Veterans Chronicles

Bill Bonelli joined the U.S. Army Air Corps prior to Pearl Harbor, strongly suspecting that the U.S. would soon be at war against Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany. Before long, while stationed in Hawaii, he witnessed and survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Mr. Bonelli also describes his service as a B-17 pilot in Europe, the types of targets he was assigned, and the important change he made...

In November 1965, U.S. Army helicopter pilot Bruce Crandall defied orders and flew an unarmed chopper into enemy fire 22 times to evacuate dozens of wounded American soldiers. His actions would later lead to him being awarded the Medal of Honor. On this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Crandall discusses his Army career, his mindset in repeatedly facing enemy fire to rescue his injured broth...

Over his 36 years in the U.S. Marine Corps, Brigadier General George Bartlett went from enlisted man to officer, fought in three wars, and did other work vital to U.S. interests during the Cold War. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Bartlett describes serving as a bombardier, gunner, and navigator in the Pacific theater of World War II. He also tells us about his service in Korea, two tour...

Andrew Coughlan was already interested in military service. The 9/11 attacks cemented his decision even further. A member of the U.S. Army's 10th Mountain Division, Coughlan was deployed to Iraq on September 11, 2003. Less than a year later, his life would change forever. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Coughlan details the deadly challenges of serving in Iraq from one of his very first...

For our final podcast of 2020, we bring back the story of a U.S. Marine who was willing to sacrifice his own life to save his brothers. It's a story you can't miss. U.S. Marine Corps veteran Kyle Carpenter deployed to Afghanistan in the summer of 2010. Just before Thanksgiving, he was nearly killed after falling on a Taliban grenade to save his fellow Marines. In our conversation, Kyle describes t...

As we pause for this holiday season, we remain grateful for those who have served to protect our freedoms. And we once again bring you the story of an American servicemember who went far above and beyond the call of duty. Retired U.S. Navy SEAL Mike Thornton shares his story of service from the Vietnam War. Thornton tells Greg Corombos about the challenge of SEAL (BUD/S) training and his actions f...

In 2007, Brian Flom nearly lost his life after being hit by shrapnel from an enemy rocket attack in Iraq. As he recovered over the next six weeks, Flom's primary goal was getting back to his unit and rejoining his brothers in arms. After returning home from Iraq, Flom's wife began to notice changes and urged him to get evaluated for post-traumatic stress. Medication only made things worse but Flom...

U.S. Marine Corps veteran Don Mates shares his vivid memories of combat on Guam and Iwo Jima. In amazing detail, Mates tells us why he really joined the Marines, what battle was really like, the close friends he made, and the vicious fighting against the Japanese at Iwo Jima. Don't miss this powerful oral history from one of the most critical battles in the Pacific during World War II.

Bernard Nolan joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II out of his deep fascination with flying. Within just a few months, Nolan was trained as a co-pilot and flying the first of his 33 bombing missions over Europe. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Nolan describes what it was like to carry out bombing missions while under heavy German anti-aircraft fire. He even tells us about on...

U.S. Marine Corps Infantry Major Scott Huesing takes us through his experience leading his Marine ground forces during the fight for Ramadi during Operation Iraqi Freedom. Maj. Huesing discusses his early days in the Marines and as an enlisted man during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. He then describes the process of becoming an officer and the personal and tactical skills it...

U.S. Army veteran Roger Hill graduated from West Point and earned a Bronze Star in Iraq during some of the worst fighting of that war. Later he served in Afghanistan and ended up battling the enemy and his own chain of command. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Capt. Hill takes us into the harrowing action in both theaters of war and he details the actions he took when given orders to rele...

Wisconsin Air National Guard TSgt. Sonia Buchanan first joined the Army National Guard and became an early member of a trailblazing program that helped special forces learn critical tactical information from the people of Afghanistan. Joining the Army National Guard in 2008, TSgt. Buchanan soon found herself making history as part of the first Cultural Support Teams. Buchanan explains how she trai...

Retired U.S. Navy Captain Paz Gomez shares her story of trailblazing military service in the U.S. Navy Civil Engineer Corps. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Captain Gomez shares the story of her career, from being one of the few women in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, to her story of survival at the Pentagon on 9/11, to making history when she was named the commanding officer at Port Hue...

