Encore : Beyond Valor: The 'Red' Erwin Story - Interview with Jon Erwin - I

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Today on a new beginning, Pastor Greg Laurie invites author John Irwin to tell their riveting story of the heroism displayed by his own grandfather on a routine mission to chorionic Japan.

A bomb erupted in his face on border between nine Super Fortress. John's dad hanker when the smoke is now filling the plane.

Pilot has lost control. He's now going into a dove toward the Pacific. And it looks curtains for everybody.

My grandfather in that split second moment had a choice to make.

His buddies lives were at stake. He knew if he didn't do something, everybody was going to die, including him.

His answer to that call and the choice that he would make would define his life and generations of lives and lead to the fastest presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor that we know of in our nation's history.

Such a powerful edition of a new beginning coming your way today. Glad you're along. Pastor Greg Laurie and author John Irwin are here with us today. Pastor Greg, are you good with equations?

If that involves math, the answer is no.

Well, well, here's an easy one. OK. You take the true story of an American hero with lots of suspense and danger. You add the fact that many men's lives were at stake. You can kind of feel the tension already, can't you? Add the fact that a world war was hanging in the balance. Give that story to a gifted storyteller who also happens to be a gifted movie director, who also happens to be the real life grandson of the hero of the story. And I'm already smelling popcorn and a box of junior mints.

Is that what you have together? Popcorn and junior mints? I don't know if I agree with that. I talk about equations. It's popcorn in Milk Duds. Things like snot junior mints are kind of their own thing. But yes, you're talking about a brand new book that has just been written by my friend John Irwin. And the title of the book is Beyond Valla. Subtitle A World War Two Story of Extraordinary Heroism, Sacrificial Love in a Race Against Time. And John, of course, is a director along with his brother, Andy. They run Kingdom Studios, which is under the umbrella of Lionsgate Studios. And they did the film, I can only imagine more recently. I still believe and now John has taken his skills because really, when it's all said and done, John is not just the director. He's a storyteller. And he's telling us a powerful, true story about his own grandfather. Read Irwin, if that's right.

You know, we call Kingdom a story company. And, you know, we love to tell stories that move people that are entertaining first and foremost. And we just feel like the right story, you know, can can change your life. And we love stories that uplift and inspire and spread the hope of the gospel to the world, you know, through entertainment. And that's the goal. And God is at work in Hollywood and even in the midst of the year that we're having. And it's a wonderful opportunity to be able to tell stories that can change lives. And so this is our first book. And of course, Greg, you've written many books. But some of it was inspired by the books you've written. I mean, we can tell this in a book form that this has always been the story that has been the inspiration to Andy Nice Brand and our film career in movies like I Can Only Imagine and I still believe in Woodlawn. Our grandfather's story is sort of the one that inspires them all. Yeah. And so it's it's a wonderful opportunity to share this story with the world in book form.

Well, it's really a story of heroism. And, you know, I think we throw the word or the term hero around rather loosely. If a guy knows, you know, five chords and a guitar, he's a good Targ arrow. If he can drop a ball in a basket or kids who pass, he's a sports hero. But though those are impressive acts, they're not really heroism. A hero is someone that sacrifices some of the puts and needs of others above himself. And your grandfather was a real hero. Tell us what he did, this act of heroism that caused him to be awarded this incredible Medal of Honor by the president of the United States, million in the Medal of Honor, as is our nation's highest military honor.

And it's given for acts of extraordinary heroism beyond the call of duty. And very few of them have ever been awarded. And my grandfather's that, from what we know is is the fastest presentation, the Medal of Honor in history. It was a real race against time. And. And he was a radio operator onboard a B twenty nine Super Fortress. They call him Retter when it scraped red hair, looked a lot like Matt Damon before going off to war. He didn't have to serve when he was 12 years old. His dad died and he he became the breadwinner of the family. But as with so many in that generation, he was so moved with patriotism after Pearl Harbor that he and he also didn't want his brothers to go. He he signed up and just before he went on a whirlwind romance. He met married my my grandmother, Betty. And they were married about three months before he shipped off. And he basically wants to be a fighter pilot, couldn't get the landing.

