Latest Firsthandaccounts Podcast Episodes
An Insurgent’s Nightmare: MSG Earl Plumlee
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - May 23, 2024 09:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratings“That’s bold talk for a guy that’s only got one bullet…” Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee served in the Marine Corps before switching to the Army. He became a Green Beret and deployed to Afghanistan in 2013. Plumlee was awarded the Medal of Honor for his part in helping defend Forward Operating Bas...
Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Pentagon: Col. Sam Hartwell
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - May 16, 2024 09:00 - 31 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsColonel Sam Hartwell served in Korea, Germany, and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. In Afghanistan he was a part of Special Operations Command, and he later worked at the Pentagon with the USD I&S. In March 2022, Hartwell left retirement to volunteer in Ukraine. Learn more about your ad choices....
The Battle of Ia Drang: SP5 Jon Wallenius
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - May 09, 2024 09:00 - 40 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsSpecialist 5 Jon Wallenius served in Vietnam with the Army, and fought in the famous Battle of Ia Drang. As a member of the First Cavalry Division, it was his job to scout for enemies in advanced positions and clear LZs for the infantry. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adcho...
The Man Who Broke the Sound Barrier: Brig. Gen. Chuck Yeager
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - May 02, 2024 04:00 - 57 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsBrigadier General Charles E. “Chuck” Yeager is an Air Force legend. He served in World War II as a fighter pilot, where he shot down a total of 13 aircraft, and escaped capture after being shot down over German-occupied France. After WWII, Yeager became a test pilot for new, faster aircraft. On ...
Bomb Disposal in Bosnia: MCPO Ken Falke
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - April 25, 2024 09:00 - 51 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsMaster Chief Petty Officer Ken Falke served in the Navy as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Specialist during the 80s and 90s. He was tasked with disarming all sorts of explosives, and deployed all over the world, including to Iraq during the Gulf War, and Bosnia during the Bosnian War. Now...
The Marine Scout Sniper Program: Maj Edward James Land Jr.
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - April 18, 2024 20:52 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsMajor Edward James Land Jr. served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. In the 1960s, Land and Richard O. Culver Jr. worked together to create the first permanent Marine Corps Scout Sniper School. In this special episode, Maj Land explains how the school came to be, and tells a few stori...
Web-Exclusive: Surviving a Helicopter Crash w/SSG Mark Lalli
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - April 12, 2024 09:00 - 1 minute ★★★★★ - 572 ratings"The aircraft started to spin. Not really thinking it was anything unusual, I remember calling the pilot saying, 'Hey sir, are we going to stop this?' When he responded with, 'I can't,' I knew this wasn't going to end well." Click here to check out our web-exclusive interview with Staff Sergeant...
Youngest Flying Ace in Korea: Lt Col Hank Buttelmann
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - April 11, 2024 09:00 - 32 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsLieutenant Colonel Henry “Hank” Buttelmann served in Korea and Vietnam as a fighter pilot. In Korea, he flew the F-86, and became the youngest ace of the war at the age of 24. He left Korea with 6 confirmed kills. Buttelmann retired with four DIstinguished Flying Crosses and a Silver Star. In t...
My Story: Lt. Ken Harbaugh
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - April 04, 2024 08:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this special episode, Lt. Ken Harbaugh, the host of Warriors In Their Own Words, is interviewed by MOH recipient SSG David Bellavia about his service in the Navy. Harbaugh served from 1996 - 2005 as an EP-3 pilot, tasked with collecting signals intelligence from adversaries such as Russia, Nor...
Bullet Through the Jaw: COL Walter Joseph Marm Jr.
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - March 28, 2024 09:00 - 40 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsCOL Walter Joseph Marm Jr. served as a rifle platoon leader in Vietnam. When a friendly platoon was trapped behind enemy lines, Marm and his platoon were sent to rescue them. Attempting to take a hill held by the enemy, Marm single-handedly killed 14 enemies with his rifle and a grenade before be...
Overcoming Trauma: CSM Tonya Oxendine
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - March 21, 2024 09:00 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsWarning, this episode contains harsh language, graphic violence, gore, and description of rape. Listener discretion is advised. CSM Tonya Oxendine served in the US Army for nearly 30 years, retiring as a Command Sergeant Major. She did two tours in Iraq & Afghanistan as a paratrooper. In this i...
Introducing: Everything Everywhere Daily (Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto)
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - March 18, 2024 13:19 - 13 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsToday as a bonus episode, we’ll be airing an episode of Everything Everywhere Daily about Admiral Isoroku Yamamoto. Everything Everywhere Daily is a podcast that allows listeners to learn something new every day on various subjects, like history, science, geography, mathematics, and technology. ...
The Battle of Anzio: COL Young Oak Kim Part II
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - March 14, 2024 09:00 - 54 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this final part of his interview, Kim talks about the Battle of Anzio, earning the Distinguished Service Cross, and his feelings about the war. – Young Oak Kim was born in Los Angeles to a Korean family in 1919. He tried enlisting prior to World War II, but was denied due to his race. When ...
The Battle of Monte Cassino: COL Young Oak Kim Part I
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - March 07, 2024 10:00 - 53 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this first part of his interview, COL Kim talks about joining the Army, serving as a Korean American in World War II, and the Battle of Monte Cassino – Young Oak Kim was born in Los Angeles to a Korean family in 1919. He tried enlisting prior to World War II, but was denied due to his race. ...
Battalion XO in Iraq: Lt. Col. Joseph Kopser
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - February 29, 2024 10:00 - 50 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsLieutenant Colonel Joseph Kopser attended West Point before joining a cavalry unit in the U.S. Army. He volunteered to go to Iraq in 2004 working out of one of Saddam Hussein's Palaces and then again in 2006-2007 where he served as a Battalion Executive Officer in the 1st Cavalry Division. Learn ...
