Podcasts about black sheep squadron

Another filmmaker retrospect allows me to sum up former Marine-turned-marketing exec-turned hit TV producer Donald P. Bellisario.   From writing on the staff of Black Sheep Squadron and the original Battlestar Galactica to creating the Magnum P.I., Quantum Leap and NCIS saga, what are some other deep cuts he was responsible for?   Along the way, I also get to play some inspiring screenwriting tips-and-tricks he gives in his Television Academy interviews!     MUSIC USED: "NCIS Theme Remix" by Ministry           MAIN LINKS:  LinkTree: ⁠https://linktr.ee/JURSPodcast⁠ Facebook Page: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/JackedUpReviewShow/⁠ Facebook Group: ⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/2452329545040913⁠ Twitter:⁠ https://twitter.com/JackedUpReview ⁠ Instagram: ⁠https://www.instagram.com/jacked_up_podcast/ ⁠       SHOW LINKS: YouTube: ⁠https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCIyMawFPgvOpOUhKcQo4eQQ⁠   iHeartRadio: ⁠https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-jacked-up-review-show-59422651/⁠   Podbean: ⁠https://jackedupreviewshow.podbean.com⁠   Spotify: ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/7Eg8w0DNympD6SQXSj1X3M⁠   Apple Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jacked-up-review-show-podcast/id1494236218⁠   RadioPublic: ⁠https://radiopublic.com/the-jacked-up-review-show-We4VjE⁠   Overcast: ⁠https://overcast.fm/itunes1494236218/the-jacked-up-review-show-podcast⁠   Google Podcasts: ⁠https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9hNDYyOTdjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz⁠   Anchor:  ⁠https://anchor.fm/s/a46297c/podcast/rss⁠   PocketCasts: ⁠https://pca.st/0ncd5qp4⁠   CastBox:  ⁠https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Jacked-Up-Review-Show-Podcast-id2591222⁠   Discord:  ⁠https://discord.com/channels/796154005914779678/796154006358851586⁠         #MovieReview #FilmTwitter #PodFamily #PodcastersOfInstagram #Movies #Film #Cinema #Music #Reviews #Retrospect #Podcasts #MutantFam #MutantFamily #actionmystery #bmovies #scifihorror #truecrime #historydramas #warmovies #podcastcollabs #hottakes #edgy #cultmovies #nsfw #HorrorFam #badass           

