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Indestructible: One Man's Rescue Mission That Changed the Course of WWII Kindle Edition

4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,353 ratings

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In this remarkable WWII story by New York Times bestselling author John R. Bruning, a renegade American pilot fights against all odds to rescue his family -- imprisoned by the Japanese--and revolutionizes modern warfare along the way.

From the knife fights and smuggling runs of his youth to his fiery days as a pioneering naval aviator, Paul Irving "Pappy" Gunn played by his own set of rules and always survived on his wits and fists. But when he fell for a conservative Southern belle, her love transformed him from a wild and reckless airman to a cunning entrepreneur whose homespun engineering brilliance helped launch one of the first airlines in Asia.

Pappy was drafted into MacArthur's air force when war came to the Philippines; and while he carried out a top-secret mission to Australia, the Japanese seized his family. Separated from his beloved wife, Polly, and their four children, Pappy reverted to his lawless ways. He carried out rescue missions with an almost suicidal desperation. Even after he was shot down twice and forced to withdraw to Australia, he waged a one-man war against his many enemies -- including the American high command and the Japanese--and fought to return to the Philippines to find his family.

Without adequate planes, supplies, or tactics, the U.S. Army Air Force suffered crushing defeats by the Japanese in the Pacific. Over the course of his three-year quest to find his family, Pappy became the renegade who changed all that. With a brace of pistols and small band of loyal fol,lowers, he robbed supply dumps, stole aircraft, invented new weapons, and modified bombers to hit harder, fly farther, and deliver more destruction than anything yet seen in the air. When Pappy's modified planes were finally unleashed during the Battle of the Bismarck Sea, the United States scored one of the most decisive victories of World War II.

Taking readers from the blistering skies of the Pacific to the jungles of New Guinea and the Philippines to one of the the war's most notorious prison camps,
Indestructible traces one man's bare-knuckle journey to free the people he loved and the aerial revolution he sparked that continues to resonate across America's modern battlefields.
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"This is a beautifully told story of a family separated by war, and of an extraordinary father, driven to avenge his family, who by sheer force of character changed the nature of warfare. A superbly told tale of love, honor, courage and devotion."
Alex Kershaw, author of Avenue of Spies

"This thriller-like narrative not only reveals the disturbing plight of courageous American families held in Japanese internment camps, but also delivers a gripping portrait of a uniquely American hero, Pappy Gunn, who fought two wars--one for his country and one to rescue his wife and children."
James Bradley, bestselling author of Flags of Our Fathers, Flyboys, The Imperial Cruise, and The China Mirage

"Paul Irvin Gunn's time in World War II is the stuff of legends - and its fast-paced, page-turning telling in Bruning's book does the man's Herculean feats justice.... The book reads more like an overly-detailed movie script than a work of historical non-fiction, complete with a heart-wrenching love story and heroic conclusion....
Indestructible offers a glimpse of the Pacific theater like you've never before seen."
Men's Journal

"Here is a true story with something for everyone. Love, war, treachery, adventure, and above all an intimate portrait of the made-for-Hollywood life of a man who broke all the rules and remade them to his liking. Finally, we have a book that does justice to the legend of Colonel Paul 'Pappy' Gunn, a giant among heroes of World War II. John Bruning shows us a big-hearted man determined to save his family--and a brilliant scientist-pilot who was determined to win the war along the way."
Adam Makos, author of A Higher Call and Devotion

"From the opening pages, Bruning grabs you by the collar and pulls you into the story, not letting go as he masterfully guides you through a part of World War II that is largely unknown. This is the work of a skilled wordsmith who knows how to tell a story."
Gregory A. Freeman, author of The Forgotten 500

"Set against the sprawling and violent Pacific War,
Indestructible is the incredible story of one man's courage, tenacity and dogged fight to rescue his family caught behind enemy lines. The book left me with chills."
James M. Scott, author of Target Tokyo: Jimmy Doolittle and the Raid that Avenged Pearl Harbor

"Bruning's gripping account of 'Pappy' Gunn's mission to save his family might seem to some like over-the-top fiction, but Gunn's rage really did drive changes to tactics and modifications to aircraft that changed the course of the Pacific War... every lover of bigger-than-life-but-still-true tales of wartime heroism will want to read this vividly written history."
Booklist, starred review

"This is a compelling story with strong characters and a wealth of fascinating incidents, set against some of the fiercest action of the war."
Kirkus Reviews

"[A] story of honor, faith, endurance and love.
Indestructible is a worthwhile read for anyone interested not only in the history of the war in the Pacific but also of determination in the face of daunting odds."―Yakima Herald

"Fast-paced, sweeping, and often haunting."―
The Oregonian

"It's a massive understatement to say that Pappy Gunn was an American original. In this new book, journalist Bruning looks at the improbable life of the one-of-a-kind Arkansas daredevil pilot who took matters into his own hands when his wife and children were captured by the Japanese in the Philippines."
Men's Journal, Best Books of 2016

"In INDESTRUCTIBLE, Bruning does a fine job of recounting two parallel storylines, alternating between Gunn's unconventional brilliance in cobbling together aircraft for the defense of Australia and the campaign in New Guinea, and his family's battle against starvation, the Japanese, and-not least-their fellow internees in the notorious Santo Tomas camp."
WWII Magazine

About the Author

John R. Bruning is the author or collaborating writer of the national bestseller, Indestructible, as well as Outlaw Platoon written with Sean Parnell, Shadow of the Sword with Jeremiah Workman, How to Break a Terrorist with Matthew Alexander, House to House with David Bellavia, The Devil's Sandbox, and Ghost: Confessions of a Counterterrorism Agent with Fred Burton.

Bruning is well traveled as an embedded combat correspondent. For his reporting in Afghanistan, the Department of Defense presented him with the Thomas Jefferson Award in 2010. For his work with the Oregon National Guard, he was inducted into the 162nd Infantry Regiment in September 2011 as an honorary member. John lives in Independence, Oregon, and has two children.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B0151YQZ76
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Grand Central Publishing (October 11, 2016)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ October 11, 2016
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 17861 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 570 pages
  • Page numbers source ISBN ‏ : ‎ 0316339415
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 1,353 ratings

About the author

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John R. Bruning
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John R. Bruning's latest book, "Race of Aces: WWII's Elite Airmen and the Epic Battle to Become the Master of the Sky" will be published by Hachette Book Group this January 14th. It chronicles the extraordinary story of five fighter pilots who competed furiously in the national spotlight to become America's ace of aces during World War II.

John is the collaborating writer or author of twenty-two non-fiction books, including four New York Times best sellers. A graduate of the University of Oregon, John was given a Department of Defense's Thomas Jefferson Award for best article by a photojournalist in 2010 after he wrote about a forced landing in the Hindu Kush region of Afghanistan. He was embedded with 2-162 Infantry, Oregon National Guard during the stability and support operation in New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina in September 2005.

John lives in Independence, Oregon with his two kids, a couch-eating Jordanian dog and a cat who enjoys swimming, hiking in the Cascades, and bossing everyone around.

John can be found at Instagram at:

https://www.instagram.com/john_r_bruning/

and

https://www.instagram.com/sylvie_the_caninecat/?hl=en

and writes about great Americans here:

https://theamericanwarrior.com/

Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
1,353 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story fascinating and heartwarming. They describe the book as interesting and a great companion to WWII events. Readers praise the writing quality as well-written and the content as informative. They appreciate the research and insights into the history of World War II. The book also highlights the strength of the human spirit and perseverance through extreme hardships. It is educational for history buffs and educational for those whose knowledge is limited.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

136 customers mention "Story quality"136 positive0 negative

Customers find the story fascinating and heartwarming. They appreciate the personal story behind the main character. The book is described as a wonderful American story, heroic, and amazing. Readers describe it as a solid historical work.

"...John Bruning has woven a fantastic story together from a multitude of sources, one which is inspirational, entertaining and educational as well...." Read more

"A tad hagiographic. But justifiably. It’s solid historical work and as every viable society requires heroes we might as well have true heroes...." Read more

"It is a great story, but the prose is breathless from beginning to finish, and so full of praise and admiration than I kept wondering what was not..." Read more

"...by “from-the-ground-up” innovation and heroics, it is also a heartwarming story of the burning love of a man for his family and his country – even..." Read more

127 customers mention "Readability"127 positive0 negative

Customers find the book informative and engaging. They describe it as a great companion to WWII and an excellent resource for learning about small actions at the time. The appendix provides alternative perspectives and is considered a valuable addition. Overall, customers consider the book an outstanding biography of a unique and driven man.

