American Warrior Radio

Ben Buehler-Garcia
  • 4,5 (4)
  • ЛИЧНЫЕ ДНЕВНИКИ
  • ЕЖЕНЕДЕЛЬНО
American Warrior Radio

American Warrior Radio tells the stories of those who protect us at home & abroad; the men & women of our military and first responder communities.

  1. -5 ДН.

    Mike Croissant – “Bombing Hitler’s Hometown”

    Mike Croissant, a retired CIA officer, set out on a mission to learn more about his uncle. His uncle was an a bomber crewman that survived World War II without of scratch but was then killed in a plane crash shortly after returning home. Drawing from his uncle’s letters home, along with dozens of interviews with surviving Veterans, Mike produced “Bombing Hitler’s Hometown; The Untold Story of the Last Mass Bombing Raid of World War II in Europe." It describes the April 25, 1944 mission to bomb Linz, Austria. Hitler spent many of his early life in Linz, Austria. He intended to make it the cultural capital of Europe after the war. Strategically, it was also a key location for Nazi Germany. As a transportation hub, tons of war materials flowed through the rail yards. It was also defended by more than 164 anti-aircraft batteries, one of the most intense defensive concentrations in 1944. Given the fact that Russian troops had already entered Berlin on April 16th, we discuss whether this risky mission was even necessary. Hitler committed suicide on April 30th. Mike’s book puts the readers right in the cabin with the aviators that flew B-24 and B-17 bombers on the April 1, 1944 mission. Readers will experience the cold, the terror of flying through the flak barrages and the heartbreak of seeing fellow aircrews get shot down. He also does an excellent job of taking us through the experiences of the crews who were shot down and some of the residents on the ground that captured or helped them. Croissant tells us about one crew member was captured by Russian troops who, despite being our allies, tortured him for several days after accusing him of being a German spy. In one bizarre incident, an Austrian Commandant tried to draft crew members into joining a guerilla war against the Nazis. TAKEAWAY: “I did it for the men because they deserve it and I did it for their kids. Their kids need to know, and indeed, all Americans need to know what those men did for us right at the very end of the most destructive conflict in human history.”

    40 мин.

  2. 22 ЯНВ.

    “Indochina Hand” – CIA Officer Barry Broman

    “Indochina Hand; Tales of a CIA Case Officer” by Barry Broman features a compilation stories about situations encountered during a 25 year career with the agency. He can attest to the fact that sometimes truth IS stranger than fiction. Barry was first approached by the CIA while in graduate school. The recruiter said Barry was precisely the “kind of guy we are looking for”. However, when Barry informed him that he was commissioned in the Marine Corps and was headed to Vietnam. The recruiter handed him a business card and said “Here’s my card. If you live, call this number six months before you get out of the Corps.”  Barry eventually did call that number and it was fifteen days between the Marine Corps and the CIA. We begin with some stories from his time serving in Vietnam. He describes the role of the “Combined Action Marines” who interacted with local militias. He also shares the story of how one of his friends almost lost his life do a drunk South Vietnamese soldier just days before he was scheduled to return home. One of the more compelling stories involved John Gunthner Dean, the Ambassador to Cambodia. Barry, Dean and some others were the last to get out of the country just ahead of the Khmer Rouge. The fate of those left behind still weighs heavy on Barry. Indochina was one of his favorite postings. Barry recruited 41 agents during his career and shares the delicate line one walks while performing those actions. If the recruitment fails, the CIA agent may only be ejected from the country. But the existing foreign assets exposed by the failure were likely to lose their lives. Contrary to popular belief, Barry says that many of the foreign agents were not in it for the money. It was usually the American traitors that were primarily motivated by greed.

    40 мин.

  3. 22 ЯНВ.

    Dr. Lanny Snodgrass – “The Ageless Call to Serve”

    Dr. Lanny Snodgrass completed basic training at the age of 63, perhaps a new record. He has wanted to serve in the military much earlier in life but a football injury made him ineligible.  However, as a VA psychiatrist, he witnessed the trauma of Veterans and the desire to serve in uniform became more intense. When he was sixty a friend suggested he try to join up again. He signed the paperwork, passed the physical and took the oath. Two months later he received a phone call from Army headquarters saying he was too old. It took three more years before he was finally accepted.  The US had just entered the Iraq war and psychiatrists were in short supply. Snodgrass says it is likely that had something to do with his eventual acceptance. He shares some of the challenges completing Officer’s basic training with a heart condition. But he knew he would never get another chance. One of the more shocking moments he relates was when one of the training officers declared to the class that he “Would NEVER send one of his soldiers to a psychiatrist.” His experience serving in the field with young soldiers led him to challenge conventional wisdom surrounding age norms in the military. Snodgrass shares these theories in his book “The Ageless Call to Serve – Rethinking Military Service for a Changing World.” While he supports the current enlistment age, he feels strongly that teenagers should allowed a period of maturation before being sent into combat.  Snodgrass also makes a very compelling case for addressing the current recruiting challenges by allowing more mature individuals to serve.  Today’s technologies mean there are many categories of service that do not require the physical stamina of younger adults. I love the idea that this flips the current blueprint on its head; persons can spend a career in the private sector developing advanced technical skills and education and THEN start a career in the military.

