Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories

In 1939, R.K. Montgomery attended the Royal Military Academy to become a Royal Engineer Officer in the British Army. He graduated right before World War II. His interest in explosives prompted him to pursue additional special training to become a demolitions expert in the Commandos. The Commandos (or British Commandos) were an elite group that gained fame for their rigorous training and distinctive green berets. In 1942, the Commandos launched Operation Chariot, a.k.a. the St. Nazaire Raid, to take out a dry dock that was crucial to the Germans. ‘Dry docks’ were docks that could be drained of water via a caisson in order to repair the hulls of ships. In order to destroy this dock, the Commandos traveled on the HMS Campbeltown, a ship that was made to look like a Möwe class German torpedo destroyer. LtCol Montgomery’s demolition teams packed the Campbeltown full of explosives, snuck it into the dock (only semi-successfully) and blew it up, taking the cassion with it. During the Raid, Lieutenant Colonel R.K. Montgomery was injured by an explosion, and then caught by German forces. He spent three years as a POW in Germany, and was released at the end of the war. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After World War Two, Germany was split up and occupied by the United States, France, Britain and the Soviet Union. In June of 1948, the U.S., France, and Britain announced they were creating a unified West German currency. Joseph Stalin opposed this unification, and cut off land routes from Berlin to West Germany. In order to bypass the land routes, bombers transported supplies (primarily food) and delivered them to West Berlin in what was called Operation Vittles. Colonel Gail S. Halvorsen was one of several pilots recruited to fly these missions. One day, after sneaking out and flying to Berlin for some R&R, COL Halvorsen met some local children who were survivors of the war. Talking with them changed his life, and he decided he wanted to do something to help them. He returned to base, gathered as much candy and gum as he could, fashioned parachutes with handkerchiefs, and put all the goodies inside. The next day, he flew over West Berlin and dropped the parachutes full of candy out of his bomb bay. The children were delighted. COL Halvorsen did this several more times, and gained international acclaim for his actions. To learn more about COL Halvorsen, check out his book, The Berlin Candy Bomber. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MOMM3 Norman Jensen served on submarines as a combat cameraman during WW2. After attending diesel and submarine school, he served on the USS Proteus, which was stationed in Guam. Then, Jensen transferred to the USS Queenfish where he first started taking pictures. His photos grabbed the attention of some officers, and he was transferred to the USS Cod. There, he was a motor Machinist, but his unofficial duty was to serve as a combat photographer. The Cod became famous after it rescued Dutch sailors aboard the O-19 which had gottens stuck in coral in the Ladd Reef. The Cod attempted to pull the O-19 free, but eventually the decision as made to welcome the Dutch sailors aboard the Cod and sink the O-19 to prevent it from being captured by the Japanese. Jensen documented the entire rescue. Jensen continued to document on the Cod during several attacks, and once was nearly shot by a machine before he dove into the hatch to safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Motor Machinist’s Mate 3rd Class Norman Jensen served on submarines as an unofficial combat cameraman during WW2. – After attending diesel and submarine school, Norman Jensen served on the USS Proteus, which was stationed in Guam. Then, Jensen transferred to the USS Queenfish where he first started taking pictures. His photos grabbed the attention of some officers, and he was transferred to the USS Cod. There, he was a motor Machinist, but his unofficial duty was to serve as a combat photographer. The Cod became famous after it rescued Dutch sailors aboard the O-19 which had gottens stuck in coral in the Ladd Reef. The Cod attempted to pull the O-19 free, but eventually the decision was made to welcome the Dutch sailors aboard the Cod and sink the O-19 to prevent it from being captured by the Japanese. Jensen documented the entire rescue. Jensen continued to document on the Cod during several attacks, and once was nearly shot by a machine gun before he dove into the hatch to safety. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we're sharing an episode from our other show, the Medal of Honor Podcast, as a bonus episode. Episodes of the Medal of Honor Podcast are short – just a few minutes each, and every week, Ken highlights a different service member who has distinguished themself through an act of bravery, earning our nations highest award for valor. The Medal of Honor Podcast is a great companion to Warriors in their Own Words. Follow The Medal of Honor Podcast wherever you get your shows. This episode is about Captain Eddie Rickenbacker. Rickenbacker served as a pilot in WWI, and was awarded the Medal of Honor for destroying two enemy aircraft in a one-versus-seven dogfight behind enemy lines. He also was awarded eight Distinguished Service Crosses for his other aerial victories. