The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War

This week Seth, Bill, and Tommy take a look at Masters of the Air Episode 3. The guys dive into the 100th Bomb Group's role in 8th Air Force Mission 84, the infamous Regensburg/Schweinfurt Double Strike of August 17, 1943. We look into the actual history of the mission, and the roles of Gale "Buck" Cleven, Curtis Biddick, Harry Crosby, and more. Image Courtesy Apple TV #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #mastersoftheair #8thairforce #mightyeighth #100thbombgroup #bloodyhundredth

This week Seth and Bill fulfill another viewership request as they sit down and give a list of some of their top WWII Pacific theater-related books. This list is not in any order, nor is it comprehensive, but off the top of our heads. Hopefully, this will help some of you guys fill up your libraries. Next week we get back to the war. Here is our list of books: -Run Silent Run Deep (Edward Beach) -Silent Victory (Clay Blair) -Wahoo & Clear the Bridge (Richard O’Kane) -War in the Boats (William Ruhe) -Thunder Below (Eugene Fluckey) -Ghosts of Bungo Suido (P. T. Deutermann) -Submarine Operations in World War II (Theodore Roscoe) -The Last Patrol (Harry Holmes) -Nimitz (E.B. Potter) -Nimitz at War (Craig Symonds) -Mastering the Art of Command (Trent Hone) -Master of Seapower (Thomas Buell) -Quiet Warrior (E.B. Potter) -The Admirals (Walter Borneman) -Indianapolis (Lynn Vincent & Sara Vladic) -Clash of the Carriers (Barrett Tillman) -Joe Rochefort’s War (Elliot Carlson) -And I was There (Edwin Layton) -Shattered Sword-Jon Parshall/Tony Tully -Surigao Strait-Tony Tully -The Japanese Navy in WWII as told by Japanese Naval Officers-David Evans -Fighting in the Dark-Trent Hone -Saipan-James Hallas -The Devil's Anvil-James Hallas -Japan’s Imperial Army:Its Rise and Fall-Ed Drea -The Knights of Bushido-Edward Russell -Island Infernos-John McManus -Fleet at Flood Tide-Hornfischer -Utmost Savagery-COL Alexander -Target Rabaul-Bruce Gamble -Fortress Rabaul-Gamble -Invasion Rabaul-Gamble -Pacific War Diary-James Fahey -Race of Aces-John Bruning -Day of Infamy-Walter Lord -Last Stand of the Tin Can Sailors-Hornfischer -Neptune’s Inferno-Hornfischer -Enterprise-Tillman -Whirlwind-Tillman -Pacific Crucible-Toll -Conquering Tide-Toll -Twilight of the Gods-Toll -Battleship Commander-Paul Stillwell -The Big E- Stafford -Hell from the Heavens-John Wukovits -Battle for Hell’s Island-Steve Moore -Pacific Payback-Steve Moore -Guadalcanal-Rich Frank -Downfall-Rich Frank -Tower of Skulls-Rich Frank -Myth and the Greatest Generation-Kenneth Rose -Soldier from the War Returning-Thomas Childers -Their Backs Against the Sea-Bill Sloan -Helmet for my Pillow-Leckie -Rampage-James Scott -Black Snow-Scott -One Square Mile of Hell-John Wukovits -Tin Can Titans-Wukovits -Ghost Mountain Boys-James Campbell -Wake of the Wahoo-Sterling -Pig Boats-Theodore Roscoe -The Old Breed-Sledge -The First Team-John Lundstrom -The First Team at Guadalcanal-Lundstrom -Black Shoe Carrier Admiral-Lundstrom -Fading Victory-Matome Ugaki #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books

Seth, Bill and Tommy are back to give their take on Masters of the AIr Episode 2. The guys discuss the Trondheim Mission and give their takes on the personalities depicted in this specific episode, including Curtis Biddick and Harry Crosby. The team also gives their breakdown of the combat scenes shown so far, specifically the flak and fighters in relation to their historical accuracy. Tune in and see what the guys have to say. Cover image courtesy Apple TV #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum #hollywood #movie #movies #books #oldbreed #1stMarineDivision #thepacific #Peleliu #mastersoftheair #8thairforce #b17

