"NO OTHER SINGLE MAN BELOW THE RANK OF GEIIERAL DID MORE TO DEFEAT THE JAPAIIESE THAll DID .• PAUL IRVIII GUIIII -Walter Edmunds, Historian and Author-
By: Nathaniel Gunn NEW 2010 EDITION Medals Earned during Pappy's WWI years in the Navy ... and heroics of his WWII years in the Army Air Corps .. . Then , posthumously inducted Into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008. Don't miss the new Centerfold from P. I. Gunn's family Collection inside I!!
PAPPY GUNN by NATHANIEL GUNN
authOfriOUSE 16"63liBFKIYDJIIVE, Sum200 BUXWINGTON, lMxANA 474(8
(800) 839-8640 www,authorhous(,cOW
Š 2004 NATHANIEL GUNN All Rights Rmrv~d.
No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval sysum, or transmitted by any means without the written permission of the author. First published by AuthorHouse 8/24/10 ISBN 1-4184-5514-1 (e) ISBN 1-4184-3116-X (sc) ISBN 1-4184-3115-1 (dj) Library ofCongress Control Number: 2004093234 Printed in the United States ofAmerica Bhomington, Indiana This book is printed on acid-free paper.
Contents Introduction: ............................................................................................. xiii Synopsis For Pappy Gunn Book ................................................................ xv
Part
I - U. S. Navy Life
Young years .... .lead to trouble ............. ;....................................................... 2 Life's Course is Changed ............................................................................. 4 Chicago Riots ............................................................................................. 17 Destiny Awaits ........................................................................................... 22 Bowling, But Not on the Green ................................................................. 34 Humor or Tricks ........................................................................................ 38 The Wedding Of Paul!. Gunn And Clara Louise Crosby ......................... .41 Catapults, Cranes & Teeth ........................................................................ .46 Amelia Earhart ........................................................................................... 50 Family Life in Hawaii ................................................................................ 53
Part II - World War II, U. S. Army Air Force Life Manila 1939-1941 ...................................................................................... 58 Shot Up - Not Down! ................................................................................. 73 Manila, oftentimes called "The Pearl of the Orient" ................................. 76 Attempt at Rescue ...................................................................................... 80 Distinguished Flying Cross: ....................................................................... 86 Recommendation for Distinguished Service Cross ................................... 94 B-25's From the Dutch ............................................................................. 104 Jack Fox meets Pappy .............................................................................. 112 The Royce Raid ........................................................................................ 116 Start ofB-25 Modification ....................................................................... 130 Duty, Honor, Country .............................................................................. 142 B-25 with 3-50's ...................................................................................... 144 Life in Santo Tomas ................................................................................. 148 Morale in the Santo Tomas Prison Camp ................................................. 163 The Coral Sea Battle ................................................................................ 165 Pappy's Subordinates ............................................................................... 174 General Kenney arrives in SWPA in August 1942 ................................. .180 Eagle Farm ............................................................................................... 185 XI
More Teeth ! ............................................................................................. 202 The Blast that almost did Pappy In .......................................................... 205 Proof of the Pudding ................................................................................ 207 Pappy's 'Three' Wars ............................................................ :.................. 213 Prison Camp Routines .............................................................................. 232 Bismarck Sea, the Real Test! ................................................................... 234 Pappy to the States ................................................................................... 239 Modifications - Equal - Combat... ............................................................ 263 The 75 millimeter Cannon in the Air ....................................................... 266 Kenney is back! ........................................................................................ 280 MacArthur's Push Toward the Philippine Islands .................................. .305 Combat, Combat, Combat! ...................................................................... 342 Li.ttle Finger ............................................................................................. 352 Pappy's Money ......................................................................................... 359 Tac1oban: Pappy's Nemisis ..................................................................... 362 Jap Cat Soup: .......................................................................................... .368 Rescue ... ! ................................................................................................ .3 82 Finally, at Last the family was back together again! .............................. .393 When asked if he was a hero. ................................................................ .403 Articles & Stories ..................................................................................... 409 Excerpt from Bill Martin's News Broadcast of2-15-45 ......................... .417
Part III - Civilian life Back to Manila, P. 1. ................................................................................. 424 Trip to U. S ............................................................................................... 426 Heading East ............................................................................................ 437 Back to Manila and Business ... PAL has a plane go down on Wake Island ........................................................................................................ 442 General Wong's Thanks .......................................................................... .444 BETCHA! ................................................................................................ 453 Gonna Make Rain ................................................................................... .456 Air Show .................................................................................................. 460 Pappy hoping to bring Polly back to Manila ......................................... .463 The Last Flight ......................................................................................... 464 EPILOGUE ............................................................................................. .468 Acknowledgments .................................................................................... 469
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR Nathaniel Irvin Gunn was born on November 17, 1930 in Washington, D. C. Interestingly enough, instead of a midwife, his own father helped to deliver him. At eleven years old, Nathaniel and his family lived through the horrors of World War II in a Japanese Prison Camp for three long years. His father, fortunately or unfortunately, was called into the military battling his own three wars to free them. Nathaniel's early life was in the sunlight and shadow of his father, PaulL "Pappy' Gunn. His own personality and love of adventure and flying in a different context, left an impression on Nathaniel and an unyielding desire to give his father this tribute only he could relate. His writing abilities put to the ultimate test, he hopes the reader will find the story one long overdue and an enduring part of history it should be. Nathaniel was educated in the Philippine Islands after the war by his own choice where he was given an insight into more than the everyday events that shaped not only their family life but, also, the underworkings of governmental decisions that sometimes shaped countries and world politics. Nathaniel Gunn began his writing career late in life with the primary need to put down some of the unbelievable events and plays in history, as the son of Pappy Gunn, and of the wish to live up to the name ..
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His first two books are fictional adventure written under the pen of Nathan Cannon, and are available today. All that Glitters - ISBN 0-595-16587-7 Where the Hell is Indonesia, Anyway? ISBN 1-4140-0170-3 I would like the world to know that fact is much more important than fiction . .. . And sometimes it is hard to find, but worth the search. Hopefully, my books will give readers much to think about! !
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