EPISODE #869, 12/21/2024: From the 90th Infantry Division Association Reunion, we hear from Executive Director Nancy Rasmusson, WWII veteran Vernon Schmidt, and 18-year-old Amelia Abney.
EPISODE #868, 12/14/2024: 100-year-old Mervin Hogg of Wilmington, NC remembers his World War II service with the 90th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #867, 12/7/2024: In honor of the 83rd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we hear the memories of five men who were on Oahu on December 7th, 1941.
EPISODE #866, 11/30/2024: Marine Corps veteran Greg Whalen of Hillsdale, MI recalls his experiences in Afghanistan in August, 2021.
EPISODE #865, 11/23/2024: This weekend marks the 81st anniversary of “76 Hours of Hell” and the bloody battle of Tarawa. We hear from six veterans who experienced that battle first hand.
EPISODE #864, 11/16/2024: Celebrating the 104th birthday of World War II Navy veteran Victor Killingsworth of Bakersfield, CA.
EPISODE #863, 11/9/2024: A special Veterans Day edition features veterans from three different states who served in three different wars: World War II, Korea, and Vietnam.
EPISODE #862, 11/2/2024: We begin National Veterans and Military Families Month by wishing World War II veteran Nyle Smith a happy 102nd birthday.
EPISODE #861, 10/26/2024: A special episode in honor of Filipino American History Month also includes the tale of a Gold Star hero who made the ultimate sacrifice 80 years ago this weekend.
EPISODE #860, 10/19/2024: The memories of four different World War II veterans help us mark the 80th anniversary of General Douglas MacArthur’s return to the Philippines.
EPISODE #859, 10/12/2024: The memories of 99-year-old World War II veteran of the 86th Infantry Division, Bob Wolf, as recorded at the National World War II Museum in New Orleans.
EPISODE #858, 10/5/2024: A special episode preparing you for the 80th anniversary of World War II’s largest naval engagement, the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
EPISODE #857, 9/28/2024: Celebrating birthday #100 for World War II navy veteran Bob Mettauer of Santa Maria, CA, who survived two kamikaze attacks aboard the aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga.
EPISODE #856, 9/21/2024: We remember two amazing World War II veterans, one 103 years old and the other 97, who passed away in recent days.
EPISODE #855, 9/14/2024: In honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day coming up this week, we hear the memories of two ex-prisoners of war: One from World War II, one from the Korean War.
EPISODE #854, 9/7/2024: 79-year-old Dan Bisher of Hillsdale, MI relates his Marine Corps memories from Vietnam, including the incident that led to his Purple Heart.
EPISODE #853, 8/31/2024: Honoring World War II veteran and legendary journalist George Gruner, who passed away August 25th at the age of 99.
EPISODE #852, 8/24/2024: Part II of our interview with 100-year-old Luke McLaurine covers his experience as a prisoner of war, and includes the inspiration behind the Forever Young Veterans organization from founder Diane Hight.
EPISODE #851, 8/17/2024: 100-year-old Luke McLaurine of Memphis, TN explains how his 20th mission as a B-24 bombardier became his last.
EPISODE #850, 8/10/2024: After observing the 79th anniversary of the dawn of the nuclear age with the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima, we hear memories from a Marine who unloaded components of the atomic bomb on Tinian, and the last surviving member of the Enola Gay’s squadron.
EPISODE #849, 8/3/2024: A special episode in honor of the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Tinian, also recognizing another connected anniversary that involves the worst sea disaster in American naval history.
EPISODE #848, 7/27/2024: 100-year-old Frank Bebereia of Lemoore, CA relates his World War II memories, which include time on Okinawa with the 27th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #847, 7/20/2024: We mark 80 years since the Allied liberation of Guam with five men who had unique experiences on that island during World War II.
EPISODE #846, 7/13/2024: 81-year-old Navy veteran Carl Wright of Henderson, NV shares close calls from his 140 missions as a Radar Intercept Officer aboard F-4s during the Vietnam War, as well what he experienced more recently with Honor Flight Southern Nevada.
EPISODE #845, 7/6/2024: We recognize the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Saipan with the memories of five Marines who survived it.
EPISODE #844, 6/29/2024: We hear from 97-year-old Robert Titus, a veteran of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, as well as author Bill Scott, about the new book “Earthquake,” chronicling the legendary Air Force career of Brigadier General Titus.
EPISODE #843, 6/22/2024: 100-year-old Floyd Thomason of Lewiston, ID recalls his WWII Navy service, from the Doolittle Raid to the sinking of the USS Hornet, to the sinking of his own ship, the USS Northampton.
EPISODE #842, 6/15/2024: We learn about the new interactive D-Day exhibit and website called “The Thread of Memory,” and listen to the D-Day memories of one of the veterans it highlights.
EPISODE #841, 6/8/2024: More D-Day memories at the end of a week in which the world paused to remember the sacrifice of so many who participated in the invasion of Normandy 80 years ago.
EPISODE #840, 6/1/2024: We prepare for the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion with the memories of three men who came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day.
EPISODE #839, 5/25/2024: A special Memorial Day edition features World War II veterans remembering some of the Gold Star heroes with whom they served.
EPISODE #838, 5/18/2024: 85-year-old Michael Busch of Henderson, NV takes us back to December 14, 1963 and his miraculous survival after his helicopter was shot down.
EPISODE #837, 5/11/2024: A special episode sharing V-E Day Memories from WWII veterans, as well as this year’s V-E Day commemoration at the National World War II Memorial.
EPISODE #836, 5/4/2024: 89-year-old Leonard Goertzen of Providence, UT reflects on his Air Force career, as well as his experience with Utah Honor Flight.
EPISODE #835, 4/27/2024: Retired Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Tom Di Giorgio of Fairfield, CA explains how he ended up piloting B-57s through the blast clouds of nuclear bombs.
EPISODE #834, 4/20/2024: We recognize the 82nd anniversary of the Doolittle Raid with memories from Doolittle Raider David Thatcher, as well as 104-year-old Jane Boote, a nurse who cared for the Raiders upon their return, and eyewitness Al Blumer, who saw all 16 B-25s take off from his gun mount on the USS Enterprise.
EPISODE #833, 4/13/2024: Part II of our interview with 100-year-old Bill DeGeneres includes memories of a Gold Star friend, Bill’s Honor Flight experience, and how his art ended up in the Smithsonian.
EPISODE #832, 4/6/2024: 100-year-old Bill DeGeneres of Rio Rancho, NM remembers his WWII service as a Navy corpsman w/the Marines in the Pacific.
EPISODE #831, 3/30/2024: As families gather to celebrate the Easter holiday this weekend, hear what servicemen in the Pacific and European Theaters were enduring on the final Easter Sunday of World War II.
EPISODE #830, 3/23/2024: Author Mike Croissant discusses his new book Bombing Hitler’s Hometown, which has a connection to Hometown Heroes & the POW story of Dale Shebilsky.
EPISODE #829, 3/16/2024: 91-year-old Bob McCoy of Fairfield, CA was just 15 when he lied about his age to enter the military. The Colton, SD native shares his fighter pilot memories, including how he earned the Silver Star.
EPISODE #828, 3/9/2024: A surprise 100th birthday party for World War II veteran Ray Lee of Fresno, CA, at the museum where volunteered for 27 years.
EPISODE #827, 3/2/2024: Remembering Sid Zimman, WWII Marine corps veteran & recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, who passed away February 14 at age 100.5
EPISODE #826, 2/24/2024: We mark the 79th anniversary of the Battle of Iwo Jima through the memories of six men who experienced it first hand.
EPISODE #825, 2/17/2024: 94-year-old Tad Riley of Fairfield, CA shares highlights from 24 years as a Navy pilot, including the photos he took during the Cuban Missile Cross that led to prestigious decorations.
EPISODE #824, 2/10/2024: We hear WWII memories from one of America’s newest centenarians, remember another WWII vet who passed away at 102, and also focus on the annual Day of Remembrance for Americans of Japanese ancestry.
EPISODE #823, 2/3/2024: 98-year-old Arthur Grabiner of Queens, NY reflects on his WWII Navy service aboard the attack transport USS Laurens (APA-153).
EPISODE #822, 1/27/2024: Part II of Dan Dougherty’s story includes his experiences in the liberation of Dachau Concentration Camp in April, 1945, appropriate given this episode’s debut on International Holocaust Remembrance Day.
EPISODE #821, 1/20/2024: 98-year-old Purple Heart recipient Dan Dougherty of Fairfield, CA remembers his World War II service with the 44th and 45th Infantry Divisions in Europe.
EPISODE #820, 1/13/2024: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we hear from five World War II veterans whose service in America’s then-segregated Armed Forces helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement.
EPISODE #819, 1/6/2024: 98-year-old Howard Koch of La Mirada, CA remembers his World War II combat in Italy with the 10th Mountain Division.
EPISODE #818, 12/30/2023: We conclude 2023 by looking back at some of the most memorable stories we heard from veterans on Hometown Heroes this year, including a recipient of the Medal of Honor.
EPISODE #817, 12/23/2023: Acquire perspective on Christmas through the memories of how World War II veterans experiences during the holidays in wartime.
EPISODE #816, 12/16/2023: Listen to perspective from a newly minted centenarian, Mike Kaloustian of Visalia, CA, who turns 100 this weekend and served aboard the cruiser USS New Orleans in World War II.
EPISODE #815, 12/9/2023: Highlights from the 82nd anniversary commemoration at Pearl Harbor, plus memories of December 7, 1941 from three men who were there for that Day of Infamy.
EPISODE #814, 12/2/2023: Part II of our conversation with Dutch Vryhof of Hanford, CA includes memories of the day his Dutch village was liberated by Canadian forces in World War II, as well as his immigration to the United States.
EPISODE #813, 11/25/2023: 90-year-old Dutch Vryhof of Hanford, CA remembers his efforts with the Dutch Underground during World War II, after German forces occupied his hometown of Rhoon in the Netherlands.
EPISODE #812, 11/18/2023: We mark the 80th anniversary of the Battle of Tarawa with the memories of six World War II veterans who were there in November, 1943.
EPISODE #811, 11/11/2023: A special Veterans Day episode features World War II memories from three veterans we’ve had the privilege of meeting this year in three different states: Kansas, Montana, and California.
EPISODE #810, 11/4/2023: 98-year-old Ed Bates of Clovis, CA shares memories of his World War II service, first with the Merchant Marine, then in a special unit of Naval Intelligence.
EPISODE #809, 10/28/2023: 90-year-old Bill Helton of Clovis, CA reflects on his three decades of service in the Marine Corps, including the Purple Hearts he earned in both the Korean War and Vietnam War.
EPISODE #808, 10/21/2023: A special episode marking the anniversary of General Douglas MacArthur’s return to the Philippines, through the eyes of veterans who were there on October 20, 1944.
EPISODE #807, 10/14/2023: We remember Pearl Harbor survivor Francisco Paredes, who passed away September 30th at the age of 103.
EPISODE #806, 10/7/2023: Part II of our conversation with Herb Ford, covering the Pitcairn Island Study Center he founded for Pacific Union College, his Honor Flight experience, and his connection to one of Iwo Jima’s flag raisers.
EPISODE #805, 9/30/2023: 96-year-old Herbert Ford of Exeter, CA, the author of 12 books, details his World War II service in the Merchant Marine, as well as his years in the Army Air Corps & Air Force that followed.
EPISODE #804, 9/23/2023: They all received the Distinguished Flying Cross for their heroic rescue of over 250 people from the Mammoth Pool Reservoir during California’s Creek Fire in 2020. Helicopter pilots Kipp Goding, Irvin Hernandez, and Ge Xiong of the 1106th TASMG recall that apocalyptic scene, and we hear from one of the grateful rescuees, Alex Tettamanti.
EPISODE #803, 9/16/2023: We mark National POW/MIA Recognition Day through the memories of two World War II prisoners of war.
EPISODE #802, 9/9/2023: As another season of Honor Flights kicks off around the country, we hear the daring rescue story of a Navy Cross recipient who will experience his Honor Flight to Washington, D.C. this week.
EPISODE #801, 9/2/2023: 97-year-old Richard Burbine of Bridgeport, CA details the events of February 23, 1945, when he somehow survived four hours in the frigid Barents Sea after the sinking of the SS Henry Bacon.
EPISODE #800, 8/26/2023: In honor of our 800th episode, we revisit the very first episode of Hometown Heroes, explore why the story of the Doolittle Raiders will reach a whole new audience this fall, and share an exciting new project that will connect our veterans’ stories with younger generations.
EPISODE #799, 8/19/2023: 99-year-old Bill Glaspie of Bakersfield, CA remembers his World War II service in Europe with the 468th Anti-aircraft Artillery Battalion.
EPISODE #798, 8/12/2023: In honor of the 78th anniversary of V-J Day, we hear from several World War II veterans about the unique ways in which they experienced that world-changing day.
EPISODE #797, 8/5/2023: On a weekend that marks the 78th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, we hear from the last surviving member of the Enola Gay’s squadron, Norris Jernigan, who also shares his thoughts on the new feature film, Oppenheimer.
EPISODE #796, 7/29/2023: On a weekend that marks the 78th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Indianapolis (CA-35), we hear from five women who contributed to the new book, Heroes in the Shadows, detailing the previously untold story of the 28 African-American sailors who tragically died when the cruiser sank.
EPISODE #795, 7/22/2023: 100-year-old Jesse Arney of Oceano, CA takes us back to his days as a tank gunner in the Pacific with Company B, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marine Division. The native of Maud, OK was wounded in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #794, 7/15/2023: Remembering the inimitable Jimmy Weldon, a World War II veteran turned entertainer who voiced the Yogi Bear Show character “Yakky Doodle.” Weldon passed away July 6, 2023 at the age of 99.
EPISODE #793, 7/8/2023: 99-year-old Jorge Medeiros of Gustine, CA shares his journey from the Massachusetts to the Azores, to service in the U.S. Army in World War II.
EPISODE #792, 7/1/2023: Prepare for Independence Day with the memories from three World War II veterans whose perspective on freedom and on America might add to your perspective.
EPISODE #791, 6/24/2023: Hear from the last living survivor from the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, Harold Bray, along with author and filmmaker Sara Vladic, ahead of the July 7th dedication of a statue in Bray’s honor in Benicia, CA.
EPISODE #790, 6/17/2023: 98-year-old Bob McAvoy of Clovis, CA shares memories from his World War II service aboard the USS San Diego (CL-53), the USS Napa (APA-157), and USS Oberon (AKA-14).
EPISODE #789, 6/10/2023: In observance of D-Day’s 79th anniversary, this episode features the great-grandson of Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicating FDR’s D-Day Prayer at the National WWII Memorial, plus the story of one of 45 WWII vets returning to Normandy this year with the Best Defense Foundation.
EPISODE #788, 6/3/2023: In an episode recorded at the National World War II Memorial on Memorial Day, we hear from World War II Navy veteran Dixon Hemphill, and also from Ken Underwood, a member of the American WWII Orphans Network.
EPISODE #787, 5/27/2023: We learn about a newly planned memorial, find out how you can help bring those plans to fruition, and hear memories from three of the men it will honor.
EPISODE #786, 5/20/2023: Medal of Honor recipient Leroy Petry describes the events of May 26, 2008 that led to his being awarded our nation’s highest military decoration.
EPISODE #785, 5/13/2023: A special Mother’s Day episode features Thelma Wiley of Sacramento, CA relating her experiences the tragic Operation Babylift plane crash in 1975.
EPISODE #784, 5/6/2023: 97-year-old John Stokes of San Leandro, CA recalls his WWII Navy service, including kamikaze attacks he helped foil aboard the merchant ship SS Saginaw Victory.
EPISODE #783, 4/29/2023: 98-year-old Glenn Montgomery of Colorado Springs, CO shares memories from his WWII service with the 70th Infantry Division. He also served in the Korean War and Vietnam War and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel after 31 years in the Army.
EPISODE #782, 4/22/2023: A buzz was created this week around the 80th anniversary of Louie Zamperini’s miraculous survival on a B-24 that took over 600 bullet holes and 5 cannon holes. We listen to his account of that mission and also reflect on his legacy through the words of the late ex-prisoner of war and the author of Unbroken, Laura Hillenbrand.
EPISODE #781, 4/15/2023: As the Honor Flight Network moves into peak flying season, we meet two men about to experience a journey to their memorials in Washington, D.C. – Korean War veteran Rudy Rutherford and Vietnam veteran Fred Smith.
EPISODE #780, 4/8/2023: Hear the memories of Bataan Death March survivors as we mark the 81st anniversary of that infamous war crime that claimed the lives of thousands of troops in the Philippines.
EPISODE #779, 4/1/2023: We mark the 78th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa with the memories of three men who survived it.
EPISODE #778, 3/25/2023: In advance of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29th, we meet Vietnam veteran Gene Ghio of Santa Cruz, CA, and also learn about the first American casualty in Vietnam.
EPISODE #777, 3/18/2023: In part II of our interview with WWII vet Durl Gibbs, we hear from Durl and his son, Wes, about the incredible journey that reunited an item Durl had brought home from the Battle of Okinawa with the family of a fallen Japanese soldier.
EPISODE #776, 3/11/2023: 97-year-old Durl Gibbs of Fort Benton, MT takes us back to the Battle of Okinawa and his experiences with the 96th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #775, 3/4/2023: We learn about a special new WWII-related monument and hear from a soon to be 101-year-old veteran you have a chance to golf with next month.
EPISODE #774, 2/25/2023: We learn about the new documentary Unbroken Honor, capturing the experience of Americans of Japanese ancestry during World War II. In addition to brief clips from the film and memories from a veteran featured heavily in it, you’ll hear from filmmaker Jeff Aiello.
EPISODE #773, 2/18/2023: 99-year-old Jim Freel of Topeka, KS explains how he was wounded 78 years ago in the battle of Iwo Jima, and remembers his Gold Star hero brother and fellow Marine, Bill.
EPISODE #772, 2/11/2023: Ron Vance of Fresno, CA shares about his war experiences in Vietnam and Iraq, and explains the idea behind the Unsung Heroes Living History Project.
EPISODE #771, 2/4/2023: 92-year-old Ivan Wohlgemuth of Reedley, CA reflects on his Korean War service as a medic with the 123rd Medical Holding Company, as well as his 20 years as a missionary to Japan.
EPISODE #770, 1/28/2023: Highlights from the ceremony that presented 97-year-old Royce Williams with the Navy Cross, more than 70 years after his long secret heroics during the Korean War. You’ll also hear Williams’ memories from an aviation career that stretched from World War II through the Vietnam War and beyond.
EPISODE #769, 1/21/2023: 97-year-old Les Doyel of Strathmore, CA recalls his close calls in the Philippines with the 274th Signal Heavy Construction Company, and shares some his more recent exploits as well.
EPISODE #768, 1/14/2023: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we hear from World War II veterans whose service in a then-segregated military helped pave the way for the Civil Rights Movement.
EPISODE #767, 1/7/2023: 77-year-old Marine Corps veteran Bob Winn of Monterey, CA remembers the day he was wounded in Vietnam, and how another experience that day has led to his new mission of helping families to deal with PTSD.
EPISODE #766, 12/31/2022: 97-year-old George Paul of Henderson, NV remembers leaving Greece amid the drumbeat of war, and eventually serving in the 16th Armored Division in World War II.
EPISODE #765, 12/24/2022: A special Christmas episode include’s FDR’s Christmas address to the nation 80 years ago, as well as Christmas memories from World War II veterans.
EPISODE #764, 12/17/2022: Remembering D-Day survivor Vito Mastrangelo, who passed away December 9th at the age of 98.
EPISODE #763, 12/10/2022: Highlights from the official 81st anniversary Pearl Harbor Remembrance on Oahu, plus memories shared by three inimitable battleship survivors from December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #762, 12/3/2022: In preparation for the 81st anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor, we hear memories from three remaining Pearl Harbor survivors, all over 100 years old now.
EPISODE #761, 11/26/2022: Part II of our interview with decorated Navy pilot Jim Lloyd explores the series of miracles that led to his survival and escape from behind enemy lines 50 years ago.
