Interviews with Combat Veterans

TheStarTurtle

1st Lieutenant Earl Robinsheaux, US Army Air Force fighter pilot who flew P-38 Lightnings in the Pacific Theatre of World War II.

Lt. Colonel James H. Harvey III, US Air Force fighter pilot who served in the Korean War and was the first African American to fly a jet aircraft into combat.

Sub Lieutenant Brian Ellis, British Royal Navy fighter pilot who served in the Korean War and managed to shoot down a MiG-15 jet fighter despite flying a piston engine aircraft himself (starts at 2:03).

Paul Raison, British Royal Army paratrooper who participated in the Falklands War.

General Walt Boomer, US Marine officer who participated in the Vietnam War and First Gulf War.

TheStarTurtle

With the two decade long US lead war in Afghanistan (or the ground war part of it at least) finally over, I thought I share some conflict specific interviews today:

"Ranger Eric." Afghan translator who worked with the US military

Captain Jason Pak, US Army Ranger who was severely crippled by an IED (improvised explosive device)

Craig Harrison, British Royal Army sniper who served in both Iraq and Afghanistan and currently holds the record for the longest ranged sniper kill in history

Chief Warrant Officer Daniel Flores, US attack helicopter pilot

Chantelle Taylor, Royal Army combat medic

Staff Sergeant Ryan Pitts, US Army paratrooper and Medal of Honor recipient

TheStarTurtle

Colonel James H. Benson, US Marnie Corps officer who served in the Vietnam War.

Phil Vampatella, US Navy F-8 Crusader pilot who shot down a North Vietnamese MiG in the Vietnam War.

Terry Wood, British Royal Army paratrooper who participated in the Falklands War.

Staff Sergeant David Bellavia, US Army soldier who became the first living Iraq War veteran to be awarded the Medal of Honor.

Captain John Vaughn, US Army officer who played a major role in the Afghan evacuation and was present at the Kabul Airport during the ISIS attack.

TheStarTurtle

In honor of the 80th anniversary of Pearl Harbor:

A tactical overview of the attack for those who are interested

One of the few US fighter pilots who managed to get airborne and engage Japanese planes

TheStarTurtle

Vincent Speranza, US Army paratrooper who fought at Bastogne during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII.

Hiroshi Miyamura, US soldier and Medal of Honor recipient who fought, was gravely wounded and was eventually captured in the Korean War.

Jim Fairfield, British Royal Marine who, despite being retired at the time, choose to fight alongside still active Marines at Port Stanley during the 1982 Argentine invasion of the Falkland Islands.

Vice Admiral Ron Voxel, US Naval officer who was who participated in Operation Preying Mantis, the often forgotten US attack against the Iranian Navy in 1988.

Lt. Colonel Dave Moar, Canadian Air Force pilot who flew combat missions against ISIS in Iraq and Syria.

TheStarTurtle

Hugh Williams Evans, US Army soldier who saw fierce mountain combat in Italy during WWII.

Larry Earles, US Army helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War.

Mandy Hickson, one the British Royal Air Force's first female pilots and who briefly saw combat over Iraq during Operation Southern Watch in the 1990s.

Larry Bowen and Joe Meadors: survivors of the 1967 Israeli attack on the USS Liberty.

Paul Kennard, Royal Air Force helicopter pilot who served in multiple theaters, including Iraq and Afghanistan.

TheStarTurtle

Lieutenant Michael Thornton, US Navy SEAL who served in the Vietnam War.

James O’Connell, British Royal Army Paratrooper who fought and was gravely wounded at the Battle of Mount Longdon during the Falklands War.

Chuck “Sly” Magill, US Marine Corps fighter pilot who participated in a US Air Force officer exchange program and shot down an Iraqi MiG-29 in the First Gulf War (part 1 of 2, second part on YouTube).

Jamey Caldwell, US Special Forces operator who served in Afghanistan and Iraq and participated in the first attempt to take out Osama bin Laden in 2001.

Flight Lieutenant Michelle Goodman, British Royal Air Force medevac helicopter pilot who served in Afghanistan.

Mark Wales, Australian SAS operator who served in Afghanistan.

TheStarTurtle

Maj. Emily Spencer, the leader of a US Army explosive ordinance didposal team who was involved in an ambush and heavy firefight during the Siege of Sadr City in Iraq.
https://mwi.usma.edu/podcast-spear-firefight-baghdad/

Lt. Keith Mills and a few others from his small British Royal Marine unit who had to face a full scale Argentine military invasion of South Georgia Island during the Falklands War.