  4. 15 ЯНВ.

    Havok Journal Update – Charles Faint

    Havok Journal owner Charles Faint joins us for the last update of 2024. Charles is a retired Army Intelligence Officer who teaches at West Point military academy. Charles shares his “second favorite” event at West Point; “Branch Night”. Branch Night is the evening when the cadets learn what branch they will be assigned.  They are handed a sealed envelope and, after some formalities and a keynote speaker, they all tear open their envelopes to learn where they will start their Army career.  Generally, there is great excitement. However, on occasion, some cadets are disappointed.  Charles explains that “Some of the best things that happened to me in life happened because I didn’t get what I wanted at the moment.” He would expect any Army 2nd Lieutenant to just commit to doing the best job they can wherever they are assigned. Next, we discuss Dave Chamberlain’s article about transitioning to civilian life.  Dave served in our military for 38 years.  His article makes a great comparison between leaving the service and “phantom limb pain”. Dave describes his first “phantom pain” came when his unit deployed shortly after retiring. Vincent Johnson’s article “Friends Lost in the Sandbox” describes his challenges in dealing with the loss of comrades and survivors guilt. Charles shares his personal experiences in the same vein. Brooke Hickox wrote an excellent article titled “A Civilian’s Military Benefit From a Daughter’s Perspective”. She describes growing up as the daughter of a law enforcement officer and Vietnam Veteran; the challenges but also the great way it prepared her for a productive adult life. Charles says it stands as an example of the breadth and diversity of their contributing authors. We wrap up with Frank Pauc’s hard hitting article “What it Takes to Bridge the Civ-Mil Divide”. Even with my three decades of supporting military families, this article challenged my ideas about what we as civilians owe military Veterans. I strongly recommend that any civilians seeking to understand the military/first responder communities pay a visit to the Havok Journal.

    40 мин.

  5. 6 ЯНВ.

    “53 Days on Starvation Island” – John Bruning

    Starvation Island is the name the Japanese gave the pacific Island of Guadalcanal. Second only to the Battle of Midway, the capture and retention of Guadalcanal was one of the most significant achievements leading to eventual victory in the Pacific. The price would be high, with brutal combat on the ground, at sea and in the air. A group of mostly green Marine aviators were dispatched to Guadalcanal to assist in the defense. They were lacking in supplies, equipment, fuel and ammunition. These aircrews believed the Marine Corps considered them expendable. Best Selling author John Bruning joins us to tell their story, as recorded in his book “53 Days on Starvation Island; The World War II Battle That Saved Marine Corps Aviation.”  This exceptional book draws upon historical records and personal interviews with some of the men who saw action there. The story of these brave Marine aviators centers upon three men who played key roles in the aerial defense of the island: * Major John Smith, who was principally responsible for organizing the air defenses of Guadalcanal. He would end the war with 19 aerial victories. * Marion Carl, a farm boy from Oregon who became the Marine Corps’ first WWII Ace. * Richard Mangrum, a lawyer from Seattle Lawyer who led the bomber group. The book not only does an excellent job of highlighting the depravations suffered by all the Marines on Guadalcanal, but also the disconnect between life on the home front and the brutality of battle during those early stages of the Pacific campaign. Bruning’s book describes many of the battles in exceptional detail, capturing the viciousness of air to air combat. By the time it was over, those 31 aircrews could be given credit for helping to save the lives of 20,000 Marines on the island by intercepting further Japanese landings and protecting the critically important Henderson Field from bombing raids. “Remember this fellows – while we are all expendable, we are not so expendable as to take unnecessary chances. Your mission is to sink as many ships as you can. But a still more important mission is for all of you to get back here whole.  This war is young yet – we can die later.” - Dick Mangrum

    40 мин.

  6. 23.12.2024

    “Understanding the War” – Mat Tardio

    “Understanding the War” podcast is the latest venture for Special Forces Veteran Mat Tardio. This new podcast is in addition to his already successful “Speak the Truth” podcast. The mission of the “Understanding the War” podcast is to give combat Veterans the chance to tell their stories. “What the hell are we doing to our own people when we don’t allow them to be able to speak because somehow their stories aren’t valid?” Mat wanted to join the military from an earlier age. His original intent was to pursue a career in the Marine Corps. However, the day before reporting to entrance processing he had gone grouse hunting. This resulted in a slight temporary hearing loss that caused his disqualification with the Marines. He joined the Army instead and served 9 years in the infantry and 7 years with the Green Berets. One of Mat’s first assignments was with the 3rd Infantry Regiment “Old Guard”. They conduct funerals at Arlington and ceremonies around the DC area. He shares a powerful story about unloading remains at Dover Air Force Base. As a Green Beret Mat was sent into Ukraine after the first Russian invasion. His team was also sent into Afghanistan to deal with ISIS-K. He shares a little bit about that experience and contrasts the difference between fighting ISIS and the Taliban. The buildup of injuries sustained over the years serving in the Special Forces led to a medical retirement. He briefly served in Law Enforcement, but that “didn’t take”. He currently operates Tardio Consulting Group, training law enforcement training on developing proactive defense solutions to active shooter threats. If you have a story that needs to be told on "Understanding the War" podcast, contact Mat: understandingthewarpodcast@gmail.com TAKEAWAY: “I think selection is hard for a reason. I don’t want someone on my team who can’t suck it up. I don’t want someone on my team who is going to leave me hanging up or is going to leave me hanging while they can still move.”

