The Brutal Truth of Being a WWII Fighter Pilot | #5
An honest, poignant interview with a WWII fighter pilot named Robert (Bob) Sharp.
Bob Sharp flew several dozen combat missions in WWII, piloting a Republic P-47D Thunderbolt. He shares some incredible career stories in this interview we were grateful to conduct, such as fighting against the Luftwaffe, narrowly surviving several harrowing encounters, and the early ending of his career back in the United States.
During WWII, Sharp flew with the 397th Fighter Squadron, 368th Fighter Group, 9th Air Force. After the war, in the California Air National Guard, he flew with the 146th Fighter Group.
Recording Date: 10 August 2023
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To read more on Sharp, Evans and Kelly, considering purchasing 'Missing' here:
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Credits-
Animated Visuals (P-47D and Bf 109): Trevor Moss
Footage: US Archives
Photos: US Archives / Bob Sharp's Personal Collection
Artwork: Col. Moon's Thunder by Jim Laurier (this was the thumbnail artwork)
Thumbnail: Ariel Horton
Director: Andrew Horton
Editor and Videographer: Shawn Zhen
Narrator: John-Michael Sedor
Soundtrack: Honor the Flag - Brightarm Orchestra
Special thanks to Derek McLaughlin and Ryan Kelly for helping make this interview possible.
Our goal is to interview retired aviators from all over the world, especially combat pilots, who flew in ANY conflict. We have already recorded over 30 interviews and hope to able to release as many as possible this year. This is just a drop in the bucket though. We have many more we would like to have our team record. If you'd like to help out with recommendations / referrals, please contact us via email at info@flightlinemedia . co (not .com). Thanks! 😎
Such an amazing man, from an exceptional generation. God bless everyone who served in during the second world war, both home and abroad... Is there a way to donate to help with your costs?
Thank you for all your efforts a ourheroes must not be forgotten and lost to time 9:28
@@ROBIN_SAGE We've never really solicited for donations before, but if you want to help by potentially sponsoring a veteran's episode, please send us an email and I'll be happy to talk more.
Great interview!
If a German pilot strafed "anything that moves" (women children farmer) is that a war crime?
I love this man, my grandpa. He may not believe he was a great pilot but he is the best G’pa ever.
Amazing stories, loved listening to him. Crazy how someone 100 years old can still have such vigor. Great to see this, thanks!
Just wonderful!
There’s not much better than having a grandfather you respect and love, truly special. Good on you mate
Still loves his KIA buddy. How many friendships were cut short by that war?
Great interview. I especially like how in reflection, “The Stupidity” of war.
This dude at age 100 is more lucid than most 20 year olds.
he's a Mormon....likely never drank, smoked or taken illicit drugs in his life...in life's long haul it makes a a difference.. same with daddy trump...😊
Two or three minutes in and I had the same thought. “When was this ?!” “HOW OLD IS THIS GUY?!” This man is SHARP!
Like our sketchy president !!
@@garyschultz7768 Shame on you for mentioning Trump in the same breath as this gentleman. Trump is a self centered a** who has openly ridiculed military personnel as fools for risking their lives, getting injured, and even giving their lives for their country. Trump literally can not understand why someone would sacrifice for others. He is all about himself.
@@garyschultz7768 General Bone Spurs wouldn't get anywhere near where he could get hurt.
Just think of the odds that this man has beat. Lived through air combat, lived through National Guard Flying, iived to 100 years old, and remained mentally sharp. He is one in a million.
Yes He most Certainly IS WOW God has watched over him for a CENTRY Amazing .... God bless him and His Family
God Bless Him
WOW! In this interview, I he 100 years old?!?! His memory is phenomenal!
@@leswehman11people never forget about the days of war the bonds these amazing men form cannot be explained ir understood unless you seen war the bonds they form is stronger than they have with their wifes or children the things of these amazing veterans have seen in that brutal war will never leave them I hope it will make sense I have Asperger's so I'm not the best with explaining things
Yes, it is very impressive @leswehman11
The guy that is humble enough to say he wasn’t a good pilot, you can be damn sure, he was good pilot.
Well he didn’t die doing it so I feel that’s a good indicator
@@TheBananamongeruh…. how could he die when he is literally being interviewed 😅
The standard of training of WW2 pilots was poor, many had limited abilities when going to a squadron, hence the number killed in training or in crashes unrelated to combat.