EPISODE #760, 11/19/2022: 77-year-old Purple Heart recipient Jim Lloyd of Placitas, NM details his experiences as a Navy fighter pilot in Vietnam, including the night he was shot down in 1972.
EPISODE #759, 11/12/2022: A special Veterans Day episode highlights a 102-year-old Grand Marshal, a Pearl Harbor survivor’s memorial service, & college programs helping today’s returning veterans.
11/11/2022: Special Veterans Day spotlight that aired on Fresno State’s Bulldog Sports Network between basketball and football games on Veterans Day.
EPISODE #758, 11/5/2022: Decorated World War II veteran Nyle Smith marks his 100th birthday, with memories of his closest call still as sharp as ever.
EPISODE #757, 10/29/2022: 92-year-old Jacob Volkov of Fresno, CA explains who he went from Russian exile to U.S. Army medic during the Korean War.
EPISODE #756, 10/22/2022: We mark the 80th anniversary of the sinking of the USS Hornet (CV-8) in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands through the memories of four WWII veterans, including USS Hornet survivor Bob Cole.
EPISODE #755, 10/15/2022: 96-year-old Frank Gallo of New Canaan, CT reflects on his WWII service with the 78th Infantry Division in Europe.
EPISODE #754, 10/8/2022: We mark the 15th anniversary of the very first episode of Hometown Heroes by listening to an excerpt of that initial offering and other highlights through the years.
EPISODE #753, 10/1/2022: We launch Filipino American History Month through the memories of 2 of the more than 260,000 Filipinos to serve in U.S. Armed Forces during World War II.
EPISODE #752, 9/24/2022: Part II of our conversation with P-38 pilot Jim Kunkle features the full story of the September 16, 1944 mission that earned him not just the Purple Heart, but also the Distinguished Service Cross.
EPISODE #751, 9/17/2022: 99-year-old Jim Kunkle of Santa Ynez, CA takes us back to his days as a decorated P-38 Lightning pilot during World War II.
EPISODE #750, 9/10/2022: A special birthday surprise for 99-year-old Navy veteran Ray Loyd of Grover Beach, CA.
EPISODE #749, 9/3/2022: We mark the 80th anniversary of the first African-American Marines arriving at Montford Point, NC with memories, as well as a mission that you might be able to get behind.
EPISODE #748, 8/27/2022: Navy Cross recipient Harry Zinser of Hanford, CA takes us back to August 6, 1972 and the daring helicopter rescue of a downed pilot behind enemy lines.
EPISODE #747, 8/20/2022: 96-year-old Walter Grainger of Bakersfield, CA recalls his WWII Navy service, and shares details on his latest mission: building a World War II Veterans Memorial for his native Kern County.
EPISODE #746, 8/13/2022: In an interview recorded at the Clovis Veterans Memorial District in Clovis, CA, 92-year-old Sam Banuelos remembers the two years he spent as a prisoner of war during the Korean War.
EPISODE #745, 8/6/2022: We mark the 77th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb with Norris Jernigan, one of the last surviving members of the 393rd Bomb Squadron, who recently returned to Wendover, UT, where he participated in secret training during World War II.
EPISODE #744, 7/30/2022: 97-year-old Henry “Robby” Robinson of Henderson, NV remembers his WWII experiences as a reconnaissance scout with the 11th Armored Division in Europe.
EPISODE #743, 7/23/2022: A tribute to WWII Prisoner of War Dean Whitaker, who passed away July 14 at the age of 97. We also hear from Honor Flight Southern Nevada’s Belinda Morse.
EPISODE #742, 7/16/2022: 99-year-old Jack Kappeler of Bakersfield, CA remembers his adventures as a Navy fighter pilot in World War II, flying F4U Corsairs off of the carrier USS Lexington (CV-16)
EPISODE #741, 7/9/2022: 95-year-old Lindy Scialla of Greenwood Village, CO explains his Marine Corps service during and after World War II, including his closest call in China in 1946.
EPISODE #740, 7/2/2022: The USS Hornet Sea, Air, & Space Museum’s Nisei Veterans Exhibit includes tributes to some of our favorite Hometown Heroes.
EPISODE #739, 6/25/2022: 90-year-old Rolland Doerfer of Apopka, FL reflects on his Navy service as a photographer during the Korean War.
EPISODE #738, 6/18/2022: A special Father’s Day themed episode features memories from four different veterans.
EPISODE #737, 6/11/2022: 95-year-old Joe Pintacura of Prunedale, CA remembers his WWII experiences aboard the destroyer USS Craven (DD-382), including surviving Typhoon Cobra.
EPISODE #736, 6/4/2022: We mark the 78th anniversary of D-Day with the memories of a decorated paratrooper who is back in Normandy for the commemoration.
EPISODE #735, 5/28/2022: A special Memorial Day episode honors Gold Star heroes from World War II.
EPISODE #734, 5/21/2022: We celebrate the return of Honor Flights and learn about a book about WWII veterans that provides all proceeds to Honor Flight Nevada.
EPISODE #733, 5/14/2022: We remember Pearl Harbor survivor Mickey Ganitch, who passed away May 4th at the age of 102.
EPISODE #732, 5/7/2022: As we mark Mother’s Day and V-E Day this weekend, we meet a 104-year-old for whom both observances hold great meaning: Dr. Monica Kinnaman of Colorado Springs, CO.
EPISODE #731, 4/30/2022: Excerpts from Holocaust Remembrance Day ceremony at Yad Vashem supplement memories of WWII veterans who liberated concentration camps in Europe.
EPISODE #730, 4/23/2022: WWII Navy pilot Dr. Gilbert Stocks reflects on his journey at the end of a week in which he celebrated his 100th birthday.
EPISODE #729, 4/16/2022: In honor of the 80th anniversary of the Bataan Death March, we listen to the memories of five men who were there when it began.
EPISODE #728, 4/9/2022: Part II of our interview with 97-year-old paratrooper Duane Harvey includes his memories of the WWII victory parade in New York City.
EPISODE #727, 4/2/2022: 97-year-old Duane Harvey of Albuquerque, NM reflects on his WWII service with the 101st Airborne Division’s 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.
EPISODE #726, 3/26/2022: Ahead of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, we hear from two Vietnam veterans: Army pilot Ken Yeager and Army nurse Loretta Forlaw.
EPISODE #725, 3/19/2022: In preparation for National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, we hear from swift boat veteran Rex Perry, honoring the legacy of a fallen friend.
EPISODE #724, 3/12/2022: 99-year-old George Kincaid of New Cuyama, CA reflects on his WWII service with 2nd Marine Division, including Saipan, Tinian, and Nagasaki after the bomb.
EPISODE #723, 3/5/2022: 97-year-old Al Gagliardi of Gilroy, CA remembers his WWII service with the 10th Mountain Division, and later the 147th Infantry Regiment.
EPISODE #722, 2/26/2022: Remembering the Berlin Candy Bomber, Gail Halvorsen, who passed away February 16th at the age of 101.
EPISODE #721, 2/19/2022: 97-year-old Howard Frye of Sunnyside, WA revisits his experiences wuth the 3rd Marine Division on Guam and Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #720, 2/12/2022: We prepare for the 80th anniversary of Executive Order 9066 with the memories of one of 33,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry to serve in our Armed Forces during World War II.
EPISODE #719, 2/5/2022: Launching Black History Month with a look at how the service of 1 million African-Americans in World War II led to societal change, with first hand accounts from two trailblazers in the field of medicine.
EPISODE #718, 1/29/2022: In an interview recorded at VFW Post 10147 in Apopka, FL, 94-year-old Lou Boria, a native of Brooklyn, NY, remembers his USMC service in World War II and the Korean War.
EPISODE #717, 1/22/2022: 100-year-old Bob Clark of Clovis, CA recalls his World War II service aboard the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40) and explains why he’s still playing his baritone in the Sounds of Freedom Band as a centenarian.
EPISODE #716, 1/15/2022: In honor of Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we learn about a courageous stand in WWII that preceded King’s crusade for equal rights, and hear from retired Army Lt. Col. Yolanda Frazier, whose career represents the fulfillment of part of Dr. King’s vision.
EPISODE #715, 1/8/2022: 98-year-old Bill Jukes of Bakersfield, CA recalls his days a WWII fighter pilot. A native of Croswell, MI, Jukes flew Spitfires and P-51 Mustangs in the Royal Canadian Air Force.
EPISODE #714, 1/1/2022: 98-year-old Don Pullan of Salt Lake City, UT remembers his WWII service with the 911th Air Engineering Squadron, and we learn about Utah’s Fort Douglas Military Museum from director Beau Burgess.
EPISODE #713, 12/25/2021: A special Christmas edition details how servicemen experienced Christmas in the air, on land, and at sea during World War II.
EPISODE #712, 12/18/2021: Pearl Harbor survivor Bill Pratt of Fresno, CA marks his 100th birthday by sharing his memories from the battleship USS Nevada and submarine USS Tuna during World War II.
EPISODE #711, 12/11/2021: Highlights from this week’s 80th anniversary commemoration at Pearl Harbor, including words from President Biden, USS Arizona survivor Lou Conter, and Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro, as well as reactions from veterans who were there with the Best Defense Foundation to witness the event.
EPISODE #710, 12/4/2021: As we approach the 80th anniversary of Imperial Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor, we hear the memories of 7 men who were there on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #709, 11/27/2021: 63 World War II veterans are traveling to Oahu next week for the 80th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. We hear the memories of one of them, USS Oklahoma survivor David “Russ” Russell.
EPISODE #708, 11/20/2021: 100-year-old Geb Galle of Moses Lake, WA details how he survived Pearl Harbor aboard the battleship USS Nevada, as well as the sinking of the cruiser USS Northampton less than a year later.
EPISODE #707, 11/13/2021: As Nyle Smith marks his 99th birthday, we hear his incredible story of survival and heroics in a tragic B-17 crash on April 12, 1944.
EPISODE #706, 11/6/2021: Looking ahead to Veterans Day, 2021 with memories from two veterans who performed unique roles during World War II.
EPISODE #705, 10/30/2021: 97-year-old Barb Schober of Ellensburg, WA reflects on her World War II service in the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.
EPISODE #704, 10/23/2021: Remembering a man who was truly one of Shafter, CA’s “Hometown Heroes,” Mert Wiedmann, who passed away this week. Almost all of his 97 years were spent in Shafter, with the exception of his unique and dangerous Navy assignment during World War II.
EPISODE #703, 10/16/2021: Part II of our interview with John D. Hosey includes the helicopter rescue mission that earned him the Silver Star, not to mention his second Purple Heart.
EPISODE #702, 10/9/2021: 86-year-old John Hosey of Woodinville, WA walks us through a 29-year military career that left him with three Purple Hearts, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the Silver Star, among other decorations.
EPISODE #701, 10/2/2021: Showcasing three different B-17 missions in which World War II veterans defeated significant odds.
EPISODE #700, 9/25/2021: 96-year-old Melvin “Gabe” Gabelhaus of Modesto, CA looks back on a 20-year Navy career. As a 16-year-old, he survived the sinking of the merchant vessel SS Samuel Q. Brown by a German U-boat.
EPISODE #699, 9/18/2021: We observe National Prisoner of War / Missing in Action Recognition Day with the stories of two ex-prisoners of war who were both shot down over Nazi-held territory during World War II.
EPISODE #698, 9/11/2021: 96-year-old Phil Wright of Madera Ranchos, CA remembers his World War II Army service with the 567th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, as well as nearly two decades in the Air Force.
EPISODE #697, 9/4/2021: We mark the 76th anniversary of the end of World War II with highlights of ceremonies in Washington, D.C. and Pearl Harbor.
EPISODE #696, 8/28/2021: Honoring the memories of three special World War II veterans who passed away this month, and excerpts from this week’s memorial on the USS Midway for Pearl Harbor survivor Stu Hedley.
EPISODE #695, 8/21/2021: We mark the start of the 2021 College Football season by hearing the memories of three veterans whose college football careers were interrupted by World War II.
EPISODE #694, 8/14/2021: Remembering Pearl Harbor Survivor Stu Hedley, who passed away August 4th, just three months shy of his 100th birthday.
EPISODE #693, 8/7/2021: 76 years after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis, we hear from 2 of the 5 remaining survivors, in addition to a Marine who unloaded the Indy’s top secret cargo on Tinian.
EPISODE #692, 7/31/2021: The rest of 99-year-old Jim Parker’s story, including the amazing story of how he brought the B-17 “Dina-Mite” home safely on December 19, 1943.
EPISODE #691, 7/24/2021: 99-year-old Jim Parker of North Las Vegas, NV explains how his enlistment in the Army Air Corps led him to a 78-year-marriage, and a lifelong career in aviation.
EPISODE #690, 7/17/2021: 94-year-old Wayne Bailey of Turlock, CA remembers his World War II service aboard the light cruiser USS Biloxi (CL-80).
EPISODE #689, 7/10/2021: We mark the 78th anniversay of the 1943 invasion of Sicily with the memories of five veterans from five different states who were participated.
EPISODE #688, 7/3/2021: 99-year-old Bill Biggers of Fresno, CA remembers his World War II service with the 1st Cavalry Division and 24th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #687, 6/26/2021: 98-year-old Betty Doenges of Colorado Springs, CO takes us back to her days as an Army nurse in World War II, and we learn more the National Museum of WWII Aviation.
EPISODE #686, 6/19/2021: 96-year-old Bill Roche of Colorado Springs, CO remembers the two crash landings he survived as a B-17 gunner with the 452nd Bomb Group, as well as his time as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #685, 6/12/2021: 97-year-old Doug Johnson of Fresno, CA details the uniqueness of his World War II Navy service in the Philippines.
EPISODE #684, 6/5/2021: We mark the 77th anniversary of D-Day in the invasion of Normandy with the memories of two men who were there, plus a new way to learn about the 2,502 Americans who died on the initial day of Operation Overlord.
EPISODE #683, 5/29/2021: A special Memorial Day episode details the O’Kane family’s quest to discover more details about Beuran O’Kane’s final mission on June 1, 1945.
EPISODE #682, 5/22/2021: 97-year-old Vic Walters of San Diego, CA reflects on his days as an aerial gunner with VPB-111 during World War II.
EPISODE #681, 5/15/2021: 95-year-old Purple Heart recipient Carl Berghofer of Embudo, NM explains how he survived the Battle of Iwo Jima as an 18-year-old Marine.
EPISODE #680, 5/8/2021: 102-year-old William Sanchez of Monterey Park, CA shares memories of his more than 1,200 days as a prisoner of war in the Pacific.
EPISODE #679, 5/1/2021: 99-year-old Ralph Graham of Waco, TX reflects as his 33 missions as a B-17 radio operator with the 487th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #678, 4/24/2021: 92-year-old Leonard Blake of Whittier, CA explains how he joined the Merchant Marine at age 15. You’ll also hear how the injuries he suffered in a kamikaze attack have impacted the rest of his life.
EPISODE #677, 4/17/2021: Part II of our interview with Joe Peterburs covers his time as a prisoner of war in World War II, and what followed in his 36-year military career, in addition to his chance to meet the German ace he had shot down.
EPISODE #676, 4/10/2021: 96-year-old Joe Peterburs of Roseville, CA explains how he went from seminarian to P-51 Mustang ace during World War II.
EPISODE #675, 4/3/2021: 95-year-old Eugene “Jake” Jacobsen of Shaver Lake, CA chronicles his time in combat with the 3rd Infantry Division, including the close call that led to his Purple Heart.
EPISODE #674, 3/27/2021: 96-year-old Arthur Rinetti of Rio Linda, CA remembers his World War II service aboard the battleship USS West Virginia (BB-48), including a close call with a kamikaze off of Okinawa.
EPISODE #673, 3/20/2021: 94-year-old Lester Burgwardt of Henderson, NV reflects on his military service in five different decades, including his time in TBM Avengers in World War II.
EPISODE #672, 3/13/2021: 99-year-old Betty Rosevear of San Diego, CA remembers his WWII service in Army Nurse Corps, which came after her B-17 pilot husband was killed in action.
EPISODE #671, 3/6/2021: Veterans from the Marine Corps, Army, Navy, Coast Guard, and Army Air Corps remember the Battle of Iwo Jima, unfolding at this time 76 years ago.
EPISODE #670, 2/27/2021: In honor of Black History Month, we hear the memories of three African-American World War II veterans, & discuss the inaugural Brigader General Charles E. McGee Unity Award.
EPISODE #669, 2/20/2021: We hear the stories of two World War II survivors who both celebrated their 101st birthdays in the last week: Frank Paredes and Bill Overmier.
EPISODE #668, 2/13/2021: The release of the new book Tears of Honor coincides with the annual Day of Remembrance, 79 years after Executive Order 9066 led to the internment of 120,000 Americans of Japanese ancestry.
EPISODE #667, 2/6/2021: 95-year-old Albert Markus of Fresno, CA details his World War II service as a radar operator aboard the attack transport USS Pierce (APA-50).
EPISODE #665, 1/30/2021: Marking International Holocaust Remembrance Day with the memories of veterans who witnessed concentration camps, as well as the voices of survivors, with help from the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.
EPISODE #664, 1/23/2021: 96-year-old ex-prisoner of war Harold Radish of Douglaston, NY shares his experiences with the 90th Infantry Division, as well as the recent surprise reunion with something he lost more than 75 years ago.
EPISODE #663, 1/16/2021: 100-year-old Dorothy Jones of Fresno, CA remembers her World War II Navy service as a yeoman in the WAVES (Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service).
EPISODE #662, 1/9/2021: 96-year-old Leeroy Tucker of Madera, CA reflects on his World War II service with the 332nd Field Artillery Battalion, 86th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #661, 1/2/2021: Remembering legendary pilot Robert Thacker, a veteran of WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, who passed away at the age of 102.
EPISODE #660, 12/26/2020: We wrap up the Christmas season with how seven different veterans experienced Christmas during World War II.
EPISODE #659, 12/19/2020: 94-year-old Kenneth “K.O.” Leach of Madera, CA recalls his World War II service aboard the destroyer USS Bristol (DD-857). We also hear from his wife of 73 years, Bernice, as well as their grandson, Navy chaplain LCDR Joshua Earls.
EPISODE #658, 12/12/2020: Highlights from the ceremony awarding the Congressional Gold Medal to Chinese-American veterans of World War II, supplementing the stories of two men who will receive that medal.
EPISODE #657, 12/5/2020: We mark the 79th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with two survivors who are still actively sharing their memories from that “Day of Infamy.”
EPISODE #656, 11/28/2020: Remembering veterans who were absent from the Thanksgiving table for the first time this year, including Tuskegee Airman Frank Macon of Colorado Springs, CO.
EPISODE #655, 11/21/2020: “Rosie the Riveter” Angie Schiappi and her husband of 70 years, Army veteran Vince Schiappi, share memories from their lives before, during, and after World War II.
EPISODE #654, 11/14/2020: Veterans Day 2020 brought some encouraging and inspiring developments, from high school students serving vets, to a long awaited museum opening, to a new way to tell the World War II story.
EPISODE #653, 11/7/2020: 96-year-old Don Cooley of Watsonville, CA shares memories from his four months as a prisoner of war during World War II.
EPISODE #652, 10/31/2020: As a reminder to exercise your right to vote, we hear the memories of three veterans from three different states and three different branches of service, who all paid dearly to protect that right and secure our freedom.
EPISODE #651, 10/24/2020: 96-year-old Mike Kaloustian of Visalia, CA remembers his time aboard the cruiser USS New Orleans (CA-32) during World War II.
EPISODE #650, 10/17/2020: The “Candy Bomber,” Gail Halvorsen reflects on his 100th birthday, the latest tribute to his legacy, and revisits his experiences during World War II, as well as the Berlin Airlift.
EPISODE #649, 10/10/2020: 95-year-old Marvin Belcher of Bakersfield, CA looks back on his 26 missions as a ball turret gunner on B-17s with the 384th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #648, 10/3/2020: Remembering two WWII veterans who just passed away, Navy veteran Ralph Thissen (USS Saratoga) and Army veteran Patch Curtis (1st Cavalry Division).