Maj. Andy Shaw, Royal Marine officer who particpated in the battles of Mount Kent and Two Sisters Ridge in the Falklands War.

Alan Mack, US Army heilcopter pilot who survived an insane experience (including two crashes) at the Battle of Takur Ghar in Afghanistan.

Brian Wood, British Royal Army soldier who participated in the Battle of Checkpoint Danny Boy in Iraq (part 1 of 2, second part on YouTube).

TheStarTurtle

Real Admiral Dell “Snapper” Bull, US Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot who flew missions in the Kosovo War.
https://redcircle.com/shows/f-14_tomcast/ep/e96172c4-2bab-4af6-b5ad-0e1e0970e1e8

Robert Izumi, US Army paratrooper who served in World War II.

Jim Dunn, US Army recon helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam.

Jeff Williams, British Royal Marine who participated in the Battle of Mount Harriet during the Falklands War.

Maj. Scott Huesing, US Marine who particpated in the Battle of Ramadi in the Iraq War.

Kim “KC” Campbell, US Air Force A-10 Warthog pilot who flew missions in Iraq and Afghanistan (part 1 of 2, second part on YouTube).

TheStarTurtle

Commander Ricardo B. Madayag, Filipino resistance member who fought against the Japanese occupation during WWII.

Captain Nelson de Paula Reis, Brazilian Army officer who served in the Italian front of WWII.

Jonathan de Sola Mendes, US Marine Corps bomber pilot who served in both WWII and the Korean War.

John Mew, another British Royal Navy sailer who was aboard the destroyer HMS Coventry when it was attacked and sunk during the Falklands War.

Ned Linch, US Air Force fighter pilot who provided critical close air support to British special forces during the 2003 invasion of Iraq.

TheStarTurtle

“Jumby” Castleton, US Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot who got into a long range engagment with an Iraqi fighter jet during Operation Southern Watch in 1999.
https://redcircle.com/shows/f-14_tomcast/ep/d0d45576-a707-48e4-9432-b585e0e16079

“Juice” (real identity hidden), Ukrainian Air Force MiG-29 pilot who has been participating in the ongoing war against Russia (part 1 of 2, second part on YouTube).

Colonel Krishnan Srinivasan, Indian Army officer who participated in the 1999 Kargil War.

Edward C. Byers Jr., US Navy SEAL who particpated the war in Afghanistan and was involved in a harrowing hostage rescue mission.

Sergeant Michael Delery, US Marine who participated in the war in Iraq.

TheStarTurtle

Gary Littrell, US Army soldier who fought in Vietnam and recieved the Medal of Honor.

Nigel "Spud" Ely, British SAS commando who participated in the Battle of Goose Green during the the Falklands War.

Major Jennifer Fortenberry, US Army Black Hawk pilot who particpated in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Colonel Subin Balakrishnan, Indian Army paratrooper and special forces member who participated in a number of counter-insurgency operations.

TheStarTurtle

Stefan Westmann, German soldier who served in the First World War (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tczvt

Jack Campbell, Irish soldier who served with the British Royal Army in the First World War.

Capt, E. Royce Williams, US Navy fighter pilot who served in the Korean War and engaged in a dogfight with multple Soviet MiGs, shooting down four of them. For geopolitical reasons, the event was kept classified until recent years.

Vice Admiral Ahmad Tasnim, Pakistani Naval officer and submariner. In the 1971 war against India, he commanded the submarine PNS Hangoor and sunk the Indian frigate INS Khukri. This was one of the very few instances since World War II of a submarine sinking a surface ship.

Sergey Dyadkin, special forces operator with the Ukranian Territorial Defence Force who saw heavy action in the first days of the Russian invasion.

John Ivison, former Canadian special forces operator currently fighting on the ground in Ukraine as a foreign volunteer.

TheStarTurtle

Seriously late for Veteran’s Day.

Henry Williamson, British Royal Army Soldier who served in World War I (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tcyg5

Maj. John Spencer, US Army paratrooper who participated the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
https://mwi.usma.edu/podcast-spear-combat-stories-invasion-iraq/

Edgar Harrell, US Marine who was onboard the USS Indianapolis when it was sunk.

Maj. Vivek Jacob, Indian Army special forces officer who participated in a number of counter insurgency operations (2nd part on YouTube).

Cecil Arthur Lewis, British Royal Flying Corps pilot who flew reconnaissance and first contact patrol missions in World War I (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tczfx

Nitin Sathe, Indian Air Force helicopter pilot who briefly saw combat during a UN peacekeeping operation in the Congo. (2nd part on Youtube).