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CMSGT Morrell rode along on bomber missions over Europe as a combat cameraman in order to document them. He was called upon several times to replace gunners after they had been killed, and was shot down three times during his service. – Doug Morrell joined the Army Air Corps two years before World War Two as a combat cameraman. He completed glider pilot training, and was sent to the University of Southern California for a year to study film and photography. Once the war started, Morrell accompanied crews on various missions all over Europe and Africa. It was his job to document the mission with film or photos so that the operation’s execution could be evaluated afterwards. He almost exclusively flew on bomber missions, and was called upon several times to replace gunners mid-fight after they had been killed. As a result, he was provided with the gunner’s wings despite never going to gunnery school. On one mission, Morrell’s aircraft was shot down over the “Iron Gates” of Romania. As a navigator was bailing Morrell and a gunner out, he made a mistake that sent them miles away from where the rest of the crew landed. The two of them spent twenty-six days evading capture and walking across the mountains of modern day Kosovo and northern Albania. Eventually they reached the Adriatic Sea, where they paid a fisherman to take them to Italy where they could meet up with allied forces. Morrell was later shot down in Romania again, but this time he was captured by German forces. He was kept in a prison camp for four and a half months before being rescued by the Russians. After that, he was sent back to the States. These two incredible stories earned him the nickname “The Legend,”, but his adventures were far from over. He was redeployed to Europe during the Cold War, spent five years in Panama documenting civic actions, and served in Korea and Vietnam. In Vietnam, Morrell would be shot down for a third and final time, where he shattered a bone in his ankle on landfall. He landed in hostile territory, and radioed for help. Nine hours and one firefight later, Morrell was air evaced to safety. You can learn more about this story here. After being shot down over enemy lines for the third time and escaping, Chief Master Sergeant Doug Morrell truly cemented himself as “The Legend. He was later awarded the Combat Camera Lifetime Achievement Award and the AIr Force Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CMSGT Morrell rode along on bomber missions over Europe during WWII as a combat cameraman. He was called upon several times to replace gunners after they had been killed, and was shot down three times during his service. – Doug Morrell joined the Army Air Corps two years before World War Two as a combat cameraman. He completed glider pilot training, and was sent to the University of Southern California for a year to study film and photography. Once the war started, Morrell accompanied crews on various missions all over Europe and Africa. It was his job to document the mission with film or photos so that the operation’s execution could be evaluated afterwards. He almost exclusively flew on bomber missions, and was called upon several times to replace gunners after they had been killed. As a result, he was provided with gunner’s wings despite never going to gunnery school. On one mission, Morrell’s aircraft was shot down over the “Iron Gates” of Romania. As a navigator was bailing Morrell and a gunner out, he made a mistake that sent them miles away from where the rest of the crew landed. The two of them spent twenty-six days evading capture and walking across the mountains of modern day Kosovo and northern Albania. Eventually they reached the Adriatic Sea, where they paid a fisherman to take them to Italy where they could meet up with allied forces. Morrell was later shot down in Romania again, but this time he was captured by German forces. He was kept in a prison camp for four and a half months before being rescued by the Russians. After that, he was sent back to the States. These two incredible stories earned him the nickname “The Legend,” but his adventures were far from over. He was redeployed to Europe during the Cold War, spent five years in Panama documenting civic actions, and served in Korea and Vietnam. In Vietnam, Morrell would be shot down for a third and final time, where he shattered a bone in his ankle on landfall. He landed in hostile territory, and radioed for help. Nine hours and one firefight later, Morrell was air evaced to safety. You can learn more about this story here. After being shot down over enemy lines for the third time and escaping, Chief Master Sergeant Doug Morrell truly cemented himself as “The Legend. He was later awarded the Combat Camera Lifetime Achievement Award and the AIr Force Outstanding Civilian Career Service Award. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After earning his masters in psychiatric social work and completing basic training, Shad Meshad worked at Fort Leavenworth Military Prison as a mental health officer. Most of the prisoners were Vietnam veterans, and he provided them with treatment and a means to reintegrate into society. After hearing the stories of veterans at Fort Leavenworth, Meshad decided he had to serve himself. He volunteered to serve in a KO team, which were the first psychiatric teams in American warfare. For five years, Captain Meshad was flown all around Vietnam to help evaluate and assist soldiers dealing with mental health issues. When he returned home, Meshad founded and directed the Vietnam Veterans Re-Socialization Unit at the VA Hospital in Los Angeles, California. It was his job to reshape the VA in a way that better served Vietnam vets. It was during this time that CPT Meshad would become one of the first people to study the disorder now known as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). In 1979, Meshad founded the Vet Center Outreach Program, which created satellite centers that provide social and psychological services to any Veteran in order to help them transition back into civilian life. Now, Meshad is the president of the National Veterans Foundation, which he founded in 1985. The NVF