"...fantastic story together from a multitude of sources, one which is inspirational, entertaining and educational as well...." Read more

"...He also provides an excellent appendix where he presents alternative versions of important events for which more than one credible version exists...." Read more

"The book was fantastic it was so good and I learned so much reading it...." Read more

"...There are many hidden story's of this nature and I was thrilled to read this book...." Read more

42 customers mention "Writing quality"33 positive9 negative

Customers praise the writing quality of the book. They find it engaging and well-written, with an unrushed pace and clear details. Readers appreciate how the author mirrors Pappy Gunn's experience and reflects his family's struggles. The story is told passionately and clearly.

"...a great story with a defined goal and conflict, the author tells the story in an unrushed pace...." Read more

"...It is a beautifully written telling of the resilience and perseverance of the human spirit, and shows a small microcosm of the resolve of the..." Read more

"...I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The story is well told and is very clear when some details can only be guessed...." Read more

"A very good reading about an exceptional pilot and inventor, a born leader with no respect for useless formalisms, that was one of the developers of..." Read more

32 customers mention "Information quality"27 positive5 negative

Customers find the book well-researched and informative. They appreciate the insight into the innovation needed to win the war in the Pacific. The book blends personal, technical, and historical narratives. It covers a little-known yet exciting part of WWII.

"...His work is obviously very well researched, though I have heard criticisms saying that some of what he tells is not altogether accurate, which I..." Read more

"...John R. Bruning masterfully blends personal, technical, and historical narratives into an emotional and attention-grabbing story that quickly..." Read more

"...This story about P.I. "Pappy" Gunn was well-researched and told in a real page-turning way...." Read more

"...I will give the author a lot of credit for the story. It was very informative and entertaining." Read more

32 customers mention "Strength"32 positive0 negative

Customers find the book inspiring. They appreciate the human spirit, perseverance, and tenacity of the hero. The book also highlights the fortitude of family members and the man's ingenuity and dedication.

"...you’re a patriotic American who admires rugged individualism, courageous innovation and absolute, unwavering dedication to and love of family and..." Read more

"...It is a beautifully written telling of the resilience and perseverance of the human spirit, and shows a small microcosm of the resolve of the..." Read more

"...The story is a tribute to the human spirit and the undying love of family. I couldn't put this book down...." Read more

"...It contains almost unbelievable episodes of daring, such as Pappy stealing American made aircraft given to the Dutch in the Indonesia...." Read more

23 customers mention "History content"23 positive0 negative

Customers find the book's history content fascinating and well-written. They say it provides new insights into World War II and the war with Japan. Readers also mention that the book is educational for those whose knowledge of history is limited. The book includes vivid storytelling and historical battle scenes that are familiar to anyone who has studied the subject.

"...multitude of sources, one which is inspirational, entertaining and educational as well...." Read more

"...Historical battle scenes, familiar to anyone who has studied the subject, take on a new perspective when told through the eyes of one man...." Read more

"...John R. Bruning masterfully blends personal, technical, and historical narratives into an emotional and attention-grabbing story that quickly..." Read more

"...Read this book to improve your knowledge of WWII history. But also read it as a biography of a whole family of heroes. Bravo!" Read more

13 customers mention "Engrossed reader"13 positive0 negative

Customers are captivated by the story. They find it fascinating and gripping, keeping their attention from start to finish. The book portrays a true legend as a family man who never gives up.

"...He was an extremely devoted, loving husband and family man to his wife and four children...." Read more

"This book is an incredibly gripping and moving tale of a little-known legend of the Army Air Force in the Pacific War...." Read more

"...The story is fascinating and will keep you glued to the book. Pappy was a living legend...." Read more

"...He never lets up and he never gives up in his fight to give his pilots the weapons to survive and to defeat a superior enemy...." Read more

11 customers mention "Pacing"11 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's pacing. They find it engaging, exciting, and hard to put down. The author takes readers to the places and events in a moving story. Readers appreciate the informational content and good pictures at the end.

