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Evergreen Podcasts | The Honor Project

The unsanitized truth of what we have asked of those who defend this nation. From archived tapes of WWI veterans, to conversations with modern-day warriors, these are their stories, in their own words.

Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories

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 fought off the enemy, saving his wingman and the rescue helicopters.

Eleven days later, Thorsness was shot down and captured by the North Vietnamese Army. He was captured, and became a prisoner of war. During his first three years in captivity, torture was common. After six years, he was released and sent home.

Shortly after returning to the United States, COL Thorsness was awarded the Medal of Honor for saving his wingman.

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Captured By the NVA: From the Archive

“I want peace so bad that it hurts.” 

Master Sergeant Richard Fiske served in the Marines during World War II as a bugler. He was stationed on the USS West Virginia during the attack on Pearl Harbor, and watched as the Japanese planes dropped the first torpedoes. He also served in the Battle of Iwo Jima.

"’By God,’ he says, "This is a hell of a way to start a damn war.’He says, ‘Why don't they tell us first?’"

After World War II he got his pilot license and joined the Air Force. He became a crew chief and served in both Korea and Vietnam. 

In this interview, he talks about the chaos during Pearl Harbor, the horrors of war, the importance of forgiveness, and meeting the Japanese pilot who tried to kill him on December 7th, 1941.
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Honoring the Lives Lost at Pearl Harbor: MSgt. Richard Fiske

Lieutenant Belton cooper served in World War II as a ordnance officer. He and his team were tasked with recovering damaged allied tanks, often from behind enemy lines, and repairing them. 

In this special holiday episode, he describes a chaotic air raid around Christmastime of 1944, during the Battle of the Bulge. 

[Editor’s Note: Peep is another name for a Jeep. Cooper uses that terminology a few times during the episode]
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Christmas During the Battle of the Bulge: 1st Lt. Belton Cooper

Specialist Danielle Green served in Iraq with the Military Police Corps as a gunner. On May 25th, 2004, she was hit by a homemade RPG on a rooftop. She lost her left forearm and hand in the blast. 

Prior to enlisting at the age of 25, Green played basketball at Notre Dame, and worked as a teacher. 

In this interview, Green talks about her service, the blast, and what her physical/mental recovery has been like. 
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Losing An Arm in Iraq: SPC Danielle Green

Captain Lawrence Savadkin served as a computer data torpedo operator on the USS Tang, a submarine, during World War II. During a battle with enemy Japanese ships in October 1944, the Tang was struck by a torpedo and sunk. 78 men were killed. 

Savadkin narrowly escaped the sinking sub with his life. He and the 8 other survivors were rescued and captured by the Japanese. He spent the rest of the war as a POW in the Toyko Bay Area.

In this interview, Savadkin describes the battle that sunk the Tang, how luck helped him escape the sinking sub, and the conditions of the Japanese POW camp.
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Imprisoned by the Japanese: CAPT Lawrence Savadkin

Staff Sergeant Sam Hargrove served in the Air Force for 11 years, working in combat communications. During her deployment in Iraq, Hargrove survived a base bombing. The attack left her with a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and PTSD, but both went untreated. 

When she returned home, Hargrove self-medicated with alcohol. Trauma and anger consumed her life until a drunken outburst caused her to punch a hole in a wall in front of her godson:

“He was scared. He was standing there to the side shaking and crying.”

Hargrove contemplated suicide after that incident, but decided to get help instead. Thanks to peer support groups at the VA, and multiple programs through the Wounded Warrior Project, she was able to find the help and support she needed to get better.

Learn how the VA can help you. 

Learn how the Wounded Warrior Project can help you. 
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Addiction and Trauma: SSgt Sam Hargrove

Captain Tom “Bear” Wilson served in Vietnam as an Electronic Warfare Officer (EWO). He sat in the back seat of aircraft, and was responsible for monitoring radar in order to warn his pilot of threats, like surface-to-air missiles (SAMs), anti-aircraft artillery, and enemy aircraft. He also protected his aircraft by jamming enemy radar. 

