From The Front To The Films: A World War II Podcast

Narrated by Liev Schreiber. Social Media is an essential tool in telling the real-life stories of World War II's Greatest Generation. For Alaskan teenager Henry De Hoop, social platforms such as Facebook have proven to be an incredible resource in sharing his grandfather, James Schmidt's story, with a global audience. Jim Schmidt, like 16 million others of his generation, served in World War II. But the war journey of Henry's granddad is anything but routine. It's unlike anything most of us have ever heard or even thought possible. Jim Schmidt was keeping a big secret from the military and from his family too. This incredible journey begins in a movie theater in 1942 with the film Parachute Battalion playing on the big screen in San Rafael, California. The United States is now at war on two fronts. The story continues after World War II in Korea at the infamous frozen Chosin Reservoir. It ends in the sweltering jungles of Vietnam more than two decades after WWII is over. To use a 21st Century expression: Grandpa's War Story is About to Go #Viral thanks to Jim Schmidt's social media savvy grandson Henry De Hoop. And what an amazing story it is!

Narrated by Jim Nantz. Their motto in World War II was "We Build. We Fight." This is the story of the United States Navy Construction Battalions in World War II, especially in the Pacific, where these hardened and, many times older men, made up construction teams helped win the war against the Japanese.

We follow 82nd Airborne veteran James "Maggie" Megellas from Wisconsin to Europe, where he fought in some of the most savage battles of World War II. "Maggie" is the most decorated officer in the history of the famed 82nd Airborne Division. Narrated by Tom Kane.

Narrated by Gary Sinise. Jack Taylor was born in St. Louis, Missouri, in 1922. Jack heeded his country's call after the attack on Pearl Harbor drew the United States into World War II. In 1942, he enlisted and served as a decorated Navy Hellcat pilot in the skies over the South Pacific. Then, like so many others of the "Greatest Generation," Jack returned home to raise his family and start a business. Lessons learned in the Navy – including the values of integrity, hard work, team spirit, and simply doing the right thing – helped shape his personality. They also made their mark on the company he founded in 1957, Enterprise Rent a Car. He named his new business after the aircraft carrier he served on, the USS Enterprise, the most decorated American ship in WWII. The incredible story of a World War II veteran utilizing his lessons home from war to establish one of America's most successful post-war companies.

Narrated by actress Jane Lynch. The individual stories of more than two dozen women caught up in World War II, from the American Home Front to Auschwitz Concentration Camp in Poland. Included in this hour-long film are also the personal stories of the incredible women who served in uniform in the military or were "Rosie the Riveters" at home building the tools of war, whether they were black or white. This documentary focuses on the role of women in history's most violent conflict, from the perspective of those who served, witnessed or were caught up in a war that proved women were the equal of men when it came to patriotism, service or in some cases, self-preservation during watershed moments which called for steadfastness.

Narrated by actor Damian Lewis ("Dick Winters" in Band of Brothers). In 2012, a statue was dedicated in Normandy, France recognizing American Junior Officer leadership on D-Day. Thanks to the HBO series Band of Brothers, the figure depicts one of the war's most famous officers, Richard "Dick" Winters of the "Band of Brothers." Hear how the statue came together and how Dick Winters's legacy still resonates in Normandy today.

They comprised World War II's famous Easy Company of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. They were the "Band of Brothers." However, not all who fought were featured in the favorite HBO series. This is the story of the other men of "Easy" who fought alongside their more famous "brothers."

Nattared by Jim Nantz with Kyle Chandler. Elvis Presley had a crucial role in helping to get the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor completed. It's a little-known story you should know about if you're a fan of the "King of Rock and Roll."

Bob Lyons B-29 Superfortress Navigator in the Pacific

Talking Jimmy Stewart and World War II in this edition of our "From the Front to the Films" Zoom Video Podcast. Author Robert Matzen joins us.

Interview with Santa and Mrs. Claus about the World War II Years

Richard Fazzio, D-Day, Omaha Beach, 1st Wave, Podcast. Richard Fazzio was a U.S. Navy Coxswain on June 6, 1944, piloting a Higgins Boat onto Omaha Beach in the 1st wave. He was carrying more than 30 soldiers of the 1st Infantry Division towards one of the most heavily defended sections of Omaha Beach. When the ramp went down on his landing craft all hell broke loose. It's a sight Richard has never been able to completely remove from his mind, nor will he.

