George Ciampa wanted to be a military pilot but instead he was assigned to the U.S. Army's 607th Graves Registration Company, which was responsible for retrieving fallen service members and finding temporary resting place for Americans, allies, and even enemies as the battles of World War II unfolded. Ciampa shares why he got sent to Europe sooner than he expected, takes into the work of identifying and caring for the fallen, and what it was like to serve in the midst of the invasion of Normandy...
Jul 08, 2020•42 min
SFC Ramon Padilla served in both Iraq and Afghanistan while in the U.S. Army and his service in Afghanistan would change his life forever. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Padilla explains what combat was like for him in both theaters. He also recounts the attack that resulted in severe injury, the grueling surgeries and recovery that followed, his battle with post-traumatic stress, and how he emerged from all of that with an even greater desire to serve and raise a new generation of le...
Jul 01, 2020•37 min
James Harvey III tried to enlist in the U.S. Army Air Corps in January 1943 but was told they didn't any more people. He knew it was because of the color of his skin. A few months later, Harvey was drafted and embarked on a remarkable, trailblazing career. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Lt. Col. Harvey describes training at Tuskegee, winning the inaugural Top Gun competition in 1949, becoming the first African-American to pilot a jet, his stellar performance on 126 missions during the...
Jun 24, 2020•33 min
U.S. Marine Corps veteran Theodore "Ted" Below came ashore in the first wave on Iwo Jima, where a brutal fight against the entrenched Japanese would unfold for weeks to come. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Below describes getting pinned down on the beach and eventually getting off of it, his demolition work to destroy the elaborate cave system built by the Japanese on the island, and his reaction at the time to the flag raising on Mt. Suribachi. Don't miss this conversation with U.S. ...
Jun 17, 2020•20 min
Jason Redman is back on "Veterans Chronicles." Jason has a very powerful story of service, sacrifice, and overcoming adversity. He was severely injured in the arm and face in Iraq and endured more than forty surgeries and twenty skin grafts. But his positive attitude and his refusal to let his condition be a source of pity inspired many other wounded warriors and millions of Americans across the country. In this interview, Redman recounts in detail the SEAL operation and enemy ambush that nearly...
Jun 10, 2020•42 min
U.S. Army Gen. H.R. McMaster (Ret.) reflects upon his 34 years in service to our country - from West Point to war zones to the White House. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Gen. McMaster walks us step by step through the Battle of 73 Easting, a decisive Gulf War tank battle that helped to end the ground campaign against Iraq within 100 hours. McMaster also explains how he came to write "Dereliction of Duty," a scathing critique of President Lyndon Johnson and his administration for thei...
Jun 03, 2020•38 min
Martha McSally blazed significant trails in the U.S. Air Force, becoming the first female fighter pilot in combat and the first woman to command a fighter squadron, which she considers the greatest honor of her life. But when McSally entered the U.S. Air Force Academy, female fighter pilots were not permitted. In this conversation with Greg Corombos, McSally describes the determination it took to pursue her dream until it was realized. Those principles and others are described in her new book "D...
May 27, 2020•42 min
Louis Graziano was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1943 and promised his father that Italian dictator Benito Mussolini would be vanquished. His promises came true. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Graziano takes us with him as he describes coming ashore in the third wave at Omaha Beach on D-Day, nearly losing his feet due to frostbite at the Battle of the Bulge, his conversations with Gen. Dwight Eisenhower, and witnessing the the German surrender to the Allies in May 1945. Don't miss thi...
May 20, 2020•31 min
Vern Pike was commissioned as a U.S. Army officer upon graduation from Wake Forest University. Soon he had a front row seat to and a role to play in the growing tensions of the Cold War. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Pike describes his duties in the American sector of West Berlin, Germany. Pike shares how he discovered the early stages of the Berlin Wall, take us inside the assignment that could have led to the start of World War III, and shares the story of a high-profile but t...
