Veterans Chronicles

Dr. Roscoe C. Brown, Jr. was squadron commander of the 100th Fighter Squadron of the 332nd Fighter Group in World War II - best known as the Tuskegee Airmen. During combat, he would shoot down an advanced German Me-262 jet and a FW-190 fighter. He would go on to become a professor at New York University and President of Bronx Community College.

A two-tour veteran of Vietnam, "Doc" Bahnsen earned a reputation as one of the hardest-fighting and bravest officers of the war, commanding soldiers on the ground and in the air. Among his many decorations were the Distinguished Service Cross, five Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and two Purple Hearts. He would serve in the Army for 30 years, where he would become celebrated for...

Joseph Vaghi served as Beachmaster on the Easy Red Sector of Omaha Beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944. As Beachmaster, he was a "traffic cop" of sorts, directing men and materiel from their landing crafts onto the beach then inland. His fascinating account is straight out of "Saving Private Ryan," and LCDR Vaghi would later be featured in Ken Burns' documentary "The War."

In this episode of Veterans Chronicles, host Gene Pell speaks with Sgt. 1st Class Ronald E. Rosser, Medal of Honor recipient of the Korean War. Joining the Army in 1946 for a three-year enlistment at the age of 17, Rosser re-entered the service after his brother was killed in Korea, requesting to be sent to the front lines. He received the Medal of Honor for actions taken in an assault on an enemy...

This special edition of Veterans Chronicles features two veterans whose military service helped to launch them into careers in entertainment. Pat Sajak has become a household name as host of "Wheel of Fortune," though he earlier served in the Army in Vietnam as a DJ with AFRN. Keni Thomas was an Army Ranger in the Battle of Mogadishu, and has since gone one to a successful career as a country musi...

Sgt. Fernando Franco was one of 60 "warrior citizens" of the Army Reserve to take his re-enlistment oath at a special ceremony at the National Archives as part of the Reserve's 103rd anniversary. Franco had earlier served in Iraq, and was in charge of detainee operations at Camp Bucca.

This special episode features four veterans of the elite, but forgotten, 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) - the only all-black Ranger unit in U.S. Army history - which saw action in the Korean War. Guest hosted by Paul Berry, the men speak of training, deployment, and combat, as well as the bonds of brotherhood built among elite soldiers whose story has never been fully told.

Maj. Barry Periatt, an Army Reserve Soldier and a Purple Heart recipient, was one of the Soldier Heroes who was honored at the 2011 Army All-American Bowl Game in San Antonio, Texas. The annual event brings together the nation's top-ranked high school football athletes as well as decorated Soldiers who have served in support of Operation New Dawn, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Fre...

This week's guest is retired U.S. Army Colonel Jimmie Kanaya, a recipient of the Silver Star for actions while serving with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. A combat medic during the war, Kanaya's story was featured in the acclaimed HISTORY documentary, "WWII in HD."

James Warner was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and awarded his Naval Flight Officer wings in January, 1966. A year later, the young officer was ordered to Vietnam, where he flew more than 100 missions in his F-4 Phantom. On October 13th, 1967, Lt. Warner??s plane was shot down over enemy territory, beginning nearly six years of imprisonment at the hands of the Nor...

SGT Laramie Long, a pastor at his local church, is a two-tour veteran of Iraq and Afghanistan with the 287th Combat HET Company. He began his military career as he reported to basic training on September 8, 2001 - just three days before the attacks that would change America. His religious background helped him serve as a mentor to his fellow Soldiers during their time on the front lines.

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...