The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War

This week Seth, Bill and Tommy take a look at Masters of the Air Part 8. The team discusses the accuracy, tropes and history behind some of the scenes in the penultimate episode of the Apple TV series. 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 #b17 #boeing #airforce 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 #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii

This week Seth, Bill and great buddy Jon Parshall get together to discuss one of the more unknown events of the Pacific war, the Air Battle of Formosa. In early October 1944, Admiral William F, Halsey's Task Force 38 launched a series of devastating air strikes on the Japanese bastion of Formosa in preparation for the liberation of the Philippines and Leyte landings. The massive air battle that followed over the next four days was the single largest air-sea battle of the ENTIRE WAR and saw the single largest deployment of United States naval aviation to that point. The massive air battle consumed more Japanese resources than did the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and was essentially the prelude to the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Yet, the Air Battle of Formosa remains largely unknown to the general public. Tune in and see what the team has to say. #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 #essex #halsey #taskforce38

This week Seth and Bill take a very deep dive into the decision to either invade Formosa or liberate the Philippines in the fall of 1944. The two options were both on the table for the JCS in 1944, and the favored option isn't the one you are thinking of. The team takes a look at the roots of the Philippine obsession by MacArthur and the desire to take Formosa by ADM King and the tactics employed by both teams as they each tried to steer the JCS and the President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt, to their side of the fence. The back-and-forth fight culminated in a meeting between Nimitz, MacArthur and FDR in Hawaii in 1944. Tune in and see what the political intrigue and in-fighting was all about in 1944. #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 #b17 #boeing #airforce 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 #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii

This week Seth, Bill, and Tommy take a look at Masters of the Air Part 7. The team dives into actual POW life in Europe during WWII, discuss the P-51 Mustang and its importance in the Allied aerial effort over Europe in 44 and 45 as well and dig into some of the personalities of the real men portrayed in the episode and even get into a few unknown bits of the real story of the Great Escape. 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 #b17 #boeing #airforce 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 #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii

This week Seth and Bill are rejoined by good friend Dave Holland to wrap up the bloody Operation STALEMATE II, the fight for Peleliu. This week the team gets into the stories of Eugene Sledge's K-3-5, the story of Medal of Honor recipient Arthur Jackson, more of the bloody fighting for Bloody Nose Ridge, and the tragic death of Sledge's company commander, Andy Haldane

This week Seth, Bill and Tommy discuss Masters of the Air Part 6. The guys get into the nuts and bolts of escape and evasion, the POW interrogations of John "Bucky" Egan and Allied prisoners, Flak Houses, and the emotional toll taken on the airmen of the 8th Air Force and others in the skies over Europe. 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 #b17 #boeing #airforce 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 #army #marines #marinecorps #worldwar2 #worldwar #worldwarii

This week Seth, Bill and Tommy take a look at Masters of the Air Episode 5. The trio breaks down the episode and get into the historical detail regarding the October 10, 1943 8th Air Force mission to Munster, Germany. The third in a row for the Mighty Eighth, Munster was the worst of them all for the 100th Bomb Group and a new emerging hero, Robert "Rosie" Rosenthal. The raid also signaled a significant shift in the bombing strategy for the American Army Air Forces that would have dire consequences for the rest of the war. Tune in and see what the guys have to say. Image courtesy Apple TV

This week Seth and Bill welcome back an old friend from Season 1, Dave Holland to talk about the 1st Marine Division's tragic fight for Peleliu. The trio gets into the fight starting at D Plus 1 and goes through the bloodletting and destruction of the 1st Marines on Peleliu. Tune in and see what the boys have to say about the end of the fight for The Point, the 5th Marines and their charge across Peleliu's airfield, Medal of Honor recipient Everett P. Pope, and the first taste of the Umurbrogol, better known as Bloody Nose Ridge. #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

This week Seth, Bill and Tommy take a look at Masters of the Air Episode 4. The team gets into the nuts and bolts of the episode diving into topics such as the ground crews, leave in London, the American Red Cross, morale within the 8th Air Force and the beginning of the infamous Black Week in October 1943. Image courtesy of 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

In this first of three episodes on Peleliu, Seth and Bill tackle the opening stages of the infamous invasion of Peleliu on September 15, 1944. The veteran 1st Marine Division is assigned to invade the coral bastion of Peleliu in what was promised by their commanding General to be a "tough quickie" of an operation. The fighting on the beaches and at the bloody Point by George Hunt's K-3-1 would be bloody harbingers of what was to come as the Old Breed gutted it out against the toughest defense in the Pacific to that time. #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

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

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.