Honor. Thank. Inspire. An Honor Flight Chicago Podcast

Honor Flight Chicago
  • 4.1 (11)
  • History
  • Updated Bimonthly

Join us as long-time ABC 7 reporter Paul Meincke sits down with our senior war heroes from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to explore their stories and memories of serving their nation.

  1. May 13

    Episode 98: A Gold Star Family's Fight to Honor Their Fallen

    Ken Duggar was badly wounded in Vietnam. He was hospitalized for months and came home to recuperate before his guilt at leaving his brothers-in-arms behind in the field led him to re-enlist. He got as far as Germany before complications from his original wounds led to his death. Because he died away from Vietnam, his sister, Phyllis, had to fight for years to have Ken's name added to the Wall. She won. This is her story.

    51 min

  2. Feb 20

    Episode 97: Shot Down 3 Times: Mike Bubacz’s Jungle Survival

    Marine Corps Veteran Michael Bubacz did two tours in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, assigned to train and serve alongside South Vietnamese Marines during helicopter missions into Laos and Cambodia. Three times Hueys he was aboard were shot down. The final instance led to more than two weeks of a wounded Bubacz surviving alone in the jungle, waiting for rescue.

    40 min

  3. Feb 16

    Episode 96: Hayley Ermer Serves Our Veterans, Honors Her Father

    Hayley Ermer volunteers with Honor Flight Chicago as a "red shirt:" a medical professional who gives of their time and expertise to ensure a safe and comfortable day for our Veterans. Hayley's own father served in Vietnam, and her work with HFC's heroes has helped her understand her dad's experience in war and the resulting PTSD he brought home with him.

    35 min

  4. Jan 23

    Episode 95: Vietnam Veteran Gary Holian's Gold Star Family

    In the Spring of 1971, Gary Holian surprised his family by coming home for his R&R from Vietnam. The Gary who arrived at their doorstep was quite unlike the Gary they knew before he left for war. Three months later, Gary was killed when his Huey gunship was shot down over the DMZ. His sisters, Jody and Lory, traveled on Honor Flight Chicago's Mission 125 in September of 2025 to honor his memory. They share their family's story here.

    42 min

  5. 12/23/2025

    Episode 94: Arnie Oskin, Army Psych Specialist

    Arnie Oskin never saw combat in Vietnam, but he witnessed firsthand its effects on those who did. Arnie's profession was social work, and he used his skills as a neuro-psychiatric specialist to make recommendations around the mental state of veterans coming back from Vietnam. Over a long career in the Army, Arnie's own mental well-being was affected by what he saw.

    44 min

  6. 11/17/2025

    Episode 93: Green Beret Bruce Hill Serves Country, Fellow Veterans

    Army Special Forces Veteran Bruce Hill served in Laos during the Vietnam War as part of clandestine operations that were not formally acknowledged for many years. Though Hill made it home, a Vietnam tragedy unrelated to his time in Laos changed his life forever, and set him on a path toward honoring his fellow Veteran at every turn.

    34 min

  7. 10/21/2025

    Episode 92: We Were Soldiers: The Battle of Ia Drang Valley

    The Battle of Ia Drang in November of 1965 was the first major battle between the U.S. Army and the North Vietnamese Army during the Vietnam War. The engagement -- which resulted in 237 dead and 258 wounded on the American side -- spawned a critically acclaimed book and a major motion picture detailing the events around Landing Zones X-Ray and Albany. Lieutenant Bob Konrardy was there. This is his story.

    39 min

  8. 10/06/2025

    Episode 91: Carl Adams and the K9 Sentries of Phan Rang

    Carl Adams spent the Vietnam War walking his dog. As an Air Force sentry dog handler at Phan Rang Air Base, Carl's job was to patrol the perimeter each night to defend against sappers and other attacks. The adventures of Carl and his sentry dog, Andy, were often entertaining, sometimes irreverent, and occasionally terrifying -- but above all else, the K9 unit was known for its dedication and professionalism in the field.

    49 min
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Ratings & Reviews

4.1
out of 5
11 Ratings

About

Join us as long-time ABC 7 reporter Paul Meincke sits down with our senior war heroes from WWII, the Korean War and the Vietnam War to explore their stories and memories of serving their nation.

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