Stay ConnectedVeterans Chronicles brings America’s military heroes to life through raw, first-person stories. Veterans recount the battles and moments that shaped their lives, from World War II to Iraq and Afghanistan. Powerful, personal, and deeply human, Veterans Chronicles preserves history one voice at a time.
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Walter "Joe" Marm joined the Army to avoid being drafted. Before long he was assigned to a brand new division training for a new type of warfare. It was called the 1st Cavalry Air Mobile Division. And instead of moving by jeep or troop transport trucks, the men in this division would arrive by helicopter. Soon the new approach would be tested in Vietnam.
In this edition, Col. Marm explains his role as a platoon commander in the division's fighting for Landing Zone X-Ray during the vicious battle of Ia Drang in November 1965. He describes the intense fight to rescue another platoon that had been separated from other U.S. forces, his platoon's assault on a North Vietnamese machine gun nest, his personal actions that would later result in him receiving the Medal of Honor, and the wounds that would require significant recuperation.
You may know Rob Riggle best as a very successful actor and comedian, but he is also a 23-year veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps with three significant overseas deployments under his belt.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Riggle explains his unusual path of serving his nation while simultaneously pursuing a career in the arts and how his time in the Marine Corps turned out to be critical to realizing his dreams in the entertainment field. He also describes rescuing Americans and others during a civil war in Liberia and serving in Kosovo following the NATO air campaign to evict Serbia.
Riggle also takes us into his reserve duty in New York City following the 9/11 attacks and his subsequent deployment to Central Command and Afghanistan in late 2001. And he shares stories of performing for American forces at USO shows and how his experience helps him and other actors prepare for roles related to the military.
Finally, Riggle tells us why he loves hosting the American Veterans Center's "American Valor" television special each year.
Frank Weisser entered the U.S. Naval Academy focused on becoming a Navy SEAL. But his superior officers informed hum he would be of greater value as an aviator. Working his way up to flying F/A 18 Hornets after flight school, Weisser would go on to serve in the Iraq and Afghanistan theaters before joining the elite Blue Angels and, more recently, serving as one of the pilots for "Top Gun: Maverick."
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Weisser (call sign "Walleye") shares his experience providing critical close air support for U.S. ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan, what it's like to fly those precision maneuvers with no room for error with the Blue Angels, and what it was like to do some of the real flying for "Top Gun."
Richard Halferty was at college in Missouri when he learned that his brother had been killed while serving with the U.S. Army in Korea. As his parents' last surviving son, Halferty could be excused from military service but he refused to consider it.
In this edition of Veterans Chronicles," Capt. Halferty discusses his service aboard the USS Yarnall, which pounded targets in Korea, his emotional return to Korea in 2010, and his tireless effort to bring Korean War vets the honor and recognition they are due.
Michael Peyton grew up in a family with a legacy of military service. As a young man he joined the Navy for one simple reason: he wanted to be a SEAL. In more than two decades that followed, Peyton and his fellow SEALs deployed four times to Afghanistan and twice to Iraq.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Peyton describes the very rigorous SEAL training process and how he passed BUD/s training while learning to swim at the same time. He also takes us into his first combat experience, explains how SEAL teams operate so effectively, and the challenge of going from a SEAL team member to a team leader.
Finally, Peyton talks about his new organization, Tribe, Task and Purpose, which is designed specifically to help special operations veterans end their dependency on drugs and alcohol. For more information, visit tribetaskpurpose.org.
Pete Cannon joined the U.S. Army shortly after graduating from high school in 1965. Soon he was training to fly a variety of helicopters and two years later he was flying missions in Vietnam.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Cannon explains why he was able to master flying helicopters when many fixed wing pilots struggled greatly. He also describes the many different assignments he flew in theater, including medical evacuations, resupplying missions, ferrying high-ranking officers, and serving as a decoy pilot in missions to observe the enemy.
Cannon takes us through his role in response to the Tet Offensive and tremendous impact helicopters had against the North Vietnamese Army. He would be awarded the Bronze Star for his service during that response.
Both of Tom Harper's grandfathers served in the military and one of them later made a career out of repairing military helicopters in Florida. After seeing that world up close, Harper knew he wanted to join the military - although his future would be in ground forces. He finished basic training right before the 9/11 attacks and was ready and willing to be part of the fight that followed.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Harper takes us inside his first moments of combat in Afghanistan and then walks us through the December 2009 action there, where he and his men were wounded in a mortar assault. Only he and one other soldier were able to keep fighting and trying to hold off the enemy while waiting for air support. He also describes the events that led to his second Purple Heart, as his convoy in Afghanistan was struck by an IED in a kill zone.
Finally, Col. Harper, who is still on active duty, talks about his current duties trying to keep the military and members of Congress on the same page on the best policies for our military and national security.
Gloria Harnett Kerzner was just weeks shy of her 18th birthday when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Like most other Americans, she wanted to help the war effort. The U.S. Navy created the Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service, or WAVES, in 1942 replace the tens of thousands of Navy personnel who were deployed to Europe and the Pacific. Gloria was eager to enlist. But she had to wait until she was 20 years old to join.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Kerzner shares memories of how she learned about Pearl Harbor and also the Hindenburg disaster in her home state of New Jersey. She describes her WAVES training in New York and Iowa and the work she did during the war at the Lakehurst Naval Air Station to help the war effort on the home front.
Japanese-Americans were largely forbidden from serving in the Pacific theater in World War II over concerns about their loyalty in a war against their ancestral homeland. But a small number of soldiers did serve there as interrogators and translators and played a pivotal role in thwarting Japanese plans and saving American lives in several critical locations.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," author and historian Bruce Henderson discusses his new book "Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II." He explains how the Army scrambled to ramp up the language school after the attack on Pearl Harbor and how the soldiers faced the bewildering contradiction of being asked to fight for their country while their family members were held in internment camps.
But Henderson also follows several of these men to the front lines in the Pacific. He details their heroism in Burma, the Solomon Islands, Okinawa, and other locations, including eavesdropping on enemy forces, tapping phone lines, and translating battle plans found on fallen enemy fighters.
These soldiers proved their loyalty, provided invaluable assistance, and helped the Allies win the war.
Elliot Ackerman knew at a young age that he wanted to be in the military. He wanted to serve his country and he wanted a job where it was imperative to succeed. After completing the ROTC program at college, Ackerman was commissioned as a a Marine Corps officer in 2003. The next six years would bring five tours of duty between Iraq and Afghanistan.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Ackerman takes us inside the Second Battle of Fallujah in 2004 and what it was like to be the tip of the spear as the Marines plowed through that insurgent stronghold. He also shares some of his most difficult moments in Afghanistan, including how to recover the body of a fallen Marine without getting many more men killed in the process.
Finally, Ackerman describes his new book "The Fifth Act: America's End in Afghanistan." He describes his experience in the frantic networking of veterans, active duty forces, reporters and others who worked to get Afghan allies and their families out of the country in August 2021. He also discusses some of the most important lessons our nation ought to learn from our 20-year war there.
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