102-Year Old WWII Pacific Bomber Pilot Tells All | #12

Dr. Ralph Reuben Rayner 9 July 1923 – 8 July 2026 ____________________________________ We're excited to share videoed recollections from a B-24 co-pilot who fought in the Pacific War against Japan, in 1944 and 1945. Dr. Ralph Rayner recalls what it was like serving as a B-24 pilot during this turbulent time in world history, and spares no detail of reliving the past, from flying the lumbering giant known as the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, to living on Saipan, Guam and Okinawa and his associated deployments there, to seeing enemy fighters and enduring a barrage of anti-aircraft artillery. As someone who witnessed the landings on Iwo Jima and the end of most devastating conflict in human history, Dr. Rayner's story is one worth telling, with him being one of the few living WWII pilots. Recording Date: 28 January 2025 ____________________________________ Gerad Blume, an aviation historian who kindly lent his expertise on this project, is leading a restoration effort on a B-24 Liberator, with plans on making it airworthy once more in the future. Please consider reaching out to Gerad Blume, and volunteering or donating to this incredible project so another Liberator can take to the skies: www.projectwarbird.com More 'Legends of Aviation' episodes here: https://tinyurl.com/3zmn6s99 For more aviation content, follow us here: Facebook:   / flm.advertising   X (Twitter):   / flightlinemedia   Instagram:   / flightline_media   LinkedIn:   / flight-line-media   Credits— Videographer: Ben Vaughn Editor: Amillia Rumley Director: Andrew Horton Thumbnail: Ariel Horton Narrator: John-Michael Sedor Illustrations (A6M Zero): Douglas Castleman Photos: Ralph Rayner Collection, Gerad Blume, Gerald Asher and US Archives Footage: US Archives Special thanks to Eric Alms, Mark Rayner, Ralph Rayner Jr., Rusty Rayner, Ben Vaugh (Ben donated his contribution as a videographer to this project, an extremely generous gesture), and Gerad Blume. Music: -Accepting Defeat – Experia Chapters: 00:00 – Becoming a USAAF B-24 Pilot 06:56 – Preparing for War and Hypoxia Emergency 09:26 – Comparing the B-17 and B-24 10:12 – While Awaiting Combat Deployment, I was Court-Martialed! 11:35 – Deployed to Saipan to Fight the Japanese 12:55 – Life on Guam, Appreciation for the Service 14:58 – Important Details on B-24 Missions 16:14 – Missions over Iwo Jima 17:07 – Bombing Chichijima Island 17:40 – Emergency Landing without Hydraulics 19:27 – Almost Running out of Fuel 20:11 – Rescuing a Downed B-24 Crew in the Ocean 22:23 – Okinawa Deployment, Mysterious B-24 Crashes 24:08 – Japan Surrenders 24:56 – Final Missions, Post Atomic Bomb Drops 25:24 – Rayner Returns Home 28:26 – Epilogue ___________________________________ •We want to hear from you! If you worked in the field of aviation, and are interested in a potential interview, or would like to nominate someone to be interviewed, send us an email (see below). •If you are interested in sponsoring a future episode, please email us at info@flightlinemedia .co (not .com). Thanks!