This week Seth and Bill take a step back from the battlefields to discuss an oft-requested topic, our picks for WWII Pacific-themed movies. Many of you have asked what our favorite, or in some cases not so favorite, films are that relate to the Pacific theater of WWII, well here you go. The team gives their go-to's, some known and some relatively unknown when they want to watch a Pacific flick. Sit back and listen and give us your feedback. What are your favorites? Here are our list of go-to flicks: -Empire of the Sun - Midway (2019) - Tora Tora Tora - Sands of Iwo Jima - From Here to Eternity - In Harms Way - Best Years of Our Lives - Run Silent Run Deep - Destination Tokyo - Hellcats of the Navy - Bridge over River Kwai - The Caine Mutiny - Mister Roberts - Operation Pacific - The Gallant Hours -They Were Expendable -Air Force -Dive Bomber -The Pacific -Operation Petticoat -Bataan -Back to Bataan -Flat Top -Task Force -The Great Raid -Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo -Unbroken Path to Redemption -Pride of the Marines -The Railway Man

Seth, Bill, and new crewman Tommy Lofton take a look at Masters of the Air Episode 1. The team breaks down the show, what was right, what was wrong, and how they liked it. As always, the crew throws in historical accuracy where needed and tells the real story of what happened to the real people at the right times. Tune in into this limited run series and hear what the guys have to say. Cover Image courtesy Apple TV

#wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum

Seth and Bill have a quick special announcement to make regarding an upcoming WWII miniseries. Masters of the Air, premiering January 26 on Apple TV+ will be a cinematic adventure that needs to be seen by all WWII aficionados. Seth, Bill and new guest historian Tommy Lofton will dissect each new episode of Masters of the AIr the Monday after it airs. We will tell you what was accurate, what wasn't, what they covered, and what they should've covered while giving you tidbits of the actual history of the Bloody 100th Bomb Group. This will be a limited run 9-week miniseries here on our channel and will not take the place of our normal show, this limited 9-week show will be in addition to our normal programming. Our first dissection will air Tuesday January 30 just after our normal show airs.

This week Seth, Bill, and Jon tackle the liberation of Guam as part of our continuing coverage of the pivotal Operation FORAGER. Following the Saipan operation, the Marines of the 3rd Marine Division, 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, and the Army's exceptional 77th Infantry Division cast their eyes on the former American territory of Guam. Invaded and captured by the Japanese in December 1941, Guam and its American loyal inhabitants, were under the Japanese yoke for far too long. The largest land mass in the Marianas would provide a critical staging point for future operations in the Pacific. The once-forgotten American territory would explode in both personnel and importance following its liberation in August 1944.

This week Seth and Bill take a step back from Operation FORAGER to look at the invasion of Biak which occurred in May 1944. In this little-known operation, the 41st Infantry Division was tasked with invading the island off the coast of New Guinea in an effort to capture airfields for further support of the upcoming FORAGER and the push toward the Philippines. Due to a massive Allied intel failure, Biak almost went sideways as the 41st landed against hardened and battle-tested Japanese troops on an almost 1 to 1 basis. The fighting that goes on in the operation and the decisions made by the command baffle the mind and very nearly lead to total disaster. Tune in and see what Seth and Bill have to say about this forgotten invasion in the Pacific. #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #usnavy #usa #usarmy #medalofhonor #enterprise #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #cv6 #midway #wwii #wwiihistory #ww2 #worldwar2 #usnavy #usnavyseals #usmc #usmarines #saipan #usa #usarmy #aircraft #aircraftcarrier #battleship #battleships #ussenterprise #aircraftcarriers #museum

In this special episode, Seth takes you through the National WWII Museum's Road to Tokyo Pacific galleries. Seth was a chief historian at the WWII Museum for 15 years and was one of the key contributors to the construction of the WWII Museum's campus. In this special episode, he takes you on a quick 40,000 foot view of the Pacific side of the museum.