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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Born in Cuba, Felix Rodriguez was a student in the U.S. when the Castro revolution unfolded in Cuba. Determined to do whatever he could to oust the Castro regime, Rodriguez joined the Bay of Pigs operation that launched and failed 59 years ago this week.
In this extensive interview, Rodriguez details what went wrong in the Bay of Pigs campaign and takes us step by step through his role in capturing and interrogating murderous Cuban revolutionary Che Guevara in 1967. He also shares his harrowing service in Vietnam.
Don't miss this front-row seat to history with U.S. Army veteran Felix Rodriguez.
Retired U.S. Navy CDR Dean "Diz" Laird served in three wars and is the only American aviator to record aerial kills on both the European and Pacific theaters of World War II.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," CDR Laird discusses his service in World War II and takes us moment by moment through his taking down of a German bomber and another plane.
Bill Norberg joined the U.S. Navy prior to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor and his service on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise placed him at some of the most critical engagements in the Pacific theater.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles, Norberg explains what it was like to watch the Doolittle Raid take off from the sister ship USS Hornet. He also walks us through the pivotal Battle of Midway, which permanently turned the tide in the war against Japan.
Norberg also describes operations from Guadalcanal to Okinawa, his role on the bridge of the ship, the threat posed by kamikaze pilots, and why he feels so honored to have served aboard the Enterprise.
Marcella LeBeau grew up in a Native American community in South Dakota. Helping her ailing mother as a child inspired her to pursue a career in nursing. After joining the U.S. Army, LeBeau served in the European theater in World War II.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Marcella LeBeau shares her story of service from the D-Day landings at Normandy to the Battle of the Bulge. She describes sheltering from German bombs, caring for the wounded, and the powerful reunion she had with one soldier decades later.
But LeBeau also describes returning home from her honorable service only to see signs back home that read "No Indians or dogs allowed."
Don't miss the incredible oral history of 100-year-old Marcella LeBeau.
Amber Smith grew up in a family steeped in military service and experienced in flying. So after high school, Smith joined the U.S. Army and trained to become a Kiowa combat helicopter pilot.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Smith details what's it's like to fly a helicopter and the challenges of doing while taking fire in close support of American ground forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Smith walks us through adjusting to military life, the difficulties of urban combat in Iraq, and dealing with a more determined enemy at high altitudes in Afghanistan.
Also the author of "Danger Close," which chronicles her time in uniform and in theater, Smith gives us an excellent glimpse into the intense and vital service of our combat helicopter combat pilots.
In early 1965, U.S. Naval Aviator Robert Shumaker was deployed to Vietnam. He said goodbye to his wife and newborn son, never imagining he wouldn't see them for another eight years.
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," retired RDML Shumaker shares the gripping details of being shot down and badly injuring his back as he parachuted to the ground. He also describes how he dubbed Hoa Lo Prison the "Hanoi Hilton" and how he and other prisoners developed the tap code that allowed them to communicate right under the noses of their captors.
Shumaker also shares how he survived excruciating torture and more than three years in solitary confinement. And, of course, he tells us what it was like to taste freedom after eight years in captivity.
But there's even more to his story. Shumaker also walks us through the harrowing mission in the Mediterranean that almost took his life years before Vietnam and how he was chosen to be an astronaut before losing that opportunity in the unlikeliest of circumstances.
Don't miss the incredible story of RDML Robert Shumaker as visits with Greg Corombos.
Harry Stewart grew up with a love of flying and dreamed of becoming an airline pilot one day. But shortly after graduating high school, with the nation at war, Stewart found himself in in the U.S. Army Air Corps.
The military needed skilled pilots but would not let black and white personnel train or serve together. Stewart was sent to Tuskegee, Alabama, where he and other black pilots and crew members prepared to serve as fighter pilot escorts for American bombers over Europe.
In this interview with the American Veterans Center's Greg Corombos, Col. Stewart describes the training, what it was like to experience combat in the air, and the day he was credited with shooting down three German planes.
Stewart also takes us into the historic performance of his team at the Top Gun competition after the war, the racism he faced in returning to civilian life, and the legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen in transforming American society.
When he first tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, Hershel "Woody" 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 how he became a flamethrower operator and what he did on Iwo Jima that was later recognized with the Medal of Honor.
As we mark 75 years since that critical battle, listen in as Woody Williams shares his story of service with Greg Corombos of the American Veterans Center.
When he joined the military, George Hardy and the other Tuskegee Airmen were not considered worthy of training and living among white service members. Despite that discrimination, Hardy and his fellow Tuskegee alumni distinguished themselves in the skies over Europe in World War II.
In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Hardy tells us what it was like to be part of that trailblazing unit. He also describes the integration of the Air Force and how he saw attitudes of those around him change over time.
Hardy also explains how he views the reverence for the Tuskegee Airmen today and why he feels compelled to share the Tuskegee story as much as possible.
Growing up, Jack Carr had dreams of being a U.S. Navy SEAL and writing novels about the U.S. military. He's now successfully done both.
In this episode of "Veterans Chronicles," Carr describes the difficulty of BUD/S training to become a SEAL and the mindset he used to get past any urges to quit. He describes his work boarding Iraqi ships off the coast of Iran, and his work as a sniper in the war zones.
Carr also explains how he weaves his military experience into his novels, the lessons he still thinks the military needs to learn from our recent wars, and what it was like to go back to SEAL training at the end of his career - this time leading daily operations of the training.
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