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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When Cecil Phipps joined the U.S. Army, he signed up for overseas deployments so he could see the world. Before long, the U.S. would be at war in Korea and Phipps would be among the first troops there. He arrived in August 1950 and would stay there for more than three years - most of that time as a prisoner of war.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Phipps describes the rapid U.S. advance into North Korea, the shocking arrival of Chinese forces into the war, and his capture by Chinese forces in November 1950.
Phipps also describes the horrific marching over more than three months in the bitter cold of a Korean winter, the squalid conditions at his prison camp, what it was like to see prisoners succumbing to the elements and harsh treatment of the Chinese, dropping down to just 75 pounds, and how he remembers breathing air as a free man after 33 months in captivity.
Ralph Gastelum grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and never experienced much of a winter before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. His first real winter would be spent in Korea in some of the most bitterly cold temperatures that American forces have ever experienced - at the Chosin Reservoir in Korea.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Sgt. Gastelum, takes us along as he recalls the Inchon Landing. He also explains what urban combat was like in those early days and along the front lines in more rural areas. And he tells us how he survived at the Chosin Reservoir by playing dead as the Chinese attacked and how he later discovered which of his fellow Marines saved his life there.
Finally, Gastelum talks about his return trip to Korea decades later and what impressed him most.
Darrell Utt joined the U.S. Army just days before Iraq invaded Kuwait in the summer of 1990. Over the next decade, he would become a Green Beret, an Army Ranger, and a sniper. He also served in the Balkans during the late 1990s.
After 9/11, Utt was deeply disappointed that his unit was not sent to Afghanistan. Instead, it become one of the most highly-regarded detachments of special forces in the Iraq War.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Utt describes flying into northern Iraq under heavy fire in the early days of the war and working with the Kurdish Peshmerga to keep Iraqi troops away from the main invasion force. He also takes us through his harrowing 2006 action against enemy fighters in in the Baghdad suburb of Adimiyah that would earn him a Bronze Star with Valor for his courage and leadership under fire. And he walks us through one of his creative plans to lure and capture critical enemy personnel. Finally, MSgt. Utt explains the work he is now doing for the Medal of Honor Museum Foundation.
Reef Kelly was in the mountains of Arizona getting a Christmas tree when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Before he finished high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He wanted to be a Naval aviator, but that dream was denied during training. Instead he became a tailgunner on a bomber crew. But Reef Kelly would be part of one of the most unique and unknown missions of World War II in the Pacific.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Kelly explains how after the two atomic bombings, his crew was assigned with flying along the Japanese coast and into Tokyo Bay to see if Japan was really surrendering. Kelly tells us how the quiet mission suddenly turned to combat and chaos and walks us through the actions that led to him receiving the Navy Cross.
Jim Sharp grew up in Kansas and joined the Army in the spring of 1950. Just a few months later the United States would be at war in Korea and so would Mr. Sharp. As a member of the 1st Cavalry Division, Sharp was quickly sent to the front and saw a great deal of intense action over the coming months.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Sgt. Sharp describes what combat was like in the Korean War, both while shooting and in brutal hand-to-hand combat. He also explains how he escaped capture when the Chinese overran his position in November 1950, being wounded but inexplicably spared a few months later, and returning to a grateful South Korea in recent years.
Jeremy Stalnecker joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1996 and received his commission three years later. Soon the U.S. would be at war and Stalnecker not only found himself in the midst of it but among the very first forces entering Iraq during the launch of Operation Iraqi Freedom in March 2003.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Capt. Stalnecker describes the beginning of the invasion, from taking the berm separating Kuwait from Iraq to weathering a brutal sandstorm to fighting determined enemy fighters on the way to Baghdad and in the city itself.
Stalnecker takes is inside both desert and urban combat, house-to-house searches and much more. He also tells us about Mighty Oaks Foundation, his ministry to veterans and others facing major life challenges.
Nigal Miller grew up on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River and chose to serve his nation as a U.S. Naval aviator. He received his wings in 1961 and subsequently served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War aboard three different aircraft carriers.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," CDR Miller explains the exhilaration of landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier and why why he thinks the F-8 Crusader was the finest fighter plane of its generation, superior even to the Soviet MiG. Miller also describes providing close air support for American ground forces in Vietnam and serving on the admiral's staff aboard the USS Midway on his final deployment and much more.
John Wuethrich became fascinated by flying at a young age by listening to his father's stories of flying B-24's in the European theater of World War II. After joining the U.S. Marine Corps, Wuethrich went through Navy flight training but was eventually assigned to helicopters. He flew UH-1's at first but would pilot the CH-46 during his tour in Vietnam in 1969.
In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Captain Wuethrich explains the missions he flew to deliver troops and supplies and to evacuate the wounded. He shares the story of having to make a crash landing and describes what it was like to fly into a hot zone. And he tells us about his mission after the peace agreement to remove mines from Haiphong Harbor.
Finally, Wuethrich explains why he eventually left the Marines and later joined the U.S. Army National Guard, first in Illinois and later in Texas.
Matthew Shillingburg's family has been serving the U.S. in uniform since the War of 1812. His grandfather was at Pearl Harbor during the attack, and his father trained Navy SEALs. So service runs deep in the family. But while he also served, Shillingburg charted his own course, choosing the Army over the Navy and spending time in military intelligence among other duties.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Shillingburg explains why he picked the Army over the Navy and his fascinating service in Berlin during the Cold War, including what he calls the most patriotic moment of his life as a U.S. citizen. He also explains his duties working with nuclear howitzers and commanding troops in Panama.
Finally, Shillingburg shares his passion for helping and serving America's veterans today through the American Legion, Honor Flight, as a chaplain, and in many other capacities.
Robert "Doc" Werner joined the U.S. Navy at age 16 when his friend's mother forged his own mother's signature. His goal was to see the world by sailing around on a ship. Instead, he served as a Navy corpsman attached to U.S. Marines In Vietnam and received three Purple Hearts due to injuries received in devotion to serving with those men.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Werner vividly describes the job of a a Navy corpsman, walks us through each of his injuries - including the time he and a wounded Marine were left overnight in the jungle after a rescue helicopter came under fire, and the disgraceful treatment he endured from anti-war activists after he returned home.
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