As a Wild Weasel, it was Wilson’s job to protect friendly aircraft attacking enemy SAM sites, who have one of the most dangerous jobs in modern warfare. Wilson and his front seater drew SAMs away from bombers, and targeted the SAM sites themselves. This meant that Weasels spent sometimes more than 20 minutes over the target, as opposed to the one or two minutes bomber pilots spent.

One of our favorite interviews features another Wild Weasel and MOH recipient named Col. Leo Thorsness. Check it out here. 
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The Wild Weasels: Capt. Tom “Bear” Wilson

Chief Petty Officer Otto Carl Schwarz Jr. served in the Navy in World War II. He was born in the Netherlands, but moved to the US with his family during childhood. He enlisted in the US Navy in January 1941 with the permission of his parents.

Schwarz served stints on several ships before making his way to the USS Houston, a heavy cruiser, in June 1941. 

During the Battle of Sunda Strait in February 1942, the Houston was sunk by enemy torpedoes and gunfire. Those who escaped the Houston came under machine gun fire from the Japanese as they floated in the water. In total, 700 men were lost. 

Like most of the 368 men who survived, Schwarz was captured by the Japanese and sent to a work camp. He was transported via a “Hell ship”. 

Hell ships earned their moniker from the allied prisoners of war who were unlucky enough to board one. They were requisitioned merchant ships that were extremely overcrowded with POWs. Described as “floating dungeons”, inmates had “no access to the air, space, light, bathroom facilities, and adequate food or water.” You can learn more about them here. 

Schwarz was first sent to Bicycle Camp, a POW camp in modern day Indonesia. There he experienced the best treatment during his time as a prisoner, but it didn’t last long. He was transferred to Changi Prison in Singapore, and then to a prison camp in Moulmein, Burma.

There he was forced to work on the Burma Railway, also known as the Death Railway. According to Britannica “More than 11 percent of civilian internees and 27 percent of Allied POWs died or were killed while in Japanese custody; by contrast, the death rate for Allied POWs in German camps was around 4 percent.” Over 60,000 allies were forced to build it, and over 10,000 died during its construction.

Conditions for these POWs were unfathomable. They were underfed and overworked, they suffered from numerous diseases and illnesses, they were given little to no medical attention, they faced harsh weather conditions, they had to deal with insect infestations, and they were often subjected to beatings by their captors. 
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The Burma-Siam Death Railway: CPO Otto Schwarz

Colonel Francis Gabreski served in World War II as a fighter pilot. He flew bomber escort missions with the 56th Fighter Group in the P-47 Thunderbolt, and was the top U.S. fighter ace in the European theater. He’s credited with destroying 34 ½ enemy aircraft in combat, and is one of only seven American pilots to become an ace in two wars (WWII & Korea).
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Falling Out of the Sky: COL Francis “Gabby” Gabreski

Corporal Roy Roush served in the United States Marine Corps during World War II. He fought in the Guadalcanal Campaign, the Battle of Tarawa, the Battle of Saipan, and the Battle of Tinian. 

He later served in the Air Force as a fighter pilot during the Korean War. 

In this interview, Roush describes the Battle of Tarawa.

To learn more about Roush, check out his book, Open Fire.
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Fighting Ghosts in Tarawa: Cpl Roy Roush Part I

After Graduating from the US Naval Academy, McGrath joined the Marine Corps and flew 89 combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2002, she became the first woman in the Marine Corps to fly in combat in the F-18. 

In her new memoir, ‘Honor Bound’, describes her groundbreaking time in the military, her tough political campaigns, and the challenges we face as a country. 

Follow Amy on Twitter at @AmyMcGrathKY 

To learn more about Amy, listen to her interview on our other podcast, Burn the Boats
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Lt. Col. Amy McGrath: The First Female Marine to Fly a Combat Mission in an F-18

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