helps veterans that are unable to reach a Vet Center with financial problems, mental health issues, VA benefits, employment, housing, and more. To learn more about Captain Shad Meshad, check out his memoir, Captain for Dark Mornings. You can also watch a short documentary about his work after Vietnam titled The Mad Man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warning, this episode mentions violence, racism, sex, and self-harm. Listener discretion is advised. After earning his masters in psychiatric social work and completing basic training, Shad Meshad worked at Fort Leavenworth Military Prison as a mental health officer. Most of the prisoners were Vietnam veterans, and he provided them with treatment and a means to reintegrate into society. Meshad heard countless stories of Vietnam from the vets there, and decided he had to serve himself. He volunteered to serve in a KO team, which were the first psychiatric teams in American warfare. For five years, Captain Meshad was flown all around Vietnam to help evaluate and assist soldiers dealing with mental health issues. When he returned home, Meshad founded and directed the Vietnam Veterans Re-Socialization Unit at the VA Hospital in Los Angeles, California. It was his job to reshape the VA in a way that better served Vietnam vets. It was during this time that CPT Meshad would become one of the first people to study the disorder now known as PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder). In 1979, Meshad founded the Vet Center Outreach Program, which created satellite centers that provide social and psychological services to any Veteran in order to help them transition back into civilian life. Now, Meshad is the president of the National Veterans Foundation, which he founded in 1985. The NVF helps veterans that are unable to reach a Vet Center with financial problems, mental health issues, VA benefits, employment, housing, and more. To learn more about Captain Shad Meshad, check out his memoir, Captain for Dark Mornings. You can also watch a short documentary about his work after Vietnam titled The Mad Man. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this episode, Maj James Dunning describes the infamous Dieppe Raid and becoming an instructor at Achnacarry Castle. At 20 years old, James Dunning volunteered for the new special force that would become the Commandos (or British Commandos). The Commandos quickly became famous for their rigorous training, elite status, and their green berets. Dunning fought with the Commandos during World War Two, most notably during the Dieppe Raid. Known as Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid was an amphibious landing on the shores of Dieppe, France on August 19th, 1942. It was considered a failure due to the loss of almost 75% of their troops, but it gave the British valuable knowledge and experience that would contribute to the success of the D-Day Invasion. After Dieppe, Dunning trained to become an officer. He was sent to Achnacarry Castle in the Scottish Highlands, which served as a training ground primarily for the Commandos. He went on to become an instructor there. Dunning later published a book about his experiences called The Fighting Fourth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi, I’m Ken Harbaugh, host of Warriors In Their Own Words. I just wanted to let you know that the team and I are taking some time off during the holidays. We’ll return to our normal release schedule on January 12th. In the meantime, we’ll be sharing an episode of our other show, the Medal of Honor podcast, here on this feed. Think of it as our holiday gift to you as thanks for your support. Happy holidays, and have a great new year! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

At 20 years old, James Dunning volunteered for the new special force that would become the Commandos (or British Commandos). The Commandos quickly became famous for their rigorous training, elite status, and their green berets. Dunning fought with the Commandos during World War Two, most notably during the Dieppe Raid. Known as Operation Jubilee, the Dieppe Raid was an amphibious landing on the shores of Dieppe, France on August 19th, 1942. It was considered a failure due to the loss of almost 75% of their troops, but it gave the British valuable knowledge and experience that would contribute to the success of the D-Day Invasion. After Dieppe, Dunning trained to become an officer. He was sent to Achnacarry Castle in the Scottish Highlands, which served as a training ground primarily for the Commandos. He went on to become an instructor there. Dunning later published a book about his experiences called The Fighting Fourth. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COL Douglas C. Dillard describes fighting in WWII as an Army parachute regiment sergeant during the Battle of the Bulge. He also discusses the cold, harsh environment they faced, and how he almost lost both of his legs because of it. During the interview, Dillard describes an encounter he had with a captured German soldier: “We caught a German there in that field. And we were all really infuriated and I looked at the guy and he had a breast full of ribbons on this tunic. And I don't know why I did it and I still have them today, but I reached up and grabbed those ribbons and just ripped them off his uniform and stuck them in my pocket. And why I did it, I still don't know. But there was never any thought in my mind of shooting him. It's the furthest thought because we weren't raised that way. But in a rage of passion, in a firefight, then you would do it.” Dillard would later serve Korea and Vietnam, and retire in 1977 after earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, Legion of Merit (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Bronze