Scratch One Flattop-The Battle of Coral Sea-Episode 107

Comments · 293

• HO

  @HoodandBismarckswetpowderbags · 4 months ago

  How good are these podcasts? It’s May the 4th 2026 and I’m watching a 3 year old episode instead of a Star Wars movie. Great work gentlemen!

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• MF

  @MF-le7fp · 3 years ago

  Excellent discussion, guys! My grandfather, Chester Franklin Sparks, was a Chief Petty Officer on the flight deck of the Lexington during this battle.<br> &nbsp; Like many of the WW2 vets that survived the terrible events of this war, he very rarely talked about it. And never in detail.<br> &nbsp; I lived with him, and my Nana, as a young child in the mid 1970s. And after tiring of my relentless inquiries about his participation in the war, he finally agreed to answer my questions for one hour. With the agreement that the subject would never be brought up again.<br> &nbsp; In hindsight, I am glad I persisted, but also feel badly for how clearly upset he was at the end of that hour.<br> &nbsp;He described the attack in detail to me. And specifically how his life was saved by a man he knew. That man happened to be running in between him, and the point where a bomb hit the flight deck, at the exact moment of impact. The man was killed instantly by the splintered shards of the wooden decking that came flying towards them. One large piece through his head. He said that had the man not been there in that moment, it would have been him laying there. <br> &nbsp;He recounted going into the ocean, and treading water for almost two hours before being picked up, and taken back to Pearl Harbor. Being reassigned to the Yorktown, and then going to the Battle Of Midway.<br> &nbsp;He definitely had a rough time out there, like so many others.<br> &nbsp; One thing we didn&apos;t get to, was where he went after the Yorktown at Midway. Does anyone know where Yorktowns&apos; men were reassigned to afterwards?<br> &nbsp; I do know he stayed in the Navy after the war, and worked on the flight deck of the U.S.S. Philippine Sea, during Korea. <br> &nbsp;He was a great man, and generous, and kind, outwardly. But was tough as nails, and didn&apos;t suffer any fools. I miss him every day.<br> Thanks again for the outstanding video. Subbed. 👍

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• CO

  @coniccinoc · 3 years ago

  What a time we live in where I can conveniently listen to a couple of subject matter experts share their passion and knowledge. Brilliant work gentlemen, brilliant.

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• VI

  @Vito_Tuxedo · 2 years ago

  <i>&quot;The Owen Stanley Mountains are not the Smokies.&quot; – Seth Paridon</i><br><br>That might well be the most concise summation of the Kokoda Campaign. 😎

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• GE

  @georgemacdonell2341 · 1 year ago

  The old man and I had a cousin killed on Yorktown by the bomb in the berthing space, half was buried at sea, half at the Punch bowl and I&apos;m sure some of him went down with the ship at Midway. War is hell.

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• KO

  @koopanique · 3 years ago

  I really love how cozy this podcast is

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• MO

  @model-man7802 · 3 years ago (edited)

  Dad told me alot about Coral Sea.The time it was dusk and the Japanese tried to land on the Yorktown and the wild ride to avoid the Japanese Torpedo attacks.<br>Post script: The second of three that tried to land on Yorktown saw his mistake and gunned his engine and thumded his nose.Going passed the superstructure he banked right and the most forward .50 on the Starboard side shot him and he went nose first into the water.Everyone cheered dad said. The third ginned his engine and kept going.

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• PH

  @philb7789 · 7 months ago

  One of my favorite episodes. Was shoveling snow and realize this episode was next in the rotation and was like “awww yeah this is gonna be a good one”. My second watch through from the beginning.

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• PA

  @patrickearl8896 · 1 year ago

  My grandparents were farmers in Cairns, Far North Queensland, Australia. They heard strange noises in the evening and then saw flashes on the horizon. Not knowing what it was they marked the calendar (since lost). They later realised that they were hearing the battle of the Coral Sea.

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• DA

  @Dan1776gm · 3 months ago

  Just discovered this podcast - great episode. Really terrific.

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• JE

  @jeffreymartin8448 · 3 years ago

  Such a joy to watch these two exchange riffs. &nbsp;Thank you again Gentlemen.

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• JA

  @jameshudson3651 · 3 years ago

  Considering our torpedoes at the time. Lucky for &nbsp;USN the five torpedoes actually hit Shoho and detonated!

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