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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You saw him at the Super Bowl. You saw him at the State of the Union address. Now hear the amazing story of service to our nation from retired U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Charles McGee, one of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.
McGee joined the U.S. Army Air Corps during World War II. At the time, however, McGee and the other black pilots were deemed unworthy to be in units with their white counterparts.
McGee details the outstanding service record of Tuskegee pilots in World War II, the discrimination they faced upon returning home, the desegregation of the U.S. Armed Forces in 1947 and his service in Korea and Vietnam.
McGee piloted more than 400 total combat missions and served more than 30 years in uniform. Perhaps even more impressive is his complete lack of bitterness in response to the ugly discrimination he faced.
This interview between McGee and the AVC's Greg Corombos was conducted in February 2019, when McGee was 99 years old. Shortly after turning 100 on Dec. 7, 2019, Col. McGee was promoted to Brigadier General by President Trump.
Joseph Norcom served as a waist gunner on 23 U.S. Army Air Corps bombing missions over Europe, primarily on B-17 bombers.
In this interview with Greg Corombos, Norcom describes a typical mission as well as numerous harrowing missions during the final months of World War II in Europe.
He also describes the camaraderie, the professionalism, and, yes, the hijinks of the crew members.
Raised amid the turmoil and danger of a civil war in Liberia, Charles Burgess King came to the U.S. as a child. Upon graduation from high school, he went to college as a benefit of joining the U.S. Army National Guard.
Just days into his first semester, King's unit was called to active duty and eventually deployed in Iraq. Working in administration, King was part of efforts to drastically improve the hygiene for U.S. forces there and also came up with the idea of secure rest stops for troops on convoy in Iraq.
After returning home, King graduated college courtesy of the GI Bill but found the cost of graduate school prohibitive. So he founded the Veterans Higher Education Corporation.
In this podcast, King shares his story of growing up in civil war, serving the U.S. in Iraq, and how he's committed to making sure veterans can afford all the education they need.
The first Americans to set foot in Europe on D-Day in June 1944 were the paratroopers, including the Screaming Eagles of the 101st Airborne Division.
California native Tom Rice was the first man from the 101st to jump out of his plane into the pitch black night over the Normandy coast.
In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Rice tells host Greg Corombos about the difficulties of getting out of the plane, trying to find the rest of his unit scattered across the French countryside, and fighting his way out of Normandy.
Rice also shares his experiences from the unsuccessful airborne attempt to cross the Rhine in September 1944 known as Operation Market Garden. He also details fighting and getting injured at the Battle of the Bulge and what he felt when the war in Europe came to an end.
Finally, Rice tells why he decided to re-enact his jump into Normandy again in 2019 at 97-years-old for the 75th anniversary of D-Day.
Rick Rescorla served as a British paratrooper but after coming to the United States he joined the U.S. Army, and was a veteran of Vietnam. His heroism at the battle of Ia Drang is immortalized in "We Were Soldiers Once...And young." Rescorla served 27 years in service to our nation, retiring in 1990.
After the 1993 World Trade Center bombing, Rescorla took on a security leadership role for Morgan Stanley, the largest tenant in the World Trade Center.
Rescorla trained the tenants of the skyscrapers how to respond in an emergency and on September 11, 2001, his efforts paid off. An evacuation that took two hours back in 1993, took less than 12 minutes on 9/11. Thousands of lives were saved. Rescorla was not among them as he stayed inside until everyone else got out.
In this podcast, Rescorla's Morgan Stanley colleague Bill Van Scoyoc discusses the legacy of Rick Rescorla and walks us moment by moment through the harrowing events of 9/11.
Lt. Jason Redman spent eight years as an enlisted U.S. Navy SEAL, and was commissioned as a SEAL Officer in 2004. He completed combat deployments in Afghanistan and Iraq. In 2007, outside of Fallujah, Iraq, Lt. Redman's Assault Team came under heavy fire and he was severely wounded. While recovering at Bethesda Medical Center, Redman authored a bright orange sign on his door, which became a statement and symbol for wounded warriors everywhere. He is the recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor, the Purple Heart, and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, among other awards.
Daniel Durso served in the U.S. Army during WWII in a Tank Battalion. He served in the European Theater and recounts his experiences fighting with his fellow soldiers and defeating the Nazis.
Greg Corombos conducts the interview with Daniel.
U.S. Amy veteran Kevin Rosenblum shares his story of joining the ROTC program in college, never thinking he would end up in combat. A short time later, the 9/11 attacks changed everything.
Kevin describes his preparation for war and the most intense moments of combat while in theater. He also details his struggles with post-traumatic stress, what helped him deal with it, and how he got to know President George W. Bush as he recovered.
Joseph Peterburs was in seminary to be a priest, but the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor changed those plans. After being rejected by the U.S. Navy, Peterburs joined the U.S. Army Air Corps.
By late 1944, he was in England and flying P-51's to escort bombing missions over mainland Europe. He flew 49 missions in all, but the last one is the most memorable.
In this interview with Greg Corombos, Peterburs talks about his targeting of a German ME-262 that he believed he shot down, how he was then shot down and taken prisoner only to escape and end up fighting alongside troops of one of our allies. He also shares the amazing story about that mission that unfolded decades later.
Also a veteran of Korea and Vietnam, Peterburs offers an engaging history of his service in World War II, his harrowing air combat experiences in Korea, and more.
As World War II in Europe unfolded, the U.S. Army encountered a massive backlog of mail for the troops. Officers knew that no mail for meant low morale, so the 6888 Central Postal Directory Battalion was born.
This unit of African-American women in the Army was was sent to Birmingham, England, and tasked with organizing a three-year pile of mail in six months. They did it in three months. Then they tackled a similar mess in Rouen, France.
Yet, when the women of the 6888 came home, there was no parade and not even a thank you from the U.S. government. But 75 years later, the recognition finally came.
Listen in as 96-year-old Lena King, one of the few remaining veterans of the 6888, shares her story of service in World War II and the legacy of this historic unit in military history.
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