Star Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal (4 Oak Leaf Clusters), and the Army Commendation Medal (2 Oak Leaf Clusters). He was inducted into the Military Intelligence hall of fame in 1990. He also wrote two books about his experiences, Operation Aviary, and Tiger Hunters. You can learn more about COL Dillard here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this day (December 8th) in 1941, Japanese forces attacked Wake Island. After the Americans surrendered, Sgt. Pearsall and his fellow Marines were taken as prisoners of war, and spent 3 ½ years at a prison camp in China during WWII. Sergeant John Edward ‘Swede’ Pearsall served in the Marines as a part of the 1st Defense Battalion, D Battery on Wake Island in 1941. Wake Island is located 2,458 miles west of Hawaii in the Pacific Ocean. The U.S. knew a Japanese attack was coming, so men were stationed on the island to protect it. On December 8th, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, the Japanese attacked Wake Island. The Battle of Wake Island lasted for a little over two weeks until American forces surrendered in order to protect civilian lives. After the surrender, Sgt. Pearsall and his fellow Marines were almost executed before the Japanese decided to take them as prisoners. They would eventually be taken on a prison ship to Yokohama Harbor, and then transported to Wusong China, where they would spend three and a half years in a prison camp. At the camp, conditions were brutal. They had little water to drink or bathe with, were beaten often, were not adequately fed, and were forced to do physical labor. During the interview, Pearsall had this to say about the camps: “Starvation, I found, was the toughest thing. The beatings you took. Almost daily, you took beatings from the Japanese, but you kind of became punch-drunk, so to speak. You expected them and you lived with them. But starvation you don't live with. When you're hungry, you're hungry 24 hours a day. You go to sleep hungry. You wake up during the night hungry, and you're hungry all day. Starvation is one of the toughest things we found to face. The work and labor that they made us do was tough, but the food was totally inadequate for the work and to sustain life. Myself, I went from a 200 pound Marine. When the war ended, I weighed somewhere around 85 pounds, so that when the war finally came to end, there wasn't much left of us. We couldn't have sustained life, under the food we were getting, much longer.” Finally on Easter Sunday, 1945, American forces arrived and liberated the camp, saving Sgt. Pearsall and his fellow prisoners. Upon arriving home, Pearsall was awarded the Purple Heart. To learn more about J. Edward Pearsall and the Battle of Wake Island, check out Son of Wake Island. It's written by J. Edward Pearsall's son, David Pearsall, with the help of his father and the other surviving defenders of Wake island. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this special episode, Captain Torres explains how landfill-like burn pits in Iraq gave him a chronic lung injury and a toxic brain injury. Captain Le Roy Torres served in the U.S. Army Reserve for 24 years, and spent a year on duty in Balad, Iraq. While there, Torres lived and worked in close proximity to a burn pit. These burn pits act as landfills, where everything from trash, to jet fuel, to medical waste was burned. They were extremely large, and the one near CPT Torres was approximately 10 acres in diameter. It burned 24/7, pumping toxic chemicals and smoke into the air, and into the lungs of soldiers. As a result of breathing in these fumes, CPT Torres developed chronic lung and brain injuries, which forced him to visit the hospital over 400 times in 10 years. Burn Pits 360 was founded by Torres and his wife in an attempt to improve post-deployment health outcomes for veterans, especially those caused by the burn pits. Recently, they helped pass the PACT Act, which expands benefits for veterans who were exposed to the burn pits. You can find CPT Torres on Twitter at @leroytorres01 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

MGen Roger Rowley describes his experiences fighting as a ground forces officer in the days following the invasion of Normandy, and how he missed the D-Day invasion. MGen Rowley served in World War Two as ground forces officer in the Canadian Army. For months he and his unit prepared for the invasion of Normandy, but when the fateful day came, no orders arrived, so they weren’t sent to France. Instead they arrived on the beaches of Normandy two days after D-Day. In this interview, Rowley describes his whole D-Day story, as well as Allied and German equipment, the destruction he witnessed, the controversy over Falaise, Operation Totalize, and the taking of Caen. During the episode, Rowley recounts his feelings after finally arriving on the beaches of Normandy: “I was very exhilarated. I keep saying that. I was very excited about this thing. It was going fine, and I was kind of... Well, I shouldn't say this I suppose, but it's truly true: I think I was sort of... Couldn't wait. I was a little trigger happy. I wanted to shoot at somebody. I really did at that stage. You get trained to a peak where this is what you've been looking at for four years. And it's like, if you're a boxer, and you've got a fight coming up, you're ready. And we were ready. And I can't speak... All the fellas that I had anything to do with felt very much the same way. “ To hear from the famous Canadian tank ace mentioned in this episode, listen to his two-part episode: BGen Sydney Radley-Walters (Part I): A Tank Ace on D-Day Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It Was Said, the 2021 Webby Award winner for Best Podcast Series, returns with a new season to look back on some of the most powerful, impactful, and timeless speeches in history. Written and narrated by Pulitzer Prize winner and bestselling author-historian Jon Meacham, this documentary podcast series takes you through another season of ten generation-defining speeches. Meacham, along with top historians, authors and journalists, offers expert insight and analysis into the origins, the orator, and the context of the times each speech was given, and they reflect on why it’s important to never forget them. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jack Hessman was a Navy Corpsman who served in the Korean War. He was assigned to the Marine Corps, and fought in the famous battle of the Chosin Reservoir. During the battle, he faced freezing cold conditions, and at one point had to play dead in order to avoid being killed by Chinese soldiers. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this bonus Veterans Day episode, we hear from Medal of Honor recipient David Bellavia. Staff Sergeant Bellavia served in the Army and deployed to Iraq in 2004. During the Second Battle of Fallujah, Bellavia cleared a house filled with 5 insurgents in order to save his squad. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at a White House ceremony in 2019. In Bellavia’s new book, Remember the Ramrods, he reflects back on the events that earned him the Medal of Honor. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

After a grenade injured both his legs and sent him home from Vietnam, Army Specialist Robert Patrick "Rocky" Bleier made a full recovery and went on to win four Super Bowls with the Pittsburgh steelers. In college, Bleier played for Notre Dame and was a part of the ‘66 National Championship team. He was the Pittsburgh Steelers’ 16th round draft pick, but was drafted by the US Army after the 10th game of the season. Bleier was sent to Vietnam, where he patrolled the Hiep Duc Valley as a grenadier. During a firefight, he was shot, and then a grenade exploded right by his feet. Bleier had this to say about being evacuated by a sister platoon: “All of a sudden a fellow soldier reaches down and picks me up and throws me over his shoulder and starts carrying me to the helicopter. And the helicopter was still a far way away. And so he would put me down, my blood all over him and he'd catch his breath and pick me up again and continue on until he got me onto that chopper. And I never saw him again and didn't know who he was or where he came from, where he lived or anything. But the interesting thing was that he was a soldier of color. Now, it may not mean much now in that society, but at that time, back in the sixties. I mean, a lot of things were going on from a social basis. I mean, there was segregation still going on in colleges that would not let Black students be there or sign up. And so now all of a sudden, here it is, you have a Black soldier picking me up, not because he's Black and I'm white, but it was like brother to brother. And it was the immediacy of the time. And you don't think about race, you don't think about anything. And I think that's one of the great things about the military. It just levels the playing field for human beings to react with one another and as a fellow soldier. And so that was like we became brothers in that brotherhood of war.” SPC Bleier earned a Purple Heart and a Bronze Star for his service, and was sent home after his injury. Upon arrival in 1970, he returned to the Steelers, and began intense training in order to fully heal from his leg injuries. In 1974, he finally earned a spot in the starting backfield. Bleier would go on to win four Super Bowls with the Steelers, in 1975, 1976, 1979, and 1980. To learn more about Bleier and his incredible football career, check out his book, Fighting Back. You can follow him on Twitter at @RockyBleier. This Veterans Day, consider donating to help veterans in need. The National Veterans Foundation provides assistance to veterans with needs including medical treatment, PTSD counseling, VA benefits advocacy, food, shelter, employment, training, legal aid, suicide intervention and more. Visit nvf.org to learn how you can help. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Specialist Nathan Dowds discusses his training, the moments when his life was on the line, and the hazy morality of the conflict. Dowds served as an Army paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He deployed to Afghanistan twice, in 2002 and in 2004, and once to Iraq in 2003. During the episode, he says this about his struggles: “The world is full of pain and suffering, and has been since the beginning of time. And for me to expect my brief moment in this world to be different than every other moment is kind of naive” Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Brigadier General Sydney Radley-Walters was a tank commander in the Canadian Army and was the Western Allies leading tank killer during WWII. In the final part of his interview, Radley-Walters finishes his recount of the D-Day invasion, including the battle of Buron, Operation Totalize, and capturing Caen, and more. He also talks about the booby traps he encountered, air support, the smell of death, his tactics as a tank commander, and how he, without knowing it, killed Michael Wittmann, the Black Baron, an infamous German tank commander and tank Ace. Radley-Walters is credited with destroying 18 German tanks and many other armored vehicles, and he was awarded an Order of Military Merit, the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross, and a Canadian Forces Decoration. During the episode, Radley-Walters describes the aftermath of death inside the tanks: “The smell of death, it sticks on you. And if you take a body and bury it or pick up a person who's dead and move them around, it gets on your hands, it gets on your clothes. You can't get rid of it. And it gets on a tank. Even though they took the tank back, they wash it all out, they repaint the inside with white paint and it's glistening, you get that horrible smell. The men, they called a ‘Jonah’ and they said, ‘We won't get back in that bloody Jonah, like the belly of a whale. We're we're going to get the new tank.’" Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