Good killer. Good follower of orders. Can only imagine how many unarmed German civilians including children were killed during those strafing/bombing runs when he followed orders to "kill everything that moved". How do you know all of them even supported Hitler. He admitted that he and others in his outfit committed war crimes. Even admitted that later in life he regrets it. You people think this guy should be praised and even HE doesn't think he did good things looking back on it. He assuredly killed many innocent people along with enemy combatants.. He got to live to 100. They didn't. You people amaze me with your stupidity and lack of humanity. So typical though.
What a man.
Mr. Robert Sharp is such an honest humble American hero who served in the greatest generation. He said he wasn't a very good pilot compared to others. Rare is such humble honesty. Thank you for helping save the world back then, Mr. Sharp. God bless you.
Humbleness aside, anyone who could fly a P-47, P-51 & an F-86---was a DARNED GOOD PILOT.
@@blusnuby2 Agree. He is one of those humble types who doesn't blow his horn while there are many people who do. No doubt not everybody can fly anything, much less the warbirds.
It's only rare in our generation of narcissists. In the past people had much more class and sense.
@@uschurchmore class, more sense. How did we get here?
Difficult, unforgiving environments tend to be humbling. My pet theory is that that's why the people who have really been through the shit tend not to be braggarts. I wish Mr. Sharp many more healthy years.
What a honest, humble man. Plenty of traits that make todays society so shamefully pathetic. From Australia
There have always been pathetic people. Nowadays, Woke Marxist news , and lawyers champion their whining. We need to stop our kids being brainwashed in schools and Universities.
From an Aussie, too. How incredibly humble. Felt his pain but boy, what an admirable man.
I agree. 100%
America fought two wars in Vietnam. One was with white people, one with black. Possibly the record holder for swept under fraternizing...
Totally agree!
Very moving You can feel his sadness and that he never really lost the trauma that the war placed upon him. 80 years later he is still haunted. He knows that the the idea of glory in war is a lie told by people who never lived it.
How true, my Brother.
I knew a P-47 pilot who served in Europe. He wrote his story, and dealt with the same issues. I mean wow, eight 50cals, pumping out a total of 107 bullets per second. Lots of damage to anything they get lined up on. He regrets shooting a lot of horses. But that's what the German Army was using to move supplies around. Orders are orders, and gun camera footage was examined. He did dive down on a couple sitting outside on a bench. But he didn't pull the trigger. Imagine having to live with that. Ordered to shoot anything that moves. Then later in life, being haunted following those orders. That's a big reason armies use young men to fight. Fill them full of propaganda, then let them deal with regrets after they're out of the service.
We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; For he to-day that sheds his blood with me Shall be my brother; be he ne'er so vile, This day shall gentle his condition; And gentlemen in England now a-bed Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here, And hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks That fought with us upon Saint Crispin's day.
I love that Shakespeare speech.@@carlparlatore294
@@carlparlatore294 Well, that's one way of looking at it.
My father was a Navy surgeon on Guam and Okinawa . He cared for the wounded Marines who captured Iwo Jima . He passed away in his 80’s and only spoke to me once about his wartime experience for about 5 minutes . He buried the horrors he experienced. Thank you to my Dad Robert and all the other brave men & women whose sacrifices allow us to live in freedom today ❤️
Yep, flash back haunts you in later years,all combat vets...
My grandfather fought on Okinawa with the 1st Marine Division as well as multiple other battles in the Pacific. He passed away in 99 so I didn't hear any stories from him. But one of his buddies met my grandma in 04 and told her multiple stories. Apparently he volunteered for a scout mission to land on Okinawa, as the smallest marine on the trip they lifted him up to the top of the ocean wall first so he was the 1st Marine to step foot on Okinawa. The Marines landed on the beach days later in a different spot. What I would give to talk to him as an adult!
Yes, my Uncle Hanna, a Yale law school graduate, was also sent to Iwo Jima in WW II. My mother said that he would never speak about his wartime experience on that island because it was so horrifying and brutal. In peacetime throughout his life, he was a lawyer and judge in Stamford, CT.
My Grandfather flew the P-40 & P-47 in the TAC thru the end. He would talk about some stuff .. Like how the crew chiefs were responsible for pulling the teeth out of burnt up men to ID them, the ones who made it back to base in multi-engine. My Grandfather watched his best friend " disappear into a reddish grey " airburst from a direct flak impact at high altitude. He saw so many P-47 pilots die in late 44 to 45 .. in CAS or those Luftewaffe flak towers.