Gregory “Pappy” Boyington was a legendary WWII fighter pilot. He is credited with destroying 28 Japanese aircraft, and he was awarded the Medal of Honor- but his legacy has been tainted by his abuse of alcohol and a historically inaccurate TV portrayal.  Today in a special episode of Warriors In Their Own Words, we'll be hearing from two men who knew Boyington personally. Both Lieutenant Colonel Henry Bourgeois and Major J. Ned Corman served under Boyington as pilots in the famous Black Sheep Squadron, which operated in the Solomon islands during WWII. They both also reconnected with Boyington after the war, and got to see how he changed through his life.  To hear Bourgeois' personal stories from his service, check out our episode titled “Inside the Black Sheep Squadron”. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mayo “Hank” Bourgeois served in World War II as a Marine Corps fighter pilot. He was a member of the Black Sheep Squadron (VMFA-214), which became famous for their numerous successes over the Solomon Islands, and their leader, Lt. Col. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington.  Boyington had previously earned a name for himself as a member of the Flying Tigers, but he left and created his own unit which became the Black Sheep. He had a reputation as an incredibly skilled pilot, but also a serious alcoholic. He survived two years in a prison camp after being shot down, and ended the war with 28 confirmed kills and the Medal of Honor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Last time we spoke about the landing at Saidor and the drive against Sio. The Australians were still advancing across Shaggy Ridge when General MacArthur unleashed an amphibious assault against Saidor to cut off the Japanese escape and isolate Sio. Numerous features were seized up the large ridge and the Americans successfully amphibiously assaulted Saidor and seized their airfield. General Adachi placed the 51st and 20th divisions under the command of General Nakano, who was tasked with advancing to Gali to try and secure a new supply point. Meanwhile efforts were made to try and contain the new threat in Saidor while simultaneously holding back the Australians in the south. Over on new britain the airdrome was seized as Colonel Katayama launched a failed counter attack against the Marines. The Marines tossed back the attack and began their own advance further inland. This episode is Ledo Road Offensive Welcome to the Pacific War Podcast Week by Week, I am your dutiful host Craig Watson. But, before we start I want to also remind you this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Perhaps you want to learn more about world war two? Kings and Generals have an assortment of episodes on world war two and much more  so go give them a look over on Youtube. So please subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry for some more history related content, over on my channel, the Pacific War Channel you can find a few videos all the way from the Opium Wars of the 1800's until the end of the Pacific War in 1945.  The Americans had landed at Cape Gloucester, Saidor and were carrying out massive attacks against Rabaul. As we had seen previously, on November 5th, aided by bad weather, a surprise air raid was made by the USS Saratoga and Princeton, led by Rear-Admiral Frederick Sherman that inflicted heavy damage to 4 cruisers within the harbor; Maya's engine room was smashed by a bomb killing over 70 men; a 500 lb bomb hit Mogami; Takao took 2 500 lb bomb hits while 3 500 lb bombs narrowly missed Atago killing 23 seamen and caused severe damage to the ship's plating. 2 other cruisers and 3 destroyers also suffered light damage. Captain George Chandler flying a P-38 fighter pilot described how “There were B-24 bombers up high and B-25 bombers attacking right down on the deck dropping ‘frag' bombs on the airplanes along the runways … we did our best work at high altitude, but we also took part in combat a thousand feet off the ground.” The devastation caused Admiral Miniechi Koga to withdraw his forces to Truk, thus ending the IJN threat to Bougainville. A Japanese naval officer would later admit that they had given up on Bougainville mainly because of “the serious damage received by several Second Fleet cruisers at Rabaul by carrier attack …” The successful  raid against Rabaul left Halsey ecstatic. “It is real music to me and opens the stops for a funeral dirge for Tojo's Rabaul.” On November 8th, reinforcements led by Rear-admiral Alfred Montgomery task force 38, with the new fleet carriers USS Bunker Hill, Essex and Independence. With the added carrier strength on November 11th, a follow up air raid was made seeing the IJN cruiser Agano torpedoed and badly damaged, while 35 Japanese aircraft out of 120 launched in a counter attack against the carrier force were shot down. Montgomery would not lose a single ship. Admiral Koga's decision to send carrier pilots to bolster Rabaul had quite literally blown up in his face. Koga's air fleet had lost 43 of its 82 Zeros, 38 of its 34 Vals, 34 of its 40 Kates and 6 Judy spotter planes. Over 86 of his 192 experienced pilots and crew had perished, and he had only inflicted minimal damage to Nimitz fleet, it was a disaster. Yet the fantastical reports from Japanese pilots kept pouring in, claiming the air battles over Bougainville were infact won by the IJN air forces. Newspapers in Japan reported victories that added up to the destruction of 5 American battleships, 10 carriers, 19 cruisers and 7 destroyers. The reality was the destruction of 2 cruisers, the USS Birmingham and Denver. By mid november Vice Admiral Kusaka was finding it difficult to sustain attacks against allied convoys feeding supplies to Empress Augusta Bay. On November 12th, Rabaul only had 113 Zero's of which only 59 were operational. Crews were suffering from malaria and other diseases, no one was granted rest as they were limited in personnel and under constant attack. The quality of ground crews and pilots was deteriorating every week.  From November 12 through December 16, the daytime skies over the Gazelle Peninsula remained relatively quiet, as the US carrier forces had departed to support operations in the Central Pacific. AirSols received a new commander on the November 20th, Major General Ralph Mitchell who continued to support operations in Bougainville and General Kenney's Fifth Air Force was supporting preparations for the landings in western New Britain. The lull gave Admiral Kusaka a brief opportunity to recuperate as replacements began to arrive from the Marshalls and Truk. The Imperial Japanese Navy would take six months to replenish its carrier pilots with less well-trained and inexperienced replacements. In the meantime the carrier fleet itself, Japan's most expensive and precious strategic asset, was forced to remain idle in Truk as Nimitz began his island hop through the Central Pacific Meanwhile the Torokina airfield had become crude but operational. The Seabees had created a single 4750 foot by 200 foot strip. It lacked taxiways, hardstands and buildings, but by December 10th it could launch aircraft. Soon the Seabees would carve 2 additional landing trips in the jungle 3 miles further inland. The first would be a mile long, the second 8000 feet or so for bombers. Unlike the Japanese airfields on the Gazelle Peninsula which would take more than a year to complete, both of these American airfields took a month. You often hear, especially from marine veterans of the pacific, praise for the Seabees, such a colossal advantage in logistics paved the way to victory. A massive fighter sweep was launched on December 17 consisting of 32 Corsairs, 24 F6Fs, and 24 RNZAF Kittyhawks from airfields at New Georgia and Vella Lavella who rendezvoused at Torokina, topped off their fuel tanks, and hit  Rabaul. The strike was led by Major Greg “Pappy” Boyington, the commanding officer of Marine Fighter Squadron 214, better known by its nickname, the "Black Sheep Squadron". The three types of aircraft had different flying characteristics and different cruising speeds. The Kittyhawks, slowest of the bunch, took off first. The plan was for them to come in at 15,000ft, and lure out the Japanese. Next came the Hellcats, flying above the Kittyhawks. And the last were the Corsairs, who flew top cover. It was a long flight over open water, calculated to make the pilot of a single-engine aircraft nervous. If the engine failed it was a long swim home. They were intercepted by 35 Zeros, with the Kittyhawks getting the first jump on them. After the Kittyhawks made their first pass, shooting down a Japanese fighter, the advantage switched over to the more agile  Zeros. The Kittyhawk squadron leader's plane was fatally damaged and a second Kittyhawk went down after colliding with a Zero. Remarkably, both pilots survived. Meanwhile the Hellcats and Corsairs, at high altitudes, were coming up empty. The Corsairs circled Lakunai field finding no targets. Pilot Boyington exchanged insults with an English-speaking Japanese officer over the radio, but despite his challenges found no targets in the air. When all aircraft returned to base, the score was even. Two Kittyhawks and two Zeros were lost; one each due to the collision and one shot down by both sides. It was a rather disappointing fighter sweep, but would become just one of many against Rabual over the course of the next 3 weeks. The next raid came two days later seeing 48 B-24s launched, but 32 were forced turned back. The remaining 16 bombers escorted by 51 were intercepted by 94 Japanese fighters, yet they also suffered from the bad weather. Less than half made contact with the enemy. In the resulting fight, 5 Zeros were shot down and 10 allied aircraft were lost, but only two were shot down. The other eight were due to a mid-air collision and landing mishaps, all near home. The weather persisted to be so bad, it was only on the 23rd another sortie could be launched. B-24s escorted by Corsairs and Hellcats bombed Lakunai. Radar gave the Japanese some early warning and nearly 100 Zeros were scrambled. 60 made contact with the bombers after they hit Lakunai. No bombers were lost, but 2 Corsairs were shot down in the ensuing dogfights. Yet the Americans had a twist, they followed up the raid with a fighter sweep of 48 Corsairs. They arrived 15 minutes after the bombers left, surprising the airborne Japanese fighters, most of whom lacked radios. 6 Zeros were shot down, several others damaged and only 2 Corsairs lost.  2 days later, another fighter sweep preceded by bombers was launched claiming 18 aircraft kills, but it was probably closer to 5. In comparison the Japanese pilots would claim 55 kills, a number greater than the american force sent. On the 27 another sweep was launched against Cape Gloucester downing 7 Japanese aircraft for one American. 28 Corsairs returned the next day but this time the Japanese held the advantage, sandwiching the Marines between 2 large groups of Zeros. 3 Corsairs were shot down, but so were 3 Zeros, with 2 others badly damaged. On 30th 36 Liberators escorted by 20 Hellcats and 20 Corsairs, bombed Rabaul. 1 B-24 was lost on the raid, hit by antiaircraft fire. No air combat occurred. On New Years day 15 B-24s and 68 escorting fighters met heavy fighter opposition. 40 Zeros had been sent to Rabaul from Truk, manned by veteran pilots. 1 B-24 was shot down, and two others badly damaged. On January 2 48 US fighters raided and on the 3rd another 44. The two sweeps took out a handful of fighters. The last sweep was on the 5th seeing another 2 zeros downed. Meanwhile back on December 24th, Admiral Sherman's task force 37 raided Kavieng. The operation had two purposes, 1) was to distract attention from the landings at Cape Gloucester and 2) to interdict sea traffic between Truk and Rabaul. The 5000-ton naval transport Tenyru Maru was sunk and several other ships were damaged. After this task force 37 made several raids against Kavieng through January 4th. They managed to shoot down 10 Japanese fighters, damaged IJN cruiser Noshiro and destroyers Fumizuki and Satsuki. On Janaury 6th, the bomber strip at Piva became operational, thus Rabaul was now within range of allied light and medium bombers, basically it was pounding time.   On January 7th, 16 Avengers and 24 Dauntless raided Tobera airfield. From medium altitudes the Avengers dropped 2000lb pounds smashing the paved runways. The Japanese managed to shoot down 3 fighters and one dauntless, but Tobera was temporarily not operational. It was the first time any Rabaul airbase was neutralized from bomb damage. This would be followed up on the 11th by a low level attack against Vunakanau by B-25's, damaging 8 parked aircraft. Then on the 14th, Simpson Harbor was attacked by 16 Avengers , 36 Dauntless and fighter escorts. The Japanese tossed 84 fighters but the allies held such a tight formation it was difficult to get at the bombers. 2 bombers were lost before reaching Lakunai; 1 to a mid-air collision and 1 to antiaircraft fire. When the Allied aircraft finally arrived, clouds shielded Lakunai so the bombers switched to targeting the ships in Simpson Harbor. The Avengers carried 2,000lb bombs, limiting their effectiveness. Regardless, they landed hits on the 15,400-ton-displacement oiler Naruto, and thus ended its goal of becoming the Hokage. . . sorry folks could not resist that one. The destroyer Matsukaze was also damaged alongside 5 other vessels.    AirSols came back to hit simpson harbor and blanche bay 3 days later sinking  the Komaki Maru, Kosei Maru, Yamayuri Maru, Hakkai Maru and Iwate Maru. To take down the combined 30,000 tons of shipping AirSols lost 8 P-38s, 1 Hellcat, 1 F4U, 1 Avenger, and 1 Dauntless. The rest of January saw so many raids, sometimes 2-3 on the same day, thus I can't spend the entire podcast listing their actions, but the losses were brutal. For the Americans they would lose 23 aircraft between January 23rd-30th, for the Japanese it was around 37. By the end of the month, Rabaul was being bled dry of planes, thus the rest was withdrawn to Truk with around 40 pilots. To make up for the withdrawal, Admiral Koga brought over the air groups of carriers Junyo, Hiyo and Ryuho on the 25th adding 62 zeros, 18 vals and 18 kates to Admiral Kusakas dwindling forces. Does that not sound like performing the exact same action that saw such devastating losses in late december to early january? Yes, yes it does.    