May 13, 2020•28 min
When you hear the lengths Ron "Rondo" Scharfe went to in order to join the U.S. Navy long before he was 18, you'll quickly understand his commitment to service. At just 16-years old, Scharfe served as a Higgins Boat coxswain at Iwo Jima. He details the serious injury he suffered on his very first effort to bring Marines ashore in the early moments of that bloody battle in February 1945. Yet somehow he was back on the beach just two days later. Scharfe describes witnessing the flag raising on Mt....
May 06, 2020•20 min
John Hancock grew up in Georgia shooting quail, so becoming a gunner aboard the USS Yorktown in World War II came pretty naturally to him. In 1942, Hancock served in the first carrier battle in world history and later that year fought at the pivotal Battle of Midway, although he was forced to abandon ship as the Japanese sunk the Yorktown. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Hancock describes what combat was like for him, shares his memories of Midway, and walks us through his service at L...
Apr 29, 2020•34 min
Join us each week for Veterans Chronicles and hear first-hand from the men and women who answered their nation's call to serve - from World War II to the front lines today. We invite you to listen to this brief preview of Veterans Chronicles. In less than two minutes, you'll understand the incredible sacrifice of our veterans and our mission to preserve their stories of service for future generations. Subscribe to Veterans Chronicles at Apple, iTunes, or wherever you get your podcasts....
Apr 27, 2020•1 min
Born in Alabama, Joe Rodgers lied about his age to join the U.S. Marine Corps in the weeks after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Training for most of 1942, Rodgers first saw combat at Kwajalein in the Marshall Islands in 1943. Later, he fought at Saipan and Iwo Jima. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Rodgers describes his first combat experience and takes us into the Battle of Iwo Jima in great detail. He describes being pinned down on the beach, being a runner in a deadly area...
Apr 22, 2020•35 min
Born in Cuba, Felix Rodriguez was a student in the U.S. when the Castro revolution unfolded in Cuba. Determined to do whatever he could to oust the Castro regime, Rodriguez joined the Bay of Pigs operation that launched and failed 59 years ago this week. In this extensive interview, Rodriguez details what went wrong in the Bay of Pigs campaign and takes us step by step through his role in capturing and interrogating murderous Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in 1967. He also shares his harrowing ...
Apr 15, 2020•48 min
Retired U.S. Navy CDR Dean "Diz" Laird served in three wars and is the only American aviator to record aerial kills on both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," CDR Laird discusses his service in World War II and takes us moment by moment through his taking down of a German bomber and another plane.
Apr 08, 2020•35 min
Bill Norberg joined the U.S. Navy prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his service on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise placed him at some of the most critical engagements in the Pacific theater. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles, Norberg explains what it was like to watch the Doolittle Raid take off from the sister ship USS Hornet. He also walks us through the pivotal Battle of Midway, which permanently turned the tide in the war against Japan. Norberg also describes operati...
Apr 01, 2020•32 min
Marcella LeBeau grew up in a Native American community in South Dakota. Helping her ailing mother as a child inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. After joining the U.S. Army, LeBeau served in the European theater in World War II. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Marcella LeBeau shares her story of service from the D-Day landings at Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge. She describes sheltering from German bombs, caring for the wounded, and the powerful reunion she had with one sol...
Mar 25, 2020•38 min
Amber Smith grew up in a family steeped in military service and experienced in flying. So after high school, Smith joined the U.S. Army and trained to become a Kiowa combat helicopter pilot. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Smith details what's it's like to fly a helicopter and the challenges of doing while taking fire in close support of American ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan. Smith walks us through adjusting to military life, the difficulties of urban combat in Iraq, and deali...
Mar 18, 2020•29 min
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 the "Hanoi Hilton" and how he and other prisoners developed the tap code that allowed them to communi...
Mar 11, 2020•48 min
Harry Stewart grew up with a love of flying and dreamed of becoming an airline pilot one day. But shortly after graduating high school, with the nation at war, Stewart found himself in in the U.S. Army Air Corps. The military needed skilled pilots but would not let black and white personnel train or serve together. Stewart was sent to Tuskegee, Alabama, where he and other black pilots and crew members prepared to serve as fighter pilot escorts for American bombers over Europe. In this interview ...