EPISODE #647, 9/26/2020: 99-year-old Leonard Lonigan of Falls City, OR details his 35 missions as a B-24 navigator with the the 734th Squadron, 453rd Bomb Group.
EPISODE #646, 9/19/2020: 96-year-old Lou Goodman of San Luis Obispo, CA shares memories of his 30 missions as a B-17 bombardier with the 323rd Squadron, 91st Bomb Group.
EPISODE #645, 9/12/2020: We celebrate Rodger Jensen’s 100th birthday by hearing his experiences as a B-29 bomber pilot with the 315th Bomb Wing, including the last mission of World War II.
EPISODE #644, 9/5/2020: 97-year-old Dr. Russell Brookshier of Hanford, CA reflects on his 78 missions in B-24 bombers with the 1330th Army Air Force Base Unit in the China Burma India Theater of World War II.
EPISODE #643, 8/29/2020: In previewing the 75th commemoration of Japan’s official surrender aboard the USS Missouri, we also hear what President Harry Truman, General Douglas MacArthur, and Admiral Chester Nimitz had to say on September 2, 1945.
EPISODE #642, 8/22/2020: 96-year-old Joe Garabedian of Fresno, CA remembers the day he was wounded on Leyte with the 96th Infantry Division, and how he recovered to launch a family business that is more successful than ever today.
EPISODE #641, 8/15/2020: We mark the 75th anniversary of V-J Day with radio clips that aired that day, as well as the V-J Day memories of eight different World War II veterans.
EPISODE #640, 8/8/2020: 95-year-old Norris Jernigan of Visalia, CA shares recollections from his time with the 393rd Bomb Squadron and his connection to the advent of the atomic bomb.
EPISODE #639, 8/1/2020: 93-year-old Harold Bray of Benicia, CA explains how he survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis and the five harrowing days in the water that followed 75 years ago.
EPISODE #638, 7/25/2020: 104-year-old Jack Perrin of Santa Barbara, CA explains his secret Naval Intelligence work at station HYPO during World War II.
EPISODE #637, 7/18/2020: We learn about the new documentary “Flight Path to NASA: A Pilot’s Journey” from legendary test pilot Don Mallick and filmmaker Cameron Mitchell.
EPISODE #636, 7/11/2020: 100-year-old Marshall Soria of Fresno, CA remembers his WWII service in Europe with the 28th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #635, 7/4/2020: A special Independence Day weekend edition features the memories of three World War II veterans from three different backgrounds, what they were doing 75 years ago, and their perspectives on America.
EPISODE #634, 6/27/2020: Concluding a week in which the White House commemorated the 75th anniversary of the end of the Battle of Okinawa, we hear from two men whose lives were changed by their experiences on and around the island 75 years ago this week.
EPISODE #633, 6/20/2020: 101-year-old Henry Mizuki of Shelby Township, MI reflects on life before, during, & after WWII as one of 33,000 Japanese-Americans who served in U.S. Armed Forces.
EPISODE #632, 6/13/2020: We learn about the secret work of the Sino-American Cooperative Organization (SACO) during World War II from one of the last surviving SACO veterans, Don Hardenbrook.
EPISODE #631, 6/6/2020: We mark the 76th anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy through the memories of three D-Day combat veterans in an episode that also features FDR’s D-Day address to the nation.
EPISODE #630, 5/30/2020: Alex Kershaw, author of The First Wave & other N.Y. Times bestsellers, shares about his personal connection to World War II and why it’s important for WWII history to be preserved.
EPISODE #629, 5/23/2020: Learn more about one of the Gold Star heroes we honor this Memorial Day, and hear from the corpsman who tried to save him 75 years ago this week. Also the nightmarish story of prisoner of war who was finally tasting freedom again at this time in 1945.
EPISODE #628, 5/16/2020: There was a lot happening on and around the island of Okinawa 75 years ago this week, and we hear from three World War II veterans about the life-changing moments they experienced.
EPISODE #627, 5/8/2020: We mark the 75th anniversary of V-E Day with the words of Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and Winston Churchill, and the V-E Day memories of ten different WWII veterans.
EPISODE #626, 5/2/2020: The memories of five World War II veterans from five different states help us mark the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Nazi concentration camps. We also hear briefly from Alex Kershaw, author of The Liberator, thanks to the Friends of the National World War II Memorial.
EPISODE #625, 4/25/2020: Three World War II veterans provide perspective for us as the world pauses to remember the Holocaust.
EPISODE #624, 4/18/2020: Remembering WWII veteran & pioneering heart surgeon Dr. Fitzalbert Marius, who passed away April 10 at the age of 98.
EPISODE #623, 4/11/2020: We hear how servicemen marked Passover and Easter 75 years ago, as well as more close calls from the Battle of Okinawa.
EPISODE #622, 4/4/2020: We mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa with three men from three different states (NJ, SD, CA) who survived that battle on land, in the air, and at sea.
EPISODE #621, 3/28/2020: 96-year-old Al Blumer of Fresno, CA shares memories from his World War II service aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6).
EPISODE #620, 3/21/2020: We mark the 75th anniversary of Operation Varsity with memories from three men who participated in the largest airborne assault ever to happen on one day in one place.
EPISODE #619, 3/14/2020: 94-year-old Roger Bain of Las Vegas, NV remembers his experiences with the 30th Infantry Division in Europe in World War II.
EPISODE #618, 3/7/2020: Remembering USS Arizona survivor Don Stratton, who was honored with a funeral procession this week from Colorado Springs, CO to his native Red Cloud, NE.
EPISODE #617, 2/29/2020: 100-year-old Jane Boote of Fresno, CA relates her WWII experiences as an Army nurse. A native of Erie, PA, Jane’s patients included two Doolittle Raiders.
EPISODE #616, 2/22/2020: Hear the memories of two men who survived the sinking of the USS Bismarck Sea 75 years ago this week. It remains the last time an American carrier was sunk by enemy action.
EPISODE #615, 2/15/2020: In preparation of the 75th anniversary of the Battle of the Iwo Jima, we hear the memories of the three Marines who survived that five-week battle.
EPISODE #614, 2/8/2020: In honor of Black History Month, we focus on four African-American veterans of World War II who have produced a lasting impact.
EPISODE #613, 2/1/2020: 94-year-old Glen Stenson of Denver, CO shares memories from his days as a corpsman aboard the hospital ship USS Tranquillity (AH-14).
EPISODE #612, 1/25/2020: 95-year-old Leo Griego of Albuquerque, NM remembers his WWII service with the 1st Marine Division, including the day he was wounded on Peleliu.
EPISODE #611, 1/18/2020: 75 years after two kamikazes struck the USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), we examine the legacy of one of the sailors killed in that attack.
EPISODE #610, 1/11/2020: Dr. Bill Kott of Anaheim, CA remembering his days in General Patton’s Third Army, including the Battle of the Bulge, and the liberation of Buchenwald concentration camp.
EPISODE #609, 1/4/2020: 99-year-old Vic Freudenberger of San Luis Obispo, CA reflects on his 22 years in the Marine Corps, including being wounded on the first day of the Battle of Guadalcanal in 1942.
EPISODE #608, 12/28/2019: Part II of our interview with 100-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Mickey Ganitch includes a tragedy aboard the USS Pennsylvania just before the end of World War II.
EPISODE #607, 12/21/2019: 100-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Mickey Ganitch of San Leandro, CA remembers how he experienced December 7, 1941 aboard the battleship USS Pennsylvania.
EPISODE #606, 12/14/2019: In time for the 75th anniversary of the start of the Battle of the Bulge, we feature the memories of four men whose lives were forever changed by that infamous battle.
EPISODE #605, 12/7/2019: We mark the 78th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with the memories of four men who experienced that “Day of Infamy” first hand.
EPISODE #604, 11/30/2019: 97-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Charles “Chuck” Keen of Porterville, CA remembers his WWII Navy experiences. The Burley, ID native served aboard the cruiser USS Honolulu (CL-48) and destroyer escort USS John C. Butler (DE-339).
EPISODE #603, 11/23/2019: Updating the story of World War II veteran Bill Barrett of Pueblo, CO, who just celebrated his 100th birthday at the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum.
EPISODE #602, 11/16/2019: 93-year-old Bob Thomas of Chula Vista, CA shares about his time with the 90th Infantry Division in Europe during World War II, as well as his belief as to who the first Americans to capture Berchtesgaden were in 1945.
EPISODE #601, 11/9/2019: A special Veterans Day episode features the accounts of three men who were adjusting to life as prisoners 75 years ago this week, after they had all been shot down on a treacherous bombing mission to Merseberg, Germany on November 2, 1944.
EPISODE #600, 11/2/2019: The feature film MIDWAY opens nationwide November 8th, so we prepare by hearing from men whose lives were changed by the pivotal Battle of Midway in 1942.
EPISODE #599, 10/26/2019: Marking the 75th anniversary of the “Rescue of the Lost Battalion” by hearing from 442nd Regimental Combat Team veterans Lawson Sakai and Joe Sakato, as well as Al Tortolano, one of those who was rescued.
EPISODE #598, 10/19/2019: 96-year-old Frank Macon of Colorado Springs, CO explains how he became a Tuskegee Airman, and discusses his new book, “I Wanted to be a Pilot.”
EPISODE #597, 10/12/2019: We mark 75 years since the remarkable survival of the cruiser USS Houston (CL-81), which had been named in honor of another cruiser (CA-30) lost earlier in World War II.
EPISODE #596, 10/5/2019: 95-year-old Joe Reyes of Fresno, CA sheds light on his time as a half-track gunner with Battery D of the 473rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion in Europe during World War II.
EPISODE #595, 9/28/2019: 95-year-old Ray Lee of Fresno, CA details his World War II service with the 97th Infantry Division, as well as his 27 years of service to the Veterans Memorial Museum, Home of the Legion of Valor.
EPISODE #594, 9/21/2019: On a week in which the National World War II Memorial marked 75th anniversaries of battles in both Europe and the Pacific, we hear from men who fought those battles.
EPISODE #593, 9/14/2019: 93-year-old Stan Filgas of Fresno, CA remembers his adventures as a teenaged sailor aboard the destroyer USS Wedderburn (DD-684) in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #592, 9/7/2019: The Best Defense Foundation returns veterans to their WWII battlefields. Learn about that mission from founder Donnie Edwards, a 13-year NFL linebacker, and 98-year-old WWII paratrooper Tom Rice, who will jump again in the Netherlands this month.
EPISODE #591, 8/31/2019: 96-year-old Charles Houston of Fresno, CA discusses his F6F Hellcat pilot exploits, as well as his book, “Flying with Iron Angels.”
EPISODE #590, 8/24/2019: Marking the 75th anniversary of Operation Dragoon, the invasion of Southern France, we hear the experiences of five veterans who participated.
EPISODE #589, 8/17/2019: 97-year-old WWII and Korean War veteran Bob Otto of Bakersfield, CA shares memories from his time as a decorated pilot, as well as how he has served his fellow veterans in the years since.
EPISODE #588, 8/10/2019: 98-year-old Walter Glenn of Dinuba, CA reflects on over 500 days of combat with the 32nd Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #587, 8/3/2019: 95-year-old Calvin Pascetta of North Las Vegas, NV shares stories from his 30-year Navy career, spanning from World War II to the Vietnam War.
EPISODE #586, 7/27/2019: 93-year-old Charlie Wilson of Bakersfield, CA relates his World War II memories as a radio operator with the 1503rd Air Transport Command in the Pacific.
EPISODE #585, 7/20/2019: 89-year-old Purple Heart recipient Tom Davis of Grover Beach, CA explains how he survived after being left for dead near Korea’s 38th parallel.
EPISODE #584, 7/13/2019: The rest of Dick Grantham’s story, including his experiences in Halsey’s Typhoon and nuclear testing at Bikini Atoll, plus Katie Chien and John Lenko on Californiastreaming.org’s Hometown Heroes database.
EPISODE #583, 7/6/2019: 93-year-old Purple Heart recipient Dick Grantham of Arroyo Grande, CA reflects on his WWII Navy service aboard the USS DuPage (APA-41), which was hit by a kamikaze in January 1945.
EPISODE #582, 6/29/2019: 93-year-old Frank Ormerod of Auburn, CA shares his adventures aboard the destroyer USS Ordronaux (DD-617) in the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #581, 6/22/2019: 95-year-old Ray McClure of Sanger, CA reflects on his long career in aviation, including piloting B-17s with the 452nd Bomb Group during World War II, and night missions in B-26s during the Korean War.
EPISODE #580, 6/15/2019: 99-year-old Bill Kendall of Henderson, NV recalls the landings he made with the 2nd Naval Beach Battalion at Sicily in 1943 and Normandy in 1944.
EPISODE #579, 6/8/2019: Now that the 75th anniversary of D-Day has arrived, we hear the Utah Beach memories of one of the D-Day survivors with President Trump in Normandy, as well as the president’s remarks.
EPISODE #578, 6/1/2019: In our final episode before the 75th anniversary of D-Day, we hear memories from four paratroopers who jumped into France that day, including one who will jump again on June 6, 2019.
EPISODE #577, 5/25/2019: Countdown to D-Day’s 75th anniversary continues with an Omaha Beach survivor, a glider pilot, and in honor of Memorial Day, the journey of discovery that led to a new book.
EPISODE #576, 5/18/2019: Excerpts of President Ronald Reagan’s famous D-Day speech from 1984 add to the Normandy memories of three veterans as we come closer to D-Day’s 75th anniversary.
EPISODE #575, 5/11/2019: Continuing our countdown to #DDay75, we focus on three different ways in which people cared for the casualties of the Normandy Invasion.
EPISODE #574, 5/4/2019: Counting down to next month’s 75th anniversary of the Normandy Invasion, we hear from three veterans who experienced D-Day first hand on June 6, 1944.
EPISODE #573, 4/27/2019: 96-year-old Forrest Hilton of San Jose, CA shares memories from his work with landing boats from the attack transport USS Heywood (APA-6) during World War II.
EPISODE #572, 4/20/2019: 96-year-old George Wickes of Eugene, OR relates his unique experiences with the Office of Strategic Services during World War II.
EPISODE #571, 4/13/2019: Part II of our interview with 99-year-old George Coburn of Oceanside, CA focuses on his time aboard the cruiser USS Louisville (CA-28), including the kamikaze attack off of Okinawa in which he was wounded.
EPISODE #570, 4/6/2019: 99-year-old George Coburn of Oceanside, CA explains what he went through aboard the battleship USS Oklahoma (BB-37) at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #569, 3/30/2019: 93-year-old Les Novaresi of Stockton, CA, the youngest of three brothers who all served in World War II and the Korean War, reflects on his time in the military, plus his 37 years in law enforcement.
EPISODE #568, 3/23/2019: 92-year-old Jerry Deitch of Las Vegas, NV describes his D-Day experience with Naval Combat Demolition Unit 30 at Utah Beach.
EPISODE #567, 3/16/2019: 95-year-old Sid Zimman of Oceanside, CA reflects on his WWII Marine Corps service as a radioman and gunner on SBD Dauntless dive bombers with VMSB-341.
EPISODE #566, 3/9/2019: In light of the recent discovery of the USS Hornet (CV-8) more than three miles deep in the Solomon Islands, we catch up with 96-year-old Bob Cole, one of the last remaining survivors of the aircraft carrier’s sinking.
EPISODE #565, 3/2/2019: 96-year-old Navy veteran Lewis Wagoner reflects on World War II and beyond, including the many sailing championships captured with his wife of 79 years, Ruth.
EPISODE #564, 2/23/2019: 101-year-old Jack Woolf of Fresno, CA remembers his World War II service with the 204th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion, including the invasion of Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #563, 2/16/2019: 92-year-old Robert Uyesaka of Clovis, CA helps us understand what Americans of Japanese ancestry endured during World War II. He is a veteran of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
EPISODE #562, 2/9/2019: Who were the World War II veterans honored by President Trump in his State of the Union address this week? Exploring that leads us to focus on the Holocaust and concentration camp liberators.
EPISODE #561, 2/2/2019: 92-year-old John Fitisoff of Tracy, CA shares stories from his years in the U.S. Merchant Marine, including the times in World War II when he met up with his older brother, Jim, a Purple Heart recipient.
EPISODE #560, 1/26/2019: 96-year-old Charles Baley of Fresno, CA discusses his World War II service aboard the attack transport USS President Adams (AP-38/APA-19), as well as his new book, Bell Bottom Trousers.
EPISODE #559, 1/19/2019: In honor of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, we examine how the service of approximately 1 million African-Americans in World War II laid the groundwork for the Civil Rights Movement.
EPISODE #558, 1/12/2019: 100-year-old Willard “Bill” Gillette of San Jose, CA shares stories from his 59 P-51 missions with the 334th Fighter Squadron, 4th Fighter Group.
EPISODE #557, 1/5/2019: 94-year-old Joe Soldo of Clovis, CA talks about his time with the 78th Infantry Division, as well as what he endured for more than five months as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #556, 12/29/2018: Reflecting on all the amazing veterans we’ve met in 2018, we zero in on four veterans from four different states, all with remarkable experiences to share.
EPISODE #555, 12/22/2018: A special Christmas edition of Hometown Heroes gives us perspective on the holiday through the eyes of three World War II veterans and some of their unique Christmas memories.
EPISODE #554, 12/15/2018: 94-year-old Del Blomquist of Tulare, CA reflects upon his World War II service aboard the cargo ship USS Ganymede (AK-104).
EPISODE #553, 12/8/2018: Marking the 77th anniversary of the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor with the perspectives of eight men who were on Oahu on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #552, 12/1/2018: 102-year-old George Vandersluis of Fresno, CA reflects on his 6 years in the Marine Corps, including December 7, 1941 aboard the USS Honolulu at Pearl Harbor.
EPISODE #551, 11/24/2018: Remembering Jack Schwartz, who endured 1,367 as a prisoner during World War II, and passed away Novermber 7 at the age of 103.
EPISODE #550, 11/17/2018: Meet the families of two World War II Marines whose remains have been identified after more than 75 years, and who will be laid to rest on two important anniversaries in the next month.
EPISODE #549, 11/10/2018: A special Veterans Day edition features three World War II veterans from three different states and three different branches of service.
EPISODE #548, 11/3/2018: 92-year-old Joe Harden of Hilmar, CA reflects on his WWII service as in infantry scout with the 24th Infantry Division on the Philippine islands of Leyte and Mindanao.
EPISODE #547, 10/27/2018: 95-year-old Robert Bradley of Albuquerque, NM shares memories from his WWII service in Europe with the 691st Ordnance Ammunition Company, and tells us about his new book, The Centurion’s Manuscript.
EPISODE #546, 10/20/2018: 99-year-old Victor Avakian of Fresno, CA shares colorful memories from his WWII service with the 679th Medical Collecting Company.
EPISODE #545, 10/13/2018: 95-year-old Ray Loyd of Grover Beach, CA tells us about his close calls aboard the USS Portland (CA-33) and USS Kitkun Bay (CVE-71) during World War II.
EPISODE #544, 10/6/2018: 93-year-old Karl Appel of Los Osos, CA remembers being wounded as a 19-year-old Marine in the Battle of Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #543, 9/29/2018: 94-year-old Bob Mettauer of Santa Maria, CA recalls his WWII service on aircraft carrier USS Ticonderoga (CV-14), including the day the “Big T” was struck by two kamikazes.
EPISODE #542, 9/22/2018: We hear from Zach Coco of the Pictures for Heroes project, as well as three veterans he has photographed: Pearl Harbor survivor Stu Hedley, D-Day survivor E.T. Roberts, and Tuskegee Airman Bob Friend.
EPISODE #541, 9/15/2018: 94-year-old Lee Nordgren of Mankato, MN explains how his actions as an F6F Hellcat pilot flying from the carrier USS Cowpens (CVL-25) on July 25, 1945 earned him the Navy Cross.
EPISODE #540, 9/8/2018: In advance of the September 14 release of the new film UNBROKEN: Path to Redemption, we hear about the movie from author Laura Hillenbrand and revisit Louie Zamperini’s appearance on Hometown Heroes.
EPISODE #539, 9/1/2018: 94-year-old Chuck Farritor of Claremont, CA shares memories from his service in the Merchant Marines during World War II and the Korean War, including a tragic accident that claimed the life of his friend and came incredibly close to claiming Chuck’s life as well.