Moving over to New Britain, General Shepherd had just smashed the Japanese positions along Suicide Creek. While seizing Suicide Creek some Americans captured a Japanese dispatch saying “It is essential that we conceal the intention that we are maintaining positions on Aogiri Ridge. Concerning the occupation of this position, it is necessary that Aogiri Yama is maintained.” While making arrangements for the Japanese assault against Target Hill one, Lieutenant Abe had occasion sent field dispatches to Warrant Officer Kiyoshi Yamaguchi, one of his platoon leaders. The dispatch mentioned command post locations, hour of attack, and other orders. Yamaguchi, with that seemingly incredible indifference to basic security which the Japanese so often demonstrated, simply stuck the dispatch in his pocket and carried it with him to the assault. Marines found it on his body the following morning, thereby gaining their first inkling of the existence of a terrain feature which appeared as such on none of their maps but upon which the Japanese appeared to place great importance, for reasons not yet clear. Aoigiri Ridge was not in the American maps and it was currently held by the 2nd battalion, 53rd regiment and 2nd battalion, 141st regiment. Behind the ridge was a wide trail leading to Magairapua, connecting Matsuda's HQ with Borgen Bay. The trail was heavily used and concealed extremely well from American aircraft. Back over at the American lines, by January 5th, the 3rd battalion, 7th marines had pulled back into the reserve, allowing the weapons company, 7th marines to occupy the extreme left along the shore to prepare for Shepherds offensive against Hill 150. The new formation launched their attack at 11am on the 6th. Tanks surged forward to smash a roadblock held by the 2nd battalion, 141st regiment on the left trail. Artillery was deployed on a nearby hill hitting the Japanese lines as A company tried to break through but was quickly pinned down by the roadblock. The tanks eventually burst through the roadblock sending the Japanese packing.   The americans advanced through the increasingly swampy terrain, facing weaker resistance. B company crossed a small stream and stormed Hill 150 during the afternoon, securing it. Further right, C company and the 3rd battalion, 5th marines were surprised to be held up by extremely heavy fire from the until then unknown feature, Aogiri ridge. The men had no other choice than to pull back to a safe distance to dig in as they reported back the presence of the heavily fortified position. The Japanese would unleash carnage upon the men for 2 days whenever they tried to press forward. On the 7th the commanding officer of the 3rd battalion, 5th Marines, was wounded and replaced by Lt Colonel Lewis Walt. The next day, Walk's men were cautiously inching forward under heavy enemy fire through dense jungle, when they first encountered the ground rising in steepness. At this point Walt realized the feature had to be Aogiri Ridge.    On the 9th, the assault battalions resumed their attacks, this time with heavy artillery support against Aogiri ridge. Walt was reinforced with Companies K and L from the 7th marines, but the advance was extremely slow and painful. Two Japanese bunkers were knocked out with white phosphorus grenades, but that ended the limited gains. Walt personally began pushing a 37mm gun excruciating foot by foot up Aogiri ridge, firing a volley of canisters every few feet. Somehow he managed to get the gun up the steep slope into a decent position to sweep the ridge, allowing the gain of a foothold on the crest of Aogiri. The loss of the ridge was a huge threat to Matsuda and Katayama's positions, so the latter decided to throw his reserves in a desperate but ferocious counterattack.   At 1:15am on the 10th, Katayama sent his recently arrived 3rd battalion to attack the reverse slope. However the Marines held firm and would end up repelling 5 consecutive banzai charges with a fury and persistence unparalleled in the campaign. On the 4th try a Japanese major and two company officers succeeded in knifing through the Marine cordon almost to Colonel Walt's fox hole, 50 yards behind the front line. At that instant one of two short rounds in a 60-round artillery barrage burst in a tall tree almost directly overhead, and the major died there, sword in one hand and a pistol in the other. The 5th charge was blunted by artillery and the Japanese finally cut their losses and pulled back. The Japanese had suffered immense casualties, seeing all 3 of their battalions depleted, forcing Katayama to pull off Aogiri ridge that very night. The morning of the 10th saw Walk's men securing the feature and then discovering the vital Magairapua trail. The marines went to work mopping up the area until January 12th, whereupon Shepherd planned to seize Hill 660. The feature was guarded by the 6th company, 141st regiment supported by a number of guns of the 30th machine cannon company. The fresh 3rd battalion, 7th marines, led by lt colonel Henry Buse Jr were to perform the main assault, with the 1st battalion extending the perimeter behind them. To help the effort, the weapons company,7th marines of Captain Buckley would begin constructing a roadblock between the eastern base of Hill 660 to the shore of Borgen Bay, hoping to cut off the defenders escape route.   At 08:00am on the 13th, after artillery, mortars and the 5th Air Force performed a bombardment of the area, the last Marine offensive commenced. A intricate system of small arms and automatic weapon positions going up the summit unleashed fire upon the marines, quickly pinning down I company. L Company attempted swinging to the right, but were also pinned down. Engineers worked a light tank forward far enough to place fire across a gorge demolishing the more troublesome enemy weapons. By late afternoon, together with artillery supporting fire, the pinned-down companies were rescued and withdrawn for the night. Meanwhile the Weapons company worked with their bulldozer, by 1030 they had skirted the eastern base of the hill and set up an all-around perimeter. There they dug in clearing fields of fire for about 60 yards to both north and south, placing their half-tracks and tanks in supporting positions. The only opposition they encountered during the advance was by two Japanese machine guns and emplaced near the summit of the hill. With all said and done they successfully cut off the Japanese line of retreat.  On the morning of the 14th, the 3rd battalion resumed their assault, with their leading companies advancing to the right working their way up. One unit nearly got atop the crest before coming under fire from heavy machine guns. They got to a position where they could bring 60mm mortars to bear, and went to work neutralizing the machine gun positions before a final surge carried them across the summit. The Japanese fled down the crest heading east, coming straight into the line of fire of the Weapons company below. The result was a terrible rout, seeing many escape to the safety of the swamps to the hills southeast. By the end of the 14th, the marines had seized Hill 660 and were performing mop up operations through the following day. At 5:30am on the 16th, Katayama ordered the 6th and 11th companies, 141st regiment to counter attack Hill 660. Soon the marines were face to face with a large banzai charge, seeing the fighting getting up close and personal. But small arms, rifles, 60mm mortars and 81mm artillery broke the Japanese. Over 110 Japanese bodies would be found after the fight. This ended Shepherds offensive, as the remnants of Colonel Sumiya's forces began to arrive to the Borgen Bay area. Over the next few days, the exhausted 7th marines were relieved by the 5th marines and 2nd battalion, 1st marines who had recently been recalled after completing their mission at Green Beach.  After suffering the defeated in Borgen Bay, General Sakai decided to order the 1st battalion, 54th regiment to reinforce Talasea and for Matsuda to launch a last ditch effort, a suicidal one at that, to obliterate the enemy. But the men were in no condition for such an offensive, thus Katayama elected to postpone it for now. Since every man was needed for the defense of Borgen Bay, Colonel Sato took the remainder of his commander and departed Rooke Island to join the main body. Now that Hill 660 was secured, the Americans began a new method of patrolling; this time their patrols would specifically seek out and destroy what was presumed to be exhausted Japanese units, before the division would attack the defensive line at Borgen Bay-Itni river. Yet that is it for new Britian, as we are going to be traveling over to the CBI theater. Between November 22 to December the 1st, two conference were held between the Allied leaders. The first was the Cairo or “sextant” conference on November 22-26th, between President FDR, Sir Winston Churchill and Chiang Kai-shek. The second was held in Tehran on November 28-December 1st between FDR, Churchill and Joseph Stalin. You might be asking, why did they all not meet up together. The crux of it was the Soviet-Japanese neutrality Pact and to a lesser extent, though probably not in Chiang Kai-Shek's mind, Stalin was aiding the CCP. Because the Soviets had not declared war on the Japanese, it would not look to good if they met with the leader of China, likewise Chiang Kai-shek was not too forthcoming to meet with Stalin. The easy fix was to just have two different conferences. Overall the conferences did not really touch too much upon the Pacific war. But Stalin did promise to declare war on Japan within ninety days after the end of the European War. In return he demanded military and logistical concessions in Manchuria, maintenance of Outer Mongolia under Soviet control as well as sovereignty over the Kuril Islands that stretched from north of Japan to Russia's Kamchatka Peninsula. When Chiang Kai-shek heard about this he had suspicious and noted “The influence of this conference on China will be great. I hope Roosevelt isn't plotting with Churchill and Stalin against me.” Soon his suspicion would turn to anger when he discovered there were secret protocols relating to Manchuria.  Stalin had made some assurances to Mao Zedong that once the Soviets were in the war against Japan, they would have forces to bear down into China to help tip the scale for the CCP against the NRA. Yet after the war, it would seem promises made by Joseph Stalin were not always kept.  Another important aspect of the conferences was the British decision to cancel Operation Buccaneer, the invasion of the Andaman Islands, because Admiral Mountbatten's landing crafts were required for landings in southern france. The Joint chiefs of staff were livid at this, because it came at the same time the Japanese were reinforcing Burma. FDR overruled them and agreed to the British decision and this in turn greatly pissed off Chiang Kai-Shek. Yet at the same time, the Cairo declaration had lifted up the morale for the Chinese army and people to continue their war against the Japanese. The declarations made by the Tehran conference implied publicly that the CBI theater was all but abandoned to the mercy of Japan's air and land forces. Thus it would be no coincidence the Japanese thought it ripe to launch an all-out offensive against China.  In the meantime, the rather aggressive Admiral Mountbatten was trying to salvage what he could of the situation. To try and please Chiang Kai-Shek, he proposed Operation Pigstick. The operation was something Mountbatten had wargamed a bit, it was to be a landing on the southern Mayu peninsula aimed at hitting Akyab. He began assigning landing craft for the amphibious operation, only to be immediately slapped down by Alanbrooke and told to return 3 fast tank landing crafts that were direly needed for operations against Italy. Mountbatten hoped to retain 2 slower tank landing craft, but Cunningham requested them. Pigstick was to be 2 divisions plus 2 brigades who would be used in a southward advance down the peninsula and 1 division in an amphibious assault aimed at surrounding and destroying not less than 20,000 Japanese. An additional landing similar to PIGSTICK, could perhaps be launched in the Ramree-Cheduba area, could take staging areas that would put 15 Corps within reach of Rangoon. Speaking of Ramree, if any of you have heard this kind of myth about over 1000 Japanese being eaten by crocodiles on that island, over on my personal channel the pacific war channel I did a full investigation into the so called “ramree island massacre” story. A little sad about its performance not going to lie. Dramatically improved my lackluster animation skills for it, came out really well and I did a silly impersonation at the beginning, anyways check it out its a fun one! Alongside Pigstick, Mountbatten changed the Tarzan operation into Operation Gripfast, calling for an offensive on north and central Burma with an airborne landing at Indaw to sever the Japanese line of communications to Myitkyina. But now Chiang Kai-Shek was very wary of anything British, so he rejected the plans on December 19th. Alongside pissing off Chiang Kai-Shek, his estranged wife, Joseph Stilwell was also again angry with the British, particularly Mountbatten. At one point Mountbatten proposed moving certain American units into the Hukawng valley to help the offensive there and Stillwell burst out ‘I should like it placed on record that I am responsible for the training of all American forces in this theatre and I am the person to decide when they are adequately trained and can move forward.' Mountbatten replied: ‘I accept that in principle, but would remind you that these troops are being trained under British officers. I am responsible for operations and will decide when units move into the fighting lines. In other words, general, I should like to place on record that I am Supreme Commander out here and what I say goes.' Stilwell took it good-humouredly and laughed. ‘We none of us dispute that,'”. That day Stilwell wrote a letter to his