E38 - Vietnam Stories with Jim Jay Larkin: Part 1

What was it like to fly during the Vietnam War? Navy pilot veterans have some of the most harrowing stories from the war. They had to make some tough choices in the heat of battle and make life-changing decisions. For many Americans, the Vietnam War is a dark chapter in our history. But for Navy pilot veterans, the war was a time of great courage and bravery. 

Today’s episode is the first part of the story of a Navy pilot who devoted his life to making America great, Jim Jay Larkin. Jim served the country as a Navy pilot for 11 years and ran the FBI SWAT team for 13 years. As a US Navy veteran, Jim will tell the tale of what inspired him to become a Navy pilot, his flight missions, and how he was a hero during the Vietnam war. As vividly as it happened yesterday, Jim will share the story of nearly losing his life in the battle and how his heroism is something all Americans should be proud of.

Enjoy!

In This Episode

04:53 - Backstory of Jim Jay Larkin

08:13 - How Jim discovered what he wanted to do in life

12:34 - Jim's journey to becoming a Navy pilot

28:02 - Why Jim wanted to take part in the Vietnam war

30:25 - His flying missions

35:20 - What part of the movie Top Gun does Jim relate to

38:46 - What is it like to land on an aircraft carrier in the ocean at night

45:54 - December 7, 1971, the night Jim nearly lost his life

1:07:57 - What anyone facing death thinks about

1:11:59 - Jim's last mission

Favorite Quotes

08:03 - "I saw time magazine where the article was about Colonel Robinson Risner, an American hero. He was standing there with his helmet next to an F-105 Thunderchief, and that's the first time in my life I remember saying, that's something that I would really like to do." - Jim Jay Larkin

58:30 - "I had made up my mind a long time that I would not eject. I didn't want to be a prisoner of war. I thought that would be the worst. I would rather survive or die, but I never wanted to eject." - Jim Jay Larkin

59:02 - "In milliseconds, I start thinking about, 'I can't say goodbye to anybody, this is ridiculous. Within 10 to 15 seconds, I'm just going to be vaporized. I'm going to hit the ground. It's not going to hurt one bit. All of a sudden, I'm going to be gone from a conscious mode to I'm gone." - Jim Jay Larkin

1:16:24 - "From day one, when I read about Robinson Risner, I always questioned whether I was capable of doing what I wanted to do or whether I could even be an air force pilot or a Navy pilot. And I thought you're not going to know until you try. I didn't have much confidence in my ability." - - Jim Jay Larkin

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