"...together from a multitude of sources, one which is inspirational, entertaining and educational as well...." Read more

"...Mr. Bruning doesn’t just tell a great story – he takes you to the places and events; he makes you the proverbial “fly on the wall”...." Read more

"...It was very informative and entertaining." Read more

"...way in which the author told Pappy’s story was so fascinating and so moving that I was literally in tears for the last 15 pages of the narrative...." Read more

Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2016
    To win a war, especially a war of the magnitude of World War II, it takes soldiers who are absolutely driven to defeat the enemy, as well as tactics and innovative weapons which help those soldiers get the job done. During World War II, the United States had such a soldier: Paul I. "Pappy" Gunn.

    Pappy had served in the U.S. Navy for several years before retiring and moving his family to the Philippines and becoming a founding member of Philippine Air Lines. Along the way, he learned how to fly and how to fix almost anything that flew. When the Japanese attacked the Philippines in December, 1941, he was made a part of the USAAF and assigned a wide variety of missions around the islands: flying supplies to various places, moving personnel to and fro, attacking the Japanese when possible with the meager forces at hand, and keeping the tiny amount of aircraft available to him flightworthy. It was during one such mission where he ended up in Australia and the Japanese closed off his chances to return to the Philippines and rescue his family. As it turned out, this was to have a far-reaching impact on the way the war progressed in the Pacific.

    Since he couldn't rescue his family, Pappy became a man possessed with the idea of defeating the Japanese as soon as possible. To this end, he waged a maverick war on his own: stealing supplies at gunpoint, "acquiring" planes which were slated for other places and making modifications which weren't approved by a higher authority. Eventually he caught the eye a few like-minded individuals and began converting existing bombers into gunships which would devastate anything in their path. One of these individuals was General George Kenney, the new commander of the 5th Air Force. An innovator himself, he and Pappy were kindred spirits who worked in cooperation to make the 5th AF a more potent and feared fighting force. The fruits of their labors were on full display in early 1943 when a convoy of Japanese ships attempting to land reinforcements in New Guinea was annihilated by the new gunships which Pappy helped create. From then on, the Japanese remained firmly on the defensive and never gained the upper hand in the Southwest Pacific.

    But this book isn't just about Pappy and his battles against the Japanese. He was an extremely devoted, loving husband and family man to his wife and four children. Leaving them behind in Manila when the Japanese invaded caused him untold mental anguish and provided the maniacal drive to defeat the Japanese. His family ended up being held prisoner in Santo Tomas, a university in Manila which was converted into a prison. Lack of food, diseases, cruel Japanese guards and untrustworthy fellow inmates provided a never-ending stream of obstacles to survival for the Gunn family. While they didn't know what had happened to Pappy, they always held out hope he would arrive to rescue them.

    This book reads like a novel at times and some of the stories about Pappy's exploits are acknowledged as being unconfirmed, but that doesn't stop the flow of the narrative. John Bruning has woven a fantastic story together from a multitude of sources, one which is inspirational, entertaining and educational as well. I've read dozens of books on the 5th AF and the air combat over the Pacific, and I learned a few things from this book. A welcome addition to my library!
    41 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 13, 2024
    A tad hagiographic. But justifiably. It’s solid historical work and as every viable society requires heroes we might as well have true heroes. They’re far more durable and beneficial than the MacArthur variety.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on December 19, 2024
    It is a great story, but the prose is breathless from beginning to finish, and so full of praise and admiration than I kept wondering what was not said and why it was not said.

    It's also written from a point of view that makes you wonder if the author had some sort of time traveling camera that could follow every step of every person's travails.

