Was flipping through the channel guide and came across this war movie classic. I stop and watch it anytime I see it's on. First rate cast: William Holden, Mickey Rooney, Fredrick March, Earl Holliman, Grace Kelly, and Dennis Weaver. Great story by James Michener Navy ships and jet aircraft Extensive use of real combat footage. The USS Oriskany CV-34 and LST-827 USS Hillsborough County, the F9F-2 Panther's of VF-192 "the Golden Dragons" (standing in for the F2H Banshee's in the book). VF-192 had two combat deployments to Korea flying the F4U Corsair. F2H Banshee F9F-2 Panther If you ever notice "The Bridges of Toko Ri" on television be sure to stop and watch it, you won't be sorry.
I own this film actually, I haven't watched it in a couple of years, it would be good to dust it off and give it go again. It's a shame that the Korean conflict has been so overlooked, 36,000 Americans lost their lives fighting for the Koreans, and while they didn't succeed in pushing the communists out of the peninsula, they saved millions of Koreans from living under the horrible regime in the North, and giving them their God given right of Freedom and liberty. That Sounds like a Victory to me.......
Loved the book since 8th grade. Have seen the film twice, sad at the end. Michener based his novel on actual missions flown against the railroad bridges at Majon-ni and Samdong-ni, North Korea, during the winter of 1951–52, when he was a news correspondent aboard the aircraft carriers USS Essex and USS Oriskany.[5][6] Michener based the character of Harry Brubaker on Lieutenant Donald S. Brubaker, who like his counterpart, was a 29-year-old Naval Reservist from Denver recalled to active duty aboard USS Valley Forge. The basis for Admiral Tarrant was Rear Admiral John Perry, the carrier division commander at the time; that of Lee was Commander Marshall U. Beebe, CAG aboard Essex in 1951 and technical advisor for the film; and Forney on Chief (NAP) Duane Thorin, himself a colorful enlisted pilot known for his trademark non-regulation green headgear.[7] The pilot's rescue attempt at the climax of the novel and film was a composite of a pair of unrelated rescue attempts on February 8, 1952, both in the area of Wonsan, North Korea, with the second one involving a propeller-driven Douglas AD-1 Skyraider from Valley Forge that had been shot down while bombing the railroad bridges at Samdong-ni. However, though the shot-down aviators in the second attempt were initially listed as missing in action, they survived their ordeal, and they were captured by North Korean soldiers.[8] In the attacks against the historical bridges, the McDonnell F2H Banshee fighter-bombers (represented by Grumman F9F Panther) that are at the heart of the story did not bomb the bridges themselves, since they did not have the capability of carrying the heavy aerial bombs that were needed. Instead, they carried out the perilous mission of suppressing enemy anti-aircraft fire.[9] Source: Wikipedia
The original F2H-1 had no provision for external stores, however, subsequent versions did. First USN F2H squadron was VF-17A, later designated VF-171. VF-171 squadron insignia VF-171 CO (L) VF-172 CO (R) Aug 1950 VF-171 F2H (CO in # 101); USS Coral Sea below formation Information on external stores, rockets and bombs, can be found,e.g., in the Pilot's Handbook for Navy Models F2H-2, -2N Airplanes pages 39 and 40. Up to two 500# bombs could be carried. Rich
This is an F2H-4 to be found at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola (behind it is an F2H-2P). You can clearly see pylons for external stores on the -4. There were four per wing, the outer two on each wing were for rockets only. The inner two in each wing could be either rockets or bombs. . Merry Christmas to all! Rich
Love that museum, IMHO it's one of the best in the nation. Immaculately clean, all displays well maintained, an amazing number of artifacts. Been at least a dozen times, could easily do a dozen more and it would never get old.
Yeah, one of my absolute favorites, too. Even found my father's signature on one of the panels of the von Tempsky wall.