EPISODE #538, 8/25/2018: 92-year-old Bob Kamin of Henderson, NV helps us understand the role of Operation Ivory Soap in the Pacific in World War II, through the lens of his service with the 2nd Aircraft Repair Unit (Floating).
EPISODE #537, 8/18/2018: 95-year-old Don Stoutenborough of Laguna Woods, CA reflects on 76 missions as a P-38 pilot with the 95th Fighter Squadron, 82nd Fighter Group during World War II.
EPISODE #536, 8/11/2018: 98-year-old Phil Reed of Santa Fe Springs, CA remembers Normandy and other landings aboard LCI-35, and also discusses his extensive museum of cars that he has restored.
EPISODE #535, 8/4/2018: 94-year-old Gloria Saucier of Las Vegas, NV remembers her time in the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve during World War II.
EPISODE #534, 7/28/2018: 87-year-old Don Mallick of Lancaster, CA shares highlights from his legendary aviation career, from Navy fighter pilot to NACA/NASA test pilot.
EPISODE #533, 7/21/2018: Honoring the legacy of Pearl Harbor survivor Chuck Lishman, who passed away at the age of 97. Chuck served on the destroyer-turned high speed minesweeper USS Perry during World War II.
EPISODE #532, 7/14/2018: 93-year-old Bill Venuti of Los Gatos, CA explains his role as a lookout on the battleship USS North Carolina (BB-55), and how it was the Navy that redirected this longtime engineering professor toward a college education.
EPISODE #531, 7/7/2018: 91-year-old John Durant of Fresno, CA shares memories from his World War II service with the 45th Air Depot, his involvement in the Berlin Airlift, and work with the space program.
EPISODE #530, 6/30/2018: 93-year-old Richard Cruise of Bakersfield, CA recalls his World War II service as a navigator with the “Typhoon Hunters” of the 55th Reconnaissance Group.
EPISODE #529, 6/23/2018: 92-year-old Albert Mezzetti of Manteca, CA recalls his days a Marine Corps machine gunner in World War II. A native of Muskegon, MI, Mezzetti also served during the Korean War and Vietnam War.
EPISODE #528, 6/16/2018: 91-year-old Murray Lee of San Diego, CA remembers his WWII service in the U.S. Merchant Marine, and also addresses his books on Chinese-American history, including the contributions of Chinese-American veterans
EPISODE #527, 6/9/2018: We reflect on the 74th Anniversary of D-Day and the invasion of Normandy with two men who were involved then, and are still active in honoring those who never came home.
EPISODE #526, 6/2/2018: 96-year-old Del Schwichtenberg of Carson City, NV explains what he did to be awarded the Bronze Star aboard the submarine USS Sand Lance (SS-381). A 1940 graduate of Oswego (IL) HS, Del spent 20 years in the Navy, retiring as a Chief Warrant Officer.
EPISODE #525, 5/26/2018: A special Memorial Day weekend edition remembers 15 World War II veterans who left us since last Memorial Day.
EPISODE #524, 5/19/2018: 93-year-old Joe Haratani of Sonora, CA reflects on his World War II service with the 442nd Regimental Combat team in Europe.
EPISODE #523, 5/12/2018: We mark Mother’s Day by focusing on the role of women in World War II, including the colorful journey of Joan Petrone, a USO dancer in France, Germany, and Japan.
EPISODE #522, 5/5/2018: 96-year-old Glenn Ferguson of San Diego, CA reflects on a colorful quarter century in the Marine Corps, his adventures in airplanes and helicopters, his service around two U.S. presidents, and why he felt moved to launch an award honoring Marine wives.
EPISODE #521, 4/28/2018: We learn about the Flying Leatherneck Aviation Museum in San Diego, CA from the chairman of the museum’s board, General Bob Butcher (USMC Ret.) and dive into the 25-year Marine Corps journey of 96-year-old Glenn Ferguson.
EPISODE #520, 4/21/2018: 96-year-old “Ski” Biernacki of Jamestown, CA shares his reaction to the discovery of the USS Helena (CL-50), more than half a mile below the surface, by Paul Allen’s R/V Petrel team.
EPISODE #519, 4/14/2018: 87-year-old John Smatana of Albuquerque, NM relates his experience as a Navy Corpsman with the 1st Marine Division during the Korean War. A native of Gary, IN, Smatana is a recipient of the Purple Heart.
EPISODE #518, 4/7/2018: 92-year-old Ralph Thissen of Merced, CA remembers his time on the USS Saratoga (CV-3), including the day his best friend was killed when five kamikazes struck the aircraft carrier.
EPISODE #517, 3/31/2018: We mark Easter weekend by hearing what three World War II veterans endured on Easter Sunday, April 1, 1945.
EPISODE #516, 3/24/2018: We hear about the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event planned for April 28 from Denise Baronian, as well as decorated fighter pilot Smokey Rickerd.
EPISODE #515, 3/17/2018: 92-year-old Robert Andre of Las Vegas, NV remembers his experiences with the 2nd Marine Division in the battles of Tarawa and Saipan, where he earned the Silver Star and the Purple Heart.
EPISODE #514, 3/10/2018: U.S.S. Lexington survivor Gordon Scott reacts to news that his ship has been discovered on the ocean floor, nearly 76 years after it sank in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
EPISODE #513, 3/3/2018: 100-year-old Leonard Francis of Bakersfield, CA discusses his WWII service aboard the destroyer USS Ludlow (DD-438), as well as his pre- and post-war adventures as a ballplayer.
EPISODE #512, 2/24/2018: Howard Brunn of Carmel, CA reflects on his 70 missions as a B-25 pilot with the 310th Bomb Group during World War II.
EPISODE #511, 2/17/2018: Col. Robert Thacker will celebrate his 100th birthday this week in San Clemente, CA, and we learn just how resilient this accomplished pilot is.
EPISODE #510, 2/10/2018: In part II of our conversation with Dr. Fitzalbert Marius, we discuss his WWII service with the 725th Medical Sanitary Company, as well as what this renaissance man is most proud of at age 95.
EPISODE #509, 2/3/2018: 95-year-old retired heart surgeon Fitzalbert Marius of Fresno, CA explains how World War II shifted his life’s arc toward medicine. Born in Panama and raised in Harlem, Dr. Marius shares how a case of mistaken racial identity almost cost him his life.
EPISODE #508, 1/27/2018: 92-year-old Lee Kizer of Julesburg, CO details his close calls on the destroyer USS Wilson (DD-408) and explains how he created the Old Ford Garage & Museum in his hometown.
EPISODE #507, 1/20/2018: 91-year-old John Sussex of LaGrange, WY explains how he survived for 7 days on a raft in the Indian Ocean after the SS Peter Silvester was sunk by a German submarine in February 1945.
EPISODE #506, 1/13/2018: We learn about the Go For Broke National Education center’s traveling “Courage & Compassion” exhibit, with elements tailored to each of the ten U.S. cities it will visit. Through 2/4/18, it is in Kingsburg, CA, where we hear from curator Dave Meyer, as well as Dale Ikeda and 93-year-old Bob Yano, who served with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II.
EPISODE #505, 1/6/2018: 93-year-old Veora Bliss-Baldwin of American Fork, UT explains her adventures as a “Rosie the Riveter” during World War II. The Vale, SD native modified B-17 and B-29 bombers in Denver, CO.
EPISODE #504, 12/30/2017: 92-year-old Dan Cano of Santa Maria, CA recalls the Battle of Tarawa from his perspective piloting an LCVP. We also hear how he ended up with one very high-ranking passenger at Kwajalein.
EPISODE #503, 12/23/2017: A special Christmas edition of Hometown Heroes features six veterans relating their memories of Christmas 1944 during the Battle of the Bulge, as well as the “Candy Bomber,” Gail Halvorsen.
EPISODE #502, 12/16/2017: 97-year-old Tom Hidalgo of Creston, CA explains the critical calculations he had to make in World War II with the 980th Field Artillery Battalion.
EPISODE #501, 12/9/2017: 100-year-old George Eldridge of Nampa, ID shares stories from his 46 missions as a B-26 bombardier with the 344th Bomb Group in World War II.
EPISODE #500, 12/2/2017: Prepare for the 76th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor by hearing from three men who were on three different ships in the harbor on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #499, 11/25/2017: A visit to the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, CA includes a conversation with World War II veteran and Midway docent Joe Neves.
EPISODE #498, 11/18/2017: 92-year-old Larry Cosgrove of Signal Hill, CA recalls his World War II service with the 467th Ordnance Evacuation Company in Europe.
EPISODE #497, 11/11/2017: Veterans Day Special features five different World War II veterans, with updates to their stories from this year: Don Stratton, Adolfo “Harpo” Celaya, Leila Morrison, George Poplin, and Al Findley.
EPISODE #496, 11/4/2017: 98-year-old John Parker of Merced, CA remembers his time with the 84th Infantry Division, including the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #495, 10/28/2017: 94-year-old Art Smith of Escondido, CA takes us back to Guam with the 1st Provisional Marine Brigade, which leads us to the founding of Honor Flight San Diego by Art’s son, Dave.
EPISODE #494, 10/21/2017: 97-year-old Cipriano Guinto is one of 260,000 Filipinos who served in the U.S. Armed Forces during World War II. Hear how he escaped the Bataan Death March.
EPISODE #493, 10/14/2017: 94-year-old Norm Lasman of Chicago, IL explains how he came to know the sailor who saved his life 72 years ago.
EPISODE #492, 10/7/2017: 94-year-old ex-prisoner of war Ed Kromminga of Hollister, CA was shot down on his 33rd mission with the 454th Bomb Group in World War II. We hear from Ed and his wife of 73 years, Dorothy.
EPISODE #491, 9/30/2017: 97-year-old Al Skaret of Seattle, WA remembers the kamikaze attack on the USS Bunker Hill (CV-17), and shares how he came to know the sailor whose life he saved on May 11, 1945.
EPISODE #490, 9/23/2017: 98-year-old Del Byler of Hollister, CA reflects on his days as a Navy fighter pilot during World War II and the Korean War.
EPISODE #489, 9/16/2017: We mark National POW/MIA Recognition Day with the stories of three ex-prisoners of war.
EPISODE #488, 9/9/2017: 94-year-old Al Findley of Los Osos, CA shares his ordeal as a prisoner of war, and explains how he honors the four men who died when his B-24 was shot down on February 6, 1945.
EPISODE #487, 9/2/2017: 92-year-old Bob Izumi of Barstow, CA recalls his service in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, 101st Airborne, and U.S. Air Force, as well as his decades on a Marine Corps base.
EPISODE #486, 8/26/2017: In light of the discovery of the heavy cruiser USS Indianapolis (CA-35) more than 3 miles deep on the ocean floor, we hear from survivor Adolfo “Harpo” Celaya of Florence, AZ, as well as Paul Loeffler III of Fair Hope, AL, whose father Paul Loeffler, Jr. was lost at sea in the Indianapolis tragedy.
EPISODE #485, 8/19/2017: 92-year-old William “Bill” Barclay of Las Vegas, NV discusses his days aboard the destroyer escort USS Stockdale (DE-399), as well as the incredible outpouring of support after vandals burned the flags in his yard.
EPISODE #484, 8/12/2017: 93-year-old Purple Heart recipient George Poplin of Clovis, CA explains how he overcame severe injuries inflicted by a German mortar shell in 1945.
EPISODE #483, 8/5/2017: 91-year-old Jack Gutman of Anaheim, CA shares memories from his time as a Navy corpsman in Normandy and Okinawa.
EPISODE #482, 7/29/2017: 93-year-old Bill Mills of Modesto, CA tells us what it was like to experience a kamikaze attack on the USS Curtiss in 1945.
EPISODE #481, 7/22/2017: 91-year-old Bill Koning of Modesto, CA remembers his life-changing experiences with the 86th Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #480, 7/15/2017: 96-year-old John Cardinalli of Hollister, CA shares stories from his secret duties with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II in Europe.
EPISODE #479, 7/8/2017: 92-year-old retired Air Force Lt. Col. John Chavez of Orangevale, CA takes us back to his WWII days as a twice-wounded BAR man with the 70th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #478, 7/1/2017: 96-year-old Purple Heart recipient Patch Curtis shares his experiences with the 1st Cavalry Division in World War II, including how he survived March 8, 1945 on Luzon.
EPISODE #477, 6/24/2017: We meet 94-year-old Navy veteran Chester “Chet” Thomason of Lemon Grove, CA, and learn how his son enlisted a football team to help fulfill a dream for Chet.
EPISODE #476, 6/17/2017: 95-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Stu Hedley of San Diego, CA explains how he experienced December 7, 1941 aboard the USS West Virginia (BB-48), as well as later adventures on the USS San Francisco (CA-38).
EPISODE #475, 6/10/2017: 89-year-old Navy veteran Stan Smith introduces us to 95-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Stu Hedley, one of the men he has interviewed for the Veterans History Project.
EPISODE #474, 6/3/2017: This episode has been removed
EPISODE #473, 5/27/2017: Memorial Day special features Purple Heart recipient Justin Bond, his amazing story of survival, and his efforts through Our Heroes’ Dreams to prevent veteran suicides.
EPISODE #472, 5/20/2017: 99-year-old Frank Costa of Las Vegas, NV remembers his service with the 81st Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #471, 5/13/2017: We mark Mother’s Day with the World War II memories of six amazing moms.
EPISODE #470, 5/6/2017: 94-year-old Pasqual Reyes of Madera, CA shares stories from combat experience in North Africa, Italy, and France with the 36th Infantry Division, as well as his 7 months as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #469, 4/29/2017: 93-year-old Bob Allenby of Newman, CA explains his time as a PBM flight engineer/gunner with VPB-20 in the Pacific, as well as his work on a secret drone project in World War II.
EPISODE #468, 4/22/2017: 93-year-old Phillip Starr of Selma, CA shares memories from his 35 missions as a ball turret gunner in B-24s and B-17s with the 490th Bomb Group in Europe during World War II.
EPISODE #467, 4/15/2017: 97-year-old Bill Barrett of Pueblo, CO shares his WWII Signal Corps story from the Pueblo Weisbrod Aircraft Museum, where he volunteers three days per week.
EPISODE #466, 4/8/2017: We mark the 75th anniversary of the Bataan Death March with the memories of four men who survived the march.
EPISODE #465, 4/1/2017: 95-year-old Dr. Oscar Kully Reiss of Denver, CO reflects on his unique life story, journeying from survivor to soldier to scientist.
EPISODE #464, 3/25/2017: 98-year-old Nate Murphy of Coronado, CA reflects on his days a decorated dive bomber pilot in WWII, including seven weeks with the “Cactus Air Force” on Guadalcanal.
EPISODE #463, 3/18/2017: 94-year-old Leila Morrison of Windsor, CO reflects on her World War II service as a nurse on the front lines in Europe with the 118th Evacuation Hospital.
EPISODE #462, 3/11/2017: 93-year-old Richard Hayward of Coronado, CA discusses his time with the 32nd Infantry Division in the Pacific, and how it led to his 20 years as an Air Force chaplain.
EPISODE #461, 3/4/2017: 91-year-old Norberto “Bob” Ramos of Ogden, UT shares his journey with the 86th Infantry Division in World War II, and a lifetime of serving his fellow veterans.
EPISODE #460, 2/25/2017: 97-year-old Sim Deming of Visalia, CA reflects on the 3 years he spent on the USS Arizona, as well as the Purple Heart pilot’s 43 photo reconnaissance missions in F-5s (P-38s) with the 3rd Reconnaissance Group.
EPISODE #459, 2/18/2017: 92-year-old Sam Terasaki of Denver, CO shares perspective on his service with the 100th Infantry Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team, as well as the legacy of Nisei veterans.
EPISODE #458, 2/11/2017: 95-year-old Jim McCrory of Porterville, CA describes some of the horrifying situations he faced on the Pacific islands of Gavutu, Tanambogo, and Guadalcanal with the 2nd Marine Regiment.
EPISODE #457, 2/4/2017: 94-year-old Donald Stratton of Colorado Springs, CO takes us back to December 7, 1941. One of only five living survivors from the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39), Stratton was badly burned, spent nearly a year in the hospital, then reenlisted in the Navy and served on the destroyer USS Stack (DD-406).
EPISODE #456, 1/28/2017: 90-year-old Purple Heart recipient Leo Neubauer of Centerville, IA shares memories from his time in the 38th Infantry Division in World War II. This episode also features comments from Central Iowa Honor Flight organizer John Forbes, and Bataan Death March escapee Atilano David.
EPISODE #455, 1/21/2017: 90-year-old Robert Titus of Colorado Springs, CO shares highlights from a remarkable military career that started with the 82nd Airborne during World War II, included over 500 fighter pilot missions in Korea and Vietnam, and concluded as a decorated Air Force general.
EPISODE #454, 1/14/2017: 94-year-old Ralph Rush of Hughson, CA shares his experiences with the 89th Infantry Division, including the liberation of Ohrdruf Concentration Camp, and the special request one of the Jewish prisoners presented to Ralph.
EPISODE #453, 1/7/2017: 94-year-old Navy veteran Francis Asbury of Albuquerque, NM explains how he survived more than two days floating in the Pacific, after the fiery plane crash that left his facial structure shattered and his arm broken.
EPISODE #452, 12/31/2016: Husband & wife veterans Mike & Doris Wanty of Oakdale, CA explain their WWII service. Doris was a WASP (Women Air Force Service Pilot), while Mike was an officer aboard the destroyer USS Lardner (DD-487)
EPISODE #451, 12/24/2016: 92-year-old Battle of the Bulge survivor Paul Davis of South Bend, IN shares his emotional story, including the way he honors the memory of his late wife, Beverly.
EPISODE #450, 12/17/2016: On Ken Vincent’s 95th birthday, we hear the lifelong Wisconsinite’s experiences as a mortar gunner in the 3rd Armored Division in World War II.
EPISODE #449, 12/10/2016: We hear from ten different Pearl Harbor survivors to conclude a week in which the world marked the 75th anniversary of the surprise attack on Oahu.
Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Special, 12/7/2016: original radio broadcasts from 1941, in addition to interviews with two men who survived the attack on Pearl Harbor, then returned to Oahu for the 75th anniversary.
EPISODE #448, 12/3/2016: 96-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor David “Russ” Russell outlines what he experienced on the USS Oklahoma (BB-37) on December 7, 1941, as well as the sinking of the USS Mahan (DD-364) on December 7, 1944.
EPISODE #447, 11/26/2016: 92-year-old Mert Wiedmann of Shafter, CA explains what it was like to become the first Navy weather officer to intentionally fly into a typhoon.
EPISODE #446, 11/19/2016: 92-year-old Battle of the Bulge survivor Mike Martinez of Fort Collins, CO remembers his close calls in combat as part of a .50 caliber machine gun crew.
EPISODE #445, 11/12/2016: We mark Veterans Day Weekend by hearing from five Pearl Harbor survivors who experienced December 7, 1941 in different ways.
EPISODE #444, 11/5/2016: 96-year-old Alberto Bertoli of Belmont, CA explains why he voluntarily left MP duty in California to fight on the front lines of the Battle of the Bulge with the 84th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #443, 10/29/2016: 94-year-old Denny Thompson of Sonora, CA shares memories from his 30 missions over Europe as a bombardier with the 487th Bomb Group. A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, Thompson became a renowned hunting guide in Alaska.
EPISODE #442, 10/22/2016: We hear from three Japanese-American veterans who served with the “Go For Broke” unit, the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
EPISODE #441, 10/15/2016: 94-year-old Chester “Ski” Biernacki of Jamestown, CA recalls his service on the USS Helena (CL-50), from Pearl Harbor, to the cruiser’s 1943 sinking in the Battle of Kula Gulf.
EPISODE #440, 10/8/2016: 93-year-old Ed Hall of Las Vegas, NV details his experiences at Hawaii’s Hickam Field on December 7, 1941. A native of South Carolina, Hall survived three near misses during the Japanese attack.
EPISODE #439, 10/1/2016: Part II of 95-year-old Delton Walling’s story, including his experiences at Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #438, 9/24/2016: 95-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Delton “Wally” Walling of Valley Springs remembers December 7, 1941. A native of Belding, MI, Walling was in an observation tower when the Japanese attacked.
EPISODE #437, 9/17/2016: 93-year-old Harold Hart of Raymond, CA reflects on the four Pacific battles he survived with the 4th Marine Division during WWII.
EPISODE #436, 9/10/2016: 90-year-old Martin Medellin explains what earned him the Silver Star with the 70th Infantry Division in World War II, and why he had to wait nearly 70 years for the Purple Heart.
EPISODE #435, 9/3/2016: 93-year-old Jordan “Turk” Eliades of Bakersfield, CA details his days a P-51 pilot with the 55th Fighter Group, as well as his five months as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #434, 8/27/2016: 92-year-old Distinguished Flying Cross recipient Walt Burr of Merced, CA shares memories from his days as a Navy fighter pilot during World War II.
EPISODE #433, 8/20/2016: 92-year-old Vernon Martin of Bakersfield, CA explains his service with the 602nd Field Artillery Battalion in Europe during World War II.
EPISODE #432, 8/13/2016: 91-year-old Al Peguero of Merced, CA documents his days aboard the USS Reno (CL-96), a light cruiser that was torpedoed in November 1944.
EPISODE #431, 8/6/2016: 88-year-old Mike De Cesare of Madera, CA reflects on his unique life story, including his time aboard the submarine U.S.S. Sennet (SS-408) and U.S.S. Recovery (ARS-43).
EPISODE #430, 7/30/2016: 90-year-old Selwyn Dante of Las Vegas, NV details his days with the 638th Tank Destroyer Battalion in Europe during World War II.
EPISODE #429, 7/23/2016: 92-year-old Vito Mastrangelo of Visalia, CA explains his work with the 607th Quartermaster Graves Registration Company, starting with June 6, 1944 on Omaha Beach.
EPISODE #428, 7/16/2016: Roy Cotner and Irwin Stovroff are both 93, they both served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII, and they both have had an impact in post-war America.
EPISODE #427, 7/9/2016: 92-year-old Ray Richey of Clovis, CA shares his memories of Normandy’s Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
EPISODE #426, 7/2/2016: Jack Craig of Bakersfield, CA gives us a twice-wounded Vietnam veteran’s perspective on Independence Day.
EPISODE #425, 6/25/2016: Cecil Blackford of Tehachapi, CA reflects on his 27 months as an operating room technician aboard the hospital ship USS Solace (AH-5).
EPISODE #424, 6/18/2016: A Father’s Day-themed episode featuring WWII vet Martin Martinez of Velarde, NM, as well as Mel Pliner and daughter Carol.
EPISODE #423, 6/11/2016: 94-year-old Purple Heart recipient Mel Pliner of Las Vegas, NV details his pioneering work as a World War II glider pilot.
EPISODE #422, 6/4/2016: We prepare for the 72nd anniversary of D-Day with the story of paratrooper Tom Rice. He’s nearly 95 years old, but will jump out of an airplane again on June 6, 2016, to honor those who didn’t survive “The Longest Day.”
EPISODE #421, 5/28/2016: 90-year-old Doug Justus of Visalia, CA remembers his own experiences with the 81st Infantry Division World War II, and honors the legacy of his brother, Bert, who died in captivity during the Korean War.
EPISODE #420, 5/21/2016: 91-year-old Bob Dodds of Las Vegas, NV shares his memories from the USS Pelias (AS-14) at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, as well as how he survived the sinking of the USS Monssen (DD-436).
EPISODE #419, 5/14/2016: 90-year-old Purple Heart recipient Albert Henderson of Clovis, CA explains how his time aboard the ill-fated carrier USS Bismarck Sea led to his moniker, “The Naked Cook.”
EPISODE #418, 5/7/2016: 94-year-old Rex Raney of Grand Junction, CO shares stories from his 511 days in combat with the 45th Infantry Division. A recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart, he also witnessed the Dachau concentration camp.
EPISODE #417, 4/30/2016: 91-year-old Ed Larson of Santa Cruz, CA reflects on his time as a “hump pilot,” flying over the Himalayas in C-46s and C-109s to deliver aviation fuel to fighter units.
EPISODE #416, 4/23/2016: We hear from three WWII vets who will be visiting the National World War II Memorial thanks to Honor Flight.
EPISODE #415, 4/16/2016: 94-year-old Grant Erickson of Santa Cruz, CA revisits his experiences aboard the battleship USS New Mexico (BB-40), including the times his ship was struck by kamikazes.
EPISODE #414, 4/9/2016: 92-year-old Cal Erickson of Santa Clarita, CA discusses his 13 missions as a B-26 Marauder pilot during World War II.
EPISODE #413, 4/2/2016: 90-year-old Glenn Brem of Gilroy, CA remembers his experiences on Tarawa, Saipan, Tinian, and Okinawa with the U.S. Marine Corps. You’ll hear how he was wounded on Okinawa, and why he feels the fact that his rifle jammed actually saved his life.
EPISODE #412, 3/26/2016: Part 2 of the interview with Jimmy Weldon, elaborating on his Hollywood career and motivational speaking.
EPISODE #411, 3/19/2016: 92-year-old Jimmy Weldon of Burbank, CA recaptures a voice you might recognize. Long before he was “Yakky Doodle” on the Yogi Bear show, he served with the 1270th Engineer Combat Battalion in Europe during World War II.
EPISODE #410, 3/12/2016: 91-year-old Tom Grasser of Albuquerque, NM explains the reunion he recently enjoyed with an “old friend” he hadn’t seen in 71 years. A native of Kenosha, WI, Grasser served with the 593rd Motor Ambulance Company.
EPISODE #409, 3/5/2016: 92-year-old Dick Over of Golden, CO explains his experience with the 10th Mountain Division, and why he’s so committed to honoring the legacy of that trailblazing unit.
EPISODE #408, 2/27/2016: 90-year-old Royce Williams of Escondido, CA details an aviation career that stretched from WWII through Vietnam and beyond. The Wilmot, SD native tells a story kept secret for more than 50 years, the story of how he shot down four Soviet MiG-15s in 1952.
EPISODE #407, 2/20/2016: Two of the “Old Bold Pilots” who meet every Wednesday morning in Oceanside, CA. Rod Braswell completed 50 missions as a B-24 pilot with the 456th Bomb Group. Greek immigrant Steve Pisanos became a double ace flying first for the Royal Air Force, then for the U.S. Army Air Corps.
EPISODE #406, 2/13/2016: Part II of the interview with Lawson Sakai also features audio from Al Tortolano, one of the “Lost Battalion” soldiers Sakai helped rescue.
EPISODE #405, 2/6/2016: 92-year-old Lawson Sakai of Morgan Hill, CA shares his jarring memories of December 7, 1941, how his family avoided internment, and how he ended up in the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
EPISODE #404, 1/30/2016: 95-year-old Gail Halvorsen of Green Valley, AZ, remembers the spontaneous act of kindness that turned into a global phenomenon and left him with a moniker that has stuck with him for nearly 70 years: “The Candy Bomber.”
EPISODE #403, 1/23/2016: Remembering Baseball Hall of Famer and World War II Army veteran Monte Irvin, who passed away January 11th at the age of 96.
EPISODE #402, 1/16/2016: We hear from two neighbors in Dallas, OR. Donald Nusom survived the bombing of the USS Franklin, while Earl Proctor was awarded the Bronze Star as a medic before being captured in Germany.
EPISODE #401, 1/9/2016: Richard Morris of San Luis Obispo, CA remembers stumbling across the Dachau Concentration Camp.
EPISODE #400, 1/2/2016: 90-year-old Purple Heart recipient Zane Taylor of Orem, UT, author of the book “Lesser Heroes,” remembers his service with the 35th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #399, 12/26/2015: Remembering Medal of Honor recipient George T. “Joe” Sakato, who passed away this month at the age of 94.
EPISODE #398, 12/19/2015: 91-year-old Mel Christy of Dallas, OR relates his experience with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy during World War II.
EPISODE #397, 12/12/2015: 92-year-old Max De St. Jeor of Orem, UT reflects on his WWII experience in the Army Air Corps at Base Air Depot 2 in Warton, England.
EPISODE #396, 12/5/2015: We mark the 74th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor with the stories of three different Pearl Harbor survivors from three different ships.
EPISODE #395, 11/28/2015: 95-year-old Houghton Sawyer of Morgan Hill, CA explains the unique work he did in the U.S. Army Signal Corps with the 3798th Signal Multichannel Radio Teletype Detachment.
EPISODE #394, 11/21/2015: As America celebrates Thanksgiving this week, we gain perspective from four different ex-prisoners of war about how thankful we should be for our freedom.
EPISODE #393, 11/14/2015: 90-year-old Russ Jenkins of Hollister, CA reflects on his 20 years in the Navy, including his days with ACORN 11 during World War II, and his haunting connection to a 1960 tragedy.
Veterans Day Special, 11/11/2015
EPISODE #392, 11/7/2015: 91-year-old Julian “Sarg” Sargentini of Oakhurst, CA looks back on his experiences with the 75th Infantry Division, including the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #391, 10/31/2015: 90-year-old Bob Ashburn of Atwater, CA recalls “nine and a half invasions” aboard the USS Tisdale (DE-33).
EPISODE #390, 10/24/2015: We hear about the Honor Flight experience from 92-year-old Jim Morris of Exeter, CA, who first shared his WWII story with Hometown Heroes in 2010.
EPISODE #389, 10/17/2015: 97-year-old Eugene Leonard of Chula Vista, CA explains how he experienced December 7, 1941 at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station on Oahu.
EPISODE #388, 10/10/2015: 90-year-old Purple Heart recipient Robert “Duke” O’Donnell of Cardiff-by-the-Sea, CA details his days a B-17 bombardier with the 303rd Bomb Group.
EPISODE #387, 10/3/2015: 93-year-old Robert Austin of Oakhurst, CA explains how he ended up stranded in a small Croatian town for 88 days after crash landing his B-24.
EPISODE #386, 9/26/2015: 96-year-old Fred Stevenson of Porterville, CA remembers his Army Air Corps service from World War II, including two years running the parachute/sewing shop for the 95th Bomb Group in England.
EPISODE #385, 9/19/2015: We recognize POW/MIA Recognition Day by listening to the story of now 100-year-old ex-POW Jack Schwartz of Hanford, CA.
EPISODE #384, 9/12/2015: World War II vets and brothers Emry and David Crawford reflect on their service, as well as the way Honor Flight changed their life.
EPISODE #383, 9/5/2015: 95-year-old Orville Lewis of Orange Cove, CA describes the nearly 2 years he spent as a prisoner of war in Germany.
EPISODE #382, 8/29/2015: Vietnam veteran Les Beck and WWII vet Orville Lewis discuss their chance 2015 meeting and the deep prisoner of war connection they discovered. For more than 18 months at Stalag XVII-B, Lewis occupied a bunk no more than 30 feet away from Beck’s late father.
EPISODE #381, 8/22/2015: 93-year-old John Adams of Kingsburg, CA discusses the four years he spent as a Navy pilot, and also remembers his best friend from Lindsay (CA) HS, J. Harvey Sanderson, who remains entombed on the U.S.S. Arizona.
EPISODE #380, 8/15/2015: 88-year-old Charlie Wadhams of Fresno, CA shares memories from a Navy career that spanned World War II, Korea, and Vietnam. A native of Brockport, NY, Wadhams clues us in to a largely unknown but significant piece of Korean War history.
EPISODE #379, 8/8/2015: 90-year-old Jim Roach of Las Vegas, NV looks back on a 30-year Air Force career, from his time as a B-24 pilot during World War II, to supporting special forces in his AC-119G during the Vietnam War.
EPISODE #378, 8/1/2015: 94-year-old Marvin Shields of Visalia, CA reflects on his time aboard the heavy cruiser U.S.S. Pensacola.
EPISODE #377, 7/25/2015: As 14 survivors of the U.S.S. Indianapolis (CA-35) mark the 70th anniversary of the ship’s sinking, we hear the survival story of Adolfo “Harpo” Celaya of Florence, AZ.
EPISODE #376, 7/18/2015: 93-year-old Peggy Bergthold of Fresno, CA remembers her WWII service at Mare Island Naval Hospital. A native of Anadarko, OK, Peggy served as a surgical nurse, involved in operations on burn victims and amputees who had survived the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
EPISODE #375, 7/11/2015: 88-year-old George Christman of Northridge, CA recalls his adventures on the shores of Okinawa in early April, 1945, and he explains how he brought home a historic memento.
EPISODE #374, 7/4/2015: 93-year-old George Genovese of North Hollywood, CA explains why an injury suffered while serving with the 557th Air Service Group on Ie Shima impacted his professional baseball career. We’ll also hear about his new book, A Scout’s Report, My 70 Years in Baseball.
EPISODE #373, 6/27/2015: 91-year-old George Hansen of Clovis, CA recalls his time in a machine gun squad with the 11th Armored Division during World War II, and relates how those experiences led to his post-war calling as a missionary and pastor.
EPISODE #372, 6/20/2015: 95-year-old Ed Ellington of Seattle, WA discusses the 180 missions he flew over two separate tours of WWII, leaving him with the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the woman of his dreams.
EPISODE #371, 6/13/2015: 91-year-old Francis O’Brien of Modesto, CA, a recipient of the Bronze Star and Purple Heart for his service with the 4th Marine Division during World War II.
EPISODE #370, 6/6/2015: Conductor emeritus of the U.S. Air Force Band, Arnald Gabriel, who keeps a busy conducting schedule at age 90. A Bronze Star recipient, Gabriel survived D-Day on Omaha Beach as a machine gunner with the 29th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #369, 5/30/2015: 94-year-old Jerry Countess of Las Vegas, NV, discusses his WWII experiences with the 1st Infantry Division in North Africa and Italy. A recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and Purple Heart, Countess has written a book about his military adventures.
EPISODE #368, 5/23/2015: Observing Memorial Day 2015, we learn about one of nearly 8,000 Americans still unaccounted for from the Korean War from author Jim Escalle. Also appearing is World War II researcher Bill Beigel, who has investigated more than 1600 Americans who died while serving our country.
EPISODE #367, 5/16/2015: Chuck Betty of Modesto, CA survived the sinking of the USS Yorktown at the Battle of Midway, then went on to serve on two World War II submarines.
EPISODE #366, 5/9/2015: Marking the 70th anniversary of V-E Day with the story of a POW who might have died in captivity if not for the Allies pressing on to victory. Glenn Schmidt served with the 42nd Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #365, 5/2/2015: 91-year-old Eugene Mould of Modesto, CA explains his unique role with the 406th Night Leaflet Squadron during World War II.
EPISODE #364, 4/25/2015: David Thatcher of Missoula, MT, one of just two surviving Doolittle Raiders, who just donated their Congressional Gold Medal to the Museum of the United States Air Force.
EPISODE #363, 4/18/2015: 92-year-old Seth Irving of Rio Rancho, NM remembers the kamikaze attack that nearly claimed his life.
EPISODE #362, 4/11/2015: A tribute to legendary sports announcer and World War II Coast Guard veteran Lon Simmons, who died April 5 at the age of 91.
EPISODE #361, 4/4/2015: 91-year-old Leon Christensen of Clovis, CA remembers June 6, 1944 aboard the battleship USS Texas.
EPISODE #360, 3/28/2015: 88-year-old Purple Heart recipient Harold Loew of Las Vegas, NV recalls his World War II Marine Corps service aboard the USS Colorado
EPISODE #359, 3/21/2015: 93-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Sam Fryefield of Eugene, OR explains where he was on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #358, 3/14/2015: 92-year-old Bill Gornik of Meridian, ID details an Air Force career that went from B-25s in World War II to a bombing mission is an F-105 during the Vietnam War. We also learn more about Nampa, Idaho’s Warhawk Air Museum from Executive Director Sue Paul.
EPISODE #357, 3/7/2015: 93-year-old Bill Guenther of Laramie, WY reflects on his 35 missions as a B-17 navigator with the 95th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #356, 2/28/2015: 89-year-old Fred Roberts of Ogden, UT recalls his WWII duty on the destroyer USS Putnam, as well as his recent experience with Utah Honor Flight.
EPISODE #355, 2/21/2015: 93-year-old Dick Reiber of Kingsburg, CA details the wounds he received during the Battle of the Bulge, and shares a taste of what it took to recover from them.
EPISODE #354, 2/14/2015: 96-year-old Alan Dunbar of Las Vegas, Nevada, recalls being wounded and captured at the Battle of the Bulge, his 131 days in captivity, and the man he believes he wouldn’t have survived without.
EPISODE #353, 2/7/2015: Part II of the interview with 93-year-old Tom Rice, including the way he was wounded during the Battle of the Bulge, and what he does on every D-Day anniversary to honor those who did not make it home.
EPISODE #352, 1/31/2015: 93-year-old Tom Rice of Coronado, CA sheds light on his experiences as a pioneering paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Division, 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment.
EPISODE #351, 1/24/2015: 94-year-old Eddy Fayle recalls his experiences with Torpedo Squadron 8 before the Battle of Midway, and the August 1942 mission that earned him the Navy Cross.
EPISODE #350, 1/17/2015: 91-year-old Silver Star recipient Jim Henderson of Novato, CA details his experiences with the 104th Infantry Division during World War II.
EPISODE #349, 1/10/2015: 92-year-old Allen Rasmussen of Fresno, CA recalls his experiences as a combat medic with the 71st Infantry Division in Europe.
EPISODE #348, 1/3/2015: Part II of the interview with 92-year-old Ray Maloney covers his experiences as a POW, his liberation, participation in the Berlin Airlift, and a few of his post-military adventures as well.
EPISODE #347, 12/27/2014: 92-year-old Ray Maloney of Bonita Springs, FL discusses his experiences as a P-47 pilot with the 86th Fighter-Bomber Group, 527th squadron. Shot down on November 5, 1944, Maloney spent six months as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #346, 12/20/2014: In advance of the release of Universal Pictures’ UNBROKEN, we revisit the 2011 Hometown Heroes interview with Louie Zamperini.
EPISODE #345, 12/13/2014: 91-year-old Frank Rigo of Phoenix, AZ discusses his service in World War II and the Korean War, as well as his involvement with Paralyzed Veterans of America. We also learn about the Silent Wings Museum in Lubbock, TX, which preserves the history of the WWII glider program.
EPISODE #344, 12/6/2014: 94-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Russel Winsett of Bonita Springs, FL details his memories of December 7, 1941 aboard the USS Pennsylvania, which was in dry dock at Pearl Harbor when the Japanese attacked.
EPISODE #343, 11/29/2014: 88-year-old Bill Schrader of Prescott, AZ remembers his time as a nose gunner in B-24 Liberators with the 5th Bomb Group, 23rd Bomb Squadron. We’ll also hear from Bill’s daughter, Susan Howe, founder of Honor Flight Arizona.
EPISODE #342, 11/22/2014: 94-year-old Jack Leonard of Clovis, CA reflects on his six years in the U.S. Army Air Corps. A native of Casper, WY, Leonard worked in cryptanalysis in the Pacific. WWII claimed the life of his older brother, Ray, but the war also connected him with his wife of 70 years, Maxine, who also makes a cameo appearance on the show.
EPISODE #341, 11/15/2014: 94-year-old Gordon Caldis reflects on his experiences as a PT boat commander during World War II. A native of Minnesota, Caldis was co-captain of the University of North Dakota football team in 1941.
EPISODE #340, 11/8/2014: Jake Luttrell of Bakersfield, CA celebrates his 92nd birthday by sharing his story of WWII service on Hometown Heroes. A native of Missouri, Luttrell served with the 878th Air Engineering Squadron in Europe.
EPISODE #339, 11/1/2014: Participants in the Central Valley Honor Flight from the former Castle Air Force Base talk about the experience, as well as what they went through during WWII.
EPISODE #338, 10/25/2014: Previewing Central Valley Honor Flight’s journey to Washington, D.C. from the historic runway at the former Castle Air Force Base, we hear from two veterans going on the flight: Norris Jernigan of Visalia, CA and B.A. Hansen from Winton, CA.