    A little more objectivity and distance would have helped considerably. Content -- 5 stars. Objectivity -- minus one star.
  • Reviewed in the United States on December 24, 2017
    The only reason I give this book 5 stars is because there’s no option for giving it 6. I know the cliché “riveting” is often used when describing a good book, but I use reluctantly it since it is cliché and since it is an understatement. Mr. Bruning doesn’t just tell a great story – he takes you to the places and events; he makes you the proverbial “fly on the wall”. His work is obviously very well researched, though I have heard criticisms saying that some of what he tells is not altogether accurate, which I say is probably largely nonsense. Indeed, it is impossible for anyone to know the utter details of some of the situations presented in the book 70 years after they occurred, but John freely acknowledges as much pointing out when appropriate that the nitty gritty details may have been embellished in some way, though the embellishments do not detract from the undisputable reality of the events depicted. He also provides an excellent appendix where he presents alternative versions of important events for which more than one credible version exists. However, none of this detracts from the “riveting”, page turning action of the incredible story of Paul Irving Gunn’s amazing accomplishments as he drives himself to near collapse from exhaustion as he tries to fight his way back to his lovely family stranded in Manila and held captive by the Japanese in a prison camp fashioned from a once stately university campus. Gunn is an amazing fighter who’s psychological makeup has excluded the concept of “can’t”. He will let NOTHING – not the Japanese or the US Army Bureaucracy – stop him or get in his way. Sometimes he finds humorous – if not exactly “legal” – ways around the bureaucracy even if a .45 semi-automatic pistol is needed as a prod to get things moving. In addition to being a very important part of the story of WWII in the Pacific and how the tide was turned sharply against the enemy by “from-the-ground-up” innovation and heroics, it is also a heartwarming story of the burning love of a man for his family and his country – even when the desk jockey bureaucrats of his country get in his way. At the end of the full 500 pages of story text, I was still wanting more. Every time I had 10 extra minutes to myself during the day, my nose was planted in this book. If you’re a patriotic American who admires rugged individualism, courageous innovation and absolute, unwavering dedication to and love of family and country, this book is for you. John R. Bruning is indeed a master with a keyboard.
    6 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • cadickie
    5.0 out of 5 stars A real story that took place during the 2nd World War, Pacific Theatre
    Reviewed in Canada on November 15, 2018
    While the story teller seemed to embellish some of the deeds of "Pappy Gunn", it was an excellent book about the invasion of the Philippines, and the efforts to keep the Imperial Japanese Army from gaining control of Australia. I have lived in both New Guinea and the Philippines and always heard tales about the war. I particularly was interested in what the wife and 4 children went through at San Tomas during their 3 year internment. And the book illustrates the ingenuity of "Pappy" and his will to do anything to defend Australia and try to get back to his family. It was a fine example of the will and determination of many people who helped to win the 2nd World War. A very good read and a necessary one because I sometimes feel we do not hear enough about the Pacific War. And I will repeat what the Europeans now say about the European side of the war. "Never Again!"
    One person found this helpful
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  • Paul Davies
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing True Story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 9, 2020
    I first became aware of Pappy Gunn and the Battle of the Bismarck Sea when I read Martin Caidin's fictionalized version of events,Whip.I've always been fascinated by how B25s transformed into devastating low level attackers in the Pacific theatre.This book explains how it happens.Pappy Gunn was a truly extraordinary man,a character who was so larger than life,you couldn't make him up.
  • Silver Fox
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing. Pappy was a hands on git'er done type ...
    Reviewed in Canada on February 3, 2018
    Amazing. Pappy was a hands on git'er done type of guy who used his ingenuity and common sense skills. Like every other scenario such as big business if they would listen and pay attention "to the suggestions from guys on the front line" life would be easier.how many lives were lost and internal suffering we will never know but he definitely made the war int he South Pacific against the Japanese shorter by doing what he did at the risk of his own life and money. The bureaucrats in Washington,commanding officers(not all) and unbelieving engineers should be ashamed. Remember the ' Titanic was built by experts? the Ark by amateurs'. The other John Bruning put every thing in perspective and made a part of history interesting to read.
  • Franklin Orfe
    5.0 out of 5 stars FINE REMARKABLE STORY OF PAPPY GUN WHO CHANGED AERIAL WARFARE ...
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 23, 2017
    FINE
    REMARKABLE STORY OF PAPPY GUN
    WHO CHANGED AERIAL WARFARE IN THE South Pacific
  • Sometimes_me
    4.0 out of 5 stars Four Stars
    Reviewed in Canada on May 18, 2017
    Exactly what I wanted.

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