wife, referring scathingly to Mountbatten as ‘the glamour boy. He doesn't wear well and I begin to wonder if he knows his stuff. Enormous staff, endless walla-walla but damn little fighting . . . And of course the Peanut is unchanged. The jungle is a refuge from them both.' The men would all share some screaming matches against another, until Stilwell would shock everyone by exclaiming “I am prepared to come under General Slim's operational control until I get to Kamaing.” It was a truly bizarre idea, Mountbatten asked how such a thing would work, and both Slim and Stilwell asked to discuss the matter amongst themselves. The two men would agree on tactical essentials such as getting more Chinese divisions for the Ledo force and to use the Chindits to assist in hitting Myitkyina. Slim and Stilwell shook hands and Stilwell said to him ‘I would fight under a corporal as long as he would let me fight.' Slim would later reflecte ‘In practice this illogical command set-up worked surprisingly well. My method with Stilwell was based on what I had learnt of him in the Retreat – to send him the minimum of written instructions, but, whenever I wanted anything, to fly over and discuss it with him, alone. Stilwell, talking things over quietly with no one else present, was a much easier and more likeable person than Vinegar Joe with an audience. Alone, I never found him unreasonable or obstructive. I think I told him to do something he did not approve of on only two or three occasions, and on each he conformed, I will not say willingly, but with good grace.' In the end Operation Pigstick never became a reality, because the landing crafts were needed for the Italian campaign and thus the hope of meeting Chiang Kai-sheks continued demand for an amphibious operation was gone. It was almost like the British never intended to go through with such a thing in the first place, woops that is just my opinion. Meanwhile the British-Indian command elected to start a new operation in Arakan. The brutal hard-won lessons of 1st Arakan battle had been absorbed in India Command, with senior British officers determined to avoid similar mistakes. The new operation was the subject of meticulous reconnaissance, planning, and rehearsals. A series of lectures, war games, models of the grounds and syndicate discussions were held for commanders, staff and regimental officers whom carefully considered countering Japanese offensive tactics and assaulting prepared defensive positions like those witnessed at Donbaik. A carefully planned programme of continuous, progressive and intensive training was put in hand for all corps and divisional fighting, support and administrative troops to practice necessary skills, including using brigade boxes, aerial resupply and the infiltration and envelop- ment of enemy positions. This comprehensive training programme culminated in intensive rehearsals and combined arms training with artillery, tanks and close support aircraft carried out near Lohardaga, over ground resembling Arakan, simulating attacks on mock Japanese defensive positions on jungle-clad hills. General Auchinleck assigned the 15th corps, reconstituted at Ranchi with the 3 best trained divisions available: Major-General Harold Briggs' 5th Indian Division; Major-General Frank Messervy's 7th Indian Division and Major-General Christopher Woolner's 81st West African Division.The 26th Indian Division formed the corps reserve. Command of the 15th corps would be given to Lt General Philip Christison. The plan called for the 5th and 7th Indian divisions to advance along the summit of the Mayu range towards Maungdaw and Buthidaung while the 5th and 6th west african brigades would provide flanking protection. On November 1st, the 2 Indian divisions began their advance and by mid november would make contact with a Japanese outpost.As the 7th Indian division advanced astride the Kalapanzin River they ran into stiff resistance. Efforts to dislodge Japanese defenders near Awlanbyin and Letwedet, showcased the formidable difficulties that attacking Japanese defensive bunker positions presented. Most were built on razor-back ridges, through which were burrowed fire positions, affording a limited approach, while the reverse slopes protected troops from view and bombardment. With the precipitous Goppe Pass initially only suitable for porters, pack transport and pack artillery, 7th Indian Division quickly devised other methods to overcome enemy defenses, since normal stereotyped, set-piece attacks stood little chance of success without supporting field artillery. Aircraft proved an ineffective substitute, moreover, with dive-bombing having only a transitory effect since the broken terrain and dense jungle absorbed blast leaving defenses and morale largely intact unless a lucky direct hit was made. The Indian forces began to infiltrate and bypass the well-entrenched Japanese defenses, giving the impression they would soon unleash a frontal attack upon them at any moment. General Messervy's would say of the action  “'We will undoubtedly have a Neapolitan sandwich of British - Japs - British, but it will be one made by ourselves, and with the initiative in our hands it will soon be transformed to British - British - Jap.” They were gaining ground and with it valuable combat experience. On the night of November 30th, the 15th Indian Corps commenced large-scale operations to drive in the Japanese outpost line astride the Mayu Range. A series of brisk skirmishes were fought by 33rd Indian Infantry Brigade on the jungle-cloaked ridges south of Awlanbyin quickly evicting small determined parties of Japanese infantry from carefully prepared platoon and company defensive localities. This was by no means an easy task since most heavily camouflaged positions were built atop steep hillsides overlooking paddy fields that provided an open field of five and difficult going for advancing troops. Earlier directions about infiltration paid off in practice. An attack on Awlanbyin west redoubt from the rear through thick jungle achieved complete surprise. Although a neighboring Japanese position initially held out, its garrison withdrew on 2nd December after being cut off. The 33rd Brigade columns  crossed the Ngakyedauk Chaung and occupied the area from Ngakyedauk village to the ridge about 1.5 miles north-west of Sinohbyin village. By December3rd, they extended the area of operation to the hills overlooking Maungyithaung and Sinohbyin. The 89th Brigade, meanwhile, pushed forward down Tatmin Chaung and established forward positions on the hills south of the chaung, one mile west of Tatmingyaungywa. By mid-month, 7th Indian Division had reached the main enemy positions covering the Tunnels and Buthidaung, and the opening of the Ngakyedauk Pass to wheeled traffic in late December considerably eased resupply and allowed the divisional artillery to join the formation. However, both the Indian divisions were under orders not to get engaged in serious fighting with the Japanese, so the advance stopped there. It is also important to note, in November 1943,  Spitfires were deployed in Bengal for the first time. The 615th and 617th squadrons were based in Chittagong to protect the vital port and also to cover the Arakan. Within one month, the Spitfires destroyed four Japanese photographic reconnaissance aircraft. Previously, the Dinah's range, speed and height had enabled them to fly with impunity over the Allied forward bases and the Hurricanes were unable to catch them. The Japanese reacted by sending out fighter sweeps in order to test the Spitfires and whittle down Spitfire strength. However, by the end of December, the Japanese lost 22 aircraft, another 33 were damaged, and the Allied loss was only 13 aircraft. The greatest air battle occurred on the last day of 1943. On that day, No. 136 Squadron destroyed 12 and damaged 11 when a mixed force of Japanese fighters and bombers attempted to attack the light naval force along the Arakan Coast. The Japanese carried out one strategic attack when on 5 December 1943, 60 bombers and fighters, including some naval aircraft, in two waves bombed Calcutta. The Japanese lost two aircraft and another five were damaged. The three and a half squadrons of Hurricane fighters, including half a squadron of night fighters which were defending the area lost five aircraft and another six were damaged.  To the west the 5th Indian Division had also encountered stiffening resistance from Japanese outposts as it advanced southwards along the coastal plain towards Maungdaw, through the foothills further north and along the spine of the jungle-clad Mayu Mountains. They soon discovered that overcoming Japanese bunker defenses presented particular difficulties. As the division would report "The great difficulty in attacking Jap "hill top" positions lies in the concealment of the actual bunker or weapon pit' one brigade commander later wrote, and in the practical impossibility of deploying attacking troops in thick jungle, particularly where the approach runs along the top of a razor backed ridge.' In each case, patrols infiltrated between these localities isolated them from supplies and reinforcements with the result that Japanese normally gave up ground without a contest. A newsletter prepared by the HQ of 5th Indian Division reported: 'The only way to deal with the Jap def positions is by INFILTRATION. Recent experience has shown that the Jap has produced nothing new in def tactics... It is almost physically impossible in hilly and thick country to have every post covered by another, the posts can be eliminated piece- meal by infiltration tactics.' After the outline of the main Japanese defenses became apparent this approach was also increasingly applied at brigade level. At the end of December 1943, the 5th Indian Division held the area from the sea to the crest of the Mayu Peninsula and the 7th Indian Division moved into the Kalapanzin Valley. By the end of the month they reached Maungdaw. The advancing 5th Indian Division discovered that frontal assaults could not be completely avoided, however, when Japanese troops were determined to stay put. During this advance, the 161st Brigade moved to the high ground to the northeast of Bakkagona about five miles to the north of Razabil. On 30th December, 161st Indian Infantry Brigade assaulted Point 124, but the 4/7th Rajputs were held up by dense jungle and heavy mortar and machine fire and suffered heavy casualties. For six days assaults continued with the forward infantry regularly reaching the Japanese defenses before being driven off by showers of hand grenades and supporting machine-gun from every other enemy defensive position within range. Only after a 'policy of strangulation, starvation, and attrition was adopted', did its defenders withdraw. The 5th Indian Division immediately began probing the main Razabil defenses, while its 123rd Indian Infantry Brigade patrolled the western foothills of the Mayu Range and northern side of Razabil, particularly two hill positions dubbed Wrencat and Wrenkitten. To do so an indirect approach was again advocated by Major-General Harold Briggs in note on tactical policy issued on 4th January, stressing the importance of patrolling to identify positions held by the Japanese and infiltration to seize vital ground in their flanks or rear that would either provoke Japanese counterattacks or force a withdrawal. Meanwhile Stilwell arrived to Shingbwiyang on December 21st and assumed command of the Chinese forces in India. To relive the trapped battalion of the 112th regiment at Yupbang Ga, Stilwell and General Sun planned to send the entire 114th regiment to break the Japanese center at Yupang Ga to rescue the 112th, then hook north to envelope the northern fragment of the Japanese defensive line. On December 24th, they unleashed artillery and launched the infantry into the Japanese lines. The 114th regiment managed to envelop the Japanese right flank by the afternoon and soon a breakthrough emerged allowing for them to make contact with the 112th. Sun's men then surrounded the Japanese pocket during the night and would wipe them out the next morning. And thus the Chinese had gained their first victory at Yupbang Ha, though the Japanese still held the river crossing, so Stilwell began plans for another assault set after Christmas. On December 28th, Sun ordered 3 battalions to attack the north, while the 1st battalion, 112th regiment would sweep to the right, getting behind the 3 Japanese outer strongpoints. The chinese forces rapidly broke the Japanese outer defenses creating a breach while the 1st battalion, 114th regiment broke through the river defensive line. The Japanese tossed a large counterattack, but it would be repelled by the night time. Now Yupbang Ga was in allied hands as the surviving Japanese companies split into smaller groups trying to hold out for many days. With the fall of Yupbang Ga, the Japanese were forced to withdraw from Sharaw Ga as well, so elements of the 2rd battalion, 113th Regiment were be able to seize it by December 30. In the meantime, as the 22nd Division's 65th Regiment had been sent towards the Taro Plain to try and secure the southern flank, the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 114th Regiment had been sent south to cross the Tanai Hka at the Kantau ford in an effort to cut off the enemy withdrawal line. By the end of 1943, with the loss of 315 killed and 429 wounded, Sun's 38th Division had gained complete control of the Tarung Hka.  I would like to take this time to remind you all that this podcast is only made possible through the efforts of Kings and Generals over at Youtube. Please go subscribe to Kings and Generals over at Youtube and to continue helping us produce this content please check out www.patreon.com/kingsandgenerals. If you are still hungry after that, give my personal channel a look over at The Pacific War Channel at Youtube, it would mean a lot to me. Things were deteriorating for the Japanese on New Britain as American Marines were seizing features and gradually pushing them into Borgan Bay. Within the CBI theater a ton of drama amongst the high commanders was surprisingly not resulting in disaster, as operations in Burma were kicking off with great results. Perhaps Burma could be saved.

