Veterans Chronicles

Orson Swindle flew more than 200 missions in Vought F-8E Crusader over the skies of Vietnam. During what was to be his very last mission, he was shot down and taken prisoner. Swindle spent seven years being shuffled around North Vietnamese prison camps, where he for a time shared a cell with future Senator John McCain. Guest hosted by Taylor Kiland and Regen Wilson.

This week's Profiles in Valor segment features Marine Corps Lt. Col. Anthony Henderson, recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor for actions in the dangerous Helmand Province of Afghanistan on April 28, 2008.

One of the most acclaimed pilots of World War II, Bud Anderson scored 16.25 victories in his P-51 Mustang, Old Crow, over the skies of Europe. The triple-ace pilot was part of the 357th Fighter Group, joining such well-known pilots as John England, Kit Carson, and Chuck Yeager.

A graduate of West Point and veteran of the Gulf War, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, COL Gregory Gadson's life was changed forever while serving in Iraq in 2007 when his vehicle was hit by an IED while traveling back from a memorial service honoring fallen comrades. Despite losing both legs above the knee, Gadson has proven an inspiration to his fellow wounded warriors, and was recently chosen to lead t...

Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Roger H.C. Donlon joins guest-host Dr. Lewis Sorley in this week's edition of Veterans Chronicles. Donlon is the first man to receive the Medal of Honor for valor in the Vietnam War. He is also the first member of the Speical Forces to receive the medal, with his actions taking place near Nam Dong, South Vietnam, on July 6, 1964.

SGT Jason Collins, United States Army, deployed to the front lines in Afghanistan in 2009 as part of Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. There, he played an important role in the training of Afghan police, working to build the country's infrastructure and build a more stable country.

Former Superintendent of West Point Lt. General Dave Palmer joins Gene Pell in this week's episode of Veterans Chronicles. Palmer served as an officer in Vietnam, later writing one of the first histories of the war, "Summons of the Trumpet." He is an expert on early American warfare, authoring several books on George Washington and the American Revolution, most recently the acclaimed "George Washi...

This episode of Profiles in Valor features U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Andre Murnane, a communications sergeant wounded while serving in Afghanistan, currently recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

This week's guest is one of the most recognizable veterans of the last century - Buzz Aldrin. A retired Air Force colonel and veteran of the Korean War, Aldrin is best known for being the second man to walk on the moon during the legendary Apollo 11 mission in 1969. In this episode, guest host Dr. Lewis Sorley walks through one of the most unique careers of any officer in U.S. military history.

In this episode of Profiles in Valor, guest host Hannah Jackman speaks with 1LT Maria Mengrone, a Texas National Guard officer charged with overseeing enemy detainees while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

This episode of Profiles in Valor features U.S. Army Major Mark Thompson, recipient of the Bronze Star for his service as commander of a high-value detention facility in Iraq.

Herman J. Obermayer's memoir of World War II, "Soldiering For Freedom," is one of the most unique accounts of an American GI from the war. Based on a treasure trove of Obermayer's own wartime letters home, the book chronicles his experiences in the Army Specialized Training Program, as an airborne combat engineer, then as part of the Allied effort to maintain the gasoline pipelines laid across Fra...

This episode of Profiles in Valor features U.S. Army Reserves Colonel Michael Mann, recipient of the Bronze Star for his service as Deputy Commander, Expeditionary Sustainment Command while serving in Afghanistan throughout 2009. As the first ESC to deploy to the this area of operation in Afghanistan, Mann and his fellow soldiers were responsible for the Command and Control of more than 3,000 Sold...

The inspiration for the hit movie "Good Morning, Vietnam," Adrian Croanuer served in the Air Force in Vietnam, hosting a radio program on the American Forces Vietnam Network. Recently he has worked as a special assistant to the Director of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office. In this episode, American Veterans Center president James Roberts talks to Adrian about his experiences in...

The Office of Strategic Services, the United States' intelligence agency during World War II, was the forerunner of today's CIA. From behind enemy lines in Europe to the Pacific campaign, to the forgotten theater of China-Burma-India, shadow operatives worked to promote the Allied effort by planting false propaganda, sabotaging enemy interests, and direct military action. In this special documenta...

Lorenzo DuFau earned his place in American history as one of 150 black men to serve aboard the USS Mason when it sailed in the Atlantic during World War II. The Mason was the first naval ship to be manned by a predominately African-American crew. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, DuFau was determined to serve his country, and volunteered for the Navy to prove that Americans of all colors could...

This episode of Profiles in Valor features Marine Corps Sergeant Andy Lee, recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor for heroism while serving in Afghanistan. In August 2009, Lee's squad came under attack while conducting operations in the dangerous Helmund Province. Sgt. Lee directed the counterattack while coordinating the evacuation of a wounded fellow Marine. He is the second in his family to re...

Frank Caldwell joined the Marine Corps in 1942, and was assigned to the 1st Marine Parachute Battalion. He saw action on Guadalcanal, Vella La Vella, and Bougainville before the parachute battalions were deactivated and he was assigned to the 5th Marine Division. As commander of F Co., 2nd Bn, 26th Marines, he landed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. There, his men captured more ground than any other...

A recipient of the Bronze Star for her service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Colonel Susan Luz is the highest-ranking soldier in the 399th Combat Support Hospital, an Army Reserve unit based in Massachusetts. She made her first deployment at the age of 56, and was tasked with tending to the young men and women serving on the front lines of the "Surge" of 2007. Col. Luz is the daughter of a decorated...

In this Profiles in Valor, U.S. Army Reserves Colonel Rodney Faulk, recipient of the Bronze Star, recounts his deployments as a Military Police Battalion commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In this special two-part episode of Veterans Chronicles, U.S. Navy veteran of World War II Jack Yusen tells the epic story of the USS Samuel B. Roberts. After a chance accident forced the Roberts to move from the Atlantic to the Pacific Theater, Yusen and the crew found themselves up against overwhelming odds in the Battle off Samar Island. In the face of near-certain death, the men of the Samuel...

In this Profiles in Valor, U.S. Army Major David Bursac, recipient of the Bronze Star, recalls his experience as an advisor to the Iraqi Army soldiers and police while serving during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In this Profiles in Valor, Dr. Dave Hnida, author of "Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq", shares his story of tending to American service members wounded during a critical period in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In this two-part episode, Veterans Chronicles profiles two acclaimed veterans of World War II - Bob Feller and David Thatcher. Feller was one of Major League Baseball's biggest stars in 1941, leading the league in wins. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, he immediately enlisted in the Navy, and served in the Atlantic and Pacific Theaters aboard the USS Alabama, before returning home to resume a Hal...

In this episode, guest hosts Taylor Kiland and Regen Wilson speak with retired U.S. Navy Captain John Frank Gamboa, the first Mexican American to command a ship in the rank of commander and in the rank of captain. Gamboa would also become the first to command a squadron of ships.