The Airmobile Concept: LTG Harry Kinnard
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - February 22, 2024 10:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this special episode, Lieutenant General Harry Kinnard explains how he helped develop the Airmobile concept- which later became the 1st Air Cavalry Division in the U.S. Army. The Airmobile approach integrated helicopters into the structure of ground forces, allowing troops and supplies to be d...
Tunnel Rat in Vietnam: CAPT John Cotter
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - February 15, 2024 10:00 - 42 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsCaptain John Robert Cotter served in the Australian Army in Vietnam. He was a combat engineer, tasked with disarming mines, dismantling booby traps, dealing with gas warfare, establishing roadways for infantry transport, and more. He was among the first to discover the tactical importance and vas...
Reflecting on Vietnam Part II: Col. John Anthony Cash
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - February 06, 2024 10:00 - 38 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsColonel John Anthony Cash served in the Army as a Rifle Company Commander in Vietnam. In this second part of his interview, Cash tells more incredible stories, reflects on the war as a whole, and talks about coming home. Before serving in Vietnam, Cash helped train Cuban nationals in the lead u...
Reflecting on Vietnam Part I: Col. John Anthony Cash
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - February 01, 2024 10:00 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsColonel John Anthony Cash served in the Army as a Rifle Company Commander in Vietnam. In this interview, Cash recalls hearing updates about the devastating Battle of Ia Drang around a radio, serving in Operation White Wing, and several tragic stories from his tour. Before serving in Vietnam, Cas...
5th Ranger Battalion on D-Day: S/Sgt.Charles Klein
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - January 25, 2024 10:00 - 55 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsStaff Sergeant Charles Klein served in the Army Rangers during the invasion of Normandy. He commanded a section of riflemen, and as a member of the 5th Ranger Battalion, he was one of the first units to land at Omaha beach that day. In this interview, S/Sgt. Klein recounts his training, D-Day, a...
Infantryman in Vietnam: SGT Jim Purvis
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - January 18, 2024 10:00 - 40 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsSergeant Jim Purvis served in the Army as an infantryman during the Vietnam War. In this interview, he recounts being kicked out of Officer Candidate School, his time in Vietnam, and how Vietnam differed from previous American military conflicts. “Anytime you have a war, it's a very, very sad ex...
History Daily - The German Defeat at Stalingrad
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - January 15, 2024 05:00 - 17 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsToday as a bonus episode, we’ll be airing an episode of History Daily about the Battle of Stalingrad in WWII which we think you’ll enjoy. History Daily is a show that tells the fascinating stories of what happened “on this day” in history. Every weekday, they share the overlooked and often forg...
Defending the Capitol: SSG Aquilino Gonell
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - January 11, 2024 05:00 - 36 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsStaff Sergeant Aquilino Gonell served in the Army in Iraq. He was born in the Dominican Republic, and was granted US citizenship after joining the military. In this interview, he discusses the difficulty of gaining citizenship, discipling a fellow soldier for being cruel towards an Iraqi child,...
Christmas as a POW: Rick Render
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 28, 2023 10:00 - 23 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this interview, Rick Render describes the Christmas of 1944, when he spent all day waiting in line to enter a German prison camp. Render served as an army infantryman in World War II. He was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and taken as a prisoner of war by the Germans. He spent time i...
“Not Ready to Quit”: SSG Beth King
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 21, 2023 10:00 - 47 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsAt 30 years old, Beth King was a single mother, and joined the Army as a way to provide for her five-year-old son. She deployed to Afghanistan and became a Chinook helicopter maintainer. As one of the few women in her field, SSG King felt extra pressure to excel. She had to prove herself to her...
PREVIEW: “Not Ready to Quit”
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 20, 2023 10:00 - 6 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this preview, SSG King recounts the night that her Chinook helicopter was hit by an RPG. Make sure to catch out full interview with King when it releases tomorrow. – At 30 years old, Beth King was a single mother, and joined the Army as a way to provide for her five-year-old son. She deploye...
The Deadly Rice Fields of Vietnam: SP5 Clarence Sasser
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 14, 2023 10:00 - 43 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsSpecialist 5th Class Clarence Eugene Sasser served in Vietnam as an Army Medic. In spite of numerous wounds and excruciating pain, he continuously administered aid to fellow soldiers for 20 hours as his company was attacked in Vietnam. Sasser later said this about spending the night under fire:...
PREVIEW: The Deadly Rice Fields of Vietnam
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 13, 2023 10:00 - 8 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsIn this preview, SP5 Clarence Sasser relives the traumatic mission for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor. Check back tomorrow to hear our full interview with Sasser. Specialist 5th Class Clarence Eugene Sasser served in Vietnam as an Army Medic. In spite of numerous wounds and excruc...
Pearl Harbor, Northern Italy, and the Medal of Honor: Capt. Daniel Inouye
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 07, 2023 05:00 - 55 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsAfter witnessing the attack on Pearl Harbor from his home in Hawaii, Daniel Inouye, a second-generation Japanese American, enlisted in the US Army. He later was awarded the Medal of Honor for heroism in Northern Italy. To hear the details of what earned him the Medal of Honor, check out our epi...
PREVIEW: Pearl Harbor, Northern Italy, and the Medal of Honor
Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories - December 06, 2023 10:00 - 5 minutes ★★★★★ - 572 ratingsTomorrow, on the 82nd Anniversary of the Attack on Pearl Harbor, we’ll be sharing our full interview with Captain Daniel Inouye. At 17 years old, Inouye witnessed the attack first-hand from his home in Hawaii, and he joined the US Army a year later when the government reversed its policy on Japan...
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