SNAFUBAR

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt
  • 5.0 (10)
  • History
  • Updated Weekly

SNAFUBAR is a show about strategic and moral military errors and mishaps, and the myths that both lead to and then justify them. The histories they look at will make clear the degree to which the U.S. is a warful nation, contrary to the myth of a peaceful nation regularly compelled, against its will, to go to war. Through every episode, the show uncovers how we romanticize and fetishize the military while not always providing the support it needs to carry out its intended (or stated) goals, or to meet veterans’ needs when they return from combat.

  1. 4d ago

    Moral Injury

    Welcome back to SNAFUBAR, a podcast on American militarism and national myths. What do veterans, psychiatrists, and ancient Greek authors have in common? They help us understand and define the complexities of moral injury and post traumatic stress. The United States is a martial nation, the military and its pageantry is everywhere. But is that same energy found in the Veterans Affairs Offices? As a martial nation, the United States is quick to deploy and send troops abroad. But when soldiers return home, where is that same energy and support? Where are the benefits and social programs for our service members returning home from war? Do we only ‘support our troops’ as servants to fight in wars? Only when it is relevant in a nationalistic way? We’ll discuss in this episode of SNAFUBAR.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠, Chair of the Applied Humanites Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Research and writing for the show by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor. SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Works Cited:  American Psychiatric Association, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 1980. David M. Potter, The Impending Crisis: America before the Civil War, 1848-1861, 2011.  Edward Tick, Warrior’s Return: Restoring the Soul After War, 2014. Euripides, The Trojan Women, 415 BCE.  John Huston, “Let There Be Light”, 1946.  Jonathan Shay, Achilles in Vietnam: Combat Trauma and the Undoing of Character, 1994.  Jonathan Shay, Odysseus in America: Combat Trauma and the Trials of Homecoming, 2003.  Karl Marlantes, What It Is Like To Go To War, 2011.  Lieutenant Colonel Bill Russell Edmunds, God Is Not Here: A Soldier's Struggle with Torture, Trauma, and the Moral Injuries of War, 2015.  Tim O’Brien, The Things They Carried, 1990.  Tim O’Brien,  If I Die In A Combat Zone: Box Me Up and Ship Me Home, 1999.

  2. Sep 15

    USS Pueblo - Part III: The Return

    “You come home and you don’t fit.” Did you know that the only actively commissioned US naval vessel in captivity is docked in Pyongyang, North Korea? On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a former WW2 US Army cargo ship converted into a Navy intelligence-gathering vessel, was captured by the Korean People’s Army. Her crew of 82 men spent 11 months as prisoners during one of the most volatile periods of the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Don’t forget, the Korean War ended with an armistice and is technically still active to this day.  For this special three part series, we took our recording equipment on the road to explore the story of the USS Pueblo through the eyes of Navy veteran and Pueblo crewman John Mitchell, who turned 21 years old while in captivity. Throughout the series, John reflects with us on what has become known as the “Pueblo Incident.”  In this final episode in the Pueblo series, our story takes us back to the homefront, the United States. The Incident has ended and the crew is free. But what new trials await them upon their return? And what will it be like to reintegrate into civilian life after 11 months in captivity? We close our Pueblo series by following John from the moment he arrives back in the United States in December of 1968 to the present day. We discuss topics like reactions from the public, the January 1969 Pueblo Affair Naval Court of Inquiry, navigating the Veterans Affairs system, and how his emotions toward his captivity have changed over time.  Today’s episode is guest narrated and edited by SNAFUBAR Writer/Researcher Roman Sotomayor. John Mitchell is a member of the Arcata Veterans Hall, American Legion Post 274. Also present during the interviews with John are SNAFUBAR co-host Sara Hart, Writer/Researcher Liam Salcuni, and Producer Abigail Smithson.  SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who is the Chair of the Applied Humanities Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor. SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Sources and Resources Welna, Remembering North Korea’s Audacious Capture of the USS Pueblo Lerner, The Pueblo Incident: A spy ship and the failure of American foreign policy, 2002 The American Legion, Arcata Post 274, Manual for Veterans Dependents The American Legion, Main Page Veterans of Foreign Wars, Main Page Disabled American Veterans, Main Page Amvets National Service Foundation, Main Page Paralyzed Veterans of America, Main Page Vietnam Veterans of America, Main Page Mission POW-MIA, Main Page K9s for Warriors, Main Page VA Caregiver Support Program VA Benefits for Family and Caregivers

  3. Sep 13

    USS Pueblo-Part II: The Incident

    It’s either pure hell, or pure boredom. Did you know that the only actively commissioned US naval vessel in captivity is docked in Pyongyang, North Korea? On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a former WW2 US Army cargo ship converted into a Navy intelligence-gathering vessel, was captured by the Korean People’s Army. Her crew of 82 men spent 11 months as prisoners during one of the most volatile periods of the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Don’t forget, the Korean War ended with an armistice and is technically still active to this day. For this special three part series, we took our recording equipment on the road to explore the story of the USS Pueblo through the eyes of Navy veteran and Pueblo crewman John Mitchell, who turned 21 years old while in captivity. Throughout the series, John reflects with us on what has become known as the “Pueblo Incident.” We welcome you back to the series for Episode 2, “The Incident”. This episode follows the timeline of the USS Pueblo Incident through John’s eyes, beginning with the ship’s capture and ending with the crew’s release from North Korea after 11 months in captivity. Along the way, John shares what life was like as a prisoner of war, from the days spent in places known as “The Barn” and “The Country Club” to the routines, boredom, and hardships that defined those months. You'll hear what kept him going, the moments that tested him most, and the experiences that have stayed with him ever since. Stay tuned for our final episode in the series, “The Return,” as we follow the crew’s return to the United States. Today’s episode is guest narrated and edited by SNAFUBAR Writer/Researcher Roman Sotomayor. John Mitchell is a member of the Arcata Veterans Hall, American Legion Post 274. Also present during the interviews with John are SNAFUBAR co-host Sara Hart, Writer/Researcher Liam Salcuni, and Producer Abigail Smithson. SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who is theChair of the Applied Humanities Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor. SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Sources & Resources Boissoneault, Fifty Years Ago, North Korea Captured an American Ship and Nearly Started a Nuclear War Bucher, Bucher: My Story 1970 Lerner, The Pueblo Incident: A spy ship and the failure of American foreign policy, 2002 Meyer, Column One: Pueblo’s Bittersweet Tribute Office of the Historian, Action Memorandum From the Under Secretary of the State to President Johnson Wilber, Hell Hath a Jury Woo, Charles Law Jr., 60; Led Pueblo Crew in Captivity The American Legion, Arcata Post 274, Manual for Veterans Dependents Definition of a CIA Spook

