John R. Bruning

The life of a unique warrior: a daredevil ace and a top air commander. Johnson commanded the 9th Fighter Squadron and 49th Fighter Group, and became the fourth ranking fighter ace in the Pacific during World War II. He ended his war career with 22 kills. Flying P-38s, Jerry Johnson shot down 24 aircraft in 265 combat missions in the Pacific theater. At the age of only twenty-four, he commanded the highest-scoring fighter group in the Pacific. Tragically, though Johnson had survived three combat tours, which included a mid-air collision with a Japanese aircraft and being shot down by friendly fire, the new father disappeared without a trace while flying a courier mission one month after the war’s end. https://www.boswellbooks.com/book/9781574886948… (meer)

While I enjoyed John Bruning’s book “Indestructible”, about World War II pilot “Pappy Gunn”, I didn’t feel it lived up to its subtitle, e.g., “One Man's Rescue Mission That Changed the Course of WWII”. Part of my reason for selecting this book was the intriguing subtitle. Unfortunately for me, I’m always a little disappointed when the Publishers description on the book jacket, or if the book’s sub-title don’t quite measure up to the hype, and this was the case for this book.
“Indestructible” tells the story of Paul Irving “Pappy” Gunn, an ex-navy pilot turned airline executive in the Philippines as World War II broke out in the Pacific theater. Gunn joined McArthur’s Army Air Force, but was on a mission out of Country as the Japanese overran Manilla where his family was living. His wife and four children were interred in a Japanese prison camp, and the book jacket and sub-title led me to believe I’d be reading about “… a renegade American pilot” who “… fights against all odds to rescue his family--imprisoned by the Japanese”. Instead, while Gunn certainly did worry about his family as the war continued, he never was able to locate them, nor was there any rescue mission planned or attempted to free his family or their fellow prisoners.
Nevertheless, the book does tell an interesting story about an inventive aviator. However, some of the tales may be enhanced. Bruning frequently mentioned that a number of the tales have been passed down over time, perhaps 100% true, perhaps legend, and “… what actually happened may never be known...", or "...no one knows for sure..." as he tells the story of this respected innovative pilot.
Gunn’s importance to the war effort was not as a fighter pilot or top-gun ace, but rather as an innovator who improved armament and tactics. He fought through the administrative bureaucracy and supply limitations and worked tirelessly to improve everything he touched. One of his most important innovations was to modify the B-25 Mitchell bomber, adding multiple forward facing machine guns allowing the planes to do low-level strafing of ships and ground troops, greatly enhancing their efficiency as attack weapons. For his dedication, insights, and innovations, adding to the war effort to slow down and turn the tide against Japanese advances in the Pacific, Gunn’s story is certainly one worth telling.… (meer)