What unit was your father in? Mine was a navy cook assigned to the 51st portable medical field hospital. He remained life long friends with a surgeon.
He's got the premonition to quit while he is still alive. My father will be 101 years old this year. He survived the Bataan Death March. He retired in the Philippines.
God Bless him. My Dad was a B-24 Navigator based in England during the same time period. He lived to be nearly 102 years of age. The Greatest Generation
I've read that candidates with the highest test scores were assigned to be navigators
"Just kill people and break stuff" that's the most honest assessment of a fighter pilot I've ever heard.
An honest assessment of war
It's a well worn cliche. Haven't you heard it before?
My Dad flew 47s and 51s. I got to watch his gun camera films in the early 60s. Rest his soul. I owe him everything I have.
My father flew in the Aleutian’s P-39s w/54th PG and later out of Foggia P-38s 82nd FG, 96th Sqn. I also have watched some of his gun film. I miss him every day too.
Do you still have access to that footage ?
@@ScoopsTVtools Oh no. Sadly, long vanished. Coming back from missions, he shot up ground targets. Trains, clusters of trucks on roads and anything else that looked suspicious. Tree top level.👍
Utter romaticised nonsense. America and Americans at home were never threatened by either Germany nor Japan. America's Imperialistic foreign assets in Asian and the Pacific were, as were the International Zionist bankster assets in Europe and Germany. That's who your dad flew for.
Sir, you were a good enough pilot to survive your time in combat and that says a lot, my hats off to you.
I'd say at least 30% luck. I study war history in general and WW2 in particular for 30 years now and one thing I learned is that in modern highly technological war, skill is just part of the equation. When you fly in low-level hell, certain light AA like the German 3,7cm Flak 43 could zap you out of the sky with one shot. And I mean zapping - the 3,7cm "mine round" ("Minengeschoss" German name for it) could snap your fuselage in half or cut a wing off, it had so much explosive power. If you are in an strafing attack, there is by chance such an AA gun and you happen to fly into a salvo of those... you were dead in less than ten seconds and there was absolutely nothing to do about it, no matter how good you were. And this was not the exception, it was normal. Greetings from Germany
@@thomaskositzki9424 My mother was a teenager in 1930's Germany - most of her male school friends joined the U-Boats: none of them came home alive. War is terrible.
"That's the stupidity of the whole shebang." Truer words were never spoken.
Decrying war as "stupidity" is the morality of a slave.
@@natowaveenjoyer9862 You are clearly a brave keyboard warrior. I salute you.
This man is an excellent example of the Greatest Generation. How far we've fallen ...
I am always amazed how sharp minded and lucid many of these men are decades into their lives. He's well-spoken, clearly intelligent, and his speech flows unimpeded and smooth, like the speech of a very much younger man. Much respect to this warrior! 🇺🇸
unlike dementia joe biden
They rarely forget their war experience.
One of the best fighter pilot interviews, this man is very sharp and honest. Amazing recall.
Thank you for watching! We have many more to release. We have already recorded another 2 dozen, we just find it easier to record them than to release them haha.
at a 100 yrs. old!
Thank you so much. My grandpa says I'm his agent now, but he wanted me to say thank you so must for everyone's kind words. He is a very humble and kind man.
What a decent modest good human being. He did his best honest about his ear experiences. Thank God we had people like him if we didn’t we would be speaking German
You could still see the heartache on his fac all these years later after losing his friend Jerry Kelly.
We thought that while we were filming. So true.
Him and his friend were like kindred spirits. No doubt it difficult for him to lose a close friend and fellow pilot.
My own father, now deceased, was a P47 pilot in the 325 Fighter Group 319 Fighter Squadron which saw its first action in North Africa during Operation Torch in 1943. He talked very little about his flying experience in North Africa and, following that, in support of the ground operations into Sardinia, Sicily and Italy. So this interview is a great insight into what my own father experienced. Thank you so very much! He completed his mandatory combat missions and served out the remainder of his enlistment back in the states as an aerial gunnery instructor for P47 aircraft stationed in Delaware. All of his combat hours in the P47, and prior to that in the P40, were prior to D-Day. He left the P47 cockpit having had 4 kills. Thanks again!
i relate. My Dad operated out of North Africa similarly, He never talked about it. We were girls..
Fascinating. To hear it straight from an ordinary pilot, instead of a famous ace.
Imagine the stories an ace with a couple dozen or more kills could tell. Probably after awhile you start forgetting many of the crazy dogfights or do you.