    40 мин.

  7. 12.12.2024

    Coast Guard DFC Recipient John Whiddon

    Coast Guard pilot John Whiddon has been awarded two Distinguished Flying Cross medals. But the enemy he faced was not the Viet Cong or Iraqi air defenses. It was 30 foot seas, 70 knot wind gusts and freezing waters off the coast of Alaska. John was born in England and his father served in the Royal Navy.  Having finished college, he had applied for the US Coast Guard but had not received an answer. So he applied to the Royal Navy’s helicopter flying program and was accepted. The week before he was set to leave for London, he received word that he had been accepted into the US Coast Guard Officer Candidate School. At the time, John was flying the HH-3F amphibious helicopters. They had a boat hull that would allow the aircraft to land in the water, but only in 8-10 foot seas and 8 knot winds. Following the failed rescue of the “Marine Electric” in 1983, the Coast Guard established their rescue swimmer program. John shares details of the two rescues for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, including the “Bluebird” rescue on December 10, 1987 off the coast of Alaska. A fisherman and his six year old son were in trouble. It was a night mission and weather conditions were terrible; blinding snow and ice, 30 foot seas and wind gusts up to 70 knots. The winds were so strong, several times the helicopter was actually blown backyards and toward the water. At one point their rear rotor came within 3 feet of the water. Because of the size and construction of the boat, placing the rescue basket on the sinking boat was not an option. It would become the first time in Coast Guard history that a rescue swimmer was used in a high seas rescue. After 45 minutes of failing to get the rescue basket to the swimmer and half a dozen near crashes, John and his crew began to recognize the very real possibility that they might crash themselves and, in that case, there was no one coming to rescue them. However, they didn’t give up and finally got everyone board. John’s interview is part of our partnership with the Distinguished Flying Cross Society and our shared mission to tell the stories of heroism or extraordinary achievement in flight.

    40 мин.

  8. 08.12.2024

    Delta Force Original – Wade Ishimoto

    Delta Force operator Wade Ishimoto was one of the founding members of the elite unit when it was first formed. The story of his progression from an American of Japanese ancestry born in Hawaii just prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor to the Delta Force is told in his book “The Intoku Code”.  Intoku is a Japanese word that means “doing good in secret.” Wade began his Army career as a military policeman and then moved on to counter intelligence and human intelligence. Fourteen of his twenty years in the Army were spent in Special Forces.  He originally wanted to join the Marines, but the recruiter was at lunch. On his way to see the Air Force recruiter, he says the Army recruiter tapped him on the shoulder and “fed him a bunch of lies”. Wade was laser focused on getting into the Special Forces but the path was not an easy one. Eventually he joined the 5th Special Forces group because of a personal recommendation from a Warrant Officer. Terrorism was becoming more common in the 1970’s and the US Government realized it did not have the capacity to conduct surgical hostage rescue missions. At the time, Charlie Beckwith had been developing a plan for a unit based upon the British SAS that became the basis for Delta Force. Wade had worked for Beckwith before and wrote him a letter describing how Special Forces could be improved. It obviously made an impression because Beckwith asked him to come on board with Delta Force. The Intoku Code describes numerous challenges involved with standing up Delta Force, including keeping itself secret from other military and government units and some of their training methods. Wade says another challenge was recruiting the “best of the best” from other branches because the commanders didn’t want to give up their best personnel. Wade’s book provides fascinating insights into the planning of the ill-fated “Operation Eagle Claw”, the mission to rescue hostages being held in Iran.  He was nearly left behind when that mission was aborted. TAKEWAY: Wade’s hope is that he will inspire others to do good things in secret. “Be steadfast, be resolute and continue to care for others.”

    40 мин.
См. все (50)

Оценки и отзывы

4,5
из 5
Оценок: 4

Об этом подкасте

American Warrior Radio tells the stories of those who protect us at home & abroad; the men & women of our military and first responder communities.

Информация

  • Автор
    Ben Buehler-Garcia
  • Годы выхода
    2022 - 2025
  • Выпуски
    50
  • Ограничения
    Без ненормативной лексики
  • Авторские права
    © RONIN Business Services
  • Сайт подкаста
    American Warrior Radio

Вам может также понравиться

Чтобы прослушивать выпуски с ненормативным контентом, войдите в систему.

Следите за новостями подкаста

Войдите в систему или зарегистрируйтесь, чтобы следить за подкастами, сохранять выпуски и получать последние обновления.
Выберите страну или регион

Африка, Ближний Восток и Индия

Азиатско-Тихоокеанский регион

Европа

Латинская Америка и страны Карибского бассейна

США и Канада