Interviews with Combat Veterans

TheStarTurtle

Toshio Tokunaga, Japanese-American who served as a US Army paratrooper during World War II

An interesting (though somewhat propagandized) interview with Beruk Tarosh, member of the Israeli Hagenah’s elite Palmach unit during the 1948 War for Independence

Porter Halyburton, US Navy F-4 Radar Intercept Officer who was shot down and spent nearly seven years as a POW in Vietnam

Jimmy Morham, British Royal Army paratrooper who fought at the Battle of Mt. Longdon during the 1982 Falklands War (part 2 on YouTube)

Gunnery Sergeant Ryan Kuperus, US Force Recon Marine who saw heavy action in Afgfhanistan

Sam Sank, Israeli Defense Force reservist who saw action in Gaza in recent months

TheStarTurtle

Mercer Vandenburg, US Army soldier who fought in Vietnam and was at the Battle of Dak To

Bob Segers, US Army attack helicopter pilot who saw heavy action in Vietnam

Nick, British Royal Army SAS operator who served in the Falklands War

Larry Jeram-Croft, British Royal Navy helicopter pilot who served in the Falklands War

Kelly Elmlinger, US Army combat medic who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan and later became a Paralympian

Giovanni “Gio” Roman, US Marine Corps corpsman who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan and later volunteered to fight in Ukraine

TheStarTurtle

Charles Brooking, US Navy PT boat machine gunner who saw heavy action World War II

Jake Chapman, US Marine who served in the Korean War

Ron Galasso, US Marine who fought in Vietnam

Mick Hawkes, British Royal Army soldier and later SAS operator who participated in the Falklands War and the Bosnian War

Major DP Singh, Indian Army soldier who fought and was gravely wounded in the 1999 Kargil War

Colonel Robert Curtis, US Marine attack helicopter pilot and forward air controller who saw action in Iraq

TheStarTurtle

Martin Raber, US Army Air Force bombardier who flew many combat missions in World War II

Truyen Thien Nguyen Le, officer in the South Vietnamese Army (part 2 on YouTube)

James “Sneaky” White, US Marine Corps helicopter pilot who saw heavy action in Vietnam

Kelly Catton, Royal Canadian Army helicopter pilot who saw action in Afghanistan

Rob O’Neill, the US Navy SEAL who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan, participated in the 2011 raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound in Pakistan, and is credited with killing bin Laden himself

TheStarTurtle

2001 interview with Major Dick Winters, the famous US Army paratrooper who commanded Easy Company, 506th Parachute Regiment, 101st Airborne Division through much of the final months of World War II

Colonel Ed Shames, US Army paratrooper who would eventually come to lead one of Easy Company’s platoons during the final months of World War II (other parts on YouTube)

Khanh “Cowboy” Doan, South Vietnamese special forces operator who served with the US MACV-SOG

Jimmy Morham, British Royal Army paratrooper who fought at the Battle of Mount Longdon during the Falklands War (part 2 on YouTube)

Shawn Ryan, former US Navy SEAL and CIA agent and currently an interview podcaster (part 2 on YouTube)

TheStarTurtle

It has been 20 years since the Second Battle of Fallujah, the deadliest battle in the modern history of the US Military, and the deadliest battle of the Iraq War until the Siege of Mosul. Here are some more recent interviews with US Fallujah veterans. I tried to find some Iraqi veterans but was unsuccessful.

TheStarTurtle

Charles Cram, US Navy corpsman who participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima

Wei Chung-Kang, Republic of China (Taiwanese) Army veteran who fought in both World War II and the Chinese Civil War

Dr. Dick Thompson, MACV SOG operator who served in Vietnam

Nicholas Tobin, British Royal Navy officer was in command of the frigate HMS Antelope when it was sunk during the Falklands War.

Allison “The Angel of Death” Black, US Air Force veteran who was the weapons systems officer aboard an AC-130 gunship during initial combat operations in Afghanistan in late 2001

TheStarTurtle

Yao Yun-Lung, Republic of China (Taiwanese) Army veteran who participated in the 1958 Second Taiwan Strait Crisis

David E. Tazzara, US Army soldier who fought in Vietnam

Bob Martin, US Army paratrooper who did four tours in Vietnam

Tim Gauthier, US Army tank commander who participated in the legendary Battle of 73 Easting during the First Gulf War

John, former US Marine who later volunteered to fight in Ukraine

TheStarTurtle

Lt. Col. Alexander Jefferson, US Army Air Corps fighter pilot who flew as one of the Tuskegee Airmen during World War II

Tony Kretschmann, Royal Australian Air Force helicopter gunner who served in Vietnam

Thornell Billingslea, US Army paratrooper who served in Vietnam

Kia Chue Xiong, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War (part 2 on YouTube)