Chuck Yeager and I shared a hometown for a couple of decades until he died. I never saw anyone as hellbent on getting his face in the news. Jesus, it was tiresome. His wingman, Bud Anderson was a high school friend of my father's, and in my few brief encounters he was as humble and unassuming as Yeager was prideful and brazen. They were just people. The book "A Higher Call" about Charlie Brown and Franz Stigler should be mandatory reading in every high school. Maybe it could replace one of the banned books like Huckleberry Finn or To Kill a Mockingbird (in the 21at century. ! ). If more people thought like them and this gentleman, maybe we -- Americans and humanity in general -- could realize that we are trying to kill our own tribe. It's senseless.
His memory level is amazing, as well his story as an average pilot. Thanks for your service, and your honesty.
My dad was a jug pilot. He never flew after the war. His attitude was" your flying ....your dying" I understand.
Flying is dangerous. It's like being lifted by a crane multiple times, then one day the cable breaks and down you go. If it flies, it dies. ☠💀🛬🔥
Twenty eight years later l was a crew member on the Queen Elizabeth. One morning l walked out on deck and saw the skyline of New York…my first glimpse of the new world…. Glad you made it home Robert.
Wonderful personal account. To hear Bob say he didn't consider himself to be a very good pilot makes me believe he has learned to do honest and impartial self assessment. It is probably why he's had such a successful life.
Not only militarily, and as a war veteran, but as a human being, I admire and respect you more than I can express.
What a great man. He minimizes his efforts as though he just happened to be there. What rare combination of humility and grace. I bet there is not one man in a thousand of today's strutting stallions that can carry his coat tails.
Plenty of strutting stallion syndrome in the forces, especially pilots. Now and in the past.
I'm 76 years old, wish I had this hero's memory, I can't remember what I did yesterday.
you and me both
My grandfather wasn't a celebrated position. He was a corpral medical officer, in the end, his medical skills weren't the best, but he was good with people and easy to like. He spent wwII in the medical tents doing one quarter of what he was trained for, and three quarters of what we he was born for. Talking to wounded soldiers, becoming their best friends, friends he carried for life. Hundreds of them. They call that a "counselor" these days, but he didn't do it for money or prestige. He just did it to serve his country the best way they saw fit. There's always two fronts to a war. One is celebrated, and one goes unseen. It's the after-effects and the life after all that was seen and experienced by those who made it back after wars end. Wounded, disfigured, physically, mentally, and emotionally.
I know it’s not enough, but thank you for saving the world.GOD BLESS YOU. My father was a B 24 pilot and spent 13 months as a POW.. He survived and now we have a huge successful family, thanks to him and men like you. You are a true American HERO.
He survived because the Germans sacrificed a lot to keep him alive
You think the world was SAVED?!?! Have you been paying attention?
This was amazing, to listen to this man, talk about serving the country he loves! Thank you, Robert (Bob) Sharp, for your service!
I work at a Skilled Nursing Facility with the elderly and this man is in fantastic condition for his age! Thank you for your service sir!
What a story! As a Vietnam fighter pilot I can relate to what L/C Sharp said. You can tell he still as the swagger of a fighter pilot even after all these years! The reason we aren't speaking German or Japanese is because of men like L/C Sharp! Truly the GREATEST GENERATION!!!!!
We're trying to get stories from pilots who flew in the Vietnam War as well. If you're interested, please email us at info@flightlinemedia.co (not .com).
You folks could use some genuine patriots like this man and his comrades again rather than the loud treasonous faux patriots infesting the US today
I can relate to the US occupation of Vietnam also. Up at sunrise to go out in the rice fields.
My Dad flew P-47s with the Hun Hunters! He would never talk about the war. He would talk airplanes all day long! He sure loved the P-47! After the war he flew corporate and always loved flying! I was fortunate enough to fly Gulfstreams with him! He wasn’t scared of anything and when things went bad he would always say hey at least we aren’t getting shot at! I sure miss him!