And he became a radio operator on a between his super torture's to be 29 was the most extraordinary aircraft of the day, is Illumine. It was beautiful. This glass nose force famously is the plane that dropped atomic bombs. And it was the first pressurized cabin, first computerized gun system. It was just a really magnificent aircraft and designed for one thing, which was to win the war on Japan. You know, without a land invasion, which is the only time that's ever been done. And so he flew in many raids. His plane was called the city of Los Angeles.

And basically, they were the lead plane on these. Mission, so you can imagine six or eight hundred of these massive bombers. And they were the lead plane.

How many crew members would be on one of those?

There'd be 11 crew members. I'll be 29. And one of his jobs as the radio operator was to drop a phosphorus flare when they approached the target and signal all the other planes into formation. And he had done this many times. Phosphorus is terrible, terrible stuff. It can burn up to 2000 degrees. It burns through steel. You can't put it out of burned water. Just horrible stuff. It it burns white hot. And so the other planes could see it and come information. And on this particular raid, April 20th, 1945, a radio in Korea, in Japan. He did what he always did. And it was his job to drop that bomb. And they hit an air pocket. And instead of the bomb deploying, it shot back up into the plane, exploded in his face and filled the plane with toxic smoke. And the plane went into an immediate dove and they were only 15 hundred feet. And it was really just a question of whether they were going to crash into the ocean and die or whether it was going to erupt. The six tons of bombs on the plane. And, you know, explode all the planes around them. And my grandfather was very devout. And he said on the plane he felt a presence with him on the plane. It blinded him. It it severely burned him, just that first explosion. And in some sort of a superhuman shouldn't have been able to do it act. He just felt at peace in a presence with him, felt God with him on the plane. And he went for the bomb instead of away from him. And he found it, clutched it like a football and began about a 20 foot march to the front of the plane and just erupted like a human fireball and moved at a moving navigator's table. It's here, his handprint in the navigator stable and got to the front of the plane. And there was a colonel onboard. Colonel Strauss was sitting in the copilot seat very calmly said, excuse me, sir. And over his shoulder, he got the bomb out of the plane through the window. Smoke cleared the plane and they pulled up at 300 feet just seconds from disaster. Now, normally, you wouldn't ever turnaround. Curtis LeMay, who is sort of like the pattern of the Pacific. It was mission of over the man. But because that colonel was onboard to observe the raid and he was so moved by what he saw. My grandfather collapsed in flames and they were trying to put me out. He said, turn this plane around. You know, I don't I don't care what they do to me. Turn this plane around. And he and that started a series of irregular events that led to an extraordinary presentation of the Congressional Medal of Honor. It normally takes at least a year. It takes a lot has to sort of almost be almost like a trial to see if this act was worthy of being, you know, an act above and beyond the call of duty. But everyone thought he was going to die. And so they landed the plane. He would jema the airstrip. He would cima it just opened. And they had to cut a hole in the plane to get him out. And that night, the captain, Simbel and Strauss wrote the citation for the Congressional and of Honor. At 5:00 in the next morning, they press on Guam. Curtis LeMay with this story. He was so moved by it that he used his sort of abrasive personality to get it to Washington while all this happened the day FDR died. And so as Truman's first day in office and here comes this letter from this hero in the Pacific. Truman was famous for saying he'd rather have the Medal of Honor than be president, the United States. And he was so moved by it. Did he get it approved through Congress in seven hours? It's never happened before. Wow. So sort of the word was, we're going to give the Medal of Honor to this war hero posthumously. Again, everybody, those can die. But LeMay was insistent. He said, I want to pin the Medal of Honor on this kid's neck before he dies. Trouble is, there was only one Medal of Honor in the entire Pacific, which it was at a display case in Pearl Harbor when ethe Medal of Honor, you get a medal and you get a matching display medal. And it was a display medal, the general in Pearl Harbor. And so they they stripped out to be 29, very long flight secret missions, secret crew. They flew from Guam to Pearl Harbor. Wow. And in the early morning hours, April 17th, they they got onto the base. They got into the general's office. They couldn't they couldn't find the key. So they smashed the display case, stole the Medal of Honor and fluid back to him to his bedside. And within one week, pinned the Medal of Honor on his nasch. And it's fastest that we know of on record ever for the men of honor. And he was severely burned. In fact, LeMay asked him if there was anything he could do. And he said, I would love to see my brother who was on SkyPan. The actor Tyrone Powers was there and swamps where everybody got involved and flew. Mike, my grandfather's brother, brother to his bedside and he didn't even recognize him because he was so severely burned and wrapped up like a mummy. And he clung to life. He'd already had several surgeries, got home. My grandmother had only really been informed that he had been injured. She didn't know the extent of it. And in many cases, people in the burn ward, their wives would literally sort of disown them just out of shock. And he was so good looking when he left and she came in and he clutched the bomb like a football. So the whole right side of his body, his arm was fuzed in place, the right side of his face. You think Phantom of the Opera. He had a hard time eating, so he's down 85 pounds and she found the only unburned portion of his cheek. On the other side, and just immediately, without hesitation, kissed him, said, welcome home. I love you. I'm here. And that gave him the will to live. And he endured, I think, 40 surgeries at all. And they had five kids after the war. My dad being the second. And he he worked for four for the V.A. for over 30 years, helping other other veterans get their benefits. And he died when I was 19. He had incredible memory of these things. And to my everlasting shame, I was a teenager at the time and I just didn't listen. And it wasn't until his funeral that there were generals there. There were all these military honors. It was a sleeting January morning and a bomber from the 10th Airforce found its way underneath the clouds and tipped its wings. And and there were two soldiers echoing each other, playing taps. And for like two hours, they stood just in sleeting rain, like brought bronze statues. And I remember going up to them afterwards and just we just said, I'm so sorry that you had to do this. And thank you. And they said, no, don't don't say that. This is an honor like your grandfather is one of our nation's heroes. And it just something clicked, you know? And I immediately asked who was my grandfather? And that led me on sort of a nation wide sort of search to interview the survivors and his surviving crew members and and discovering this story. And and, you know, it's one of my hopes for the book is that people will take the time, especially with that generation, because there's so few of them that we have left to just listen to these incredible stories and and understand what your legacy is. And so that's the story. And and I remember holding the Medal of Honor in my hands when I was probably seven years old. I was very young. I had no idea what I was holding. Now, this this blue ribbon is gold medal. And and my grandfather sort of saying over over my shoulder, freedom isn't free. You know, it comes at a cost. I didn't understand his words at the time, but but as I grew up, you know, they they were there for me. And. And so I think that America, our nation is is is given to us by heroes that have sacrificed so much. And he would always say that I'm not a hero. It's the guys that didn't come back. They're the heroes. And and I hope that this book is just another story that honors them and and their sacrifice and and really shows that greater love has no man than the one that would lay his life down for his friends, you know. And that's the story.