Doc-Doc joined hosts Fig & RePete for an intriguing episode. A former Navy flight surgeon in a Marine Harrier Squadron, Doc-Doc tells how he became a flight surgeon in spite of not having any previous pull towards aviation. Hear captivating stories of honor from the Black world famous "Black Sheep Squadron." And in the prologue, Fig talks up a veteran's outdoor adventure nonprofit outfit in Michigan providing services to Active, retired, veterans, first responders, blue and gold-star families! Our first military Flight Surgeon, explore the world of as seen by the Doc who worked to keep the squadron pilots flying. Near the end we wander into the subject of tattoos, their permanence, and removal methods. Engaging, informative, and entertaining – don't miss this episode! Night View Harrier Cockpit On a C-130 to the Philippines Digging up an ex-Harrier Digging up an ex-Harrier Digging up an ex-Harrier https://youtube.com/live/ZSAO10zD-1Q Live Recording Session...

The Black Sheep Squadron, officially known as VMF-214, was commissioned on July 1, 1942 and moved to the island of Espiritu Santo in the Solomon Islands for the purpose of eliminating Japanese air support in those islands so the Allies could gain access to those landing strips within striking distance of the Japanese mainland. Flying the 2,000 hp Chance-Voight Corsairs, and led by ace fighter pilot Greg Pappy Boyington, the squad blasted a record number of Japanese planes out of the skies within a 90 day period and did considerable damage to Japanese shipping and air bases within that time. This is their story. ANDROID USERS- 1001 Stories From The Old West at Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/0c2fc0cGwJBcPfyC8NWNTw 1001 Radio Days right here at Google Podcasts FREE: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20radio%20days 1001 Classic Short Stories & Tales at Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cHM6Ly9mZWVkcy5tZWdhcGhvbmUuZm0vQURMNzU3MzM0Mjg0NQ== 1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries at Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20heroes 1001 Sherlock Holmes Stories (& Tales from Arthur Conan Doyle) https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20sherlock%20holmes 1001 Ghost Stories & Tales of the Macabre on Spotify: https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20ghost%20stories 1001 Stories for the Road on Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20stories%20for%20the%20road Enjoy 1001 Greatest Love Stories on Google Podcasts https://podcasts.google.com/search/1001%20greatest%20love%20stories 1001 History's Best Storytellers: (author interviews) on Stitcher https://www.stitcher.com/show/1001-historys-best-storytellers APPLE USERS 1001 Stories from The Old West at Apple Podcasts https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-from-the-old-west/id1613213865 Catch 1001 Heroes on any Apple Device here (Free): https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-heroes-legends-histories-mysteries-podcast/id956154836?mt=2  Catch 1001 CLASSIC SHORT STORIES at Apple Podcast App Now: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-classic-short-stories-tales/id1078098622 Catch 1001 Stories for the Road at Apple Podcast now:  https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-stories-for-the-road/id1227478901 NEW Enjoy 1001 Greatest Love Stories on Apple Devices here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-greatest-love-stories/id1485751552 Catch 1001 RADIO DAYS now at Apple iTunes!  https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-radio-days/id1405045413?mt=2 NEW 1001 Ghost Stories & Tales of the Macabre is now playing at Apple Podcasts! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-ghost-stories-tales-of-the-macabre/id1516332327 NEW Enjoy 1001 History's Best Storytellers (Interviews) on Apple Devices here: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-historys-best-storytellers/id1483649026 NEW Enjoy 1001 Sherlock Holmes Stories and The Best of Arthur Conan Doyle https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/1001-sherlock-holmes-stories-best-sir-arthur-conan/id1534427618 Get all of our shows at one website: https://.1001storiespodcast.com REVIEWS NEEDED . My email works as well for comments: 1001storiespodcast@gmail.com SUPPORT OUR SHOW BY BECOMING A PATRON! https://.patreon.com/1001storiesnetwork. Its time I started asking for support! Thank you. Its a few dollars a month OR a one time. (Any amount is appreciated). YOUR REVIEWS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS AT APPLE/ITUNES AND ALL ANDROID HOSTS ARE NEEDED AND APPRECIATED! LINKS BELOW.. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Discussing news stories about Black Sheep Squadron debuts on NBC, the 12 coolest jobs in the Marines, Air Force decides not to cut Special Duty Pay, the Army creates a new lifting suit, AI and robots on the battlefield, and the Space Force debuts its new branch song.