About 14 years ago I had the honor of meeting a WWII P51 Mustang Pilot, he was 99 yrs old & his wife was 95 yrs old. Both were very mentally sharp & physically looked as if they were in their late 70's. He had a WWII Veterans Cap on & I'm a history geek about WWII so I asked him what he did in the war & his wife said "Tell him about you getting shot down", so he said about 3 months before the end of the war he was shot down over Germany near Berlin & was able to eject from the plane & parachute down in a field. He said those planes didn't have ejection seats that these modern jets have, you had to pull the canopy back, squat down in the seat & jump up hard enough to miss the radio antenna located on the tail so fortunately he made a safe landing in a hay field. He was spotted by the Germans & taken as a POW. Thankfully he was only there a short time considering others had been POW's for years & was liberated by American Troops after about 3 months of being a POW. I regret I didn't get his name & ask for a proper interview with him & his wife, not only was he an American Hero but him & his wife have lived to see the greatest this country was to it's decaying demise & how they had seen technology evolve & how immoral society has became!
> didn't have ejection seats ... you had to pull the canopy back, squat down in the seat & jump up Holy shit!
My dad was a WWII P51 fighter pilot. He never spoke of the war in the 48 years I was fortunate enough to spend with him.
What a great and humble man. My father was in to the paratroopers and the Normandy invasion and died at 53. Also had an uncle in the battle of the bulge in a tank battalion with Georgia Patton. and one of his drivers. What stories he had of Patton. I can tell this man a good man.
This amazing man is more coherent and well spoken at 100 years old than I am at 66. RESPECT. Thank you for all you've done, Sir.
Love this gentleman. Reminds me of many of the men and women in the neighborhood, schools, churches, sport coaches and police I grew up around in the 1950’s and 1960’s. They were all hero’s in my mind and gave so much to all of us. THANK YOU
Wow..... I loved Bob's experience overview of a WWII fighter pilot. Very down to earth, matter of fact and detailed. No propaganda and boisterous BS. Thank you sir!!!
I love this humble man!! I lost my Dad at 7 but He was a humble WW2 vet also a rear airplane gunner in the Pacific.
The best 40 minutes I have spend for a long time❤
Thank you!
I usually watch videos sitting comfortably in my chair with my feet up however, today I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat for this entire 40 minute interview.
A modest man telling a dangerous and riveting story. A really decent human being.
This man is a humble Warrior. Never giving himself enough credit. Many Americans don't realize the Rights and Freedoms we enjoy are because of the Courage and Bravery displayed by this man. Sir, I salute you. And I Thank you !
I was sad when he said that he was not a good pilot. I'm glad that he's still with us. Thank you, Bob.
You know what they say about old pilots vs bold pilots…… I’ll bet he flew with some crazy pilots back in the day, and thus didn’t consider himself that good of one….but he’s alive and they aint
He is still with us so he was a fantastic pilot. I am sure he strafed a bunch of valuable stuff that helped win the war. I thank Bob Sharp for his service. The P-47D is my favorite ww2 fighter.
He mentioned that he felt he was, however, one of the best gunners. I think the things he saw doing that were rough and still are on his mind. He was a great pilot. That doesn't keep him up at night though.
- “We used to fly around the country dropping bombs and playing tennis.” This man is a legend.
Amazy, he's 100 yes old AND was a WWII fighternpilot with 78 missions undernhsinbelt. He looks not a day older than 76 or 77. Always enlightening to hear these interviews. Keep up the great work, not many left alive sadly. There will be a time in the very near future when there will be no living wwii vets, or at least no longer physically or mentally capable of sharing their experiences.
That much more evidence BIDEN SHOULD BE IN A NURSING HOME
A good man. Not a warrior but someone who went to war when he needed to.
It is amazing how sharp this man is at his age. Thank you for your service Sir
A fantastic interview of a dear family friend of ours. Thank you for your work here.
Thanks for watching! We're grateful we had all of the help we had to make this possible. Best of all, we're glad Bob liked the interview haha.
Not a whiff of Bone Spurs among those who went through hell for our freedom.
hey bob, you won a lot of peoples futures, regret of course is natural, i hope our gratitude balances out your days. thank you for your service, from scotland.
To reiterate what Im certain others may have said, Mr. Sharp is such an honest humble American hero. He he claimed he wasn't a very good pilot compared to others. I beg to differ - to fly 79 combat missions agains the Luftwaffe without being shot down (simply a guess as I'm certain it would have been mentioned), was no mean feat. Such humble honesty is rare. Mr. Sharp, this Canadian thanks you for helping save the world back then.
He says you don't think about it, you don't think about it. That's when I knew that he still thinks about it. There are still, among their grand children and great grand children, people of this quality and humility, we just don't always get to see it.
I agree. His is an extraordinary man. He is humble and I doubt he complained.
