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Joseph Kennedy Jr

On 12 August 1944 Joseph Kennedy Jr. - older brother of the famous President John f. Kennedy - bravely experimented with the first military drones. He flew converted liberator bomber drones high up into British skies and headed towards occupied France as part of Operation Anvil. His objective was to guide the aircraft towards a secret German V3 site at Mimoyecques, before jumping out to safety. But things did not go according to plan: the drone exploded mid-air before Kennedy or his co-pilot could escape the aircraft, killing both. In this documentary, war historian James Rogers explores the story behind Operation Anvil and the fateful final flight of a man who was primed to be a future President of the United States.

  • Jake White
    Director
    Harry, Sea Out, Choose,
  • James Rogers
    Writer
    n/a first film
  • James Rogers
    Producer
    n/a First film
  • James Rogers
    Key Cast
    "Dr James Rogers"
    n/a First film
  • Jake White
    Editor
    Harry, Sea Out, Choose,
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short, Television
  • Genres:
    History
  • Runtime:
    12 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    October 1, 2019
  • Production Budget:
    3,000 GBP
  • Country of Origin:
    United Kingdom
  • Country of Filming:
    United Kingdom
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Loughborough
Distribution Information
  • History Hit TV
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: Internet, Free TV, Console / Handheld Device
Director Biography - Jake White

Jake White is the director and editor of the Untold History TV series on History Hit TV. He is CEO of the production company Sonder Video. Jake is also a writer who has written and directed major productions, such as Sea Out (staring James Cosmo from Game of Thrones) and Harry. Jake has a passion for telling personal stories and complex histories. He is currently writing a new film about the life of First World War nursing pioneer Edith Cavell.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

We are honoured and proud to be able to tell this fascinating history. Joe Kennedy Jr was not only a brave man who fought to protect London from Nazi bombing during the Second World War, but he was also primed by his father (ambassador Joe Kennedy) to be the future President of the United States. Upon Joe Jr's death, the mental fell to his younger brother JFK. The rest, as they say, is history. But Joe's story has understandably been marginalised after his death and the rise of his brother to the presidency. My job, alongside expert historian Dr James Rogers, was to bring this story to life and place Joe Kennedy Jr back into this publically important historiography.