BGen Radley-Walters was a tank commander in the Canadian Army and was the Western Allies leading tank killer during WWII. He’s credited with destroying 18 German tanks and many other armored vehicles, and he was awarded an Order of Military Merit, the Distinguished Service Order, the Military Cross, an a Canadian Forces Decoration. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olds describes his experiences in Vietnam, his most memorable dogfight, and more. – Brigadier General Robin Olds is a triple ace fighter pilot who shot down a total of 17 enemy aircraft during World War II and Vietnam. He flew all sorts of aircrafts, including P-38s, P-51s, P-80s and F-4s during his tenure. By the time he retired, Olds had collected numerous decorations, including the Air Force Cross, Distinguished Service Medal, the French Croix de Guerre, and the British Distinguished Flying Cross. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Olds talks about his experiences in WWII and about managing fear, and describes the craziest coincidence you’ve ever heard of. – Brigadier General Robin Olds is a triple ace fighter pilot who shot down 17 enemy aircraft during World War II and Vietnam. He flew P-38s, P-51s, P-80s, F-4s and other aircraft during his service. By the time he retired, Olds had won numerous medals, including the Air Force Cross, the Distinguished Service Medal, the French Croix de Guerre, and the British Distinguished Flying Cross. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major Richard Neece Ojeda II served in the Army for 24 years. During that time he deployed to Germany, Korea, Iraq, Haiti, and Afghanistan, and was almost killed five times. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

CPT Jason Kander served as an Army Intelligence Officer in Afghanistan where he conducted extremely dangerous meetings with traffickers, informants, and local officials. As a result of his deployment, Kander developed PTSD that severely affected his work and personal life. He decided to leave his very promising political career in order to receive treatment via the Veterans Community Project, where he is now the President of National Expansion. To learn more about Kander, check out his memoir, Invisible Storm: A Soldier's Memoir of Politics and PTSD. All of Jason’s royalties from the book go to supporting the Veterans Community Project, which you can learn more about here. To hear more from Kander, check out his interview on our other podcast Burn the Boats when it releases on September 7th. You can find Kander on Instagram and Twitter at @JasonKander. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Capt. Tom Smith attended the Air Force academy before becoming a Combat Rescue Officer (aka CRO). As a CRO, Smith led a team of pararescuemen that flew into combat zones in order to save fellow military personnel and civilians. He served in both Iraq and Afghanistan. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major General Frederick “Boots” Blesse served two tours as a fighter pilot during the Korean War, flying the P-51, the F-80, and the F-86. When he returned to the United States in October of 1952, he was America’s leading jet ace, and was credited with shooting down nine MiG-15s and one La-9. Blesse’s motto and doctrine, “No Guts, No Glory” became famous after he returned from his second tour in Korea. He was asked to travel throughout the Air Force to teach it, and he eventually authored the textbook, “No Guts, No Glory”, that became a part of standard Air Force curriculum for years to come. In this, the final episode of a three part series, Blesse talks about what inspired him to join the Air Force, what makes a good pilot, and the heartwarming story behind how he met his childhood hero, the famous WWI pilot, Eddie Rickenbacker Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major General Frederick “Boots” Blesse served two tours as a fighter pilot during the Korean War, flying the P-51, the F-80, and the F-86. When he returned to the United States in October of 1952, he was America’s leading jet ace, and was credited with shooting down nine MiG-15s and one La-9. Blesse’s motto and doctrine, “No Guts, No Glory” became famous after he returned from his second tour in Korea. He was asked to travel throughout the Air Force to teach it, and he eventually authored the textbook, “No Guts, No Glory”, that became a part of standard Air Force curriculum for years to come. In this episode, the second of a three part series, Blesse tells the whole story behind “No Guts, No Glory”, and explains how dogfighting has changed over the years. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Major General Frederick “Boots” Blesse served two tours as a fighter pilot during the Korean War, flying the P-51, the F-80, and the F-86. When he returned to the United States in October of 1952, he was America’s leading jet ace, and was credited with shooting down nine MiG-15s and one La-9. Blesse’s motto and doctrine, “No Guts, No Glory” became famous after he returned from his second tour in Korea. He was asked to travel throughout the Air Force to teach it, and he eventually authored the textbook, “No Guts, No Glory”, that became a part of standard Air Force curriculum for years to come. In this episode, the first of a three-part series, Blesse describes allied and enemy aircraft, his second tour in Korea, a couple of intense dogfights, and becoming an Ace. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In this final part of his interview, Col. Anderson describes how and why he joined the Air Force, his training, patriotism, his appreciation for his squadron, and more. – Col. Clarence (Bud) Emil Anderson served in the United States Air Force during World War II, and is a triple ace fighter pilot. He’s the highest scoring living American fighter ace, and the 10th highest scoring Mustang Ace of all time. Col. Anderson was a member of the 357th Fighter group, which was said to have “shot down the "most airplanes in the shortest time of any unit in the European theater, perhaps the whole Air Force.” They had over 600 aerial victories in 14 months, and 42 aces, more than any other fighter group. He also commanded the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, an F-105 Thunderchief unit, during its final months of service in the Vietnam War. Col. Anderson was inducted in to the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008, and in 2013, was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. This year, Col. Anderson celebrated his 100th birthday. Click here to learn about his birthday celebration. For more pictures of Bud during the war, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Col. Clarence (Bud) Emil Anderson served in the United States Air Force during World War II, and is a triple-ace fighter pilot. He’s the highest scoring living American fighter ace, and the 10th highest scoring Mustang Ace of all time. Col. Anderson was a member of the 357th Fighter group, which was said to have “shot down the most airplanes in the shortest time of any unit in the European theater, perhaps the whole Air Force.” They had over 600 aerial victories in 14 months, and 42 aces, more than any other fighter group. He also commanded the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing, an F-105 Thunderchief unit, during its final months of service in the Vietnam War. Col. Anderson was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2008, and in 2013, was inducted into the International Air & Space Hall of Fame. This year, Col. Anderson celebrated his 100th birthday. Click here to learn about his birthday celebration. For more pictures of Bud during the war, click here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For many of us, Memorial Day is more than just a three day weekend. We’d like to take a moment to honor the friends and family of you, our listeners, who have paid the ultimate price for this country. We thank them for their bravery and sacrifice. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Col. Darrell Whitcomb served in the United States Air Force as an OV-10 Forward Air Controller. He joined the classified Steve Canyon Program (Project 404), also known as The Ravens, which operated in secret in Laos. He flew missions over South and North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. As a Forward Air Controller, it was his job to coordinate airstrikes, and ensure that no friendly troops were hit. In the final part of his interview, Whitcomb describes The Rescue of Bat 21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Col. Darrell Whitcomb served in the United States Air Force as an OV-10 Forward Air Controller. He joined the classified Steve Canyon Program (Project 404), also known as The Ravens, which operated in secret in Laos. He flew missions over South and North Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia. As a Forward Air Controller, it was his job to coordinate airstrikes, and ensure that no friendly troops were hit. In the first part of his interview, Whitcomb discusses aircrafts, airstrikes, and joining The Raven program. Whitcomb is also the author of The Rescue of Bat 21. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Col. Ché Bolden is a Marine Corps veteran who served for 26 years, and credits his time at the US Naval Academy with shaping him into a leader. He went on to become an F-18 Weapons Systems Officer, with multiple combat deployments and service in the Pacific and the Middle East. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jan Scruggs went to Vietnam in 1969 to serve as a rifleman in the U.S. Army. By the end of his service, he had received the Purple Heart, the Combat Infantry Badge, and an award for gallantry. After the war, he researched post-traumatic stress, which led to him testify before congress in support of establishing the nationwide Vet Center Program. In 1979, Scruggs decided he wanted to create a memorial to all the Americans who died in the Vietnam War in order to help the country heal. Three years later, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was completed in Washington D.C. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today, we've decided to share another interview from our other podcast, Burn the Boats. Like the rest of these bonus episodes, this one departs from our typical Warriors format, but we think you’ll appreciate the insight. As always, we welcome your feedback, either in iTunes reviews, or by email at [email protected]. David Chasteen is a former CIA officer on the covert action staff. While at the agency, David conducted overseas operations, guided human intelligence collection, evaluated foreign threats to computer systems, and provided analysis on cyber issues to the president. David was also a consultant for the Amazon Prime series, Jack Ryan, starring John Krasinski, and the show is heavily influenced by David's experiences. You can find David on Twitter @DavidChasteen Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sgt. Bill True enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1942, and served throughout World War II in a Parachute Infantry Regiment. He fought in nearly every major campaign as the Allies advanced across Europe, including the Normandy Invasion, the invasion of Holland (Operation Market Garden), and the Battle of The Bulge. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Today we interviewed Nikolay, who’s a volunteer soldier in Ukraine’s Territorial Defense Forces. Shortly after the war began, his family was able to flee to the U.S., but despite having no military experience, Nikolay decided he had to stay and fight for his country. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sgt. Bill Taylor is a Marine who was sent to Vietnam in 1967 as an 18-year-old. During his 13-month deployment, he narrowly escaped death on multiple occasions and was wounded three times. Every platoon commander, sergeant, and squad leader he served with was either wounded or killed. To hear more of Bill’s stories from Vietnam, read his book, On Full Automatic. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For today’s episode, we want to share another update on the war in Ukraine, from a former Naval Aviator and expert in military aviation. Like our last Ukraine update, about the realities of urban warfare, this one departs from our typical Warriors In Their Own Words format. A s always, we welcome your feedback, either in an iTunes reviews, or by email at [email protected]. Ward Carroll spent 20 years in the U.S. Navy as an F-14 Radar Intercept Officer, retired at the rank of commander, and went on to serve as the editor of Military.com. He now hosts a popular YouTube channel on military aviation. To hear more from Ward, visit his YouTube channel, or follow him on Twitter @wardcarroll Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

For this week’s episode, we’ve decided to air an interview, in its entirety, with a former Navy SEAL. This was recorded for our other podcast, Burn the Boats, so you’ll notice the format is quite different. The spirit of this interview, however, is what you have come to expect from Warriors in their Own Words – an unfiltered, unsanitized perspective on war. I wanted to share this interview with this audience, because it is so timely, and so important. You’ll see why. Dan Barkhoff is a former Navy SEAL with multiple combat deployments, and an expert in urban warfare. In this interview, he discusses what the Russian invasion force is likely to face. For more interviews like this, and to learn more about this invasion as it unfolds, listen to our other podcast, Burn the Boats. If you want to help, two of the most efficient organizations doing front-line work are Spirit of America and Team Rubicon. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sgt. Josh Remillard served in the Army as a mortarman. He deployed twice to Iraq, in 2007 and 2010. During his first tour, he earned a Combat Infantryman’s Badge. Remillard describes how he defied orders to protect civilian lives, as well as the horror of experiencing war up close. To learn more about Josh, listen to his interview on Burn the Boats. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lt. Col. Bogan joined the Air Force reserves because he saw it as an opportunity to rise above tough circumstances growing up in Chicago. He became a flight medic, and thanks to the military, was the first person in the history of his family to graduate college. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Following medical school, Dr. Donnelly Wilkes was commissioned in the U.S. Navy, completed residency training in family medicine at the Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, and served seven years on active duty. Wilkes served two combat tours in Iraq in 2004 and 2008 and was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor for his actions in the battle of Fallujah in April of 2004. He finished his Naval career as the Senior Medical Officer at Port Hueneme Naval Clinic, where he was responsible for the medical oversight of active duty members, their families, and local Veterans. On the first day of his first tour, a firefight injured a Marine. Unfortunately, Wilkes and his team were unable to save him. Deeply saddened by this loss and their inability to treat him, they circled around the fallen soldier and prayed for him. A photographer captured the moment. The photo went on to become a Pulitzer Prize winning piece and a Life Magazine cover. To learn more about Dr. Wilkes’ deployments, read his book, Code Red Fallujah. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Dave Lewis is a US Army veteran. After six years in the infantry, he went to flight school to become an Apache Helicopter pilot, and flew tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warning: This episode contains some inappropriate language. Lt. Col. Fred Wellman served in the Army for 22 years as an aviator and public affairs officer. Fred was a Blackhawk helicopter pilot, and completed four tours during Operations Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. He also was a spokesman for General David Petaeus, and General Martin Dempsey in Iraq. To learn more about Fred’s work after his service, listen to his interview on Burn the Boats Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Warning: This episode contains harsh language and discussions about rape. Col. Charles Bussey was an African American fighter pilot and a member of the famous Tuskegee Airmen in WWII. You can listen to him speak about this experience here. He later fought in the Korean conflict during the Jim Crow era, where he and other African American soldiers were given the worst leadership and equipment due to their race. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices