Our American Stories

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Latest Episodes:

The Cuban Immigrant Behind the Famous Coors Light Silver Bullet Can May 27, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, after fleeing Cuba as a young man during the rise of Fidel Castro, Marc Barrios arrived in America searching for a fresh start. Years later, while working in advertising for Coors Brewing Company, he helped create the now-famous Coors Light Silver Bullet can.
Barrios shares the story of starting a new life in the United States and eventually making his mark on the American advertising industry

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The Olympic Marathon Where Drinking Water Was Banned May 27, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, the 1904 Summer Olympics marathon in St. Louis looked nothing like the race we know today. Runners competed through brutal heat on dusty roads while cars drove alongside them, kicking dirt into the air. Water stations were scarce because many officials believed drinking water during a race was dangerous. One runner hitched a ride in a car. Another survived on raw eggs, brandy, and rat poison used as a stimulant. Susan Brownell, author of The Anthropology of Sport,shares the story of the disastrous and bizarre 1904 Olympic marathon.

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Steve McQueen Escaped a Broken Childhood and Became Hollywood’s Biggest Star May 27, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Steve McQueen became the “King of Cool,” he spent much of his childhood in trouble, bouncing between relatives and reform schools after his family fell apart. Marshall Terrill, the author of Steve Mcqueen: In His Own Words,shares the story of how McQueen slowly rebuilt his life and became the unforgettable star of Bullitt, The Great Escape, and The Magnificent Seven.

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Why Memorial Day Matters: The Uncle Lee Habeeb Never Knew, Killed in WWII May 26, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Habeeb was born, his family joined the long list of American families forever changed by World War II. One afternoon in 1944, two Army officers arrived at his mother’s apartment building with news that her brother John had been killed overseas.
Lee shares how that loss stayed with his family for generations and how he remembers his fallen uncle every Memorial Day.

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A Medal of Honor Recipient Through the Eyes of His Father May 26, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Lee Brice turned the story into the hit song I Drive Your Truck, Paul Monti was driving his late son Jared’s pickup truck through the back roads of Massachusetts just to feel close to him again. Jared Monti, a U.S. Army soldier later awarded the Medal of Honor, was killed in Afghanistan while trying to save a fellow soldier pinned down under enemy fire.
Paul Monti shares the story himself in an interview he gave to Our American Stories shortly before his passing in 2022.

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Karl Marlantes: How I Came to Terms with My Navy Cross May 26, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, Karl Marlantes, a Vietnam War veteran and the award-winning author of Matterhorn and What It Is Like to Go to War, received the Navy Cross after leading an assault during a brutal battle in Vietnam. Long after the fighting ended, he found himself thinking less about the medal and more about the young Marines who fought alongside him.
Marlantes joins us with a deeply personal account of his service and the young men he served beside

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Remembering The USS Indianapolis: The Worst Naval Disaster in American History May 26, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, The USS Indianapolis left Guam in July 1945 after delivering critical cargo connected to the Manhattan Project. But before she could make it to her next destination, a Japanese submarine would strike the cruiser, leaving hundreds of sailors and Marines sinking in shark infested waters. While the story gained popularity from Jaws, the details itself are more harrowing from the men who lived through it.
The story later reached a wider audience through Jaws, but the details come from men who lived through it. The late Edgar Harrell, the last surviving Marine from the downed ship, shares the real-life story of that fateful day.

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Why Robert E. Lee’s Estate Became Arlington National Cemetery May 26, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, Arlington National Cemetery is the nation’s most iconic military burial ground, but its origins are more surprising than many Americans realize. Elliott Drago of the Jack Miller Center shares the little-known story behind the founding of Arlington Cemetery, from its roots on the former estate of Robert E. Lee and the Custis family to its transformation into a Union military cemetery during the American Civil War.
Along the way, Drago explains how Union leaders intentionally turned Lee’s former home into a burial ground for fallen soldiers and why Arlington remains one of America’s most enduring symbols of sacrifice, remembrance, and military service, especially each Memorial Day.

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John Moses Browning: The Mormon Inventor Behind Modern Pistols and Machine Guns May 25, 2026

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On this episode of Our American Stories, as a boy growing up in Ogden, Utah, John Moses Browning worked beside his father in a small gunsmith shop along the pioneer trails of the American West. Decades later, the rifles, pistols, and machine guns he designed would appear in the hands of soldiers around the world. From the legendary M1911 pistol to the weapons carried by American troops during two world wars, Browning’s inventions helped redefine modern firearms. Nathan Gorenstein, author of The Guns of John Moses Browning, shares the remarkable story.

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A Listener's Childhood Story: Rollerskating in the Farmhouse May 25, 2026

Show notes

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a world that moved a little slower, one little girl found her freedom on four wheels. Joy Neal Kidney, author of Leora's Dexter Stories and a regular contributor to Our American Stories, takes us back to her childhood home just outside Dexter, Iowa, where a pair of roller skates and an open farmhouse created memories that stayed with her for a lifetime.

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