  JJ and Tom a long-overdue comeback to the show to discuss the beloved nature of B-movie veteran actor Ross Hagen. Big on TV in the 70s, a drive-in staple in the 80s, a TV/DTV star in the 90s and one who closed it out doing voice-overs for the videogame Red Dead Redemption, he might be the most fun cult actor we've talked about yet. The following program also contains impressions of similarly uncanny cult celebs like Bing Crosby, Jerry Lewis, Charles Napier, Jeff Goldblum, Al Pacino, Michael Caine, Christopher Walken, Charlie Sheen, Marlon Brando & Peter Graves! We also discuss how Ross totally should had been in Black Sheep Squadron!       MAIN LINKS:  LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/JURSPodcast Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/JackedUpReviewShow/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackedUpReview  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jacked_up_podcast/      SHOW LINKS: YouTube: https://m.youtube.com/channel/UCIyMawFPgvOpOUhKcQo4eQQ   iHeartRadio: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-the-jacked-up-review-show-59422651/   Podbean: https://jackedupreviewshow.podbean.com   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Eg8w0DNympD6SQXSj1X3M   Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-jacked-up-review-show-podcast/id1494236218   RadioPublic: https://radiopublic.com/the-jacked-up-review-show-We4VjE   Overcast: https://overcast.fm/itunes1494236218/the-jacked-up-review-show-podcast   Google Podcasts: https://podcasts.google.com/?feed=aHR0cHM6Ly9hbmNob3IuZm0vcy9hNDYyOTdjL3BvZGNhc3QvcnNz   Anchor:  https://anchor.fm/s/a46297c/podcast/rss   PocketCasts: https://pca.st/0ncd5qp4   CastBox:  https://castbox.fm/channel/The-Jacked-Up-Review-Show-Podcast-id2591222

Words! Words! Words! We got them and our three contestants Chris, Mieka, and Tara have to figure them all out. In round one we've over-redacted four letter words in the [blank] and TV titles of 2021 and in round two we challenge our players to name the pop culture properties various made-up words belong to. Blerg! And of course it all comes down to saying it comes down to the lightning round.Support Us On Patreon

Words! Words! Words! We got them and our three contestants Chris, Mieka, and Tara have to figure them all out. In round one we've over-redacted four letter words in the [blank] and TV titles of 2021 and in round two we challenge our players to name the pop culture properties various made-up words belong to. Blerg! And of course it all comes down to saying it comes down to the lightning round. NOTES ⚠️ Inline notes below may be truncated due to podcast feed character limits. Full notes are always on the episode page.

Remembering Orson Bean, Robert Conrad, Roger KahnOrson Bean was the quick-witted actor who starred on Broadway opposite Jayne Mansfield and Phyllis Newman and in the 1960 movie Anatomy of a Murder. He is best known for his television appearances on the Tonight Show and most notably on the game show To Tell the Truth (1956-1968). Robert Conrad was the handsome television actor who starred in three shows: Hawaiian Eye (1959-1963), Black Sheep Squadron (1976-1978), and his signature role The Wild, Wild West (1965-1969). Roger Kahn was the Brooklyn-born writer who penned one of the best books on baseball, The Summer Game (1972).

