Operation RECKLESS-The Invasions of Hollandia and Aitape with John McManus- Episode 306

Comments · 241

• JE

  @jeffreymartin8448 · 2 years ago

  John McManus is an excellent addition. An absolutely enthralling historian one could listen to for hours!

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• JU

  @julieannmatthews3639 · 2 years ago

  My Dad ( 18583 Sgt. JONES V.H.) was with 7Sq Royal Australian Air Force stationed at Aitape (Eye-tah-pee).  Although not wounded in battle he contracted several diseases that affected him for the rest of his life.  Namely Dengue fever, Malaria and a fungal infection in his ears that drove him mad with the itch and discharge.   I'm sure that many of the Americans would have also been so affected in the same way.  Although it was a "bastard of a place" some of the stories he told were quite humorous especially about the "Yanks".  Then again he could find humour in any situation a wonderful trait I have inherited from him.  Thank you for the wonderful, in-depth sèries you present, even if your pronunciation of some of the Pacific place names leave a lot to be desired.

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• PE

  @Perfusionist01 · 2 years ago

  You have enlightened us on another little-known battle of the Asia-Pacific War.  Thanks for such a fine presentation.

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• MO

  @morganhale3434 · 2 years ago

  On my sidebar as I am watching this episode there is a link to the previous episode on the Big-E. It shows that it has been viewed over 35,000 times in just one week. Wow! Considering that this channel only has 21,100 subscribers it says a lot about the pull of the USS Enterprise. Also, it was one of the best episodes by the UHOTPW.

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• CR

  @cragnamorra · 2 years ago

  That vignette of the Australian troops finding the codebooks in the swamp is quite reminiscent of the Union soldier stumbling across a copy of Lee's orders prior to Antietam.

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• RU

  @russellross1523 · 2 years ago (edited)

  Got a sea story for you. High school buddy told me a story his father told him. Seems he was on New Guinea and they had headhunters with them as scouts. One evening these gentlemen were cooking "chicken" out of a helmet when a Japanese sniper shot the cook pot and knocked it into the fire. After screaming and shouting, they grabbed their spears and ran off into the jungle. He said, after a while, a blood curdling scream came out of the jungle. A little bit later they came back to camp. One of the scouts had a Japanese head on the end of his spear. He stuck the spear into the ground, near the campfire, with the head high up in the air for everyone to see. No more sniper fire for the rest of the operation.  And I could have sworn that he told me he was a Marine. True or false, it was a good story.

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• RO

  @robertwatson9359 · 2 years ago

  Bill has the best lighting, you can tell he is an engineer.

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• ST

  @stefanlaskowski6660 · 2 years ago

  Just finished John McManus's trilogy of the US Army in the Pacific. Excellent all around.

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• JO

  @JoeGrigas · 2 years ago

  My father in law was a private in the sundowner division during the hollandia invasion. Upon reading his separation records for medical reasons just before the jump to the Phillipines we discovered from u.s. Army unit reports he was released at the height of WW2 because of his psychological breakdown and sent home. Apparently he befriended native head hunters and "went rogue" into the bush for several weeks and witnessed headhunters dispatching Japanese up close and personal. His stories over the years never changed or were embellished and photos he had that he later developed confirmed the barbarity he described   He was disabled enough that he received a disability pension from the VA from what he witnessed and endured. His records indicated he spent weeks at an army hospital in Utah for his mental breakdown vHe described cannibalism by both the Japanese and Americans that haunted him until his passing in 1994

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• BR

  @brushhogg1 · 2 years ago

  I felt bad when it was said it was a battle overlooked because "there were no Marines". I gotta admit I kinda grouped all these New Guinea actions without really looking at any of them in any detail. A harrowing tale for certain. Learned alot on this one

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• EV

  @everettshores-fc2dm · 9 months ago

  Thanks so much for this podcast gentleman.I always love & greatly enjoy your episodes.Ive studied WW2 for over 30 years & continue to love studying about this war & learning new things.I still learn about new islands Americans invaded & battles Americans & allies had to take from Japanese forces & & am always filled with awe & the feats accomplished by American & Allied forces & the hardships they all went through.So thanks again.I always learn something new every episode.

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• CO

  @ColinFreeman-kh9us · 2 years ago

  Thanks boys for mentioning the Australian’s . Great presentation John McManus is such a wonderful historian and an especially a great presenter and communicator

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