I was on Submarines for 10 years , 67 years ago and i still think about it every day.
Thank you for this video. It's a breath of fresh air to hear from someone who was probably like most pilots... not an ace, not a "hot stick". But i couldn't force myself to use the word "average". That doesn't describe any of them.
Thanks for watching!
Bob Sharp is a close friend. In truth, he was not an average pilot and excelled every step of the way through the long process of pilot training, and was arguably the best aerial gunner among his peers during his time at Harding Field. He was so good that they asked him to train other pilots, but he declined and asked to go overseas to stay with his buddies. He was young enough and started flying missions in late 1944, so he perhaps didn’t have as much time to show his true capacity as a pilot. He’s just a very modest and humble person-so typical of the greatest generation, and often so different from today’s social media culture where it’s so common to brag about far less consequential accomplishments.
@@2004ryk This needed said. Thank you.
Many thanks to all those who suffered. But it all was for naught. All those brave people sacrificed themselves at the behest of the psychopaths that planned the wars beforehand. It was all for nothing people. We ain't free today. Just ask the old guys that are still alive, although not many, what they think of things today, and what they see going on around them.
Luck, skill and good judgement was what it took to survive.
It’s an honor to listen to this man, a real hero willing to take the time to impart honestly the tremendous wisdom gained in the horror of combat, caught up in this giant, chaotic eddy and trying just to do the best you can and come back intact and still a man. I feel really fortunate to have had a chance to hear this man’s story as a fighter pilot in WW2. These men are really honorable and humble like so many commenters here repeat, and there are so few of them left among us. We should be at the feet of our elders, venerate, respect , and aid them at all times. Not a good pilot, my eye. If I remember 1/5 of what this gentlemen does and can elucidate it with such clarity and straightforwardness when I’m his age or a quarter century less I’ll be amazed, and what will I have to say. I wasn’t a pilot at all, I didn’t save democracy, eradicate great evil and free entire nations from tyranny. Thank you for your service. Thank you for telling your story, and for playing such an outsized role in the history of man, and for never ever forgetting and honoring the friend you lost, for keeping him alive in your memory.
What an amazing man with a beautiful soul. We owe so much to these guys, and now it looks as though we're going to do it all over again! All the young warriors who didnt come home..RIP
If we plan on drawing from today’s crop of candyasses to fight we are in deep crap.
True heroes and warriors…..🙏🇺🇸RIP, Heroes and I most respectfully Salute you brave men🇺🇸🙏
Because of this fighter pilot’s bravery is the reason we all have the freedoms that we have now, thank you for your service sir….🇺🇸
What a testament. This is my version of a true American Hero. Thanks is not enough.
Thanks for watching!
Fascinating. Amazing man. This guy has a real world story that needs to be told and retold.
What an incredibly humble man. American hero
38:37 he summarizes 74 years of marriage as "pretty interesting." Then 32:49 he brushes off a full 35 year career at a massive corporation as "I was in data." On top of all that, flew in a war getting shot at and shooting and killing others. Here I am at age 55 thinking I've kind of experienced everything, only to see this guy's story.
Deaths, injuries - in training, in the States, for pilots & aircrew were Very high in WW2. You wouldn't believe how high.
Thank you Colonel Sharp, for your service to our Republic and sharing some of your memories with us... from the "Greatest Generation!" You may be interested in learning that my Dad was also a fighter pilot in WW2. He has "graduated" and no longer here to share them. He graduated from basic training at Luke "Field" and was on Saipan in the South Pacific flying the P-61 Black Widow when WW2 ended. When the Korean War broke out, he was re-called to active duty and became the Aide-de-Camp and Pilot for General Acheson "aiding" the General in the goal of setting-up the Central Air Defense Command for the USAF. This involved building radar installations on our Northern border to watch for attack by USSR which was expected to come from USSR via the Arctic / North Pole. They were based at the Pentagon. The General chose a B-17 as his "flying office." While General Acheson was a Pilot, he had my Dad fly left-seat to build PIC time and the General would be my Dad's co-pilot. They would fly to different AFB's - along our Northern border after the radar installations were built. They would land at an AFB and get out of the B-17 and into a B-25 that was waiting for them. They would take-off and attempt to "penetrate" the radar coverage without getting intercepted. If they weren't intercepted by our fighter pilots from the closest AFB responsible for that specific radar installation, the General would have my Dad land at the appropriate AFB and "kick some bu*t" and find out why they weren't intercepted. When they were heading back to the plane, the General ALWAYS asked my Dad "was I too rough on the boys?" My Dad always replied "no sir." General Acheson was fond of my Dad, and promised my Dad he would make him Squadron Commander of the next B-58 squadron if my Dad would re-enlist after the Korean War. My Dad chose to retire and went into aviation insurance. God bless you and yours sir, and thanks again for your service and sharing your memories with us!