Mar 05, 2020•22 min
When he first tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, Hershel "Woody" Williams was rejected for being too short. By the end of the war, Williams was honored for playing a critical role in helping U.S. forces win the costly battle on Iwo Jima in February 1945. In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Williams shares his story of wanting to join the war effort while thinking he'd never be sent overseas. He explains how he became a flamethrower operator and what he did on Iwo Jima that was later...
Feb 26, 2020•44 min
When he joined the military, George Hardy and the other Tuskegee Airmen were not considered worthy of training and living among white service members. Despite that discrimination, Hardy and his fellow Tuskegee alumni distinguished themselves in the skies over Europe in World War II. In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Hardy tells us what it was like to be part of that trailblazing unit. He also describes the integration of the Air Force and how he saw attitudes of those around him change o...
Feb 20, 2020•27 min
Growing up, Jack Carr had dreams of being a U.S. Navy SEAL and writing novels about the U.S. military. He's now successfully done both. In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Carr describes the difficulty of BUD/S training to become a SEAL and the mindset he used to get past any urges to quit. He describes his work boarding Iraqi ships off the coast of Iran, and his work as a sniper in the war zones. Carr also explains how he weaves his military experience into his novels, the lessons he stil...
Feb 13, 2020•34 min
You saw him at the Super Bowl. You saw him at the State of the Union address. Now hear the amazing story of service to our nation from retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Charles McGee, one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen. McGee joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. At the time, however, McGee and the other black pilots were deemed unworthy to be in units with their white counterparts. McGee details the outstanding service record of Tuskegee pilots in World War II, the discri...
Feb 06, 2020•51 min
Joseph Norcom served as a waist gunner on 23 U.S. Army Air Corps bombing missions over Europe, primarily on B-17 bombers. In this interview with Greg Corombos, Norcom describes a typical mission as well as numerous harrowing missions during the final months of World War II in Europe. He also describes the camaraderie, the professionalism, and, yes, the hijinks of the crew members.
Jan 30, 2020•23 min
Raised amid the turmoil and danger of a civil war in Liberia, Charles Burgess King came to the U.S. as a child. Upon graduation from high school, he went to college as a benefit of joining the U.S. Army National Guard. Just days into his first semester, King's unit was called to active duty and eventually deployed in Iraq. Working in administration, King was part of efforts to drastically improve the hygiene for U.S. forces there and also came up with the idea of secure rest stops for troops on ...
Jan 23, 2020•40 min
The first Americans to set foot in Europe on D-Day in June 1944 were the paratroopers, including the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division. California native Tom Rice was the first man from the 101st to jump out of his plane into the pitch black night over the Normandy coast. In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Rice tells host Greg Corombos about the difficulties of getting out of the plane, trying to find the rest of his unit scattered across the French countryside, and fighting h...
Jan 16, 2020•46 min
Rick Rescorla served as a British paratrooper but after coming to the United States he joined the U.S. Army, and was a veteran of Vietnam. His heroism at the battle of Ia Drang is immortalized in "We Were Soldiers Once...And young." Rescorla served 27 years in service to our nation, retiring in 1990. After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Rescorla took on a security leadership role for Morgan Stanley, the largest tenant in the World Trade Center. Rescorla trained the tenants of the skyscrape...
Jan 09, 2020•34 min
Lt. Jason Redman spent eight years as an enlisted U.S. Navy SEAL, and was commissioned as a SEAL Officer in 2004. He completed combat deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2007, outside of Fallujah, Iraq, Lt. Redman's Assault Team came under heavy fire and he was severely wounded. While recovering at Bethesda Medical Center, Redman authored a bright orange sign on his door, which became a statement and symbol for wounded warriors everywhere. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor, t...
Jan 02, 2020•33 min
Daniel Durso served in the U.S. Army during WWII in a Tank Battalion. He served in the European Theater and recounts his experiences fighting with his fellow soldiers and defeating the Nazis. Greg Corombos conducts the interview with Daniel.
Dec 26, 2019•40 min