Episode #9 of the Miller Piano Podcast is finally here! In this episode, host Jason Skipper talks with Eric Bikales, a musician, composer, and amazing pianist. If you are a music lover, this is an episode you do not want to miss out on! Topics Discussed: Eric's Relationship with Miller Piano How Eric Became the Musician He Is Today Advice to an Aspiring Musician The Music Business and LA Living Eric's Music and New Album Transcript Jason Skipper 0:12 Welcome to the Miller Piano Podcast! I'm your host, Jason Skipper, and in this episode, we have special guest, Eric Bikales connected with us. Eric has been a longtime friend of Miller piano specialist and is a musician. Specifically a wonderful pianist, composer, also a flute player and many other things. Eric has played for 37 years, I believe, with Neil Sedaka. He has composed music and played for many different artists, TV shows, and much more. I'm really looking forward to having Eric share so many of his stories. Eric, welcome to the podcast! Eric Bikales 0:47 Hey, Jason, great to be here. I'm really happy to speak with you. The first thing I want to say is thank you to Miller Piano for being such a great home to me. All the people over there so nice, and they have treated me so well. For years now they just really make me feel like I have a place here in Franklin, Tennessee. You know, they also sell the best pianos too! Jason Skipper 1:18 That is for sure! I know you've been with their events, "The River of Calm" and other events that they've done over the years at Miller Piano Specialists. I heard your music there and heard it online many times. Your music is amazing. Talking about Miller since we started there, how did your relationship start with Miller Piano Specialists? Eric Bikales 1:37 Well, it was kind of funny. I had just moved to Franklin from a little bit north of Nashville. I lived there for a number of years. When I moved to Franklin, I decided that I want to start teaching piano out of my home. So I designed some posters and I just looked up what music stores were in the area and the first one on the list happened to be Miller. I went over there and I met Sherry Carlisle Smith, who was their general manager and a saleswoman, and she and I just really hit it off. Jason Skipper 2:16 It's hard not to with Sherry in it? Eric Bikales 2:19 She's got that bubbly personality! We sat down and talked for I think what amounted to like a couple of hours. I was only going to ask her if I could hang up an ad for teaching in her music store and it wound up that we knew all kinds of people in common. Then I found out that she had been in the business herself as one of the Jordanaires, which is a very famous singing group who used to backup Elvis and a lot of other artists. One of the guys in the Jordanaires and the name escapes me now (Charlie McCoy), who actually devised the Nashville Number System that we still use today. Sherry was there on the ground level when all that was happening, she was touring as a singer and she didn't become a piano salesperson until later on in life. Anyway, we had a great conversation and became really good friends. I just wound up starting to go there weekly to check up on how things were going, and then I got involved in their Writers Night, and she let me play original material. I developed a little audience and following at Miller, and then one thing developed into another and we've just been going strong for years. Jason Skipper 3:43 How long has that been? Eric Bikales 3:45 Well, I've been here for about six years, something like that. I think that she was one of the first people I met when I got here. Jason Skipper 3:52 Okay. I know you've been connected through "Writers Night," you've been involved in that activity. Also "The River of Calm." How often are you in these events? And how often are these events held? Eric Bikales 4:03 Miller Piano has events going every month. They have a whole schedule of things ranging from "Writers Night" where anybody can come out there and talk to Sherry about it, or Dave and get signed up to perform on a Writers Night. It is just such a good experience for people who write original material and want to test it out on an audience. Believe it or not, even though it is a piano store, "Writers Night" doesn't even cater to piano artists, in particular. Lots and lots of guitars, people who sing and play guitar, come out there and participate in Writers Nights as well. Then there's "The River of Calm" and that's something that started up a couple of years ago with Ed Bazell. "The River of Calm" is an internet radio station that promotes healing, soothing, relaxing music. It's primarily based on piano but not totally. I met Ed Bazell at Miller Piano. Come to think of it, I met Ed at my CD release party for my first CD that I put out called "Follow Your Heart." That was an event that Sherry was kind enough to sponsor for me at Miller Piano to be able to have my release party there. I had a nice sized crowd and I got to play a few of my tunes from the upcoming record, and I played a few new ones. We had a great time. Ed and I actually started hanging out and decided to form a drone company because we're both into flying drones. So, we joined forces and we started a company called "Fly by Day." Jason Skipper 6:05 Oh wow! Very cool! Eric Bikales 6:08 We still have a little Facebook page up and some of our work. That continued for a couple of years until the laws changed regarding commercial drone flying. Of course, now, it requires a pilot's license of sorts, and things kind of came unglued at that point. But, we still do it and we still have our drones. So in fact, I use the drone now for taking photos from my records and my latest record, which is called "Fire in the Clouds." That piece, "Fire in the Clouds" is written for a scene that I took a photo of which was a beautiful sunset right here in Tennessee. I guess I had it up there at almost as high as you could get it about 380 feet or so. I got a really gorgeous shot and that wound up being the cover of the new CD. To continue about Miller, they sponsor their "Writers Night" I think those are the first Thursday of every month. They sponsor "The River of Calm," which is the third Thursday of every month. Then, they have various other things like CD release parties, and of course, they have teachers on-site there who give lessons. Sherry also gives a class lesson on piano. It's a busy place you know, they've always got stuff going on there. Jason Skipper 7:29 Always, always. Well for our listeners, follow Miller Piano Specialists Facebook page, because we're always sharing when these events are. You can see it on our website, Millerps.com, as well. I know that these are always going out live from the Miller Piano Facebook page, and also The River of Calm Facebook page, I believe. Always come out, too. It's quite an experience, as Eric said. Eric, let's get to know you a little bit more, just about you, where you're from. So let me just ask you that, where are you from? Eric Bikales 7:58 I'm a Kansas City guy. Jason Skipper 8:00 Kansas City! Eric Bikales 8:01 Yeah! Kansas City, Kansas. My family was all musical, everybody in the family played instruments. There were four kids in my family, two boys, and two girls. We all started on the piano, and if we chose to, we could take a second instrument after a couple of years. I chose flute, I really chose drums, but my folks said, "No!" Then I said okay well then, saxophone and they said no again. And then they suggested, "How about flute" and I went, "Okay." I mean, my folks were totally classically oriented. What we listened to at home was classical music or show tune. So that was the era in which my folks grew up in. To them, The Beatles would have been kind of like new crazy music that you know, they just don't listen to. Which seems so funny to us, because The Beatles are so accepted at this point. But back then, it was a new thing. So I didn't get into listening to pop music until I got into junior high school or middle school, as they call it now. That's, that's when I got turned on to pop music and jazz in particular. Once I heard a couple of jazz artists that really spoke to me, I was off and running. I just, I love this stuff. I mean, I heard Dave Brubeck. His song "Take Five" was brand new, I think was released in the late 50s or maybe early 60s. I can't remember. But, it was a cool, cool thing. That record "Time Out" just captivated me. Then when I heard Ramsey Lewis come out with "In Crowd," that was it. I had to learn how to play that note for note and so I did! I just learned the whole thing, see by then, I had already had several years of classical lessons and so I had some fingers at that point. I just had to try to copy what Ramsey was doing. I didn't know what I was doing, I'm sure I ruined a couple of record albums, putting the needle back and forth, making sure I had everything exactly the way he did it. Then I did the same thing with Herbie Mann on a flute because the first time I heard Herbie Mann live at the Village Gate, which only had three songs on it which were "Summertime," "Comin' Home Baby" and something else. It absolutely captivated me and it gave me a direction besides classical. Although I love classical, I was at the age where I was really interested in integrating into the music of my generation, and music that my peers were listening to. I know that when I performed classical music, in school and talent shows and stuff like that, people were receptive to it, and I think they were more impressed than the present. Really, I think that classical music was always something that some people listen to and other people never really bothered with. I love it to this day, I still have a classical repertoire that I play on the piano and a little bit of flute. I try to keep those things up as best I can. The problem these days is that there's so much music that you collect throughout your life, that it's just really hard to keep it all going at once. Jason Skipper 11:24 Right! Well, let me ask you this. I understand you lived in Los Angeles for a while, and you've done quite a bit of commercial music. I know you've moved around, played with Neil Sedaka, I believe 37 years. How did you get into all of that? Eric Bikales 11:37 Well, I guess it all started in college. Just briefly what happened was that I discovered when I went to the University of Kansas that contrary to my entire belief system, I wasn't going to be a doctor. I thought I was going to go to medical school like my dad. I just figured that was what I was going to do because it seemed like a really good thing to do. Of course, that's pretty naive. So when it really gets down to brass tacks, you find out pretty quickly if you've got what it takes to be in that world. The magic wasn't there for me, I wasn't really actively taking physics and chemistry and biology when I got to college. I was in the liberal arts program, and I realized that I'm not going to be a doctor. Then I didn't know what I wanted to do. I wound up deciding that I should do what I do best, and that's music. So it had nothing to do with making a living or anything else. I didn't really consider anything except, "What do I do the best? What do I love doing? What do I want to go into?" It's just so naive, but that's where I was. So I said, "Follow your heart." Yeah, I just decided to do that and I got into the Music School at the University of Kansas. I did that for two years until I realized that it was kind of a dead-end for me because the school didn't even recognize jazz or pop music as a legitimate art form. They really only did classical and they went right from classical into all this postmodern stuff that I didn't really like all that much. I didn't really look like serial music and 12 tones and all the really weird stuff just didn't appeal to me at all and I didn't see the purpose of it. So after two years of music school, I quit and I joined a band. The band became really popular in a regional way. It's called Sanctuary, and that attracted the attention of a producer in Los Angeles named Mike Post. Mike had a couple of hit tunes, one with classical gas, Mason Williams, and he had a hit with Kenny Rogers in the first edition called, "To See What Condition My Condition Was In." So everybody knew who Mike Post was, and he was interested in producing my own song "Sanctuary." He and I became really good friends, and we did a recording session together with him. At that session, he pulled me aside and said, "You know, you should really consider coming out to LA and being a studio musician." I said, "Yeah, I definitely want to do that. And what is a studio musician by the way? Jason Skipper 14:29 Right! Eric Bikales 14:29 He said, "You know, you could play people's records for a living!" I said, "I could make a living from that?" And he said, "Sure, you could get paid union scale for playing with different people. You just have to know how to play in all styles. Your time has to be good. You have to play in tune, you have to be able to read a little bit. Look, why don't you just work on all those skills for a year or two, save your money, move out to LA and I'll help you!" I said, "Man, that's an incredible offer. I would love to do that." It opened up a whole world to me that I could go into. I just had never thought about moving to California or making a living in music or anything else. I was just kind of floating with what was going on. So I took him at his word, and I wood-shed for two solid years, and I practiced between five and eight hours a day, took lessons, and I really worked hard. I saved my money, and I moved out to LA. Sure enough, he made good on his word only he had also, in the meantime, become a really hot TV composer. When I saw what he was doing, he was splitting focus between producing records and writing music for TV. He had shows like Rockford Files, The A-Team and Black Sheep Squadron and those were all hit shows. He said, "Eric, you really need to follow me into this, you'd be perfect for this." Off show, you had to write for a picture. So he sat down with me and taught me how to write music for TV. However, I didn't have any training as an orchestrator or an arranger, and he was using like a 37 piece orchestra. So I had to take lessons on the fly from a guy in Hollywood. He took one of the pieces that I wrote, and he scored it for A-Team. He had me come to the session, and I got to hear my music played on the air. Then he sat down, showed me how to do it, and he showed me how it all worked. He gave me an opportunity to write some music for A-Team and then for a show called Hunter. Later on, there was NYPD Blue, Hill Street, and LA Law, White Shadow, just a whole bunch of shows. Ten one of the guys that he was working with, I started working with that person. His name's Danny Lux, and he had that he had the work on like Party of Five, Ally McBeal, My Name Is Earl, Sliders, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, Scrubs, Good Wife. It just goes on. Jason Skipper 17:12 That had been amazing the first time that you heard your music being played live on these shows. Eric Bikales 17:19 Yeah, it really was. It was an incredible experience for me. As exciting as it was even then I didn't really get how cool it was until years later when I could gain some perspective on it and realize how fortunate I was to have come across Mike Post and become one of his protegees, have him show me the ropes as he did. He's amazing. I mean, this guy was just so talented musically, and so good at business, so sharp and so good at thinking on his feet. He was just like a perfect role model and he was hot at that point. He was the number one TV composer. He kind of was to TV what Hans Zimmer became in the movie industry, later on. In looking at everything, for me, it's been a game of trying to be the absolute best you can be at all times and never stopping with practicing and learning and being a student, just absorbing everything you can. But then the other half of the equation is accessibility, and we just all need to have access to something that can propel us in the right direction with the right people at the right time. My guy was Mike Post at that time, and I was just so fortunate. During that time, I had a lot of opportunities to audition for different people and play in different recording situations and road situations that work with The Pointer Sisters, [Inaudible], Chere, Bette Midler, a whole bunch of different artists. I wound up auditioning for Niels Sedaka one point, and I had played recording sessions with everybody in his band, and so when they decided to have a second keyboard player, I got the call. I didn't get the job, but I just had to audition along with all the other usual suspects. I would see the same piano players that all the auditions, it's all the same guys. They're all really good, sometimes you get it sometimes, they get it. You take turns and it was really fun. I happened to get the audition for Neil, so I joined his band in 1983. I have been doing it ever since and I just never thought I could possibly last that long. Yet it has he just keeps going and he keeps using more or less the same guys. It's changed a little bit. We have been all over the world, we've played so many different places everywhere from Carnegie Hall to Billy Bob's in Texas. The best place everywhere and I've been in so many different countries Jason Skipper 20:03 Really? Eric Bikales 20:06 Oh, it's been an incredible experience. It's not all smooth sailing, but it's provided me with so much travel and experience that I never would have gotten any other way. You know, Jason, it's really a question of being ready for those opportunities when they come around. Sometimes you are and sometimes you aren't, it's not a matter of luck, It's a matter of good fortune. There were auditions that I went out for that I did not get. I thought, "Gosh, I mean, I thought I played pretty well. "And yet, there are reasons, they're there sometimes things beyond your control, or maybe somebody came in and played a lot better. One thing I did learn in LA very quickly is that there are 10 people that probably live on the block that can play circles around you, and it's just amazing. You just don't want to pin all your hopes and dreams and your ego on the fact that other people can't outplay you, because you won't be able to deal with it psychologically if you've got that kind of a personality. You really have to let that go and figure out there are people that can play better than you all over the place. You know you find your own little niche. You have your own way of doing things. Everybody is special in their own way. You know, they have their way of writing songs, their way of playing their style, and you can find your place. Jason Skipper 21:44 That is a great life motto. It doesn't matter what niche you're in, it doesn't matter what you do. There's always someone that can run circles around you. So I love that! Eric Bikales 21:56 I'm constantly amazed, and especially with it with YouTube now and all the phenomena's that you see on YouTube. Little kids that are six years old that can play rock [Inaudible.] It never ceases to amaze me, but I don't I really don't think about it too much. It's one of those things that there's always somebody that can outdo you at something. It's really not the point of it. Jason Skipper 22:23 Right. You mentioned you have a new album out, of course, with the drone, you were able to take the footage of that, but I'd like to hear more about the album. Exactly, what did it take to make that? How long have you been working on it? Eric Bikales 22:35 I'm going to start with the album for that, which was my first release in quite a long time. I actually had a little record deal toward the end of my stay in Los Angeles. I released four CDs as a new age electronic artist. I was on a label called "Mood Tape". I guess the best-known record that I did of the four was called "Tranquility." There's still stuff on the radio that they play from some of those four albums. At that point in time, the easiest way and the most inexpensive way to record was to do it all electronically and digitally. That's what I did because I've always enjoyed synthesizers and electronics. Then the styles when Windham Hill came along, the style started shifting more toward acoustic music. That really left me out in the cold because I was an electronic guy, with that deal. It wasn't that I couldn't play acoustic piano, that's my main instrument. It's just that's not what I was known for. So there was some period of inactivity there and then I didn't pick back up on being a solo artist until I got to Tennessee. Then I decided I wanted to do something to take the place of the TD music that I'm really not doing anymore because most of that's done out in LA or at least was then. So I started working toward making a solo CD and I wanted to make it all piano because I wanted to show people that I can play the piano and that I love acoustic music as much as electronic. So I released an album called "Follow Your Heart." It did moderately well and got a lot of radio play all over the world. My follow up album is the one that you're speaking of, and it's called "Fire in the Clouds." The difference between these two records is mainly that "Fire in the Clouds" was recorded completely at home in my own studio. I've got this great studio, I've had a studio for as long as I've been in the music business and it's always changed. It's morphed from one thing into another because technology changes so much. At this point, It's a pretty efficient little studio. I decided I'm going to try to do the whole thing at home. That's what I did. This record now is just being released as we speak. It's not up on Spotify yet, but it will be within the week. You can find it on any of the usual vendors online from Apple Music, iTunes, it'll be streaming on Spotify, Pandora, basically everywhere. I have a promotion company that was helping me get it out there called "Higher Level Media," and they're just great. So they're helping me with the effort, and I'm getting a lot of help from The River of Calm and from Sherry down at Miller. I'm just hoping that the follow-up record does better than the first record. I mean, that's sort of the idea, Jason Skipper 25:51 Right, of course! Eric Bikales 25:54 What's really changed that is hard to completely get my mind around is the fact that CDs are going away. I find fewer and fewer people who are buying CDs. So it's really hard for me to let go of, I'm at the age where I grew up with records, and then that that gave way to CDs. I didn't mind that so much. CDs to me sound better than records even though records are kind of a kick down for a lot of younger people, it's just it's like a nostalgic thing. You know, it's vintage and all that. But, the fact that CDs could be seeing their last days is a difficult thing to transition for me to make. Personally, I really like the idea of having physical media that you can hold in your hands and say, "This is my record, you know, this is my music." I find that what we're going to is a world where you can say, "Yes, I'm a composer. Here's my music because you can't hold it in your hand because now it's just a file. Jason Skipper 27:00 Right, It's just a file. Eric Bikales 27:02 This may be a weird thing for some people to understand but for those of us musicians who were old enough to have been through the era of vinyl, it's kind of sad to see it all going away. It's only going to be streaming at least for now. We never know what the future holds. Jason Skipper 27:23 It has changed so much the music industry I know that I didn't grow up with records, but I grew up with cassette tapes, and then, of course, CDs and everything along with that. It has changed so much over the years. We don't have a CD player in our house. Of course, I do in my truck, but I don't at my house. And I think that's the norm anymore. Everyone uses digital now. Eric Bikales 27:45 You can't fight the trend, right? I mean, you can't. You have to go with where everybody is going if you want to be a part of it. Honestly, for me, Jason, it's been a struggle to let go of the old school music business and embrace the new music business. Suffice it to say, that where I am in my career right now, I mean forget about records and forget about CDs and all that you really need to get your stuff out there on the streaming stations so that people can hear you because that's how music is being listened to. We're making this transition and while CDs are not completely dead yet, they're just like gasping for breath. So you still have to make a CD sometimes. I find that at some radio station if you want them to play your music, you have to submit it on a CD. Jason Skipper 28:41 Oh, is that right? Eric Bikales 28:42 Yeah, it is! That's one good reason to go ahead and at least make a short run on CDs. I like having the physical thing that I can hold in my hand and I like it when I go play for a gig and I want to sell my music at the gig, that I can sell a CD. So I'm still making CDs. But I think by the time I do another record, ooh, I don't know. That may be the end of us. Jason Skipper 29:13 Wow, yeah. It's hard to let go but it very well maybe because it has changed so much. Well, one more follow up question here. So we don't get too long. You mentioned that you had put together some footage from your drone and put it with music. Do you post that anywhere? Is there a way to see that footage? Eric Bikales 29:32 Well, what footage we've actually had time to do, my wife Khai has put together for me, she's really getting into the video editing portion of this. You are asking where you can find it. Well, right now it's only on my Facebook, but I intend to put that up on YouTube and I intend to see if I can develop a YouTube channel. It's just another way of adapting to what there is to do at this point in time. I still have a lot of music that I want to write, I have lots and lots of ideas. I have a nice studio and I'm at a time in my life where I'm really kind of foregoing a lot of the activities that I used to be involved with, because I'm sort of tired of doing those and I want to focus more attention on writing and getting my music out there. So I want to build a following and I want to build a fan base that enjoys my music and is willing to buy it or download it or at least listen to it stream. Which, again, that's the main thing I guess. I'm in their pitch and you know, I haven't turned in the towel a doubt If I'll ever do that. Jason Skipper 30:38 Well, I think that's the way it has to be done today. That would be great if you could get something up on YouTube. Now, for everyone who is looking for on Facebook, we can find you on I believe it's facebook.com/ebikales, correct? Eric Bikales 30:55 That's right, yes. The other thing too is that I've gotten to enjoy teaching, which is something I never did in my earlier years. I work for the Academy of Art in San Francisco as an instructor, and I've written several courses for them, and I teach them. So I have college students and graduate students from all over the world that are enrolled in the Academy of Art based in San Francisco. I teach online, I teach harmony and theory, notation, ear training, arranging and film scoring. I do that full time I've been doing that for about, over five years, maybe six years, I really enjoy it. So being an educator is another thing that is part of my life. It's a stabilizing factor. I enjoy helping people to understand what music is important and what's not and what you really ought to do to equip yourself to do your art. Jason Skipper 31:49 All right. Do you still do personal lessons as well? Eric Bikales 31:52 I do, I do. I still have piano students and love to teach a piano and I've given lessons on B3. I have one of those over here. I've taught people in film scoring, how to write for a picture. Yes, I can do it all privately. So if you're in the Tennessee area, I'm happy to oblige. Jason Skipper 32:11 All right, well, how can people get ahold of you? Eric Bikales 32:13 The best way is to go to my website, which is undergoing a facelift right now. But It is www.Ericbikales.com. That website is being redone as we speak. Also there's the Facebook site that you mentioned already is facebook.com/ebikales. By all means, you can friend me on Facebook and my email address is easy to find on both of those sites, so you can write me a personal email if you wish to do that. I am selling the second CD and the first one, and copies of it if you have a CD player! Jason Skipper 32:51 Well, I'm gonna buy it off of Apple Music, but I'm really looking forward to that as soon as it comes out there. I was looking forward to earlier. Eric Bikales 32:57 Well, great. It's been a pleasure, Jason, I am so happy to be associated with Miller Piano. You know, they sell the best pianos in the world. Even when I go out of town with Neil Sedaka, and play concerts with him, we always have a grand piano for him. Then I play it for part of the evening. 90% of the time, that's a Yamaha. They just make the most consistent pianos. Jason Skipper 33:22 They really do. Well, that is amazing. I just love hearing all your stories, Eric, I imagine we could probably talk for another two hours. You can probably share maybe more, you know, of just all the things you've been through. This has just been a great, great time to hear your stories. This has been great, Eric, I really appreciate it. One last question. As a personal note here, you said you're from Kansas City. Are you a Chief's fan? Eric Bikales 33:47 Oh, you betcha. I am so proud of the chiefs. The Super Bowl, It was an amazing thing. Yeah, I was jumping up and down. Jason Skipper 33:56 I bet, I bet. We're a little sad here that Tennessee didn't make it, that the Titans didn't make it this year, but we were written for the Chiefs when they made it through. At least I was and everyone I know was, as well. So, alright Eric. Well, thank you. Eric Bikales 34:11 Thanks, Jason. It's been really fun talking to you. I appreciate the opportunity of coming to your podcast and getting to talk to everybody. I'm so happy and proud to be associated with Miller Piano, and I'm going to be a supporter from now until the end! Jason Skipper 34:28 Well, thank you, Eric, so much for being a part of Miller Piano and everything that we're doing and we appreciate that. This has been great. This was Eric Bikales, a pianist, flutist, composer, drone flyer, just a great guy, get his music! As always on this podcast, you can find show notes and a transcript of this episode right on our website at Millerps.com, as well as you can also find us on Apple Podcasts, Google Play podcasts and Spotify. Look us up on your favorite podcast listening platform. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe. It really does help us, we'd really appreciate it. Once again, I'm your host Jason Skipper, and we'll see you next time!