Thank you for sharing. My grandpa listened intently.
So, “Matter of fact and humble “ . What a MAN among men.
As a 1970 drafted soldier, I love the wonderful comments of this Greatest American.
wow! what an incredible life Mr Sharp has lived. he is a genuine veteran and 100 years young at that! thank you for introducing us to this wonderful young man : D
A truly amazing man. Thank you for all you did for our country.
Losing his friend in combat stayed with him all these years.
For those who do not know,… a combat veteran NEVER fully recovers from Wars’ carnage. Some never recover at all. That is why Veterans NEED civilians to support the VA system, with all our heart. We cannot leave them to stew in their grief. Just say’n.
My uncle Bob flew Corsairs off a carrier in the south pacific. Shot down twice, picked up by our subs., so he was the city manager of El Cajon Ca.for 24 yrs afterwards. Think of all the racers from that city. Thanks to all that served our country, one way or another. !!!
This is a fantastic interview. My grandfather was a captain in the Army Air Corps. In the Pacific and his brother pilot B-25’s in the Pacific. I loved listening to their stories. They’ve been gone for 10 and 15 years respectively. It’s amazing to hear this man tell his story this many years later.
My father was a fighter pilot in Vietnam in an F4 out of Northern Thailand near the end of the war when they were bombing Ho chi Minh trail and the capital city. His role was a SAM Radar seek and destroy "Wild Weasel" pilot. He is 92 now in Logan Utah. These men are humble giants.
Not only is he incredibly lucid for being 100 years old his speech and communication is remarkable. It’s pretty rare to for those to be as lucid at that age and even more to still be capable of both. Thank you for your service. I respect the hell out of the way he gave his stories exactly the way they were. Not skipping over what he feels about it, or not painting his country as these moral saviors that they weren’t.
My step dad was army air corp P38 out of england. Later layed out flight routes around Tokyo .Then became director for an airtraffic control school and wrote safety rules manuals for civilian aviation. He played alot of tennis, wouldnt talk about strafing missions
thank you for your brave service, Mr. Sharp. you are indeed a true American hero!
my dad said the same thing. after they got sent home from Germany, they put them on a ship to invade Japan. he was told it was going to be a suicide mission, but on the way there, they dropped the bombs and the war ended so they got diverted to the Phillipines. i might not be here had it not been for the bomb.
He’s such a modest, honest, heroic gentleman.
That gentleman is awesome, the courage and guts it took during war time era is hard to comprehend. Great interview!
I think it’s great that he continues to mention his friend Jerry Kelly. War is not for the timid. I just can’t imagine what it was like.
Thank you for capturing his story. Sadly, when a veteran passes their hiSTORY goes with them. Hundreds of thousands of vets haven't had their stories shared/told. So awesome capturing this story and sharing.
Crikey. He must be nearly a hundred but still has clear eyes, quick brain and good movement. And his life story is beautifully related, no ums and errs, and on point. Impressive guy.
The interview was done shortly after his 100th birthday.
He is 100 years old. 101 in May!!!
my great uncle, Captain Charles Ashley Austin, 358th fighter group 366th squadron, also flew a p47. He was shot down on the 4th of July, 1944 in Limetz Villez, France. According to the villagers who watched him crash, his plane was hit by flak & Instead of bailing out to save himself, he stayed in the plane so that he could steer away from crashing into a large group of houses. I dont know if he was simply unable to bail out due to plane being damaged or if he actually did sacrifice himself. But either way he is my hero and I am proud to be related to him. The villagers secretly held a funeral for him while hiding from the germans and now today there is a memorial statue which holds the propeller of his plane there dedicated to him. Thank you for this video it really gives me an insight into the experiences he might have had as a pilot.
Thanks for sharing this information! Glad this could give a possible insight. We have another P-47 pilot's story coming out soon.
Your journey is a piece of the weaving of our nations Air Force’s history. Thank you for your faithful participation to our country.
Early on I was thinking how much this Veteran reminded me of the old actor in the end of The Green Mile. Then I heard him say he's 100 years old and had to smile. What a life lived well.
