They Captured His Family, So He Changed War Forever

Highlights

• Paul Ervin Gunn replaced all of his teeth with dentures because frequent root canals disrupted his schedule as a navy pilot.

• Paul Ervin Gunn stole a fleet of medium bombers and robbed a supply sergeant with a firearm to obtain the necessary bomb sites.

• Paul Ervin Gunn removed his own pinky finger with the assistance of a medic and a surgeon after repeatedly breaking it while turning wrenches.

• Paul Ervin Gunn mounted eight 50-caliber machine guns and a 75-millimeter Sherman tank cannon into the noses of B-25 Mitchell bombers.

• The tactical modifications developed by Paul Ervin Gunn enabled the destruction of all eight troop carriers at the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.

Timeline

1. 00:00:00 - 01:20:00

   Early Career and Personal Background

   Military service established a foundation in pioneering aviation techniques. Frustration with dental procedures led to unconventional personal decisions before moving to the Philippines with a family.

   • Paul Ervin Gunn served as a navy fighter pilot and stunt pilot who pioneered carrier landings between World War I and World War II.
   • Persistent dental cavities prompted the replacement of all natural teeth with dentures to save time.
   • Relocation to the Philippines occurred after retirement due to favorable living costs.
2. 01:20:00 - 02:47:00

   Outbreak of War and Imprisonment of Family

   Initial attempts to evacuate family members failed as government forces commandeered available aircraft. Strategic declarations transferred regional control to opposing forces, resulting in the captivity of family members and sparking intense motivation for rescue.

   • The attack on Pearl Harbor initiated military mobilization across the Pacific theater.
   • Declaration of Manila as an open city left civilians unprotected under Japanese control.
   • Capture of the wife and children by Japanese forces triggered active military recommissioning.
3. 02:47:00 - 07:34:00

   Aircraft Theft and Tactical Engineering

   Frustration with bureaucratic allocation of resources led to the theft of allied equipment. Engineering modifications solved aerodynamic challenges associated with heavy forward armament, transforming medium bombers into low-level attack platforms.

   • Unauthorized acquisition of medium bombers from Dutch forces provided the foundation for an experimental unit.
   • Bomb sites were recovered through an armed confrontation with a supply sergeant.
   • Multiple 50-caliber machine guns were integrated into the noses of aircraft to enable low-level strafing runs.
   • Surgical amputation of a broken pinky finger eliminated interference with mechanical repair work.
4. 07:34:00 - 13:35:00

   Battle of the Bismarck Sea and Later Modifications

   Tactical innovations disrupted standard naval defensive formations, resulting in the total destruction of an enemy reinforcement fleet. Official recognition followed initial skepticism from engineers, leading to further heavy armament integration before family members were liberated upon hospitalization.

   • Low-level strafing tactics misdirected enemy naval defense maneuvers during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea.
   • Sinkings of eight troop carriers eliminated an entire division of Japanese infantry.
   • Engineering designs were officially adopted into mass production following demonstrations in America.
   • Integration of a 75-millimeter Sherman tank cannon into a bomber nose created a new official aircraft variant.