Major 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 stories from his time in Vietnam.  Thank you to Regal for sponsoring this episode. You can sign up for Regal Unlimited via this link, and make sure to use code WARRIORS24 to get 10% off! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

"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 Mark Lalli. Lalli served in Iraq as a Blackhawk Helicopter crew chief and survived a helicopter crash that killed six of the eleven passengers on board, but he sustained life-changing injuries. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

Lieutenant 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 this interview, Buttelmann talks about his time in Korea, the F-86, crossing the 38th parallel, and fighting enemy MiGs.  Thank you to Regal for sponsoring this episode. You can sign up for Regal Unlimited via this link, and make sure to use code WARRIORS24 to get 10% off! Learn more about yo ..read more

Warning, 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 interview, Oxendine describes the abuse she endured both at home, and during her time in uniform, and how she overcame that trauma.  Learn more about Oxendine and the Wounded Warrior Project here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

In 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 war finally broke out in Europe, Congress passed the Selective Training Service Act of 1940, requiring all men between the ages of 21 and 45, regardless of race, to register for the draft. Kim was among the first group of men allied up, and he entered the Army in January 1941. Racism, exacerbate ..read more

In 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 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 male colleagues, and if she failed, she was told they would take a “long break” before allowing another woman to join the ..read more

Captain Zeke Zellmer served as a Communications Officer aboard the USS Cavalla during World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the largest carrier-to-carrier battle in history, and helped destroy a Japanese aircraft carrier called the Shokaku. Thanks in large part to the contribution of the USS Cavalla, the Japanese lost the battle, and their navy never recovered.  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

Colonel Leo Thorsness served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. He was a Wild Weasel, whose missions required them to draw surface-to-air (SAM) missiles away from bombers, and then destroy the SAM sites. This meant that Weasels spent sometimes more than 20 minutes over the target, as opposed to the one or two minutes bomber pilots spent. On one mission, COL Thorsness’ wingman was shot down, forcing him to eject. As he parachuted to the ground, rescue helicopters were called in to rescue him, but they were threatened by encroaching enemy fighters. Despite being incredibly low on fuel, Thorsness fo ..read more

Shipfitter 3rd Class James Wire served on the USS Missouri during the invasion of Iwo Jima and the Battle of Okinawa. It was his job to put out fires and do damage control on the ship.  If you missed it, make sure to check out the first part of his interview, where he talks about serving on the USS Tennessee during the attack on Pearl Harbor and the Battle of Tarawa.  To hear more from SF3 Wire, check out this video of him presenting to a college class. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices ..read more

In 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 war finally broke out in Europe, Congress passed the Selective Training Service Act of 1940, requiring all men between the ages of 21 and 45, regardless of race, to register for the draft. Kim was among the first group of men allied up, and he entered the Army in January 1941. Racism, exacerbate ..read more