TheStarTurtle

Charles Carrington, British Royal Army officer who served in the First World War (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01td104

Private First Class Donald Mates, US Marine who served in World War II and participated in the battles of Guam and Iwo Jima.

James “Pee Wee” Martin, US Army paratrooper who participated in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II.

Arthur Spaulding, another US Army soldier who was at the Battle of the Bulge.

Sergeant Liz McConaghy, British Royal Air Force helicopter crew member who served in Afghanistan.

Jody Mitic, Royal Canadian Army sniper who served in Afghanistan and lost both of his legs.

Major Samar Toor, Indian Army officer who saw combat along the Pakistani border and participated in a UN peacekeeping mission in South Sudan.

Shaun Pinner, former British Royal Marine who saw heavy action as a foreign volunteer fighter both in the war against ISIS in the Middle East and in the ongoing war in Ukraine.

TheStarTurtle

John Willis Palmer, British Royal Army artillery man who served in World War I (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01td2np

Richard F. Surman, US Marine who particpated in both World War II and the Korean War

John “Jack” Moran, US Army paratrooper who served in multiple battles in World War II, including the Battle of the Bulge.

Lieutenant George “Sam” Buck, US Army officer who was at the Battle of Outpost Harry, one of the last major battles of the Korean War.

Clement Dowler, US Air Force bomber gunner who was shot down over German occupied France and spent months trying to evade capture.

Mick Fellows, British Royal Navy diver and ordinance disposal specialist who served in the Falklands War

TheStarTurtle

Frank Brent, British Royal Army soldier who served in World War I (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01tcxg0

Don Martin, US Marine who participated in the 1965 invasion of the Dominican Republic and the Vietnam War

Lt. Lam Bui, South Vietnamese Army Ranger who of course fought in the Vietnam War

Peter Kennedy, British Royal Army paratrooper who particpated in the Battle of Goose Green during the Falklands War

Aaron Rodriguez, US Marine MP who’s unit was ambushed during the 2003 invasion of Iraq

Stewart, Royal Army soldier who saw heavy action in Afghanistan

TheStarTurtle

Edward Glendinning, British Royal Army soldier who served in World War I (sadly only available in the UK or with a VPN).
https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p01td39d

Jim Leavelle, US Navy seaman who was at Pearl Harbor when it was attacked and would continue to serve throughout World War II. He later become a detective with the Dallas Police Department and was the man seen escorting Lee Harvey Oswald to trial when he was shot.

Sinh Van Phan, South Vietnamese Navy seaman who served as a patrol boat commander in the Vietnam War.

Colonel Arnie Franklin, US Air Force F-111 pilot who flew missions in Vietnam and participated in the 1986 US airstrikes on Libya (there’s a addendum video on YouTube where he gives tribute to a fallen comrade).

Major Charlie Benbow, US Marine who particpated in the Iraq War, including the Battle of Nasiriyah, one of the first major battles of the conflict.

TheStarTurtle

Robert Shipe, US Army soldier who fought in the Battle of the Bulge during World War II

George Sousa, US Army soldier who fought and was nearly killed at the Battle of Heartbreak Ridge during the Korean War

Colonel Robert Edwards, US Army officer who particpated in the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, the first major battle of the Vietnam War for US forces

Maj. General Inayat Niazi, Pakistani Army officer who served as a tank commander during the 1965 war with India

Major William ‘Molly’ Macpherson, British Royal Marine who fought at the battle of Mount Harriet during the Falklands War

Dan Fitzgerald, US Marine helicopter crew chief who saw action in Afghanistan, at one point being forced to take up arms on the ground during a Taliban attack on his base

Lance Corporal Danny Santos, US Marine who won a Silver Star while fighting in Iraq

TheStarTurtle

Fred Walker, British Royal Marine commando who served in World War II

Alexander Fedorovich, Soviet Army tank commander who fought on the Eastern Front of World War II

Ami Ayalon, Israeli Navy special forces operator who particpated in a daring raid during the War of Attrition against Egypt, later served as head of the Shin Bet (security service) and eventually became a peace activist

Gunnery Sergeant Leo Lozano, US Marine who particapated in both the First Gulf War and the 2003 invasion of Iraq

“Starbaby” Pietrucha, US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle WSO who particpated the 1999 US bombing campaign of Serbia (parts 1 & 2 of 5, other parts on YouTube)

Chief Warrant Officer Daisy Romero, US Marine who served in Iraq and Afghanistan

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