Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories
The unsanitized truth of what we have asked of those who defend this nation. From archived tapes of WWI veterans, to conversations with modern-day warriors, these are their stories, in their own words.
Maj. Richard Jacobson: Pathfinder Pilot in Normandy
Major Richard Jacobson served as a pathfinder pilot during WWII, and fought in the Invasion of Normandy. Pathfinders were small paratrooper groups that were sent to mark landing zones ahead of major paratrooper missions. Their work helped insure the success of the drop, but it was incredibly dangerous because they flew in very small numbers, very low to the ground (to avoid radar), and had no backup chutes.As a pathfinder pilot, Maj. Jacobson was responsible for flying the pathfinders over …
S/Sgt. Alfred Bell: Bleeding in the Basement
Staff Sergeant Alfred Bell served as a Tank Platoon Sergeant during World War II. He fought in the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge as a member of the famous Spearhead Division.In this episode, he recounts the Battle of the Bulge. During the battle, Bell commanded all five tanks in his platoon. When the company-wide radio communications weren’t working, he left his tank on foot and fought across the battlefield to the aid station where they had …
French History Podcast: Silent Village with Robert Pike
Today as a bonus episode we wanted to share an episode of The French History Podcast, which we think you'll find incredibly interesting. This episode details the Oradour-sur-Glane massacre of WW2.The French History Podcast tells the story of France from 3 million years ago to present. The main series is a narrative, ala Mike Duncan's the History of Rome that has gone from woolly mammoths to the First Crusade. Interspersed are guest episodes by world-renowned scholars discussing their latest research. …
S1c Richard Coombs: Crawling Through the Sands of Omaha
Seaman First Class Richard Coombs served in World War II as a Navy Seabee. He fought in the first wave of the Invasion of Normandy, where he was a part of the Naval Combat Demolition Unit. In the interview, he says his about crawling up the entire beach:“If you were to stand up, you're dead, you would've got hit for sure. I never knew there was so much firepower like that. You can't imagine, bullets hitting the sand, 88s going …
Col. Robert E. Stoffey: Flying in Darkness
Colonel Robert E. Stoffey served in Vietnam as a helicopter pilot and Forward Air Controller in the Marines. It was his job to support ground troops by directing fire and performing evacuations. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
T/Sgt Donald Malarkey: Band of Brothers
Technical Sergeant Donald Malarkey served in WWII as a Paratrooper. In this interview, he recounts the D-Day invasion and hedgerow warfare. To learn more about Malarkey, check out the HBO show Band of Brothers , which tells the story of Malarkey and his Company. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Capt Warren “Bing” Evans Part II: The Allied Invasion of Italy
Captain Warren “Bing” Evans served in World War II as a Ranger. The Rangers were an elite American task force that trained and operated with the famous British Commandos. Using the element of surprise as their main weapon, the Rangers played an important role in the Invasion of Normandy, the Dieppe Raid, and many other significant campaigns. In this episode Evans recounts the allied invasion of Italy, including the landing at Salerno and the battles of Monte Cassino, Anzio, and …
Capt Warren “Bing” Evans Part I: The Invasion of Sicily
Captain Warren “Bing” Evans served in World War II as a Ranger. The Rangers were an elite American unit that trained and operated with the famous British Commandos. Using the element of surprise as their main weapon, the Rangers played an important role in the Invasion of Normandy, the Dieppe Raid, and many other significant campaigns. In this first part of his interview, Captain Evans describes the Rangers, Operation Torch (the invasion of North Africa), the Invasion of Sicily, almost …
Cpl. Ted Fleser: The Invasion of Sicily
Corporal Ted Fleser served as an Army Ranger during World War II. He was a BAR gunner (Browning Automatic Rifle), and fought in North Africa and the Allied Invasion of Sicily. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
CDR Ronald Leonard Smith Sr.: Life at Sea
Commander Ronald Leonard Smith Sr. served in the US Navy and sailed all over the world in the 80s and 90s. In this interview, he describes one of the Navy’s famous initiation rites, his deployments, and the dangers of Mother Nature. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices