homepage Forums SimHQ Community Community Hall Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast - Season Four

McManus is a top notch historian.

"In the first episode of Season 4, Seth and Bill welcome good buddy John McManus as the trio takes on the topic of the Liberation of Luzon in 1945. The guys discuss the initial landings and successes while also getting into Douglas MacArthur's personal feelings and courage displayed on the island during the campaign. The guys then dig into some of the combat, including the Medal of Honor story of Robert Laws from the 43rd Infantry Division. General Robert Eichelberger, the 11th Airborne assault on Nasugbu and Manila, Rod Serling and more. Tune in to see what the guys have to say about the largest amphibious operation thus far in the Pacific war."

Second Episode on the Liberation of Luzon....

Another episode that is completely out of chronological order, but a good one. Bruning knows his stuff.

"This week Seth and Bill welcome back pal John Bruning to the show to talk about his new book, and always a fascinating subject, the Cactus Air Force. John's new book, 53 Days on Starvation Island is an absorbing look into the first two United States Marine Corps squadrons to land on Henderson Field in August 1942, VMF-223 and VMSB-232. The guys get deep into the personalities of the main figures of the two squadrons including legends such as Medal of Honor recipient John L. Smith, Marion Carl and Richard Mangrum among others. The guys talk about the complete lack of preparedness that the two squadrons faced from daily life, training, the ground echelon, disease, and of course, aerial combat. Tune in to hear a fascinating discussion on one of our favorite topics, the Guadalcanal campaign."

Back to the Liberation of the Philippines... and it just gets nastier, the Japanese atrocities multiply over the next few episodes.

No comment.

This one isn't quite as depressing as the last. But the war is ramping up atrocity wise, Iwo Jima and Okinawa are still to come.....

Personal note.. as a kid I was told a local oil company worker was a Bataan Death March survivor. Wish I could remember who he was.

"This week Seth and Bill take a deep dive into one of the most exciting, and heroic, episodes of the Pacific War-the rescue of some of the survivors of the Bataan Death March during the raid on Cabanatuan in 1945. US Army 6th Rangers under the command of COL Henry Mucci infiltrated deep behind Japanese lines to rescue American POWs languishing in the Cabanatuan Prisoner of War camp. The raid, led by Ranger Captain Robert Prince, was a resounding success and truly one of the most exciting stories to come out of the campaign for Luzon."

"This week Seth and Bill take on the unpleasant topic of Allied Prisoners of War held by the Japanese. The guys get into the weeds talking about the brutal treatment of Allied POWs at the hands of the Japanese, getting into the Burma-Thai Railway, Hell Ships, Japanese methods of torture, starvation, Ofuna, Omori and finally liberation. Louis Zamperini, Richard O'Kane, Greg Boyington, the USS Tang survivors are just a few of the POWs whose experiences the guys talk about."

"This week Seth and Bill welcome back good buddy Jon Parshall to discuss Admiral William F. Halsey and his dealings with two typhoons. Halsey drives Third Fleet directly into Typhoon Cobra in December 1944, and then does it again with Typhoon Viper in June 1945. The guys get into the details of the weather, Halsey's trust in his aerologist, the efforts to refuel the fleet, and ultimately, the stories of the ships that were sunk or damaged in what was, and still is, the worst natural disaster to ever befall the United States Navy. Over 800 US Navy sailors were killed in the typhoons in what was one of the war's greatest natural tragedies."

Iwo Jima.... the bloodletting intensifies.

"This week Seth, Bill and great buddy Jon Parshall discuss the Battle of Iwo Jima in the first part of a miniseries on Operation DETACHMENT. The guys get into a deep discussion on Japanese preparations on the island, and how Japanese Imperial Army General Kuribayashi Tadamichi devised his defensive plan. The guys get into the amazing details on the labyrinth of Japanese tunnels inside Iwo Jima and how the defensive system was, without doubt, the finest defensive network in the entirety of the Pacific War. The guys also discuss the American preparations for what was, at that time, the largest amphibious invasion in Nimitz's arena. The 5th Marine Division, in particular, get special deep dives as the team breaks down the "new" division's enviable command structure. The guys then get into the bloodletting on D-Day and the assault on Mount Suribachi, finally ending this first episode on Iwo with the inspiring and unforgettable flag raising on Mount Suribachi."





"This week Seth and Bill welcome back good friend Jon Parshall to wrap up the bitter fight for Iwo Jima. The guys cover all aspects of the struggle for Iwo beginning in the days after the flag raising on Mount Suribachi all the way through the bitter end. in this episode we cover the Medal of Honor stories of Woody Williams, William Harrell, George Wahlen, and several more. Uncommon valor, truly was a common virtue on Iwo Jima in 1945."

"This week Seth and Bill take a look at Admiral William F. Halsey's carrier raids into the South China Sea in January 1945. As early as October 1944, Halsey realized that the South China Sea was an untapped hunting ground for Japanese shipping. These vital supply lines brought most of Japan's oil, foodstuffs, and raw materials to or from the Home Islands. Only recently penetrated by American submarines, the South China Sea was seen as open ground by Halsey. In January 1945, Bill Halsey took his 3rd Fleet into the sea and wreaked havoc across the area over a week. The destruction wrought by Task Force 38 was, at that time, unprecedented in terms of Japanese shipping sunk in a week's time. With the Japanese oil supply already at a critical level, Halsey and his carrier aviators put even more pressure on the Empire in this little-known, but vastly important, series of aircraft carrier raids."

Another "not the usual fare" episode about a fascinating and not well known figure... especially given the power he wielded as the "second most powerful man in the world".

"This week Seth and Bill take a deep look at the man that some called the second most powerful man in the world during WWII. US Navy Admiral William D. Leahy's naval career, as well as diplomatic and advisory career are examined by the team as they go through the astounding rise of one of the United States' true leaders and great men. Tune in to see just how much power the first Fleet Admiral wielded and how much his influence and voice changed the course of history."

He wasn't a "sea combat admiral" during WWII so hence why I think so many people never heard of him or know very little.

"This week Seth and Bill welcome back good friend John Bruning to wrap up the discussion on the great Ace Race in the Pacific during World War II. The trio gets into a discussion on one of the fieriest leaders of the Pacific theater, P-47 Thunderbolt ace, Neel Kearby, and his 348th Fighter Group. The guys break down Kearby's "freelancing" fighter missions and the incredible risks he took all to get that brass ring title of Ace of Aces. After that, the team sets out to blow apart the myth of Charles Lindbergh and his so-called "contributions" to the air war. The guys really get into the dirt and settle, once and for all, the myths surrounding the Lone Eagle's supposed Pacific tour. Finally, the team gets into the final days of P-38 Ace and aerial legend, Tommy McGuire and how the great ace met his untimely end, thus ending the great ace race of the Pacific theater."

When small carrier aircraft start attacking mainland Japan the Japanese people know the jig is up....


"This week Seth and Bill welcome back good buddy Jon Parshall to talk about the first American carrier raids on the Japanese Home Islands since the Doolittle Raid in April 1942. In February 1945, just before Iwo Jima, Task Force 58 under the command of Marc Mitscher sails to within 60 miles of Honshu to launch the first US Navy carrier raids against Tokyo. Fighting the Japanese as well as terrible weather, the results are less than spectacular. A month later Spruance and Mitscher return, this time to Kyushu, to hit the birthing grounds of the kamikazes. In the two-day fight, American pilots ravage Japanese installations, but the fleet takes a beating in return, with 6 carriers suffering damage. Tune in to hear this oft-forgotten series of strikes in the latter stages of the war in the Pacific."