Mick Southall, British Royal Army paratrooper who served in the Falklands War

Matt Pech, US Army Special Forces operator who served in Afghanistan

Max Lauker, Swedish Army special forces operator who participated in counter terrorist missions in Iraq and Afghanistan

Roman, Ukrainian Army sniper and anti-tank specialist who has seen heavy action in the current Russo-Ukrainian War

TheStarTurtle

Jack Holder, US Navy pilot during World War II who survived the Attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to participate in the Battle of Midway

Allen Shannon, US Marine who participated in the Vietnam War

Chai Xiong, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War

Robin Horsfall, British SAS operator who participated in the 1980 Iranian embassy siege

Jay Dorleus, US Army Special Forces operator who saw action in both Iraq and Afghanistan

Jamie Pennell, New Zealand SAS operator who saw action in Afghanistan

TheStarTurtle

Peter Watson, Royal Australian Air Force bomber gunner who saw heavy action in World War II (part 2 on YouTube)

James Thompson, US Army soldier who served in Korea

Craig Tschetter, US Marine and radio operator who saw heavy action in Vietnam

Hutch, US Army soldier who went through several horrific experiences in Iraq (two follow-up videos on YouTube)

Brad Thomas, Us Army Ranger and later Delta Force operator who participated in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu, Somalia

David Ortiz, US Army helicopter pilot who saw action in Iraq and Afghanistan

TheStarTurtle

Patrick Zilliacus, US Navy submariner and torpedo man who saw heavy action in the Pacific theater of World War II

Robert Dominguez, Filipino Army soldier who served in the Korean War

Gary Stubblefield, US Navy SEAL who served in the Vietnam War

Lee Lou Yang, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both the Laotian Civil War and the Vietnam War

Don Pollock, supply plane pilot with the Royal Australian Air Force who saw heavy action in the Vietnam War (part 2 on YouTube)

Chad Stephens, US Army soldier who fought in the First Battle of Baqubah in Iraq in 2004 (part 2 on YouTube)

Gregory Coker, helicopter pilot with the US Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment who participated in the 1993 Battle of Mogadishu as well as the Iraq and Afghan Wars

Nigel Ely, British SAS operator who served in the Falklands War, the Iraq War and the Afghan War

TheStarTurtle

Don Graves, US Marine who participated in the Battle of Iwo Jima during World War II

Walter Boston Stitt Jr., US Army tank gunner who saw heavy action in World War II

Maximo Young, Filipino Army soldier who served in the Korean War

Charles Stewart, Australian SAS operator who served in the Vietnam War

Cliff Newman, US MAC-V SOG operator who saw heavy action in the Vietnam War

Leonard “Lucky” Ekman and Jim “Gringo” Webster, two US Air Force “Wild Weasel” pilots who flew many missions in the Vietnam War to suppress and/or destroy North Vietnamese surface to air missile systems

AJ Pasciuti, US Marine Scout Sniper and Force Recon operator who served in Iraq and Afghanistan (part 2 on YouTube)

TheStarTurtle

Delfinio “Taz” Santistevan, US Marine who served in Vietnam

Col. Robert Edwards, US Army soldier who served in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in in Vietnam

Col. Ramon “Tony” Nadal, US Army officer who served in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley in Vietnam

Ronald J. Webb, US Air Force fighter pilot who was shot down over North Vietnam and spent years as a POW

Jim Moriarty, US Marine helicopter gunner who served three tours in Vietnam (part 2 on YouTube)

Patrick Henry Brady, US Army medic who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Vietnam

Jim Shorten, US MAC-V SOG operator who served in Vietnam

Col. Edward L. Hubbard, US Air Force navigator who spent years as a POW in Vietnam

Roger Luli, US Marine tank crewman who served in Vietnam

TheStarTurtle

Will be focusing on Vietnam vets for the rest of April, since this month marks the 50th anniversary of the end of the war.

William H. Phillips, US Army Special Forces operator

Robert S. Erwin, US Marine

John F. Perotti, US Army soldier

Zachary Keith, US Army soldier

John Mastro, US Army soldier

Arthur B. Wiknik, US Army paratrooper who participated in the Battle of Hamburger Hill

Chai Chang Ziong, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam

Wacha Xiong, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam

Yeng Xiong, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam

TheStarTurtle

Diane Carlson Evans, US Army Nurse who founded the Vietnam Women’s Memorial Foundation and led the campaign to establish the Vietnam Women’s Memorial at the National Mall in Washington, DC

Thomas Rockroads Jr., US Army soldier

Maj. Patrick Henry Brady, medevac helicopter pilot

Douglas Moore, US Army medevac helicopter pilot

Andrew L. Wilson, US Army Ranger

Sgt. Kregg Jorgenson, US Army Ranger

Gary Linderer, US Recon Marine operator

Herbert Benson, US Marine

Capt. Eugene “Red” McDaniel, US Navy bomber pilot who spent years as a POW

Shad Kane, US Navy patrol boat crewman

Phout Chamleusouk, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam (part 2 on YouTube)