Retired U.S. Air Force CMSgt. Jo Keller joins us to discuss her 26 years of service. Chief Keller describes serving as an aeromedical evacuation technician in Iraq, the Balkans, and Saudi Arabia, among other assignments. Chief Keller also walks us through the horrible day in 1996, when Al Qaeda attacked the Khobar Towers in Saudi Arabia, where she was stationed at the time. She describes her own i...

U.S. Navy veteran Justin Sheffield walks us through his 14 years of service, almost all of it as a a U.S. Navy SEAL, including many years with the elite SEAL Team Six. Sheffield gives us an amazing glimpse into BUD/s training to become SEAL and what separated those who succeeded and those who tapped out. He also takes us into the SEAL combat mindset and the mission his teams were asked to do in Ir...

In early 1965, U.S. Naval Aviator Robert Shumaker was deployed to Vietnam. He said goodbye to his wife and newborn son, never imagining he wouldn't see them for another eight years. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," retired RDML Shumaker shares the gripping details of being shot down and badly injuring his back as he parachuted to the ground. He also describes how he dubbed Hoa Lo Prison t...

After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Lois Bouton asked to join the U.S. Coast Guard but was told it did not accept women. The very next year, the policy changed and the Coast Guard Women's Reserve was born. Bouton joined in 1943, became a boot camp instructor and later served as a radioman along the Atlantic Coast. Almost 30 years later, in her role as a schoolteacher, Bouton began visiting...

Vincent Okamoto was born in a Japanese internment camp during World War II and later became the most highly-decorated Japanese-American soldier to survive the Vietnam War. In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Okamoto walks us through the harrowing combat against North Vietnamese forces on August 24, 1968, at Dau Tieng near the Cambodian border. He shares his thoughts and the decisions he made u...

Andrew Napier joined the Kentucky Army National Guard as a way to get a college education. Soon he was trained to be a combat medic and he volunteered to be deployed. He soon spent a life-changing tour as a medic for a route-clearing platoon. Within his first four days in theater, Napier faced soldiers with fatal wounds, an ambush of his unit, and assisting in treating some of the most gruesome in...

Retired U.S. Army Col. James Riffe joins us to discuss his 30 years of service to the United States, with a focus on his many roles during the critical and costly battle of Okinawa in 1945. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Riffe explains how he went from an enlisted man to an officer and he shares the painful memories of great loss on Okinawa. He also explains how his experience in t...

U.S. Navy veteran Will Chesney shares his story of service from the rigors of BUD/S training to become a Navy SEAL to two tours in Iraq and countless more in Afghanistan. Chesney also describes his role as a dog handler within the SEALs and the very special bond he shared with a military working dog (MWD) named Cairo. Chesney explains the amazing contributions Cairo and other MWD's made in the war...

Thiele Fred Harvey describes his service in the Pacific theater in World War II, including the brutal battle of Iwo Jima. Harvey shares the story of how his mother made major sacrifices to get him a weapon when the Marine Corps could not provide one. He also describes coming shore at Iwo Jima, engaging in combat with the Japanese, and the wounds that ended his World War II service.

U.S. Army veteran Luis Alvarez joins us to discuss his revolutionary work to help heal the bones and other tissue of our wounded service members beyond what the human body can often do on its own. Alvarez explains how he was inspired to make this his mission, how his innovative approach works, the promising research already done, and the work yet to be done. Alvarez also discusses his time at West...

U.S. Navy veteran Cade Courtley describes his relentless push to become a SEAL, despite three serious injuries during training. He discusses his training to become a sniper and how he put his elite skills to use in Bosnia in the late 1990's. Although, he left active duty months before 9/11, Courtley explains how he still went to Afghanistan and Iraq as a private security contractor for a governmen...

Michael Schlitz joined the Army in 1996 and immediately "fell in love" with life in the military. He soon passed the grueling test to become a U.S. Army Ranger. Michael's life changed dramatically in February 2007, when a roadside bomb in Iraq nearly killed him and left the vast majority of his body severely burned, In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, SFC Schlitz describes his time in uniform,...