  4. Sep 1

    USS Pueblo - Part I: The Clunker

    The Navy’s most fouled-up Top Secret. Did you know that the only actively commissioned US naval vessel in captivity is docked in Pyongyang, North Korea? On January 23, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a former WW2 US Army cargo ship converted into a Navy intelligence-gathering vessel, was captured by the Korean People’s Army. Her crew of 82 men spent 11 months as prisoners during one of the most volatile periods of the Vietnam War and the Cold War. Don’t forget, the Korean War ended with an armistice and is technically still active to this day.  For this special three part series, we took our recording equipment on the road to explore the story of the USS Pueblo through the eyes of Navy veteran and Pueblo crewman John Mitchell, who turned 21 years old while in captivity. Throughout the series, John reflects with us on what has become known as the “Pueblo Incident.”  Our first episode, “The Clunker”, introduces you to the USS Pueblo, whose mission was SNAFUBAR’d from the start. We detail the challenges faced by the ship’s commanding officer, Commander (then Lt. Commander) Lloyd Bucher, as he struggled to prepare the under-equipped vessel and crew for a high-risk assignment, and hear from John about his early days in the Navy and life on the seas aboard Pueblo. This installment ends with the USS Pueblo braving the journey across the Pacific. Stay tuned for our next episodes in the series, “The Incident” and “The Return,” as we follow the Pueblo from her capture by North Korea to the crew’s eventual return to the United States.  Today’s episode is guest narrated and edited by SNAFUBAR Writer/Researcher Roman Sotomayor. John Mitchell is a member of the Arcata Veterans Hall, American Legion Post 274. Also present during the interviews with John are SNAFUBAR co-host Sara Hart, Writer/Researcher Liam Salcuni, and Producer Abigail Smithson.  SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, who is the Chair of the Applied Humanities Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor. SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Sources & Resources Bucher, Bucher: My Story 1970 Lerner, The Pueblo Incident: A spy ship and the failure of American foreign policy, 2002 The American Legion, Arcata Post 274, Manual for Veterans Dependents

  5. Aug 18

    Private Snafu

    Hi Folks! Welcome back to SNAFUBAR. We’re getting animated today! We are touching on a topic that’s close to home, or rather, close to the name of our podcast. Today, we are getting into the Private SNAFU series, a top secret animated series funded by the military during World War II. Your eyes are not deceiving you, this was a real, top secret project funded by the military. And the strange part is, many famous names in animation like Mel Blanc and Theodore Geisel, aka Dr. Seuss, were a part of it. Join us as we explore the history behind the comical and strange Private SNAFU series.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Chair of the Department of Applied Humanities at Cal Poly Humboldt. We have a guest host today, Liam Salcuni, who teaches history classes at Cal Poly Humboldt.  SNAFUBAR is regularly co-hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠who is an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  Works Cited: Audrey Amidon, “The US Military Goes to Hollywood: Behind the Scenes with the First Motion Picture Unit,” 2013.  CenSoc WWII Army Enlistment Dataset Codebook, 2023.  Classified Cartoons: Private SNAFU Christopher Klein, When Dr. Seuss Went to War,” 2016.  David Vergun, “First Peacetime Draft Enacted Just Before World War II,” 2020. Mark David Kaufman, “Ignorant Armies: Private SNAFU Goes to War,” 2015.    Phillip Knell, “Suess on Film,” 2016.  Peter Zablocki, “Private SNAFU,” 2025.  The National WWII Museum: New Orleans, “Training the American GI.”  US Army Heritage and Education Center, “World War II Core Area.”  Paul Dickson, “OCTOBER 16, 1940—UNCLE SAM’S GOT YOUR NUMBER, GUYS,” 2020.  Susan Thompson, “Communicating and training through film: an Army Signal Corps innovation,” 2022.  Theodor Seuss Geisel & Edward Connery Lathem, The Beginnings of Dr. Seuss: An Informal Reminiscence, 2010. National Parks Service, “The American Homefront and the Buildup to World War II: The Selective Service Act and the Arsenal of Democracy.”

  6. Jul 26

    Braddock's Defeat

    Welcome to SNAFUBAR! A podcast on American military history and national myths. Today we’re exploring the ruinous Battle of the Monongahela, or “Braddock’s Defeat,” which took place in 1755 near modern day Pittsburgh. We know what you’re thinking, the United States wasn’t around in 1755, what does this have to do with American military history and national myths? A lot. Present at the Battle of the Monongahela was the young George Washington, who learned valuable lessons on leadership and tactics as a result of this crushing defeat. What’s more, the Battle of the Monongahela marks the beginning of the Washington mythos.  We hope you enjoy the show.  SNAFUBAR is hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, chair of the Applied Humanities department at Cal Poly Humboldt, and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane , an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.  ⁠Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor.  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Works Cited Armstrong Starkey, European and Native American Warfare: 1675-1815, 1998.  Battle of Fort Necessity and Braddock’s Defeat, Fort Edwards Online Archive David Preston, Braddock’s Defeat: The Battle of the Monongahela and the Road to Revolution, 2015.  Emanuel Leutze, Washington Crossing the Delaware, 1851.  George Washington, Letter to John Augustine Washington, 1755.  George Washington, Letter to Robert Orme, 1755. George Washington, Letter to William Fairfax, 1754.  Gordon S. Wood, The Radicalism of the American Revolution, 1991.  Paul E. Kopperman, Braddock at the Monongahela, 1977. Ron Chernow, Washington, A Life, 2010.

  7. Jul 14

    Sara Hart on Family, War and Trash Talk

    Today's episode is hosted by Jeff Crane. ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Chair of the Applied Humanities Department at Cal Poly Humboldt, usual co-host of the show, is in the hot seat! She discusses her personal relationship to war and her personal work which is informed by it. This episode is great context for the reason why SNAFUBAR came to be!  Works Cited: Paul Fussell The Good Soldiers by David Finkel Achilles in Vietnam by Jonathan Shay What It’s Like to Go to War by Karl Marlantes Redeployment by Phil Klay Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston Operation Never Mind: James Mcmurtry War Games episode Admiral Zumwalt

  8. Jun 30

    Agincourt

    Once more unto the breach, dear listeners of SNAFUBAR, once more. This week on SNAFUBAR, we are going way back in time to the Battle of Agincourt. We know what you’re thinking, “What the heck does the Battle of Agincourt have to do with US military history?” Well Agincourt serves as a cautionary tale, a story of what happens when a military fails to adapt to innovative technologies and strategies on the battlefield. Are the billion dollar battleships setting the United States up like the French at Agincourt, who failed to adapt to more cost effective and efficient weaponry? Find out on this week's episode. We hope you enjoy the show!  Today's episode is hosted by  ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Sara Hart⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, Chair of the Applied Humanities Department at Cal Poly Humboldt. We’re joined by our guest host Liam Salcuni, lecturer with the History Department at Cal Poly Humboldt and usually our writer and researcher for the show. Works Cited: Brose, Christian, “The New Revolution in Military Affairs, Foreign Affairs, 2019.  Cancian, Mark F., “The Golden Fleet’s Battleship Will Never Sail,” Center For Strategic and International Studies, 2025.  Curry, Anne, Agincourt: A New History, 2006.  Curry, Anne, Agincourt : Great Battles Series, 2015.  Keegan, John, The Face of Battle: A Study of Agincourt, Waterloo and the Somme, 1976.  Shakespeare, William, Henry V, 1623.  Stephens, Bret, “The US Military Like the French at Agincourt,” New York Times, 2019.  Warner, Michael P.,The Agincourt Campaign of 1415: The Retinues of the Dukes of Clarence and Gloucester, 2023.  Williams, Holly et al., Ukraine Uses Drone Innovation to Help Level Battlefield in War with Russia,” CBS, 2026.  SNAFUBAR is regularly hosted by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Jeff Crane⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠, an Environmental Historian and Dean of the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt. Research and writing for the show is done by Liam Salcuni and Roman Sotomayor.  SNAFUBAR is produced by Abigail Smithson and brought to you by the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt.

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Ratings & Reviews

5
out of 5
10 Ratings

About

SNAFUBAR is a show about strategic and moral military errors and mishaps, and the myths that both lead to and then justify them. The histories they look at will make clear the degree to which the U.S. is a warful nation, contrary to the myth of a peaceful nation regularly compelled, against its will, to go to war. Through every episode, the show uncovers how we romanticize and fetishize the military while not always providing the support it needs to carry out its intended (or stated) goals, or to meet veterans’ needs when they return from combat.

Information

  • Creator
    College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt
  • Years Active
    2025 - 2026
  • Episodes
    24
  • Rating
    Explicit
  • Copyright
    © College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences at Cal Poly Humboldt
  • Show Website
    SNAFUBAR

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