Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories

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, bull...

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

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

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 I...

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...

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

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

Captain Zeke Zellmer served as a Communications Officer aboard the USS Cavalla during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, and helped destroy a Japanese aircraft carrier called the Shokaku. Thanks in large part to the contribution of the USS Cavalla, the Japanese lost the battle, and their navy never recovered.  Learn more a...

Staff Sergeant Leonard Goff served as a Tank Commander in World War II, fighting in both the Invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.  In this interview, he describes what it’s like to be a Tank Commander, and the Invasion of Normandy. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jim White, callsign Sneaky White, served in the Marine Corps before transferring to the Army to become a helicopter pilot. In this second part of his interview, White talks about returning home, and why he was sent to prison. While in prison, he created a veterans group with Geronimo Pratt, an influential and high-ranking member of the Black Panther Party who was wrongfully...

Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jim White began his military career in the Marine Corps as a machine gunner and helicopter pilot in Vietnam. After earning the Distinguished Flying Cross, the first Marine to do so since World War II, he got the opportunity to transfer to the Army. His plan was to transfer, fly with them for a few years, and then transfer back to the Marine Corps as a commissioned officer....

Colonel Leo Thorsness served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. He was a Wild Weasel, whose missions required them to draw surface-to-air (SAM) missiles away from bombers, and then destroy the SAM sites. This meant that Weasels spent sometimes more than 20 minutes over the target, as opposed to the one or two minutes bomber pilots spent. On one mission, COL Thorsness’ wingman was shot down, forcing hi...

Corporal Oda Charles “Chuck” Miller served as a tank loader and tank commander in World War II. He fought in the Normandy Invasion a week after D-Day, and in the Battle of the Bulge.  During World War II, American tanks were inferior to German tanks in almost every way. As a result, serving as a tank crewman was incredibly dangerous. Few made it out alive. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit m...

Corporal Clarence Smoyer served in World War II as a tank gunner. After fighting in the Battle of the Bulge, Smoyer was assigned to the ‘Eagle 7’ M26 Pershing, a “Super Tank” developed for the U.S. Army. With this new assignment came the responsibility of spearheading future attacks, including what would become the Battle of Cologne.  Cologne was a German stronghold. It was defended by a German Pa...

In this bonus episode, Col. Jack Tomarchio provides his reflection on the war in Ukraine based on his research since leaving the military. This doesn't fit in with our usual content, but we wanted to share his insightful take. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

COL Tomarchio talks about going to jump school, defending service members as a military lawyer, and nearly losing his life in Iraq. Jack Thomas Tomarchio served in the army as a JAG officer in Grenada in the early 80s. As a JAG officer, he provided legal advice to senior Army officials and represented servicemembers in a variety of misconduct and court martial cases. He was a paratrooper, and atte...

Sergeant Aurio Pierro served as a Tank Commander in WWII. He fought amongst the notoriously difficult hedgerows during the Invasion of Normandy, and in the Battle of the Bulge.  During the Battle of the Bulge, Pierro and his platoon were under heavy fire in an extended battle with the Germans. After their tank was heavily damaged and they ran out of ammo, they left their tank and took cover in a b...

CUCM McCully served in a construction battalion, more commonly known as the Seabees, during Vietnam.  The Naval Construction Battalions, which quickly became known as the Seabees due to their abbreviation, were formed at the beginning of American involvement in World War II. They were created as an amphibious force to construct advanced bases in combat zones, and quickly became well respected beca...

Chief Machinist Mate Jerry Markham served as a Navy Seabee during World War II and was tasked with destroying German obstacles that could have prevented a successful beach landing on D-Day.  The Naval Construction Battalions, which quickly became known as the Seabees due to their abbreviation, were formed at the beginning of American involvement in World War II. They were created as an amphibious...

Captain James Peninger served in World War Two  as a glider pilot. He fought in the Invasion of Normandy, and was the first glider to cross the Rhine River. During WWII, glider planes were used to carry ground troops, and sometimes a jeep, into enemy territory. Regular planes dragged these gliders via a rope, which was cut over enemy territory at the release point. The glider kept flying, to hopef...

Private First Class Walter Stitt talks about what it was like serving inside a tank during World War II. He served as both a loader and gunner, and survived the destruction of three different tanks he was manning.  To hear more from Stitt, check out his interview with the Clark County Historical Society. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Airman First Class Larry Sutherland joined the Airforce at 17, and signed up for the Security Police training program. In Vietnam, many Air Force bases were completely surrounded by guerrilla forces, so the USAF Security Police were specially trained to protect them from direct attacks and sabotage.  During his training in North Dakota, Sutherland and some fellow soldiers wanted to “get even” with...

Airman First Class Larry Sutherland joined the Air Force at 17, and signed up for the Security Police training program. In Vietnam, many Air Force bases were completely surrounded by guerrilla forces, so the USAF Security Police were specially trained to protect them from direct attacks and sabotage.  During his training in North Dakota, Sutherland and some fellow soldiers wanted to “get even” wit...

Shipfitter 3rd Class James Wire served on the USS Missouri during the invasion of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. It was his job to put out fires and do damage control on the ship.  If you missed it, make sure to check out the first part of his interview, where he talks about serving on the USS Tennessee during the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Tarawa.  To hear more from SF3 Wire, c...

Shipfitter 3rd Class James Wire served on the USS Tennessee during the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Tarawa. It was his job to put out fires and do damage control on the ship. In this episode, he describes the chaos and destruction he witnessed. Next time on Warriors In Their Own Words, Wire talks about serving on the USS Missouri during the Invasion of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinaw...