Veterans Chronicles Radio America

Nigal Miller grew up on the West Virginia side of the Ohio River and chose to serve his nation as a U.S. Naval aviator. He received his wings in 1961 and subsequently served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War aboard three different aircraft carriers.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," CDR Miller explains the exhilaration of landing on the deck of an aircraft carrier and why why he thinks the F-8 Crusader was the finest fighter plane of its generation, superior even to the Soviet MiG. Miller also describes providing close air support for American ground forces in Vietnam and serving on the admiral's staff aboard the USS Midway on his final deployment and much more.

John Wuethrich became fascinated by flying at a young age by listening to his father's stories of flying B-24's in the European theater of World War II. After joining the U.S. Marine Corps, Wuethrich went through Navy flight training but was eventually assigned to helicopters. He flew UH-1's at first but would pilot the CH-46 during his tour in Vietnam in 1969.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Captain Wuethrich explains the missions he flew to deliver troops and supplies and to evacuate the wounded. He shares the story of having to make a crash landing and describes what it was like to fly into a hot zone. And he tells us about his mission after the peace agreement to remove mines from Haiphong Harbor.

Finally, Wuethrich explains why he eventually left the Marines and later joined the U.S. Army National Guard, first in Illinois and later in Texas.

Matthew Shillingburg's family has been serving the U.S. in uniform since the War of 1812. His grandfather was at Pearl Harbor during the attack, and his father trained Navy SEALs. So service runs deep in the family. But while he also served, Shillingburg charted his own course, choosing the Army over the Navy and spending time in military intelligence among other duties.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Shillingburg explains why he picked the Army over the Navy and his fascinating service in Berlin during the Cold War, including what he calls the most patriotic moment of his life as a U.S. citizen. He also explains his duties working with nuclear howitzers and commanding troops in Panama.

Finally, Shillingburg shares his passion for helping and serving America's veterans today through the American Legion, Honor Flight, as a chaplain, and in many other capacities.

Robert "Doc" Werner joined the U.S. Navy at age 16 when his friend's mother forged his own mother's signature. His goal was to see the world by sailing around on a ship. Instead, he served as a Navy corpsman attached to U.S. Marines In Vietnam and received three Purple Hearts due to injuries received in devotion to serving with those men.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Werner vividly describes the job of a a Navy corpsman, walks us through each of his injuries - including the time he and a wounded Marine were left overnight in the jungle after a rescue helicopter came under fire, and the disgraceful treatment he endured from anti-war activists after he returned home.

Louis Schott was in Washington, D.C., to play in a college hockey game when he learned of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. He instantly knew his life was about to change. In less than two years, he was an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps and headed to fight in the Pacific Theater.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Scott takes through the horrific amphibious landing of Marines on Peleliu, the vicious fighting that took pace there, and the injury that took him out of the fight for months. He also details his role in the battle of Okinawa, the euphoria of learning the war was over, and what matters more to him than any medal he could have received for his service.

Last week, America lost the last surviving Medal of Honor recipient from World War II when Hershel "Woody" Williams died at the age of 98. A few years ago, we had the honor of speaking with Woody and hearing the story of his courageous service.

When he first tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps, 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 the brutal nature of the fighting on Iwo Jima, how he became a flamethrower operator how receiving the Medal of Honor changed his life forever.