EPISODE #337, 10/18/2014: 93-year-old Bob Bower of Delano, CA remembers his experiences as an F6F Hellcat pilot during World War II, and explains the unique souvenir he brought home.
EPISODE #336, 10/11/2014: 93-year-old Atilano “Al” David of Albuquerque, New Mexico explains how he escaped from the Bataan Death March.
EPISODE #335, 10/4/2014: Part two of the interview with 93-year-old Augie Paolercio.
EPISODE #334, 9/27/2014: 93-year-old Augie Paolercio of Fresno, CA recalls his improbable journey to Marine machine gunner, to aerial gunner, to fighter pilot during World War II.
EPISODE #333, 9/20/2014: Recognizing National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we hear from three different ex-prisoners of war.
EPISODE #332, 9/13/2014: 89-year-old Warren Smith of Fresno, CA takes us back to his days as a teenaged Marine, wounded on Saipan.
EPISODE #331, 9/6/2014: 91-year-old Helen Kearney of Salinas, CA reflects on her time as an Army nurse, including how she met her husband on Saipan during World War II.
EPISODE #330, 8/30/2014: 90-year-old George DuBois of Carmel, CA remembers his adventures during World War II.
EPISODE #329, 8/23/2014: 96-year-old Augie Chavez of Visalia, CA details his service with the 40th Infantry Division during World War II, and treats us to an a capella singing performance at the end of the program.
EPISODE #328, 8/16/2014: 94-year-old Native American Francisco Paredes of Atwater, CA remembers his incredible adventures during World War II. On Oahu on December 7, 1941, he would go on to serve throughout the Pacific with the 32nd Infantry Division, and later the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade.
EPISODE #327, 8/9/2014: 94-year-old Willis Shepard of Bakersfield, CA remembers his World War II service aboard the battleship USS Texas, including Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944.
EPISODE #326, 8/2/2014: 89-year-old Dave Wall of Reedley, CA recalls his WWII service as a medic with the 24th Infantry Division. We also hear briefly from his nephew, Sam Wall, who was a medic in Vietnam. Both men are Purple Heart recipients.
EPISODE #325, 7/26/2014: 91-year-old Nyle Smith of Fresno, CA, remembers his service with the 96th Bomb Group during World War II, including his life-saving heroics in the wake of an enemy fighter-induced bomber crash.
EPISODE #324, 7/19/2014: 94-year-old John Wagenhalls of Sanger, CA, a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross remembers his 82 combined missions as a bombardier in World War II and the Korean War.
EPISODE #323, 7/12/2014: Remembering Louis Zamperini, the man behind the best-selling book and upcoming motion picture UNBROKEN, who died July 2 at the age of 97.
EPISODE #322, 7/5/2014: Two 90-year-old veterans from California’s Central Coast remember their World War II experiences. Ivan Hudson was a Navy corpsman on LSM-107, and John Wilcox fought with the 1st Marine Division in the battles of Peleliu and Okinawa.
EPISODE #321, 6/28/2014: 91-year-old Gordon Scott of Kingsburg, CA details his experiences aboard the USS Lexington, including the day the aircraft carrier sank in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
EPISODE #320, 6/21/2014: 92-year-old Ken Miller of Oakhurst, CA takes us back to the end of the Battle of the Saipan, and the desperate banzai charge he survived. You’ll hear about the priceless moment he experienced while visiting Washington, D.C. with Central Valley Honor Flight.
EPISODE #319, 6/14/2014: Navajo Code Talker Bill Toledo of Laguna, NM remembers his role with the then-secret group of U.S. Marines whose secure communications saved countless lives in the Pacific.
EPISODE #318, 6/7/2014: Focusing again on the 70th anniversary of D-Day, we hear from paratroopers Bob Chisolm and Angel Romero.
EPISODE #317, 5/31/2014: Ahead of Friday’s 70th anniversary of D-Day, we hear from a man who hit Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944: E.T. Roberts of Bakersfield, CA
EPISODE #316, 5/24/2014: In a special Memorial Day edition of World War II, we learn about one of the more than 405,000 Americans who died while serving in World War II, Roger Jamison of Fullerton, CA. Jamison, a B-25 pilot serving with the 12th Bomb Group, was reported killed in action after being shot down near North Africa. The son Jamison never got to meet, Roger Maraist, takes us along on his quest to learn more about his father’s life and death, with some surprising twists and turns along the way.
EPISODE #315, 5/17/2014: 91-year-old Paul Ferdinandsen of San Jose, CA remembers his service with the 84th Infantry Division during World War II. His courageous actions during the Battle of the Bulge led to his receiving a prestigious medal from Great Britain’s preeminent general.
EPISODE #314, 5/10/2014: Part II of our interview with 94-year-old Bill Overmier of Albuquerque, New Mexico, covering his 1,227 days as a prisoner of the Japanese during World War II. We’ll hear what kind of work he was forced to do, what he was given to eat, and how he managed to survive.
EPISODE #313, 5/3/2014: 94-year-old Bill Overmier of Albuquerque, New Mexico remembers his service with the 200th Coast Artillery, how the war began for him in the Philippines on December 8, 1941, and how he became a prisoner in May, 1942.
EPISODE #312, 4/26/2014: 90-year-old Dick Lyon of Oceanside, CA remembers how he joined the Scouts and Raiders during World War II, the close calls he experienced during the Korean War, and how he became the first Navy SEAL to reach the rank of Admiral. You’ll also find out which baseball legend he once tried to teach how to swim.
EPISODE #311, 4/19/2014: Part II of our interview with 93-year-old Victor Killingsworth of Taft, CA.
EPISODE #310, 4/12/2014: 93-year-old Victor Killingsworth of Taft, CA discusses some of the experiences chronicled in his book, “The Gator Navy: The Amphibious Navy I knew in World War II.
EPISODE #309, 4/5/2014: 91-year-old Dick Seay of Vista, CA remembers his 13 missions with the 38th Bomb Group as a B-25 pilot during World War II. Listen to the incredible story of how he survived his 13th mission in the Battle of Ormoc Bay.
EPISODE #308, 3/29/2014: 89-year-old square dance calling legend Ernie Kinney of Fresno, CA recalls his experiences serving in support of a Marine Corps fighter squadron in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #307, 3/22/2014: 89-year-old Albert Metzger of Fresno, CA recalls his experiences as a B-24 gunner with the 389th Bomb Group, 565th squadron during World War II.
EPISODE #306, 3/15/2014: 87-year-old Jack Venables of Merced, CA explains why he lied about his age and joined the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 15. Venables served with a 75mm pack howitzer crew in the 2nd Marine Division on Guadalcanal, Tarawa, Saipan, and Tinian
EPISODE #305, 3/8/2014: 93-year-old John Decker of Merced, CA reflects on a 28-year Air Force career. He flew with the 15th Bomb Squadron, the first American unit to bomb Europe during World War II. Flying A-20s out of North Africa in 1942, he also participated in the Berlin Airlift in 1948 and has stories from the Cold War to share as well.
EPISODE #304, 3/1/2014: 93-year-old Albert Flores of Fresno, CA shares vivid memories from his time as a medical technician with the 185th Regimental Combat Team, part of the 40th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #303, 2/22/2014: World War II P-51 pilots Bob Friend and Jerry Yellin share some of their experiences as they support the campaign to “Keep the Spirit of ’45 Alive.”
EPISODE #302, 2/15/2014: 2-time Olympic gold medalist Lones Wigger, Jr. relates his Olympic experiences as well as his 26 years in the Army, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel.
EPISODE #301, 2/8/2014: Prepare for “Day of Remembrance” by listening to three Nisei Veterans of World War II
EPISODE #300, 2/1/2014: 90-year-old Walter Fees of Bakersfield, CA remembers his World War II service with the 517th Parachute Infantry Regimental Combat Team.
EPISODE #299, 1/25/2014: 92-year-old Irvin Cooper of Los Angeles, CA, author of the book “Peter, Bogey, Mike,” recalls his Navy experiences as a PBM Mariner pilot in World War II.
EPISODE #298, 1/18/2014: Don Straub of Windsor, CO celebrates his 90th birthday by sharing memories from his time as a radioman/gunner on PB4Y-2 Privateers with VPB-109. “Lefty” Straub later pitched in Omaha’s first College World Series.
EPISODE #297, 1/11/2014: 98-year-old Jack Schwartz of Hanford, CA remembers the 1,367 days he spent as a prisoner of war after being captured on Guam, December 8, 1941.
EPISODE #296, 1/4/2014: Part 2 of the interview with 89-year-old Jonas Hofer, who survived the torpedoing of the U.S.S. Houston in 1944, and more recently took part in the inaugural Central Valley Honor Flight.
EPISODE #295, 12/28/2013: 89-year-old Jonas Hofer of Fresno, CA remembers surviving more than 14 hours floating in the water after the Japanese torpedoed his crippled ship, the U.S.S. Houston, in 1944.
EPISODE #294, 12/21/2013: 90-year-old Neil Green of Oakland, CA remembers his World War II service on two destroyers, the U.S.S. Goff and the U.S.S. Heywood L. Edwards.
EPISODE #293, 12/14/2013: Remembering Dr. Stanley Lindquist, who just passed away at the age of 96. Volunteering to rescue wounded soldiers in a minefield during World War II, he was wounded himself, losing an eye and part of his leg. A longtime psychology professor at Fresno State, he founded the Link Care Center in 1964.
EPISODE #292, 12/7/2013: 92-year-old Elmer Wright of Clovis, CA remembers where the U.S. Marine Corps had him on December 7, 1941. We’ll also found out how he was wounded on the U.S.S. Colorado off of Tinian in 1944.
EPISODE #291, 11/30/2013: Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, we revisit World War II veteran Ted Robinson’s story. Robinson knew Kennedy during World War II, and is the author of the book, “Water in My Veins: The Pauper Who Helped Save a President.”
EPISODE #290, 11/23/2013: 90-year-old ex-prisoner of war Frank Kravetz of Pittsburgh, PA share his personal story of survival, which is also captured in his book, “Eleven Two.”
EPISODE #289, 11/16/2013: 90-year-old June Moran of Kingsburg, CA remembers her World War II service with the U.S. Marine Corps Women’s Reserve.
EPISODE #288, 11/9/2013: 95-year-old Leonard Heinrichs of Dinuba, CA recalls his World War II service as a surgical technician in Italy, and also speaks to his experience on the inaugural Central Valley Honor Flight.
EPISODE #287, 11/2/2013: 95-year-old Robert Thacker of San Clemente, CA remembers flying INTO Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He also discusses highlights from his exploits as a test pilot, including his recordbreaking 1947 flight in the P-82 named for his wife, Betty Jo.
EPISODE #286, 10/26/2013: 92-year-old Melvin Cobb of Fresno, CA remembers his World War II service with the 850th Engineer Aviation Battalion during WWII, constructing runways in England, France, and Germany.
EPISODE #285, 10/19/2013: 89-year-old Clay Comer of Fresno, CA reflects on his time in the 329th regiment, 83rd Infantry Division during World War II.
EPISODE #284, 10/12/2013: 92-year-old Glenn Wyne of Atwater, CA remembers his time aboard the U.S.S. Pierce (APA-50) and U.S.S. Lindenwald (LSD-6) during World War II, including how he earned the Bronze Star.
EPISODE #283, 10/5/2013: 88-year-old Sherman Kishi of Livingston, CA explains his experiences as a Japanese-American forced out of his home in 1942. He would go on to serve in the Military Intelligence Service and in 2011, joined other Nisei veterans in receiving the Congressional Gold Medal.
EPISODE #282, 9/28/2013: 92-year-old Julian Mazuka of Lemoore, CA takes us back to when he jumped with the 17th Airborne Division on March 24, 1945, landing behind enemy lines as part of Operation Varsity.
EPISODE #281, 9/21/2013: 92-year-old Harry Mercer of Tulare, CA recalls his experiences in Naval Intelligence, Joint Communication Activity during World War II.
EPISODE #280, 9/14/2013: 91-year-old Karl Haeuser of Cayucos, CA tells his emotional story of survival. A gunner on an A-20 flying with the 410th Bomb Group, 644th Squadron, Karl was shot down August 4, 1944, and became a prisoner of war. Taken to Stalag Luft IV, he later survived the three-month “German Death March” before tasting freedom again.
EPISODE #279, 9/7/2013: 89-year-old Charles Jennings of Morro Bay, CA remembers his time as a tank commander in the 2nd Armored Division, receiving the Purple Heart for wounds suffered in combat.
EPISODE #278, 8/31/2013: 92-year-old Vernon Jackson of Arroyo Grande, CA reflects on his service with the 109th Combat Engineer Battalion during World War II.
EPISODE #277, 8/24/2013: 92-year-old Arlanda Ritchie of Fresno, CA describes his service in the 87th Infantry Division, 346th Infantry Regiment during World War II. You’ll hear him discuss being MIA for 16 weeks, and returning to his company with help from the French Underground.
EPISODE #276, 8/17/2013: 88-year-old Ruben Ramirez of Reedley, CA remembers his service with the 88th Infantry Division during World War II. Ruben was wounded three times. His only brother, Hank, was killed while fighting in the Philippines.
EPISODE #275, 8/10/2013: 87-year-old Vernon Conrad of Reedley, CA shares stories from his service with the 25th Infantry Division in the Philippines during World War II.
EPISODE #274, 8/3/2013: 89-year-old Jim Kitchen of Fresno, CA remembers his service in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. Aboard the cutter Roger B. Taney, Kitchen helped shoot down a kamikaze off Okinawa. Hear how he “borrowed” a tool from the Taney for 61 years, and what he’s done to honor his shipmates.
EPISODE #273, 7/27/2013: 81-year-old Fred Machado of Fresno, CA remembers his service in the Korean War, which came to an end 60 years ago today. Machado served on the U.S.S. Montague (AKA-98) then, and serves now as a docent at the Veterans Memorial Museum, Home of the Legion of Valor.
EPISODE #272, 7/20/2013: A trip to San Francisco’s Pier 45. We hear from 89-year-old Hal Mulnix of Modesto, CA, who served on the submarine USS Sturgeon in World War II. We also learn about two pieces of WWII history you can tour at Pier 45: the submarine Pampanito and liberty ship Jeremiah O’Brien.
EPISODE #271, 7/13/2013: Part two of our interview with 93-year-old Robert Farwell. He discusses his liberation from Stalag Luft I, and his work on the Atlas, Titan, and Titan II missile programs.
EPISODE #270, 7/6/2013: 93-year-old Robert Farwell of Bakersfield, CA remembers being shot down on his fifth B-17 mission with the 306th Bomb Group, 368th squadron. Farwell spent eight months as a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft I.
EPISODE #269, 6/29/2013: 88-year-old Don Westfahl of Bakersfield, CA remembers training at Minter Field and later flying weather reconnaissance missions in the China Burma India theater. He is now a docent at Minter Field Air Museum in Shafter, CA.
EPISODE #268, 6/22/2013: 88-year-old Mel Freedman of Boca Raton, FL remembers his experience with the 45th Infantry Division in World War II. He witnessed the horrors of a concentration camp, and later played football at Harvard with Bobby Kennedy.
EPISODE #267, 6/15/2013: E.T. Roberts of Bakersfield, CA remembers coming ashore on Normandy’s Omaha Beach with the 29th Infantry Division on June 6, 1944. He survived “The Longest Day,” went on to get wounded a month later near St. Lo, and less than a month after that returned to the front lines.
EPISODE #266, 6/8/2013: 88-year-old Irving Mann of Rochester, NY remembers coming ashore on Utah Beach on June 6, 1944. You’ll also hear about the small piece of metal that made an incredible journey back to its rightful owner in 2013.
EPISODE #265, 6/1/2013: Preparing for the 69th anniversary of D-Day on Thursday, we hear from General Dwight Eisenhower, President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and D-Day survivor Phillip “Pete” Hauck.
EPISODE #264, 5/25/2013: 90-year-old Bob Cole of Fresno, CA remembers how he survived the sinking of the U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8) in 1942. He was also aboard the Hornet when Jimmy Doolittle and his Raiders took off for their famous bombing raid on Japan.
EPISODE #263, 5/18/2013: 87-year-old Ken Green of Fresno, CA remembers his experiences aboard the U.S.S. Pickaway (APA-222) during World War II. Ken started acting at the age of 5, and is still performing.
EPISODE #262, 5/11/2013: 86-year-old Jesus “Tony” Armendariz, Sr. of Kerman, CA recalls his Battle of the Bulge experience with the 8th Infantry Division. Armendariz was part of annual veterans recognition hosted by Kerman farmers and dairymen. You will also hear from ex-POW Rudy Giannoni and dairy farmer Joe Porto.
EPISODE #261, 5/4/2013: 90-year-old Harry Nicholas of Orange Cove, CA remembers surviving a tragic friendly fire incident in April 1944. Nicholas, who served on PT-350, makes two round trips to Los Angeles each week to sell his produce at farmers’ markets.
EPISODE #260, 4/27/2013: The new book “Into the Night: Hammer Field, Camp Pinedale, Fresno Fairgrounds: Central California in World War II” is discussed by the author, 88-year-old World War II veteran George Gruner.
EPISODE #259, 4/20/2013: 88-year-old George Gruner of Fresno, CA recalls his experiences with the 440th Anti-Aircraft Artillery Battalion during World War II. You’ll hear about his close calls, and even how his pre-war experience in the newspaper business altered his wartime fate.
EPISODE #258, 4/13/2013: 90-year-old ex-prisoner of war Al Porta of Reno, NV remembers his 17 missions as a B-17 pilot during World War II. Al also discusses his time in captivity, and his recent adventures with Honor Flight. We also hear from Honor Flight Nevada organizer Jon Yuspa.
EPISODE #257, 4/6/2013: 89-year-old B.A. Hansen of Winton, CA recalls his 27-year Air Force career, including his flying duties during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.
EPISODE #256, 3/30/2013: Remembering Bill Dietzel, a 20-year Air Force veteran and tireless advocate for veterans. Publisher of Veterans Magazine and longtime director of the Fresno Veterans Day Parade, Dietzel died March 21st at the age of 79.
EPISODE #255, 3/23/2013: 95-year-old Dr. Carl Kice Brown of Corcoran, CA reflects on an extensive career that includes his role as one of the original Flying Tiger pilots with the American Volunteer Group in China during World War II.
EPISODE #254, 3/16/2013: 86-year-old Ken Oliphant of Visalia, CA remembers his WWII Navy service aboard the U.S.S. Renville (APA-227)
EPISODE #253, 3/9/2013: 89-year-old David McCoy of Hanford, CA remembers arriving at Omaha Beach on D-Day with the 18th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division.
EPISODE #252, 3/2/2013: 86-year-old Dale Anderson of Visalia, CA shares stories from his days with the 1st Marine Division on Okinawa during World War II.
EPISODE #251, 2/23/2013: 88-year-old Bob Rouch of Kingsburg, CA remembers his days as a U.S. Army Air Corps weatherman on Baffin Island during World War II.
EPISODE #250, 2/9/2013: Veterans and students who have participated in the Central California War Veterans Oral History Project at Fresno State relate their experiences on Hometown Heroes.
EPISODE #249, 2/2/2013: 86-year-old Don Hardenbrook of Weiser, Idaho revisits his experiences as a frogman assigned to the Sino American Cooperative Organization during World War II.
EPISODE #248, 1/26/2013: Entertainers provided a valuable service to the troops during World War II, and no one did it better than Bob Hope. Hear a 1943 Bob Hope broadcast from the San Joaquin Valley, and find out how going down memory lane with Bob Hope and Bing Crosby can help the Central California Veterans Home Support Foundation.
EPISODE #247, 1/19/2013: 90-year-old Richard Emler of Fresno, CA remembers his 70 missions as a B-25 pilot with the 445th Bomb Squadron, 321st Bomb Group during World War II.
EPISODE #246, 1/5/2013: 90-year-old former Fresno State professor Jim Echols remembers his 22 missions as a B-17 co-pilot with the 97th Bomb Group during World War II.
EPISODE #245, 12/29/2012: Part II of the interview with 94-year-old Ed Farmer. He explains how the kris – a ceremonial dagger – given to him by a legendary Filipino figure was reunited with that man’s family nearly 70 years after Ed received it.