Yamamoto "Dead Reckoning" Podcast with author Dick Lehr

"We'll Always Have Casablanca" author Noah Isenberg Joins us to talk about the iconic film

Author Daniel Allen Butler Joins our Podcast to talk about his book "Field Marshal: The Life and Death of Erwin Rommel"

Emmy Award-Winning Actor Kyle Chandler Joins Us (Friday Night Lights, Bloodline, Game Night, Zero Dark Thirty, Argo, Catch 22), along with his wife, Kathryn and Army veteran Jeff Wells, to talk WWII, their new foundation helping veterans, Bill Belichick and of course, Friday Night Lights!

NY Times Best Selling and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Atkinson joins us to talk about D-Day and his incredible WWII Liberation Trilogy of work, An Army at Dawn, The Day of Battle and The Guns at Last Light.

Captain Dale Dye played Colonel Robert Sink in HBO's Band of Brothers and has also been seen in Saving Private Ryan, Platoon, and many other television shows and movies. Dale and his wife Julia also run Warriors Inc, where Dale trains actors for their roles in some of the world's biggest war films. It's been an amazing ride for this decorated veteran of Vietnam.

This episode of From the Front to the Films Zoom Podcast focuses on the 20th anniversary of the World War II film U571. The cast reunion featured U571 director Jonathan Mostow and actors Will Estes, Erik Palladino, Derk Cheetwood and Tom Guiry.

Actor David McCallum of The Great Escape, Colditz, Man from U.N.CL.E. and NCIS joins us.

Jon Seda portrayed "John Basilone" in HBO's series "The Pacific"

Podcast interview with Erik Jendresen, Supervising Producer for all 10 episodes of Band of Brothers, as well as Lead Writer and Co-Creator.

Marcus Brotherton is a New York Times Best-Selling author who has written extensively about World War II. Several of his books have focused on the famous "Band of Brothers", as well as the war in the Pacific. Marcus recently collaborated with Gary Sinise on his book "Grateful American."

Peter Lion is the author of two books which chronicle two of the least-known stories of World War II that highlight not only the courage of soldiers but the compassion and humanity that can occur during times of intense combat.

D-Day as it happened with radio broadcasts, interviews and the sounds of one of the world's most epic moments. From the paratroopers to the infantry on Omaha and Utah Beach, these men were there and became part of history.

They were the first to land on Omaha Beach on D-Day and their stories are just as horrific as you would expect. They fought with the 29th Infantry Division and the First Infantry Division and lived to share their experiences so that history would not forget.

Interview with author Nicholas Evan Sarantakes who wrote an incredible book about the making if the iconic film "Patton." "Making Patton" chronicles to almost two-decades-long effort to bring the movie to the silver screen. Did you know that George C. Scott was not the first choice to play General George Patton? or that the film was shot in Spain or that Omara Bradley and Patton were not as close as portrayed in the film?

Richard "Dick" Cole recently passed away. Dick was the last of World War II's famous Doolittle Raiders, the 80 flyers, aboard 16 B-25s, that left the USS Hornet on April 18, 1942, to drop bombs over Japan. The mission was payback for Pearl Harbor and a huge morale boost to an American public that had known nothing but defeat and loss prior to the Doolittle mission. It is with sadness that we say goodbye to our good friend, but also an honor to have known him. Thanks Lee Kirgan for providing this particular interview with Lt. Col. Cole.

Famous George C. Scott Opening Speech from the movie "Patton" (1972). Patton won seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture, Best Director and Best Original Screenplay. Scott won Best Actor for his portrayal of General Patton but declined to accept the award due to his lingering issues with the Oscar "process" in previous years.

Tim Gray interviews Auschwitz and Holocaust survivor Israel Arbeiter regarding his incredible story during some of the darkest days on World War II. An absolutely amazing story of resilience and courage.

President Ronald Reagan's Famous Normandy Speech: The Ceremony Commemorating the 40th Anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, D-Day 6/6/84. This famous speech was made at Pointe-du-Hoc in Normandy and focuses on the efforts of the 2nd Ranger Battalion to climb the 100-foot cliffs and take our 6 cannons that were supposed to be located on the Pointe. NOTE: Speech begins about 16 seconds into the audio file.

A short segment where we hear from two B-17 crewmen about their experiences over Europe in World War II. Narrated by Dan Aykroyd.

Somebody hat to direct all that boat traffic on D-Day! The job fell to those aboard the Primary Control Ships, who had a huge job to do while under constant fire on June 6, 1944.

The NFL's only 6-time Super Bowl-winning head coach, The New England Patriots Bill Belichick, who grew up in Annapolis, Maryland, the home of the United States Naval Academy and whose own father served in World War II, gives his thoughts on the legacy of Pearl Harbor.

Follow 5 D-Day Veterans as they visit with Students in Normandy, France. The veterans are welcomed to local schools, near the locations in which they landed on June 6, 1944, and talk about their experiences. Narrated by Peter Kessler.