Detoudom Vatsana, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam (part 2 on YouTube)

TheStarTurtle

Miles Nishimoto, US Army soldier

Eugene Tiwanak, US Army logistics and maintenance officer

Allen Hoe, US Army medic

Capt. Nguyen Quy An, South Vietnamese Army helicopter pilot who worked with US Special Forces

Maj. James Capers Jr., US Marine Force Recon operator

Ray Ketcham, US Army Special Forces operator and medic

Dennis Mitchell, Royal Australian SAS operator

James “Jim” Crawford, US Army helicopter pilot

TheStarTurtle

Various US Marines who participated in the First Battle of Khe Sahn, aka “The Hill Fights”

Capt. William Dabney, US Marine who also participated in “The Hill Fights”

Various US (and one Australian) Army police officers who were in Saigon at the outbreak of the Tet Offensive

Mike Holden, US Army Ranger who fought in the often forgotten “Mini-Tet” Offensive in Saigon in the months following Tet

Donna Rowe, US Army Nurse

Steve Harris, US Army soldier

Joanne Downes, US Army Nurse

Capt. Jay R. Vargas, US Marine who participated in the Battle of Dai Do and received the Medal of Honor for his actions

Sergeant First Class Gary Littrell, US Army Ranger who served as a field advisor with the South Vietnamese Army Rangers, saw heavy action and received the Medal of Honor for his actions

Admiral James B. Stockdale, US Navy fighter pilot who participated in the Gulf of Tomkin Incident and was later shot down and spent over seven brutal years as a POW in North Vietnam, where he lead a group of fellow prisoners in resisting their captors and received the Medal of Honor for his actions

TheStarTurtle

Various agents of the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam (commonly known as the Viet Cong)
https://www.petersbigadventure.com/blog/interview-former-viet-cong-spies

David Christian, US Army Special Forces operator

Godfrey Garner, US Navy patrol boat crewman (part 2 on YouTube)

Michael Chiarodo, US Marine

Chief Vernon Ward, US MAC-V SOG operator

Dennis Elliot, US Army mechanic and tank crewman

Champa B. Nankati, Laotian Hmong who was part of the CIA backed Hmong insurgent army that fought Communist forces in both Laos and Vietnam

Gary Cera, US Marine

John Toledo, US Army scout helicopter pilot

Brig. General George Bartlett, US Marine who served in World War II and Korea as well as Vietnam

Staff Sergeant John Stryker “Tilt” Meyer, US MAC-V SOG operator

TheStarTurtle

Fifty years ago today, Saigon fell to the Communists and the Vietnam War officially ended.

Lt. General Trần Độ, People’s Army of Vietnam officer who played a key role in both the Battle of Diem Ben Phu and the Tet Offensive, only to later be expelled from PAVN for being too reformist and anti-authoritarian
https://americanarchive.org/catalog/cpb-aacip-15-w950g3hd9s

Lt. Ngo Minh Khoi, South Vietnamese Army officer who saw heavy action during the Tet Offensive
https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/tet-offensive/7-15-dv1cj87q7t

Maj. General Nguyễn Thị Định, Deputy Commander of the National Liberation Front for South Vietnam (Viet Cong) who played a major role in planning the Tet Offensive
https://americanarchive.org/primary_source_sets/tet-offensive/8-15-xp6tx35h6q

US Army Capt. Caesar Smith, US Marine Capt. Dan Gannon, South Vietnamese Marine Lt. Colonel Hien Van Le and South Vietnamese Army Lt. Colonel Bau Cam Lo

Doug Petersen US Army medevac helicopter pilot

Colonel Nguyễn Hồng Nhị, People’s Air Force of Vietnam fighter pilot and General Dan Cherry, US Air Force fighter pilot

Ernest F. Hines, US Marine

Capt. Nguyễn Thanh Vân South Vietnamese Army officer

Dave Hanson, US Air Force tech specialist who ended up participating in heavy ground combat

Richard DAloisio, US Navy sailor who served as an advisor and translator with the South Vietnamese Navy

Lt. Colonel Hugh Mills, US Army scout helicopter pilot who survived being shot down 16 times (part 2 on YouTube)

Col. Bob Killebrew, US MAC-V SOG operator (part 2 on YouTube)

John Wear, US Marine tank crewman

Isidro Trevino, US Army medevac helicopter pilot who flew the last US medevac mission of the war

Col. Anthony Wood, US Marine officer at the US Embassy in Saigon who helped evacuate US personnel and South Vietnamese refugees as the city was falling

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