That's an amazing story. Remember the first time I heard you tell it in some depth? I was with you and Mel Gibson. And he'd been working on the life story of Desmond Doss. And it was made into a film called Hacksaw Ridge. And I'm maybe you telling him about your grandfather, what Desmond Doss was awarded this same medal, was he not, John?

That's right. That's right. You knew each other so well, Desmond Doss, you know, he man Alabama late in life.

Exactly. I mean, this this is this is, you know, rare company. These these people from World War Two. I remember I got to know Louis Zamperini toward the end of his life, and he, too, was a herald of World War Two. And it's almost like they were cut from a different cloth. These guys I once asked Louie, Louie, you know, your generation, we call them the greatest generation. What was it that helped you to get through the hardship? There was such an uncertain future with with the rise of the Nazis in Hitler's and then the empire of Japan and in so many young Americans dying overseas. And Louis told me that they were hardy. And I asked him to define it. And he just sort of a true grit, if you will. But but I think in your grandfather's case, it was more than being hardy and true grit. As you said, he felt a presence. God was with them. And, you know, you stop and think if Henry Irwin, better known as red. He had not done that. There would have been you know, they would have all died. And eleven those men on the crew, their families, their children, their grandchildren, their great grandchildren would have been a whole different story. But because of what he did, it impacted so many other lives. And and, of course, we come back to the statement of Jesus, which you quoted, Greater love has no man than this. The need lay down his life for his friends. And so folks of you want to read a powerful, inspiring story, a real page turner, as they say, but not a fictional work, a true historical story, but told in a powerful way by expert storyteller John Irwin. Then he went to order a copy of this brand new book, Beyond Valor, that we will make available to you for your gift. Of any size, they help us continue to bring the gospel to people and teach the word of God to people all around the world.

John, there's obviously a lot in the book about your grandfather's World War two experiences. But, you know, the main point of the book is that he was that it was deeper than that. That it's not that the World War Two experience made him what he was. It's just that it revealed what kind of a man he was. Explain that.

That's exactly right. I got really interested in just the psychology of these heroic acts. Who is able to, you know, grab a bomb and marched to the front of a plane and, you know, am I. You know, and who's able to jump on a grenade or just do these extraordinary things like Desmond Doss, you know, from that from the movie Hecks origin and just keep going back. And it was very interesting. I was talking to Gary Latrelle, who was president, the Medal of Honor Society, the time at their museum in Charleston on the aircraft carrier and the Medal of Honor Museum. And I just said I asked him that question, like, how do you decide to do these things? And he said something so interesting. He said it's not a decision. It's a moment where it's too quick to be able to decide. So what's is in your character is just revealed in that moment? Yes. And in the moment, that is too quick for a decision. You know, you find out who you really are. And I thought that that was so interesting because I with my grandfather, you know, he had had such a pattern in his life because his dad died so early. Of sacrificing his own needs for the needs of those that he loved. And in every instance, I feel like love of country is what made them join. But love of each other is what empowers these extraordinary acts. It really is doing these things because you love the person beside you. Yes. And I thought that was interesting. And in a moment, too quick to decide that character that he had was revealed and he did what he always did, which was to sacrifice his own needs and his own well-being. And, you know, what was nearly his own life for those people around him and to save them. And I thought that that was very interesting and very relevant to our time. You know, we live in a very narcissistic time. And the other thing that I thought was interesting was Gary said, you know, your generation, like America, is a nation bound together and held together by ideas and ideals and by faith. And and he just said, you know, your generation has no concept of what the Medal of Honor is and what it means and what going above and beyond the call of duty means. And how important that is to the fabric of our nation. It's being lost at the time. There was only about 50 living recipients of the Medal of Honor. Most of them were over 50. There's been some young people more recently, but there was this fear that the legacy of the Medal of Honor will sort of fade away. And again, I think it's such a biblical thing. You know, Jesus said if somebody asked you to go one mile, go to do more than is required of you. And and that that is what landed with a.. Nice film. Careers to go further and do more. Go above and beyond. And. And I think there's a lot to learn just through studying heroes and what empowers them to do what they do. And again, my my grandfather's faith was such a huge. He was very devout. It was such a huge part of his ability to do this. And the last conversation I ever had with him, he quoted the verse, you know what Jesus says on the way, the truth and life. And no one comes to the father but by me. That was the last conversation I had with him. And I think legacy is this interesting word. You know, it's something that you receive and it's also something that you that you give and you can't really know where you going until you understand where you come from. And so for me, it was a big part of understanding my own legacy and understanding my own heritage, you know, which is like the Psalmist would say is good. And to then understand, you know, the legacy that I wanted to pass down. And I just can't recommend enough. I would give anything to go back and revisit those conversations as a man, as a boy. I think when he when he died. And truly understand and listen to what he did. I wasn't able to which led me on this journey around America to listen to others that he knew and to those that he saved. I can't recommend enough with so few of that great generation left. And there was such a grit and such a dedication and such character to that generation. And you feel like maybe these are things that we're losing or have lost. And I just can't recommend enough stopping in listening to your grandparents or your great grandparents and just listen to their stories. And I think that would be the big the big thing that I would hope would come out of this book is people that would stop and just truly take some time while they're still here and just listen and understand. What's your legacy is? Because it'll change you.