EPISODE #244, 12/22/2012: 94-year-old Ed Farmer of Spokane Valley, WA remembers his days with the 24th Infantry Division during World War II. Ed is a recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart, and also recalls serving with future President Ronald Reagan.
EPISODE #243, 12/15/2012: 86-year-old Robert Hammond of Long Beach, CA remembers his corpsman days at Montford Point as a pioneering African-American in World War II.
EPISODE #242, 12/8/2012: Reflections on Pearl Harbor, including President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s complete speech from December 8, 1941.
E@ISODE #241, 12/1/2012: 91-year-old Pearl Harbor Survivor Leon Webster of Fresno, CA remembers what he experiences at Hickam Field on December 7th, 1941.
EPISODE #240, 11/24/2012: Jack Mulkey football revisit
EPISODE #239, 11/17/2012: 90-year-old Ricardo Palacios, Jr. of Dripping Springs, TX recalls his 16 months as a prisoner of war after being captured near the Rapido River in World War II.
EPISODE #238, 11/10/2012: 84-year-old Kenneth Eaton of Clovis, CA, author of the book “Missing Dog Tags,” gives us a glimpse into his 32 months as a prisoner of war in Korea.
EPISODE #237, 11/3/2012: 88-year-old Earl Davis of Hanford, CA revisits his experiences with the 10th Mountain Division in Italy during World War II.
EPISODE #236, 10/27/2012: Monte Irvin
EPISODE #235, 10/20/2012: 87-year-old Elga Lee of Hanford, CA remembers his experiences with the 1st Armored Amphibian Battalion in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #234, 10/13/2012: Louie Zamperini
EPISODE #233, 10/6/2012: 86-year-old Bill Bohigian of Fresno, CA remembers his experiences as an infantryman in the 32nd Infantry Division in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #232, 9/29/2012: 94-year-old Jack Mulkey of Edmond, OK remembers his All-American football days at Fresno State, the nearly five years he spent in the Army during World War II, and his brief pro football career.
EPISODE #231, 9/22/2012: Part 2 of the interview with 84-year-old Harald Bauer of Atascadero, CA: Bauer recalls getting shot down by a P-51, rescued by Americans, and eventually serving in the U.S. Military.
EPISODE #230, 9/15/2012: 84-year-old Harald Bauer of Atascadero, CA shares part of his remarkable story. Shot down as a German teenager transporting an HE-162 jet, Bauer became an American intelligence officer and later an American reconnaissance pilot in the Korean War.
EPISODE #229, 9/8/2012: 93-year-old Allen Tootle of Visalia, CA talks about the hole-in-one he hit in Exeter, as well as his experiences with the 24th Infantry Division during World War II. We also hear about the Central Valley Stand Down from John Schuler.
EPISODE #228, 9/1/2012: 95-year-old Desmond Hornbuckle of Brea, CA recalls his days in the Merchant Marines during World War II, as well as his football playing experiences at Fresno State.
EPISODE #227, 8/25/2012: 87-year-old Leonard Cozby of Tulare, CA remembers his experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II. Cozby served with the 80th Infantry Division before ending up in Stalag IV-B.
EPISODE #226, 8/18/2012: 87-year-old Alan George of Visalia, CA relates how he earned a Purple Heart in the Battle of Okinawa aboard the USS Bataan.
EPISODE #225, 8/11/2012: 90-year-old Les Collins of Hanford, CA remembers his experiences as an infantryman and medic with the 41st Infantry Division, 163rd Infantry Regiment in the South Pacific. Collins earned a Bronze Star in the battle for Wakde Island, and later experienced the aftermath of the Hiroshima atomic bomb.
EPISODE #224, 8/4/2012: 90-year-old Ed Jones of Hanford, CA recalls his 11 missions as a B-24 pilot with the 466th Bomb Group in World War II.
EPISODE #223, 7/28/2012: 92-year-old M.W. Del Re of Tulare, CA remembers being shot down as a B-17 navigator, and the German doctor who helped him avoid a P.O.W. camp.
EPISODE #222, 7/21/2012: 88-year-old Wilbur Gomes of Gustine, CA, recalls his 38 missions as a B-24 navigator with the 98th Bomb Group. Gomes became a prisoner of war in August, 1944, and was liberated the next month in a daring rescue in Bucharest, Romania.
EPISODE #221, 7/14/2012: 91-year-old Clare Slaughter of Fresno, CA remembers his experiences with the 2nd Marine Division on Saipan and Okinawa. We’ll also hear from Oakland/L.A. Raider legend Tom Flores, who played under coach Slaughter at Sanger HS and Fresno CC.
EPISODE #220, 7/7/2012: 92-year-old Bud Erickson of Visalia, CA remembers his service with the 2nd Marine Division during World War II, including his interactions with the famed Navajo Code Talkers.
EPISODE #219, 6/30/2012: 91-year-old John Leikam of Visalia, CA remembers his service as a radioman on SOC Seagull scout planes. You’ll hear him recall being set aflame aboard the USS Columbia by a kamikaze attack.
EPISODE #218, 6/23/2012: 89-year-old Bill Kramme of Fresno, CA remembers his time as a medic in the Pacific during World War II. Kramme served with the 1st Convalescent Hospital on Leyte in the Philippines.
EPISODE #217, 6/16/2012: 92-year-old Robert Barney remembers jumping on D-Day, June 6, 1944 with the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment of the 101st Airborne Division.
EPISODE #216, 6/9/2012: 92-year-old Ralph Burbridge of Mesa, AZ remembers the hair-rising ride aboard the famous B-17 All-American, as well as his bombardier career encompassing more than 50 missions with the 97th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #215, 6/2/2012: Angel Romero and Maynard “Beamy” Beamesderfer take us back to June 6, 1944 and share the rest of their experiences as paratroopers during World War II.
EPISODE #214, 5/28/2012: Memorial Day Special – Miller/McCall
EPISODE #213, 5/26/2012: D-Day paratroopers Bob Chisolm of Anthony, NM and Arthur Johnson of Las Cruces, NM take us back to their military days.
EPISODE #212, 5/19/2012: 91-year-old Marcus Weisgerber remembers his 20-year Navy career, including how a broken jaw may have saved his life.
EPISODE #211, 5/12/2012: 93-year-old Hilda Johnson of Fresno, CA is a mother of two, grandmother of five, and now great-grandma to three. Every year when Mother’s Day rolls around, we like to remind you that more than 350,000 women served in the military during World War II by featuring a female on the program.
EPISODE #210, 5/5/2012: 87-year-old Jim Gerhardt of Sacramento, CA relates the story behind his Purple Heart. Gerhardt served with the 736th Medium Tank Battalion, Special during World War II.
EPISODE #209, 4/28/2012: 92-year-old Lloyd Bledsoe of Corcoran, CA has served countless Kings County families since starting the Bledsoe Family People’s Funeral Chapel in 1952.
EPISODE #208, 4/21/2012: 93-year-old Richard Klema of Porterville, CA reflects on the more than two years he spent as a prisoner of war during World War II.
EPISODE #207, 4/14/2012: 86-year-old Luis Rodriguez of Exeter, CA shares his experiences with the 240th Field Artillery Battalion during World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #206, 4/7/2012: 89-year-old Bob Gross of Cayucos, CA remembers his adventures aboard LST-620 in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #205, 3/31/2012: 89-year-old Morris Bennett of Woodlake, CA recalls his experiences as a glider pilot with the 439th Troop Carrier Group, including what he did on June 6, 1944.
EPISODE #204, 3/24/2012: Repeat Guernsey
EPISODE #203, 3/17/2012: 87-year-old Lew Guernsey of Ionia, MI remembers his 32 missions as a B-26 gunner with the 394th Bomb Group, as well as his time as a P.O.W. in Stalag Luft I.
EPISODE #202, 3/10/2012: 86-year-old Pat Chimienti of Orange Cove, CA remembers his days with the 75th Infantry Division at the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #201, 3/3/2012: 87-year-old Clarence Suzuki recalls walking through Honolulu on Dec. 7, 1941, as well as his service in the Military Intelligence Service and his receiving the Congressional Gold Medal.
EPISODE #200, 2/25/2012: On this 200th episode of Hometown Heroes on KMJ, 85-year-old Ralph Lynn remembers his experiences on U.S. submarines during World War II, as well as the time he spent with a young Navy man named Lawrence Edward “Yogi” Berra.
EPISODE #199, 2/18/2012: 88-year-old Lon Simmons shares more of his Coast Guard adventures from World War II, and remembers how he went from pitching prospect to Hall of Fame announcer, with a memorable stop in Fresno along the way.
EPISODE #198, 2/11/2012: Legendary sports announcer Lon Simmons takes us back to his days in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II.
EPISODE #197, 2/4/2012: Navy veteran Rodney Ray talks about his award-winning film, Flag of My Father. We also hear from Rodney’s father, Asa Ray, recalling his service with the 38th Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #196, 1/28/2012: 90-year-old Mitch Higginbotham of Dana Point, CA revisits his experiences as one of the famed Tuskegee Airmen in World War II.
EPISODE #195, 1/21/2012: More with 94-year-old Frank Avry, who recalls the tragic plane crash he survived in 1946. Avry was the sole survivor of a crash that claimed 6 lives, including that of Fresno native Marshall Tetstall.
EPISODE #194, 1/14/2012: 94-year-old Frank Avry of Lewiston, ID remembers his experiences as a top turret gunner on B-17s with the 351st Bomb Group. Shot down on his 27th mission, he survived nearly a year as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #193, 1/7/2012: 90-year-old Bill Hiller recalls welding P-38s together at Burbank’s Lockheed plant, serving the Navy during World War II, the Air Force in the Korean War and Cold War, and his 23 years restoring aircraft at Castle Air Museum.
EPISODE #192, 12/31/2011: 89-year-old Ed Nacey recalls his days as a B-24 navigator with the 93rd Bomb Group, and also talks about his “baby,” Castle Air Museum. We also hear from museum CEO Joe Pruzzo.
EPISODE #191, 12/24/2011: 90-year-old Joe Goicoechea of Boise, ID remembers Wake Island and the 44 months he spent as a prisoner of war. Also, 15-year-old Noah Barnes on the Wake Island Memorial he orchestrated in Boise.
EPISODE #190, 12/17/2011: 85-year-old Connell York of Fresno, CA recalls his parachute training with the 11th Airborne Divison, and the special role he played aboard the USS Missouri on Sept. 2, 1945.
EPISODE #189, 12/10/2011: 90-year-old Medal of Honor recipient George T. “Joe” Sakato recalls his experiences with the 442nd Regimental Combat Team
EPISODE #188, 11/26/2011: 91-year-old Dave Bowman of Yountville, CA recalls his adventures with “The Plane That Wouldn’t Fly.”
EPISODE #187, 11/19/2011: 89-year-old Bob Heiss from the California Veterans Home in Yountville on his unique assignment during World War II.
EPISODE #186, 11/12/2011: 87-year-old Robert Yano of Kingsburg, CA, relates his experiences with the “Go For Broke” soldiers of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Yano just returned from Washington, D.C., where he received the Congressional Gold Medal along with other Nisei veterans of World War II.
EPISODE #185, 11/5/2011: 87-year-old Richard Christensen recalls his days with the 94th Infantry Division in World War II.
EPISODE #184, 10/29/2011: Veterans Lee Self (Vietnam), Frank Blake (Korea), and Rudy Giannoni (WWII) discuss their inclusion in the new book Stories of Service, Volume II
EPISODE #183, 10/15/2011: 88-year-old Ed Scott of El Sobrante, CA remembers his 25 missions as a B-24 pilot with the 467th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #182, 10/8/2011: Ted and Philida Brodalski of Atwater, CA remember their service in WWII. She was an Army nurse at Normandy and the Battle of the Bulge. He was a Marine at Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #181, 10/1/2011: 89-year-old Richard “Swede” Artley of Lewiston, ID shares what it was like to be trapped inside the capsized USS Oklahoma for 34 hours at Pearl Harbor.
EPISODE #180, 9/17/2011: 86-year-old Jerry Jury of Fresno, CA, remembers his days as a PBY pilot. Jury also shares stories from his days as a college football player and, later, longtime official.
EPISODE #179, 9/10/2011: 88-year-old E.J. Leatherman of Clovis, CA remembers his experiences near Malmedy, Belgium in 1944.
EPISODE #178, 8/27/2011: 88-year-old Mike Murphy of Fresno, CA recalls some of the closest calls from his 55 missions as a B-17 pilot in World War II.
EPISODE #177, 8/20/2011: 88-year-old Mike Lombardi of Fresno, CA explains how a gaping hole ended up in his flak helmet on the tenth of his 33 missions as a B-17 navigator.
EPISODE #176, 8/13/2011: 89-year-old Bill Carpenter of Fresno, CA recalls surviving a bomb blast aboard the USS Yorktown, one month before that famous aircraft carrier was sunk at Midway.
EPISODE #175, 8/6/2011: 90-year-old Lou Essick of Brunswick, GA, recalls his service with the 776th Anti-aircraft artillery during World War II.
EPISODE #174, 7/30/2011: 87-year-old Don Miller of Castro Valley, CA, relates how he was shot down on his third mission as a B-24 radioman. Miller spent 11 months as a prisoner of war, surviving a horrific death march from February to May of 1945.
EPISODE #173, 7/23/2011: Umbert Cantelmi of Bakersfield, CA remembers his intense experiences with the 5th Marine Division on Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #172, 7/16/2011: 89-year-old Leo Weil of Fresno, CA remembers his days with the 33rd Fighter Group in North Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Listen for his run-in with General George S. Patton as well as his close calls in battle.
EPISODE #171, 7/9/2011: 88-year-old Gid Adkisson, Jr., of Abernathy, Texas, recalls the three times he was wounded with the 80th Infantry Division, as well as how he earned the Bronze Star.
EPISODE #170, 7/2/2011: 87-year-old Lou Davis of Clovis, CA, remembers his experiences on Iwo Jima during World War II.
EPISODE #169, 6/25/2011: Part II of the Pete Hauck interview, covering his wounding at the Battle of the Bulge, his homecoming, and his adventures since World War II.
EPISODE #168, 6/18/2011: 90-year-old Pete Hauck of Fresno, CA, recalls Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944. Listen to him describe his official duties that day, as well as the secret early morning mission this demolition man carried out.
EPISODE #167, 6/11/2011: 85-year-old Verne Cole of Fresno, CA remembers the ME-262 attack that left him wounded and unconscious in the tail of a crippled B-17.
EPISODE #166, 6/4/2011: 75-year-old David Mills of Scottsdale, AZ, remembers being wounded and captured on Outpost Harry, a crucial hill in the Korean War.
EPISODE #165, 5/28/2011: 94-year-old Paul Bogosian of Fresno, CA, remembers 21 missions with the 330th Bomb Group in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #164, 5/21/2011: On Fresno State’s 100th Graduation Day, Hometown Heroes focuses on the university’s Central California War Veterans Oral History Project. Hear from a student, a professor, and two veterans.
EPISODE #163, 5/14/2011: From the Louisiana Military Museum in Ruston, LA: 85-year-old James Fallin from the 69th Infantry Division, and 85-year-old Purple Heart recipient Chuck Monson of the 154th Combat Engineers.
EPISODE #162, 5/7/2011: 89-year-old Meta Olson of Sun Valley, CA, remembers her contributions to the World War II effort on a special Mother’s Day edition of Hometown Heroes.
EPISODE #161, 4/30/2011: 89-year-old Foy Foster recalls his 35 missions as a B-24 bombardier with the 453rd Bomb Group. Foster also remembers serving with Hollywood legend Jimmy Stewart.
EPISODE #160, 4/23/2011: 86-year-old Jim Sanders of Modesto, CA, talks about evacuating casualties as an ambulance driver in World War II. What he witnessed at the infamous Nazi concentration camps at Buchenwald and Ohrdruf is impossible to forget.
EPISODE #159, 4/16/2011: 89-year-old Donald Wiese of Walnut Creek, CA, recalls the more than 500 days he spent in combat with the 34th Infantry Division in World War II, including the day he was wounded in Italy.
EPISODE #158, 4/9/2011: 89-year-old Al Tortolano of Santa Clara, CA remembers how he and his fellow soldiers of the “Lost Battalion” were rescued by the Japanese-Americans of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team.
EPISODE #157, 4/2/2011: 87-year-old Zeke Mulder of Shafter, CA, shares the story of how he earned a Bronze Star on Okinawa in 1945.
EPISODE #156, 3/26/2011: 88-year-old Dick Zitzmann of Coarsegold, CA, recalls his days aboard the U.S.S. Knox during World War II.
EPISODE #155, 3/19/2011: 83-year-old Benny Noonkester of Coarsegold, CA, remembers the kamikaze attacks on his ship, the U.S.S. Chilton, during the Battle of Okinawa.
EPISODE #154, 3/12/2011: 86-year-old Dean Whitaker of Las Vegas, NV, recalls his experiences as a prisoner of war during World War II. Dean served with the 398th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #153, 3/5/2011: Part 2 of the interview with 94-year-old Louie Zamperini, detailing his captivity, liberation, and return to Japan as a missionary after World War II.
EPISODE #152, 2/26/2011: 94-year-old Louie Zamperini describes his journey from Olympic athlete to B-24 bombardier, to prisoner of war, and eventually to missionary and motivational speaker.
EPISODE #151, 2/19/2011: Bill Kemble of Corcoran, CA, on his unique experience on December 7, 1941, his service on the USS Ashtabula, and why he’s still working full-time at age 85.
EPISODE #150, 2/12/2011: 88-year-old Gus Kossaras remembers his experiences as a young rifleman with the 6th Armored Division during World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #149, 2/5/2011: 90-year-old Wayne Houser relates how he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart, as well as why he missed out on the mission in which his regular crew was shot down.
EPISODE #148, 1/29/2011: 88-year-old John Weiner of Sacramento, CA, discusses his 148 missions as a WWII pilot, including two that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross.
EPISODE #147, 1/22/2011: Long before John Loomis helped found San Joaquin College of Law, he was a 19-year-old mortar gunner in the 95th Infantry Division, helping to liberate Metz, France.
EPISODE #146, 1/15/2011: 86-year-old Dan Langpaap recalls the frozen feet he suffered at the Battle of the Bulge, and other experiences with the 99th Infantry Division.
EPISODE #145, 1/8/2011: 87-year-old Harmon Atwater of Tulare, CA, shares his experiences with the 26th Infantry Division in World War II, including his Silver Star and the Purple Heart he earned at the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #144, 1/1/2011: 85-year-old Battle of the Bulge survivor Don Fries of Fresno, CA, explains how he earned a Bronze Star and a Purple Heart while serving with the 1st Infantry Division.
EPISODE #143, 12/11/2010: 88-year-old Vern Thompson of Tulare, CA, describes the dangerous mission that earned him the Bronze Star.
EPISODE #142, 12/4/2010: 91-year-old Pearl Harbor survivor Marion Kesler of Salt Lake City, Utah, recalls his experiences on the USS Hulbert on December 7, 1941. Also: Matt Basso of the Univ. of Utah’s Saving the Legacy project.
EPISODE #141, 11/27/2010: 89-year-old Silver Star recipient Alvin Pate of Pioneer, CA, remembers a very special Christmas Eve moment from 1944.
EPISODE #140, 11/20/2010: 91-year-old Ted Robinson of Sacramento, CA, tells the story of how he helped rescue future president John F. Kennedy in August 1943.
EPISODE #139, 11/13/2010: Vahram Kiramdjian of Fresno, CA, recalls his experiences on the USS Satterlee (DD-626), firing the first shots at Pointe du Hoc on June 6, 1944
EPISODE #138, 10/30/2010: 86-year-old Steve Marusich of Ivanhoe, CA shares his story of survival. Marusich was in the water for nearly 4 hours after a pair of kamikaze attacks sank his carrier, the USS Bismarck Sea.
EPISODE #137, 10/23/2010: 86-year-old Max Rouff speaks candidly about his experiences with the 4th Marine Division during World War II, including the injuries that had him carried off of Iwo Jima in a body bag.
