A squadron of American Wildcats had just touched down on the deck of USS Lexington for a rapid refuel after a searing air battle when the alarm screamed again. This time, the wave of Mitsubishi G4M “Bettys” bore down on the carrier far closer than before, with the crew rooted to the spot in horror as the enemy swooped in to drop their payload.
Edward “Butch” O’Hare, the sole US pilot still airborne and in position, recalled the harrowing moment: (QUOTE) “This time we weren’t quite ready for them, since most of the fighters were being refueled and getting ammunition.”
Caught off guard near Rabaul, the task force was in a dire strait just as their standard aerial shield of six vigilant Wildcats was momentarily down. If there was a time when the Japanese could actually sink the carrier, it would be this moment.
With no fellow fighters in the sky, it was O’Hare against nine Japanese bombers. He steeled himself, pushed his Wildcat to full throttle, and faced the onslaught as the Japanese concentrated the turtle-back guns of their entire formation on this lone, defiant American pilot.
Bullets hammered his airframe, and his teeth gritted with tension as he pivoted violently. As the sun shimmered through his canopy, he unleashed the full fury of his six .50 caliber Browning M2 machine guns.
The entire crew of the Lexington was on deck, eyes skyward, as one of World War 2’s most audacious aerial duels unfolded above them…
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As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Docs sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect. I do my best to keep it as visually accurate as possible. All content on Dark Docs is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas. –
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Six machine guns on an F4F? I think not.
Fantastic presentation – my favorite – and I've seen many of your productions. What a hero and inspiration he was, and still is. And the balls it took to take on the Japanese in Rabaul. I suggest substituting one of your clips for a map that would provide some geographical context.
The Fat Electrician has a video about O'Hare, in his own humorous way. Including how his father became associated with the mob.
I'll be in trouble, but if a certain draft dodger had lived then, he would've said, "I like guys who don't get shot down." All honor to O'Hare, a genuine American hero.
Why cant you correctly identify aircraft types and refrain from the sensational bulls..t?
His father was Al Capone's lawyer. Later, he turned against him and helped get him convicted.
The entire crew was NOT on deck
I would bet money that HARDLY ANYONE from Chicago knows who, why, or how their airport gained it's name. The HUGE problem that America has right now is that OUR PRIDE in our nation and our heroes has faded and died. A VAST majority of Americans understand the serious and deadly consequences of HOW they have the MANY freedoms they still have today. Dwindling rapidly though American freedoms might be, there is STILL hope that somehow the current jo&ho administration can be booted from the white house and some of our freedoms can be regained ALONG with CONTROL over America. As it is right now however we are OVER RAN with illegal aliens and a democratic majority hell bent on turning America into a democratic dictatorship.
Very interesting.
These are truly amazing men, true Heroes 🫡
A wonderful introduction
I also learned about O’Hare at Chicago’s airport. I related his story to my eldest son.
Then, when my son was in the Cub Scouts, he asked me to make him a Wildcat for his Pinewood Derby Car. Naturally, with a little help, he painted it to look like Butch O’hare’s airplane.
His car was voted Best in Show.
Great story, great video and connecting the dots to make the big picture. The end was a bummer though but, isn't life like that Jim Morrison said," no body gets out of here alive ".the older I get an the more family and friend who pass away I the more to the point that statement becomes true.
They keep showing the SBD Dauntless as if it were an FM2 wildcat. Furthermore, I don't think the FM2 wildcat had been upgraded with 6 browning 50 cals, (as the narrator says) instead it still had only 4 if I'm not mistaken. Luckily the Japanese planes caught fire so easily.
O'hare was credited with 4 because of Japanese reports of the battle. I guess the capt and crew of the Lexington were not as creditable as the enemy.
Thanks, Dark Docs.
I was part of the crew that put The Wildcat monument at O'Hare Airport in honor of Butch O'Hare ….and I was very honored to be part of it….I also got to work on it to make it presentable…and to be up close and personal with these WW2 Aircraft is an amazing experience….
Sixteen multi-engine aircraft lost for failure to sink Lexington and I think no American planes downed either. I would say that almost certainly amounted to a major defeat if you ask the Japanese side. It was engagements just like those that on their own part eventually led into Japan losing the war.
Same shit as before. Completely random non related videos used in a haphazard mess. Mixing vids of random carriers without correct labeling. Repeatedly showing Lexington CV16 instead of CV2. It's insulting. I had in-laws on both ships. An uncle on CV2 and his brother, my father in law on CV16.
10:55 – Why is Admiral Brown saluting with his left hand? Roosevelt is covering his heart with his right hand, so this isn’t a reverse camera image. 🤷🏻♂️
The Paul Harvey part of this story is very interesting. Dutch's Father was an associate of Al Capone, his lawyer I believe. He betrayed Al Capone so Dutch could join the US A Air Core, Dutch's father met his end on a Chicago street corner in a blaze of machine fire.
O'Hare's Wild Cat only had 4 50 cal's.
O'Hare is a good Irish name. It is aporopriate that one of America's most important airports be named for such a heroic man. May he rest in peace.
I wonder it the MAGA-icon would approve and praise this flyer, given his stated opinions about others in WWII .. ?
There is a Wildcat static display painted with Butch’s ID on the concourse at O’Hare airport. Great monument to a great man.
What a great story .
If there's one thing War in movies has instilled in us, it's the gut wrenching feeling when you talk to someone on radio…but they don't respond. Tell them once, try again to confirm, then dread.
Normal service costs $80.00 in Wisconsin.
This Was Pretty Good! I Remember Reading About Butch O'Hare As A Kid 60 Years Ago In, 'Great American Fighter Pilots Of World War Two'. Thank You.
No I know why and who O'Hare Airport is named after
A true Warrior
A true America Hero
2:27in can explain why the Admiral was saluting with his left hand?
Great history lesson… I did not know until today that Chicago's O'Hare airport was named for a WWII Hero.