What's streaming this week? Daddy Warpig and Dorrinal talk about Stranger Things season 3 and other shows. Stranger Things! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4574334 Good Omens! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1869454 Black Sheep Squadron! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0073961 Daddy Warpig! https://twitter.com/daddywarpig

Black Sheep Squadron's most difficult challenge continues. When confronted with a long-standing problem, will the squadron rise up against the elephant in the room?

Black Sheep Squadron gets put to a test that threatens to break it apart as the motley crew attempts to deal with the insurrection at Mars...

                                                           I'm out of my element here, most things I fight have a sense of self-preservation!   In this week's short entry, Black Sheep Squadron encounters the Inorganics for the first time, and then comes up with a plan to capture one for study!

If it bleeds......why isn't it bleeding? Caught in a clusterstrophe now, Black Sheep Squadron has crash landed behind enemy lines. This new foe, the Invid, worries the Captain, and its only a matter of time before they're besieged. The survivors/and or new characters of the squadron are then immediately tasked to secure a comms tower that has saboteur action within it, and the foe within has proven invisible to all sensors....

Black Sheep Squadron, ready to crash Canon's being thrown out the window by this point, as an unwelcome force enters the scene. Without risk of spoilers, needless to say, things get dicey quick.    

Their Marine Corps designation was VMF-214, but for millions of people around the world, they will always be remembered by the name they gave themselves: the "Black Sheep Squadron." Though they fought together for just twelve short weeks under the command of Major Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, the Black Sheep became the most famous fighter squadron in American aviation history. "Baa Baa Black Sheep," a television show loosely based on their exploits, portrayed them as rebels and misfits but as you will see, their real story shatters the televised myths and boasts an ending that rivaled anything from a Hollywood scriptwriter. In this unforgettable episode of "War Stories with Oliver North," you'll take off with five of the original Black Sheep as their F4-U Corsairs roar into battle against the legendary Japanese Zero. In two combat tours they'd lose twenty percent of their fellow pilots but before they were disbanded in March of 1944, the 51 men of the Black Sheep were credited with an incredible 94 enemy kills. Was "Pappy" Boyington the two-fisted drinker he was portrayed to be? What really happened to him on his fateful final mission? From blistering dogfights over the South Pacific to bar room brawls on the ground, this is the real story of the Black Sheep Squadron from the men who were there.

Vermont State Champion Steve Daniels joins us to talk some pinball. -Steve Daniels Pinball Bio -Pinburgh was Awesome -Pre BPSO Three Strikes Tournament -Buffalo Pinball…

Today's Guest: Larry Manetti, actor, "Magnum, P.I.," "Black Sheep Squadron"     Order 'Aloha Magnum: Larry Manetti's Magnum, P.I. Memories,' available from Amazon.com by clicking on the book cover above! Larry Manetti brought a tremendous amount of natural charisma and boundless cockiness to his role as a restaurateur named Rick—Tom Selleck’s Vietnam War buddy and sidekick—on the long-running CBS adventure series, “Magnum, P.I.” He brought that same strong sense of self-awareness to his role as author in his 1999 autobiography, Aloha Magnum. It’s action packed with… well, action, as Manetti recalls a life that never knew the meaning of the word dull. LARRY MANETTI podcast excerpt: "Tom Selleck was born gorgeous.When you're born ike that, you kinda know inside of you that you're special. He does have little idiosyncrasies. He's a dear friend; he's there if you need him. He's a great guy. And I don't lie. If he were a big jerk, I'd say he was a jerk."  Besides out of school tales of his friends Selleck and co-stars Roger Moseley and John Hillerman, Manetti regales readers with his encounters with: the Chairman of the Board—Frank Sinatra; the King—Elvis Presley; Tony Curtis; and his pal and mentor Robert Conrad. Best of all, this isn’t one of those self-told stories of how wonderful Larry is. It’s a warts-and-all portrayal of a regular guy who has led a pretty friggin’ great life. Larry Manetti Website • Facebook • Twitter • IMDB • Wikipedia • PM Show with Larry Manetti on CRN Talk • Order Aloha Magnum from Amazon.com Order 'Magnum P.I.: The Complete Series,' The Millionaire's Convenient Arrangementby Jane Peden. Order your copy today by clicking on the book cover above!     The Party Authority in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland!

Marine Attack Squadron 214 (VMA-214) is a United States Marine Corps fighter squadron consisting of AV-8B Harrier (V/STOL) jets. The squadron is based at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona and is under the command of Marine Aircraft Group 13 (MAG-13) and the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (3rd MAW). The squadron is best known as the Black Sheep of World War II fame and for one of its commanding officers, Colonel Gregory "Pappy" Boyington, whose memoirs also inspired the 1970s television show Baa Baa Black Sheep, later syndicated as Black Sheep Squadron, which dramatized the squadron's exploits during the war. Information link https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMA-214

The Total Tutor Neil Haley will interview  Larry Manetti and Nancy Manetti. RN Digital Talk Radio announced today that the “Magnum, P.I.” star and his wife will host “The Lounge with Larry and Nancy Manetti.” The one-hour talk show premieres on Tuesday, June 6 on the network's CRN 1 channel.  “The Lounge with Larry and Nancy Manetti” will also be available for download and air on the Genesis Communications Network (GCN). Listeners are encouraged to check local listings or visit CRNTalk.com for show dates and times. Larry Manetti is perhaps most famous for his starring turn alongside Tom Selleck in the long running hit “Magnum, P.I.”  He portrayed “Orville ‘Rick' Wright,” a playboy who managed an exclusive club – and also happened to be a weaponry expert.   He was series regular on “Baa Baa Black Sheep” (also known as “Black Sheep Squadron”) – which also starred fellow CRN personality Robert Conrad. Manetti has recurred in more than a dozen other television series, including his most recent turn as “Nicky 'The Kid' Demarco” on the CBS hit “Hawaii Five-0.” Manetti is the author of “Aloha Magnum,” the first-ever book about “Magnum, P.I.” The tome also chronicles Manetti's experience as a restaurateur, his work with Frank Sinatra – and how he “annoyed Elvis Presley and helped launch Michelle Pfeiffer's career.” Nancy Manetti has acted in over two dozen television series. She recurred on “Magnum, P.I.” and “Buck Rogers in the 25th Century.”  

Tony Gatliff sits down one-on-one with USMC Veteran Mike Fern about his time growing up in the Metro Detroit Area, his Grandfather (a WWII Vet who was in the famous “Black Sheep Squadron”), his parents’ (including his Army veteran father’s) reaction when he decided to join the military, his time in boot camp, his time training in Okinawa, and much much more. In addition, Paul Zbair drops by to talk about some recent Military-related current events (including a follow-up on our Wounded Warrior Project reporting from weeks past.)Don’t miss this amazing episode of Military Mortgage Talk!

Genre: Star WarsBy: Kevin RubioReleased: 1997Length: 10minWhile being filmed for the hit Imperial TV show TROOPS, Stormtroopers from the infamous Black Sheep Squadron on patrol run into some very familiar characters.TROOPS.mp4

This week, Gene's four guests are all veterans of World War II, all Marines, all pilots and all members of the original and later legendary Black Sheep Squadron led by ace pilot Greg "Pappy" Boyington.