On November 2, 1942, Phil’s crew climbed aboard Super Man (B-24 LIBERATOR) and readied to go to war.  They were heading into a desperate fight.  North to south, Japan’s new empire starched five thousand miles, from the snowboard Aleutians to Java, hundreds of miles north of the equator. 

West to east, the empire sprawled over more than six thousand miles, from the board of India to the Gilbert and Marshall islands in the central Pacific.  In the Pacific, virtually everything above Australia and west of the International Date Line had been taken by Japan.  Only a few eastward islands had been spared, among them the Hawaiian Islands, Midway, Canton, Funafuti, and a tiny paradise called Palmyra.  It was from these outposts that the men of the AAF (U.S. Army Air Force) were trying to win the Pacific, as they saying wen, “one damned island after another.”

That, day, Super Man banked over the Pacific for the first time.  The crews was bound for Oahu’s Hickam Field, were the war had begun for America eleven months before, and were it would soon begin for them.  The rim of California slid away, and then there was nothing but ocean.  From this day forward, until victory or defeat, transfer, discharge, capture, or death took them from it, the vast Pacific would be beneath and around them.  Its bottom was already littered with downed warplanes and the ghost of lost [Sailors, Marines, Soldier and] Airmen.  Every day of this long and ferocious war, more would join them.

Above is taken from the book “Unbroken,” a World War II story of survival, resilience, and redemption.

Many leaders in today’s military are deeply concerned with the resilience of the force—our ability to adapt, endure, and overcome challenges. With that in mind, I recommend reading this book and reflect on the remarkable example. Ask yourself: What made this man so resilient? His story is not just inspiring, but also a case study worth examining, as it offers valuable lessons for leaders and service members alike.

ISBN: 978-0-8129-8711-9