Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories

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Pete Everest, Air Force Test Pilot: From the Archive Sep 24, 2026

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General Frank “Pete” Everest was a record-setting US Air Force Test pilot. As a fighter pilot in World War II he flew over 150 combat missions. He then went on to lead the Air Force flight test program, flying with other legendary pilots like Chuck Yeager and George Welch. In the 1950s Everest set records like taking the X-1 to an altitude of 73,000 feet and the X-2 to 1957 mph. In this episode Pete Everest tells stories of those pioneering days of experimental aircraft and daring test pilots.

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Marine Corps Rifleman in Vietnam: From the Archive Sep 24, 2026

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John C. Muir was a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War. He hailed from four generations of men and woman who served in distinguished military service. He was also cousin to John Muir the famous naturalist who's been called “The Father of America’s National Parks.” In 1965, Muir volunteered for the US Marine Corps and was sent to Vietnam as a Rifleman. John C. Muir was an excellent storyteller who delivered powerful words about fighting the war and returning home.

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WWII Fighter Ace Flies in Korea: From the Archive Sep 10, 2026

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Col. Walker “Bud” Mahurin was an American combat fighter pilot. Flying P-47s with the 56th FG in WWII, he became an ace three times over in the skies over Europe. After the war, he remained in the US Air Force. The outbreak of the Korean War in 1950 found him in the Pentagon, working on fighter aircraft procurement. The skills he exhibited in WWII would once again be tested, this time in a new arena of air warfare, the jet age dogfight. Mahurin tells his story of returning to combat in Korea.

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Intelligence Officer Fighting in Europe: From the Archive Aug 27, 2026

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Walter Bodlander was a military intelligence officer for the US Army during WWII. He was born in Germany in 1920. As a Jew, he knew he had to flea Hitler’s regime. He eventually made his way to the United States and volunteered to join the Army to fight the Nazis. Military Intelligence wanted to use his fluency in German to interrogate Nazi prisoners on the front lines. Walter was soon dispatched to England to join the D-Day invasion and the march into Germany.

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Fighter Pilot of the Tuskegee Airmen: From the Archive Aug 13, 2026

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Colonel Charles Bussey courageously flew P-51 Mustangs as a fighter pilot in World War II. His training came with the famed Tuskegee Airmen, the all black Army Air Corps unit. Bussey also went on to serve as a decorated Commander of Army engineers during the Korean War. Charles Bussey was a war hero, but his first struggle wasn't in a combat zone overseas. His first battle was at home in what you might call the fight for the right to fight. This is his dramatic story, in his own words.

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Three War Army Hero: From the Archive Jul 30, 2026

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This episode tells the dramatic story of an Army veteran who served in three wars, World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Al Ungerleider’s first taste of combat came on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. He went on to march towards Germany, liberating a Nazi concentration camp along the way. Brig. General Al Ungerleider retired from the Army after 36 years of service. His final active-duty assignment was commanding the Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland. Al Ungerleider is a true American hero.

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Pacific War Diary: From the Archive Jul 16, 2026

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During World War II, the United States Marines played a central role in the battle for the islands of the Pacific. Marine Corps veteran Bill Swanson was often in the first wave to hit the beach in many of these brutal campaigns. In this episode, he paints a vivid picture of what it was like to fight in the "living hell" of these steaming jungles and swamps. He shares his experiences on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima, battling a hidden and determined enemy.

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Flying Tigers & Silver Streaks: From the Archive Jul 02, 2026

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This is the tale of two American pilots of World War II. One, R.T. Smith, was a fighter ace in Burma flying P-40s with the legendary Flying Tigers. He recorded 9 confirmed victories, aiding the Chinese in their conflict with Japan. The other, Al Freiburger, was a bomber pilot in Europe flying B-26 Marauders with his unit, the Silver Streaks. He logged numerous missions in the conflict, including key bombing runs on D-Day. Both men were engaging characters with unique war time experiences.

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Medal of Honor & Battlefield Recordings: From the Archive Jun 18, 2026

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Medal of Honor recipient Walter Ehlers tells his dramatic stories of combat in North Africa and Europe and details the events surrounding his heroic actions during the Normandy campaign. He also offers his unique perspectives on the infantry, his fellow soldiers and the enemy. This episode also features rare recordings of live combat, direct from the battlefields of World War II.

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D-Day Diary: From the Archive Jun 04, 2026

Show notes

1994 was the 50th anniversary of D-Day. Throughout that year, The Honor Project sat down with dozens of veterans off the Normandy Invasion to hear their stories and to put these Heroes of Our Nation On Record. O.B. Hill was a member of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. In this Episode, he recounts dramatic stories of his training and combat experiences and he eloquently expresses his thoughts on the nature of war and and how it impacted him and his fellow paratroopers.

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