Blakeslee briefing (video clip)

[HI-fly-by]

Thought this would be interesting, especially since it includes audio!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xbBi4rucrGI

0:37 - a short (staged?) clip of Col. Don Blakeslee briefing men of the 4th on the days mission back in 1943.

Gentile, Hofer (with duke), and Pisanos are clearly visible, along with then C.O. Peterson.

Does anyone know of any other footage featuring Don Blakeslee and the 4th fighter group during WWII?

[John Beaman]

Most interesting. Blakeslee has a rather high-pitched voice. I've always been amused with George C Scott as Patton with his very deep voice. The real Patton had a very high-pitched voice and sounded like Elmer Fudd!

[SMF144]

That is pretty neat - thanks for posting the link.

[Baby Boy]

My father, Lt.Cecil Manning was in that briefing room. I watched the film and was unable to to see him due to camera angle. There was a photo of this briefing in November 1943 "Life" magazine. My father is right in the middle of the photo.

[fsbofk]

Gentile's P-47 42-8659 "Donnie Boy" appears early in the sequence of the warm-up, displaying the eagle symbol later appearing on his P-51B