I like this old timer
A fighter pilot's story who I always hold dear is that of George Sutcliffe, as he lived just a few miles from me, though I never got to meet him before his death. On June 13, 1944, his flight of P47s was jumped by over 40 109s. His story was featured in the History Channel show Dogfights. Outnumbered 10 to 1, his only hope was to escape into the clouds. In 15 harrowing minutes, he narrowly avoided being shot down by diving towards the ground to build up airspeed, then pulling up into a spiral, gradually getting closer to the clouds each time.
What a modest hero he is !
Robert you are an amazing human being. As a private pilot myself, And because of that understanding The principles of flight Really helps me to understand what you went through. I'm really grateful for this opportunity and something I'd like to tell you. The flight instructured I had was a retired captain from united airlines. He was also one of the first pilots in Korean to land a jet aircraft on a carrier. When he explained what that was like, (i was at his daughters birthday party that i was dating at the time) and his recount of his missions were riveting. God bless you sir and thank you for your service.
Great interview, thanks! My Grandfather was a young boy in 1944 in rural northern Germany and told my the story about the feared "Tiefflieger" (lowflyers). Once on the way home from School by bicycle, the most beautiful girl all the boys were in love with was literally shot to pieces on a dirt road. She was just 100 meters ahead of him. He found what was left of her and had to inform the mother. He talked about that incident, it was the only time I saw him crying. Those memorys never left him ... . War is horror.
A tragic example of what I alluded to in an earlier comment. Curtis Le May (sp?) should have been tried as should have been "Bomber" Harris. Among other all-lied leaders.
So true! Terrible!
Astounding and mesmerizing interview. I took care of Veterans for over 35 years. Fighter pilots are a very rare bunch. When meeting one, they all have the same hollow eyes of grief that witnessed much destruction at their hands. Very few would talk about any of it. This is the most in depth systematic explanation of their journey from day one as I have ever heard. This man is brilliant and sharp after all the years gone by. Great video, thank you for posting.
Wow...my grandpa says that is very very flattering. He is overwhelmed by the response. Thank you
@@dawnmclaughlin9338 tell him it is an honor to know his story and thank him for his service from all of us that appreciate the sacrifices he made and the pain he has lived with. Jesus will restore him on the other side one day, I’m sure of it.
Amazing how sharp and cognisant this great guy is ...! What a living Legend. We all still have much to learn from his generation. Thanks for recording this.
Honest, humble man. Great life story.🇺🇸
Thank you Bob Sharp for your story. My Father In-law flew the P47D in WW2. He didn't talk about his experience much, but I could tell his experience affected him the rest of his life.
My uncle Don flew spitfire in the rcaf Canadian. He was 22 years old. I'm 73 now and I realize how many years these heroes lost for us to live free. He died 3 months before the end of the war. This man risked the same thing, so glad he lives a long fruitful life, he sure earned it ❤
My father was a Navy pilot in the Pacific in WWII. He flew dive bombers (Dauntless), torpedo bombers (Avenger) & fighters (Wildcat, Hellcat, Corsair). He never spoke about it until I asked him when he turned 70. He lost some close friends. I asked him about the troops' reaction to dropping the Atomic Bomb. He replied: "we all just wanted to go back home, so of course we were thrilled the war was over ... all of the pilots KNEW that everyone one of us would've been shot down if we had to invade Japan".
A fifteen year old boy from my secondary school in the Netherlands was remembered every year with all other pupils lost in WWII. He was on his bike going to his grandma in another town when he was shot and killed by a Spitfire.
Yes, my family has plenty of stories of stories of RA and Us pilots strafing civilians, kids even. Why?
@juliaforsyth8332 Weren't they supposed to be the "good guys"? The good guys wouldn't strafe children..
What an incredible guy. Those guys were at a different level. Huge respect for gentlemen like these.
My father, Howard Oglesby was a P-47 & P-38 pilot with the 9th FS, 49th FG, 5th Air Force. He originally qualified in the P-47 and was sent to New Guinea as a replacement. The 49th FG then converted to an all P-38 group. He flew in New Guinea, Borneo, Leyte in the Philippines, and returned to Luzon in the Philippines, Okinawa to Japan for his second tour. He had 4 confirmed kills and several probables. He won a Silver Star, DFC, & Air Medal + 5 OLC. Sadly Dad died at 100 after a good life well lived on December 24, 2023.
The greatest generation for sure. What a terrific story.