EPISODE #136, 10/16/2010: Arlin Johnson of King City, CA, shares stories from his time as a Quartermaster on the USS Tilefish, a World War II submarine.
EPISODE #135, 10/9/2010: John D. Roberts of Fresno, CA tells the story of “The Homesick Angel” and his time in the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II.
EPISODE #134, 10/2/2010: 88-year-old Al “Cotti” Cutruzzula of Hanford, CA, recalls his days as a Lemoore Army Air Field baseball teammate of Bobby Thomson’s during World War II.
EPISODE #133, 9/25/2010: Baseball Hall of Famer Monte Irvin discusses his time in the Army during World War II, as well as his sports career.
EPISODE #132, 9/18/2010: 88-year-old Jesse Dudley of Santa Rosa, CA, shares his experiences flying a general in and out of Iwo Jima. After the war, his passengers included the Emperor of Japan.
EPISODE #131, 9/11/2010: 90-year-old Ralph Roberts recalls his experiences with the 327th Field Artillery Battalion, 84th Infantry Division. Ralph earned a Bronze Star and was involved in the Battle of the Bulge.
EPISODE #130, 9/4/2010: R. Philip Benson of Madera, CA, recalls his experiences on Normandy’s Omaha Beach on June 6, 1944 (D-Day).
EPISODE #129, 8/28/2010: Live from KMJ’s Lifestyle Expo: Morris Garcia and Olga Machado Garcia on the story of WWII Navy veteran John Machado; Michael Olson on his book Tales from a Tin Can
EPISODE #128, 8/21/2010: 84-year-old David Fusinato of Fresno, CA discusses his time with the 1st Tank Battalion, 1st Marine Division on Okinawa in 1945.
EPISODE #127, 8/14/2010: Live from the Keeping the Spirit of ’45 Alive celebration at Warnors Theatre: Peter Rondero recalls his Marine Corps service in World War II, including the sniper’s bullet that nearly ended his life on Iwo Jima.
EPISODE #126, 8/7/2010: 88-year-old Winston Handwerker of Fresno, CA, recalls flying his P-47 “The Joyful Rebel” with the 58th Fighter Group in the Pacific during World War II.
EPISODE #125, 7/31/2010: Purple Heart recipient Bill Crumpacker of Fresno, CA remembers his experiences with the 2nd Marine Division, including the serious wound he suffered on Tinian 66 years ago this week.
EPISODE #124, 7/24/2010: Adolfo “Harpo” Celaya of San Jose, CA shares the incredible story of how he survived the sinking of the USS Indianapolis 65 years ago this week.
EPISODE #123, 7/17/2010: Dr. William Paschal of Wichita, Kansas recalls his time as a scout and later medic with the 100th Infantry Division, as well as his experience as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #122, 7/10/2010: Reedley, CA native Glenn Schmidt recalls his harrowing days as a prisoner of war in Stalag IX-B in Germany.
EPISODE #121, 7/3/2010: 84-year-old Maury Nyberg of Kingsburg, CA remembers his experiences aboard the USS Jenkins during World War II.
EPISODE #120, 6/26/2010: Spirit of ’45 campaign. Remembering the late Edith Shain (nurse from the famous Times Square V-J Day kiss), and discussing the congressional resolution seeking to mark the Spirit of 45 Day each August.
EPISODE #119, 6/19/2010: Bill Gilbert of Kingsburg, CA shares memories from his WWII service aboard the USS Martin and the USS Banner.
EPISODE #118, 6/12/2010: 89-year-old John Baeta recalls his experience as a B-25 pilot with the 345th Bomb Group during WWII, including the time his whole crew survived ditching the plane in the ocean.
EPISODE #117, 6/5/2010: Remembering D-Day. General Eisenhower’s speech to the troops, President Roosevelt’s call to national prayer, Kate Smith’s radio commentary, and a local veteran recalls his experience on June 6, 1944.
EPISODE #116, 5/29/2010: Two ex-prisoners of war from Mesa, Arizona tell their stories of captivity and liberation: Harry McLane of the 86th Infantry Division, and Dale Shebilsky of the 456th Bomb Group.
EPISODE #115, 5/22/2010: Veteran Luis Arceo, student Kue Lee, and professor Gary Rice discuss the Central California War Veterans Oral History Project.
EPISODE #114, 5/15/2010: Bataan Death March survivor Julio Barela remembers the horrors of his years in captivity during World War II.
EPISODE #113, 5/8/2010: Colvie “Bud” Bedford of Fresno recalls his experience guiding LCVPs off the USS Lycoming (APA-155) during World War II.
EPISODE #112, 4/17/2010: Jake Missakian shares stories from his time with 801st Engineer Aviation Battalion, including a tragic plane crash in Okinawa in 1945.
EPISODE #111, 4/10/2010: Radar navigator bombardier Wayne Thompson of Clovis, CA talks about his unique role with the 379th Bomb Group during World War II.
EPISODE #110, 4/3/2010: Fresno, CA’s C.D. “Mac” McMullen relates some of his experiences with the 106th Infantry Division, and the six agonizing months he spent as a prisoner of war during World War II
EPISODE #109, 3/27/2010: 89-year-old Len Ross of Fresno, CA served with the 1st Marine Division during World War II before becoming a force in the sport of golf.
EPISODE #108, 3/20/2010: Howard Nielsen of Delano, CA shares stories from his time as a Marine Corps pilot during World War II.
EPISODE #107, 3/13/2010: WASPs Deanie Parrish and Violet Cowden talk about their service during WWII, as well as receiving the Congressional Gold Medal. We hear first from Wings Across America founder Nancy Parrish.
EPISODE #106, 3/6/2010: 92-year-old Lee Whitehead of Fortuna, CA recalls his days as a PV-1 Ventura pilot during World War II
EPISODE #105, 2/27/2010: Jim Botkin of Dinuba, CA recalls his experiences on the U.S.S. Sterett during World War II
EPISODE #104, 2/20/2010: Satoshi “Fibber” Hirayama recalls his time in an internment camp during World War II, as well as experiences from his remarkable career in baseball. Historian and filmmaker Kerry Yo Nakagawa also shares insight.
EPISODE #103, 2/13/2010: Jim Morris of Exeter, CA relates his experiences as a gunner on a B-17 with the 97th Bomb Group in World War II, including the efforts in February of 1944 that earned a Presidential Unit Citation.
EPISODE #102, 2/6/2010: NCAA Championship Cross Country and Track & Field Coach George Dales recalls his experiences in the Navy aboard the U.S.S. Alaska during World War II.
EPISODE #101, 1/30/2010: 87-year-old Laverne Coulthard of Lewiston, Idaho relates his experiences with the 2nd Marine Division at Tarawa and Saipan, and shares the saga of a Japanese flag that is headed home 65 years later.
EPISODE #100, 1/23/2010: 89-year-old Art Steffensen of Easton shares his experiences serving with the 75th Infantry Division at the Battle of the Bulge and beyond.
EPISODE #99, 1/16/2010: 85-year-old Abelardo Navarrette of El Paso, TX relates the story of how a German artillery shell nearly killed him in 1944, the souvenir he can’t get rid of, and a very special memento the French government gave him 65 years later.
EPISODE #98, 1/9/2010: 93-year-old John Schearer talks about his days as a B-17 pilot with 92nd Bomb Group in Europe.
EPISODE #97, 1/2/2010: Floyd Hixson discusses his experiences with the 33rd Infantry Division in the Pacific in World War II
EPISODE #96, 12/26/2009: David J. Thatcher of Missoula, MT, one of 9 surviving Doolittle Raiders, shares his memories of the historic 1942 raid on Tokyo.
EPISODE #95, 12/12/2009: 90-year-old Don Kitterman of Mt. Shasta, CA remembers his missions as an engineer/gunner on P-61 Black Widows in the Pacific.
EPISODE #94, 11/7/2009: Wesley Johnston shares his own journey of discovery and hopes to help you with his website: Dad’s War: Finding and Telling Your Father’s World War II Story
EPISODE #93, 10/24/2009: WWII bomber pilot Bob Stonum of Mariposa, CA shares his experiences, including his escape from a burning plane.
EPISODE #92, 10/17/2009: Kenneth Lapka shares memories from his time in the Army during World War II, including his role in prosecuting Japanese war criminals
EPISODE #91, 10/10/2009: Veterans from the 1255th and 138th Engineer Combat Battalions share their experiences.
EPISODE #90, 10/3/2009: Walter Smith, who served in World War II, the Korean War, and Vietnam, shares some of his experiences from his time in the Army and Air Force. Hear why this African-American veteran says segregation saved his life.
EPISODE #89, 9/19/2009: Jot Horne of Oakhurst,
CA, who served on the USS White Plains, and endured the incredible Battle off Samar on October 25, 1944.
EPISODE #88, 9/5/2009: World War II veteran Joe Rivas talks about his experiences, and the unique souvenir he brought home from a Nazi death camp in Nordhausen, Germany.
EPISODE #87, 8/29/2009: Lifestyle Expo
EPISODE #86, 8/22/2009: George Heimbuch shares his incredible story of survival. A prisoner of war for nearly four years, he was reunited with his brother after they were both liberated.
EPISODE #85, 8/15/2009: Ex-P.O.W. Irwin Stovroff shares his remarkable story of survival, and talks about his work with Vets Helping Heroes, raising money to provide service dogs for today’s returning veterans.
EPISODE #84, 8/8/2009: Bill Moore, who served on blimps in the Navy’s Lighter Than Air program during World War II, talks about his experiences, including his connection to Operation Overcast.
EPISODE #83, 8/1/2009: U.S. Marine Corps veteran Moe Rana discusses the unique and historic cargo he unloaded from the USS Indianapolis on the island of Tinian.
EPISODE #82, 7/25/2009: Author Lisa Spahr and WWII Signal Corps veteran LaVern Mack are this week’s guests.
EPISODE #81, 7/18/2009: 93-year-old Murrell Twibell explains what he did aboard the USS Enterprise that caused crewmates to tell him he “saved the ship.”
EPISODE #80, 7/11/2009: Ralph Johnson recalls his days as a bombardier with 94th Bomb Group during World War II.
EPISODE #79, 7/4/2009: Independence Day edition features 93-year-old Bill Cahow, who earned the Distinguished Flying Cross as a B-17 pilot during World War II
EPISODE #78, 6/27/2009: Guests: WWII vet Earl Watson and Joint Services Honor Command representative Daryl Slusher
EPISODE #77, 6/20/2009: Don Ball of Mariposa, CA, decorated B-17 radioman/gunner and author of a new book.
EPISODE #76, 6/13/2009: Lee Angelich of Fresno, CA, who served aboard the USS Rixey in the Pacific during World War II, and is also a member of the Fresno Athletic Hall of Fame.
EPISODE #75, 6/6/2009: Robert Angelich, who served in the China Burma India Theater during World War II
EPISODE #74, 5/30/2009: From the WWII Memorial in Washington, D.C., Paul Loeffler interviews three veterans from South Carolina who visited the memorial thanks to Honor Flight.
EPISODE #73, 5/23/2009: From the USS Arizona Memorial in Honolulu: Paul Loeffler interviews Pearl Harbor Survivors Herb Weatherwax and Al Rodrigues.
EPISODE #72, 5/9/2009: preview Heroes of the Valley
EPISODE #71, 5/2/2009: Paul Loeffler visits with WWII Navy airman Louis Munschy, who survived a B-24 crash in the Pacific and still carries shrapnel in his back
EPISODE #70, 4/18/2009: Pete Gianopulos of Taft, CA reflects on his World War II service with the 41st Infantry Division.
EPISODE #69, 4/11/2009: David Turner of Exeter, CA describes how he escaped capture after his B-17 was shot down in France during WWII.
EPISODE #68, 4/4/2009: Sho Katayama of Orosi, CA, remembers playing baseball for Pete Beiden, as well as his service in the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team during WWII.
EPISODE #67, 3/28/2009: Fighter pilot Ray Melikian of Visalia, CA, explains how he had a special reunion with a P-40 Warhawk he flew in World War II.
EPISODE #66, 3/14/2009:
B-24 pilot Jerry Gleesing of Spokane, WA recalls being shot down on his second mission with the 459th Bomb Group and becoming a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #65, 3/7/2009: Bataan Death March survivor Bud Kirchhoff of Couer d’Alene, ID remembers his ordeal as a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #64, 2/21/2009: Paul Loeffler interviews WWII fighter pilot Bill Behrns of Stockton, CA
EPISODE #63, 2/14/2009: Paul Loeffler interviews WWII submarine veteran Bob Owens
EPISODE #62, 2/7/2009: Paul Loeffler focuses on the new Remembrance Plaza at the Pinedale Assembly Center Memorial. Guests: Conrad Jimenez, Kerry Yo Nakagawa, and Army veteran Roy Kawagoe
EPISODE #61, 1/31/2009: Pearl Harbor Survivor Roy Molder of Sanger, CA.
EPISODE #60, 1/24/2009: Vern Schmidt of Fresno, CA, a veteran of the 90th Infantry Division in Europe.
EPISODE #59, 1/17/2009: Art Cornwell
EPISODE #58, 1/10/2009: Don Meeker
EPISODE #57, 1/4/2009: Bob Edminster
EPISODE #56, 12/28/2008: Pat Douhan of Fresno, CA, who survived the sinking of the destroyer USS Hull during “Halsey’s Typhoon” of December, 1944.
EPISODE #55, 12/21/2008: Lloyd Renfro
EPISODE #54, 12/14/2008: 11th Airborne Division veteran Vartan Torosian of Fresno, CA relives the 1945 raid that liberated the Los Banos prison camp in the Philippines. We also hear from Jim Innis, who was liberated in that effort.
EPISODE #53, 12/7/2008: Pearl Harbor special
EPISODE #52, 11/30/2008: 86-year-old Jim Robison of Selma, CA, shares Navy experiences from the Pacific, including his time aboard the seaplane tender USS Wright (AV-1).
EPISODE #51, 11/23/2008: Part 2 of Jim Heitkotter’s story, plus a brief interview with Earl Morse, founder of the Honor Flight Network.
EPISODE #50, 11/16/2008: P-38 pilot Jim Heitkotter remembers being shot down on January 4, 1945, and explains what it took for him to make it home.
EPISODE #49, 11/9/2008: Lloyd Evans
EPISODE #48, 11/2/2008: Jim Gaff, Bill Dietzel
EPISODE #47, 10/26/2008: Merci Train
EPISODE #46, 10/19/2008: Malcom “Len” Bourdet of Fresno, CA. Before embarking on a Hall of Fame baseball coaching career, the Hollister, CA native served with the 96th Infantry Division in the Battle of Okinawa
EPISODE #45, 10/12/2008: Russell F. Elder of Oregon. A recipient of the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, Elder served with the 2nd Engineer Special Brigade (532nd), piloting landing craft (LCMs and LCVPs) in the Pacific.
EPISODE #44, 10/5/2008: Al Sciacqua of Fresno, CA. Served in the U.S. Coast Guard during World War II. A Madera High School graduate, Al ended up playing basketball at Fresno State under the legendary Dutch Warmerdam. For years, Al has used his singing talents, in English and Italian, to entertain veterans at the VA Medical Center in Fresno.
EPISODE #43, 9/28/2008: John Wolfshorndl of Chowchilla, CA, who Served in the 24th Combat Mapping Squadron in the China-Burma-India Theater of World War II.
EPISODE #42, 9/21/2008: Don Potts of Fresno, CA recalls his service in the Navy’s Lighter Than Air program in World War II.
EPISODE #41, 9/14/2008: Pearl Harbor survivor Guy Hardin of Hanford, CA, who was assigned to the USS Medusa (AR-1) on December 7, 1941.
EPISODE #40, 9/7/2008: Tony Augustine of Lemon Cove, CA. Served in the 310th Combat Engineer Battalion of the 85th Infantry Division. Tony earned a SilverStar when he dove into the icy Panaro River in Italy, swimming across and cutting wires to defuse explosives German soldiers had attached to a bridge.
Two entire divisions would cross over that bridge.
EPISODE #39, 8/30/2008: Earl Watson
EPISODE #38, 8/24/2008: Eli Setencich
EPISODE #37, 8/17/2008: Bill Bastian
EPISODE #36, 8/10/2008: 87-year-old Purple Heart recipient Francis Cauwels of Kingsburg, CA explains how he was wounded on Peleliu while fighting with the 81st Infantry Division.
EPISODE #35, 8/3/2008: Norris Jernigan
EPISODE #34, 7/27/2008: Purple Heart recipient Claude Gasio of Fresno, CA explains his experiences aboard the USS Kalinin Bay (CVE-68) in the Battle off Samar. Claude is introduced by Bill Dietzel, publisher of Veterans Magazine.
EPISODE #33, 7/20/2008: Edgar Deatherage
EPISODE #32, 7/13/2008: Bob McNutt
EPISODE #31, 7/6/2008: Sambasile + Ike Ikeda
EPISODE #30, 6/29/2008: Sam Sambasile
EPISODE #29, 6/15/2008: Pete Komlenich
EPISODE #28, 6/8/2008: David Aguilar
EPISODE #27, 5/18/2008: Frank Hokr of Fresno, CA recalls his WWII service with the 461st Bomb Group, including how he became a prisoner of war.
EPISODE #26, 5/11/2008: Edna Daves
EPISODE #25, 5/4/2008: Angelo Gonzales
EPISODE #24, 4/27/2008: Gordon Redtfeldt
EPISODE #23, 4/20/2008: Baird, Pittelkow, Dembroff, Fitzgerald
EPISODE #22, 4/13/2008: Hollon Kinney
EPISODE #21, 4/6/2008: Dick Neuman, Phil Carter
EPISODE #20, 3/30/2008: Clyde McCully, David Hendrickson
EPISODE #19, 3/23/2008: Don Hoff, part 2
EPISODE #18, 3/16/2008: Don Hoff, part 1
EPISODE #17, 3/9/2008: Ed Roddy
EPISODE #16, 2/17/2008: Bill McLeod
EPISODE #15, 1/27/2008: Dick Johanson
EPISODE #14, 1/20/2008: Fred Arnold
EPISODE #13, 1/13/2008: PT Boat skipper Bob Nagle remembers his experience in the Mediterranean during World War II, and Army veteran Earl Watson reflects on his friendship with Hollywood legend Johnny Grant.
EPISODE #12, 1/6/2008: We hear from World War II Navy veteran Victor Smith, as well as Brandon Wright, director of the California Voices oral history project.
EPISODE #11, 12/30/2007: Bill Kelliher shares stories from his time as a Marine Corps filmographer, including his work on Tarawa that contributed to an Academy Award.
EPISODE #10, 12/23/2007: We hear from Charlie Brown, a decorated B-24 pilot, who clues us in to some little-known exploits of Charles Lindbergh during World War II; as well as Bill Dietzel, the publisher of Veterans Magazine.
EPISODE #19, 12/16/2007: Ex-prisoner of war Frank Creede of Fresno, CA explains how he went from being a “guest of the Gestapo” to a longtime judge.
EPISODE #8, 12/9/2007: Bob Baird, Tim Springer
EPISODE #7, 12/2/2007: Pearl Harbor survivor Chuck Lishman of Coarsegold, CA, and his wife of 66 years, Dorothy, shed light on Chuck’s remarkable story of survival.
EPISODE #6, 11/25/2007: Purple Heart recipient Stan Lindquist of Fresno, CA. A medical aid man in Europe, Lindquist was wounded in a minefield. He went on to found the Link Care Center.
EPISODE #5, 11/18/2007: Bataan Death March survivor Wild Bill Begley of Fresno, CA (originally from Hyden, KY).
EPISODE #4, 10/28/2007: Major League All-Star Gus Zernial of Clovis, CA, who served in the Navy during World War II.
EPISODE #3, 10/21/2007: Ex-prisoner of war and German Death March survivor Rudy Giannoni of Fresno, CA (originally from Dos Palos, CA).
EPISODE #2, 10/14/2007: Ross Doll
EPISODE #1, 10/7/2007: 84-year-old Augie Macaluso of Fresno, CA, originally from Sewickley, PA, explains how he escaped after being captured by German forces during the Battle of the Bulge.