If you could ask your grandfather one question, what would it be?

Man, I would listen to his stories and I would be interested in his answer to how did you do this? How did you grab that bomb and walk me through that moment of decision for you? Because I would aspire to be a person that would make the right choice in a similar moment. And, you know, you ask yourself that question. Am I. Is that does that DNA. It passed down. And so I would I would ask him about that moment. And I think the question that I would ask him to do is tell me a few of his stories. And I would really listen. I didn't do. We had a great relationship, but I just didn't listen to his stories. I was a teenager involved in other things and thinking about other things. And so you would either be asking about making that moment of decision or just asking him to tell me a few stories and really sitting there. So sit there and intently listen. I wish I could go back and. Yeah.

Well, I think you've more than made up for it. John. And I think your grandfather would be really proud of the fact that you went out and sought out his old buddies and got the story and now you're sharing it with others. You know, I just think the other day old people are young people who have just live longer. You know, I remember when I was a little kid, I'd look at old people, really old people. And I would actually think, this is the child, of course. Or do these people come from, you know, and then one day you wake up and you're one of them. I speak from experience because does don't feel like an old person, but I am an older person now. And and I think a lot of times we look at older folks and and we see that maybe they're not as mobile as they used to be or they're having the challenges that will come to everyone in time. But what we fail to see is they have all of that wisdom, hopefully no luck. Not all old people are filled with wisdom. There are some people that literally have wasted their lives. But then there are those that have lived wonderful, interesting, important lives. And there's so much to learn from them. And I hope someone listening to me right now will take time to learn your family history from your grandparents or even great grandparents of their still living. But John is taken that to the next level as he's researched the story of his grandfather, Henry read Irwin. And he's put it down in a powerful book that you can now get for yourself and read this amazing story. The book is called Beyond Valla. It's the story of a true American hero, but also it's a story of a man who was motivated by his faith. And the last thing he said to his grandson, or at least the last thing his grandson John, remembered in their conversation was he quoted Jesus and John 14 six, or he said, I am the way the truth and the life. And no man comes to the father, but by me because of the sacrifice of Henry Irwin. Many people are alive today. And so this is a story you need to hear and it will inspire you and encourage you as well.

Yeah, that's right. And as you read, you'll begin to feel like, you know, this Medal of Honor winner yourself. It's an engaging book about a moment in time that defined a man's entire life and reflected the greatest generation. You'll be glad you read this. So let us send the book your way. The full title is Beyond Valor, a World War two story of Extraordinary Heroism, Sacrificial Love and a Race Against Time. Just ask for Beyond Valor when you contact us. We're making it available to thank you for your investment in the work we do here on a new beginning. We're all about knowing God and making him known. So many find Christ through Pastor Gregs preaching of the gospel. One person posted a comment on social media that said, Thank you, Pastor Greg. I've been an atheist for 15 years and lately I've been questioning everything I saw on Facebook that the president said he was tuning into Greg Laurie. So I decided to tune in. And right when I did, he said someone watching is scared of death and doesn't know if they're right with God. And I started to cry. I accepted Jesus into my heart. Well, we are so thankful for the investments in this ministry that allow us to reach people just like that. So we invite you to partner with us today. And when you do, we'll send you John Irwin's brand new book called Beyond Valor. Riteish had a new beginning box 4000. Riverside, California. Nine two five one four. Or call one 800 eight to one thirty three. That's one 800 eight two one three three zero zero. Or go online to harvest dot org.

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