@JavierBrent 20 күн бұрын

Not a Demoract, for sure.. LOL..

@ww2Mollison 20 күн бұрын

Not sure what Joe would think of today's political climate... but undoubtedly, Joe would appreciate the issues of today's media and communications.

@JavierBrent 19 күн бұрын

@@ww2Mollison American Patriots that dont do anything even if their candidate gets falsely accused and even shot at. What a shame. We Latinos stopped the dirty communist tricks and lies on the media and even won over their guerrillas from the 1960's to the 1980's. Only in Cuba the communist won. You need to stop been Lazy Cowards. Protest and stop the BLM and LBGT DICTATORSHIP you have. Do something Lazy Cowards..