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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Louis Schott was in Washington, D.C., to play in a college hockey game when he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He instantly knew his life was about to change. In less than two years, he was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and headed to fight in the Pacific Theater.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Scott takes through the horrific amphibious landing of Marines on Peleliu, the vicious fighting that took pace there, and the injury that took him out of the fight for months. He also details his role in the battle of Okinawa, the euphoria of learning the war was over, and what matters more to him than any medal he could have received for his service.
Last week, America lost the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II when Hershel "Woody" Williams died at the age of 98. A few years ago, we had the honor of speaking with Woody and hearing the story of his courageous service.
When he first tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, Williams was rejected for being too short. By the end of the war, Williams was honored for playing a critical role in helping U.S. forces win the costly battle on Iwo Jima in February 1945.
In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Williams shares his story of wanting to join the war effort while thinking he'd never be sent overseas. He explains the brutal nature of the fighting on Iwo Jima, how he became a flamethrower operator how receiving the Medal of Honor changed his life forever.
After discovering that college was not a good fit, Travis Mills joined the Army and became a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division. He then went on three tours of duty to Afghanistan. On his third deployment, in April 2012, Mills was severely injured by an improvised explosive device and required the amputation of all four limbs.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Mills walks us through the intense combat he saw in Afghanistan, his vivid memories of his injuries and recovery, the mental transition he went through from wondering why he survived to being excited about each new day, and his efforts to help other veterans recover and integrate back into civilian life.
Vincent Speranza was born to immigrant Italian parents in New York City. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, Speranza's father stressed to his boys that they were Americans and that America must not lose the war. He was quite a bit more conflicted over the prospects of his sons fighting against Italy. Once old enough to serve, Speranza was assigned to the U.S. Army infantry but eventually moved to the airborne.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Speranza details how he joined the 101st airborne after D-Day and the failure of Operation Market Garden in Holland, what it was like to be rushed to the Battle of the Bulge in brutally cold temperatures, and what he accomplished as a machine gunner during the battle. Finally, Speranza recounts his legendary effort to find beer during the battle for his wounded friend.
Victor Vizcarra was enthralled by military aviation from a very young age, as he and his father tracked his older brother's service as a P-47 Thunderbolt pilot in the Pacific Theater of World War II. Years later, it was Victor's turn as a pilot in the F-100, F-105, and F-4.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Vizcarra takes into his service in Vietnam, including the first-ever attack on enemy SAM (surface-to-air missile) sites in 1965. He also shares the story of having to bail out of his F-105 Wild Weasel in November 1966 and the dramatic rescue as the chopper crew trying to find him were running low on daylight and fuel.
Tom Rice grew up in the military community of Coronado, California, and joined the U.S. Army in November 1942. He then went through the rigorous training for airborne troops at Camp Toccoa and Ft. Benning. He was assigned to the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division and would see action in three major campaigns in the European theater of World War II.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Rice takes along on his jump into Normandy on D-Day and his first combat against the Germans. Then he describes his experiences as part of Operation Market Garden, the ultimately ill-fated Allied effort to cross the Rhine in September 1944. And he details the very difficult conditions at the Battle of the Bulge. Finally, Rice explains why he's made additional parachute jumps for the 75th anniversary of D-Day and for his 100th birthday.
As we prepare to mark 78 years since the D-Day invasion, we are blessed to have veterans who can share their stories of that fateful day. Iowa native Henry Langrehr joined the U.S. Army as s senior in high school and volunteered for the 82nd airborne because it paid better. In the early hours of June 6, 1944, Langrehr joined thousands of other paratroopers jumping into the pitch black skies over Normandy in to secure bridges in advance of the amphibious landings on the beaches that morning.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Langrehr tells us about his crash landing in Ste. Mere Eglise, and what he did after he landed. He also shares the riveting stories of hand-to-hand fighting in the hedgerows, being taken prisoner by the Germans, his daring escape from captivity, and his harrowing journey across enemy territory to rejoin American forces.
As the nation prepares to pause for Memorial Day, we honor all who have given their lives in defense of the United States. And we remain committed to remembering their stories of service and those of all who have served.
This week on "Veterans Chronicles," we take a very rare break from our conversations with our veterans to discuss why it is important for all veterans to consider writing or telling their story of service to our nation.
Our guest is Monica Mohindra, director of the Veterans History Project at the Library of Congress. In our conversation, Mohindra explains the mission of the Veterans History Project and why collecting the oral histories of our veterans is so important. She also offers tips on how best to capture an oral history, and issues a plea for histories from a specific group of veterans.
Terry Bucklew was drafted into the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War. Initially trained in communications, Bucklew accepted many different assignments on his lengthy deployment to Vietnam - from field wireman to door gunner to running night ambushes.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles", Bucklew offers his raw history of service in Vietnam, including how he woke up inside a body bag and his frustrations with the rules of engagement, which Bucklew says prevented a decisive U.S. victory.
Paul Austin never really thought about being an aviator as a kid, but one day he saw a Fly Navy recruiting sign and the rest is history. Austin would spend nearly 30 years in the U.S. Navy and find himself on the brink of nuclear war in Cuba and serving two tours in Vietnam.
In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Capt. Austin explains how he instantly loved flying and quickly became very good at it. He also takes us into the heart-pounding moments of being in his plane and just moments away from launching air strikes during the Cuban Missile Crisis. And he details his service in Vietnam both in bombing campaigns and providing critical close air for American ground forces.
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