Sal Cassano, FDNY Commissioner, 9/11 Terrorist Attacks
Sal Cassano was born in New York City. He served in the U.S. Army and did a tour in Vietnam from 1966-1967, But even while he was serving ov...
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Veterans Chronicles
Veterans Chronicles tells the stories of America's greatest heroes in their own words.
Episodes
20 of 556 episodesMichael Hingson, 9/11 Survivor, World Trade Center
Michael Hingson was hosting a training session in his offices on the 78th floor of the World Trade Center's North Tower on the morning of Se...
TSgt Caster Salemi, U.S. Army, World War II, Luzon, New Guinea
Caster Salemi was 19 years old when Japan attacked the U.S. at Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He tried to enlist in the U.S. Navy but was...
MSG Paul Evans, U.S. Army, Afghanistan, Gulf War
Paul Evans joined the U.S. Navy as a young adult but after three years on ships he left the service. A short time later, he enlisted in the...
H.J. Burley Smith, U.S. Merchant Marine, Korea, USS Meredith Victory Evacuation
H.J. Burley Smith was 12 years old when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and the U.S. entered World War II. He followed the far closely, especial...
1LT Leonard Ganz, U.S. Army, Vietnam, Silver Star
Leonard Ganz knew he was going to be drafted, so he studied all of the branches and enlisted in the U.S. Army. After basic and other trainin...
Floyd Brantley, U.S. Navy, USAF, World War II, Korea
Floyd Brantley was born in Texas in 1925. He was 16 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Unlike many Ameri...
SGT Vince Makela, U.S. Army Green Beret, Afghanistan 'Horse Soldiers'
Vince Makela enlisted in the U.S. Army while he was still in high school. After basic training, he specialized in communications and dreamed...
LCDR Kaj Larsen, U.S. Navy, SEAL Training, War on Terrorism
Kaj Larsen did not follow the typical route to becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL. He was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy but left after two years...
Col. Allison Black, U.S. Air Force, Afghanistan, 'The Angel of Death'
Allison Black surprised her family by deciding to enlist in the U.S. Air Force after high school. She did it to be part of a mission bigger...
SSgt. Rudy Meekins, USMC. Korea, Chosin Reservoir
Rudy Meekins grew up in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Most young men from that area joined the U.S. Merchant Marine or the U.S. Coast G...
COL Michael Gilpin, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Michael Gilpin had an interest aviation at a young age but had never pursued flying. He joined the Army with an option to pursue Officer Can...
Lt. Col. Derek Jones, U.S. Air Force
Derek Jones was following in his father's footsteps when he pursued military service after high school. His father had been a prominent and...
Cpl. Esteban Valenzuela, USMC, Vietnam
Esteban Valenzuela was a talented high school football player and could have continued playing in college. Instead, he joined the U.S. Marin...
MAJ James Taylor, U.S. Army, Vietnam, Medal of Honor
James Taylor enlisted in the Army in 1956. Several years later, he successfully completed Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was commissione...
COL Richard Coachys, U.S. Army, Vietnam
Richard Coachys went to Indiana University on a football scholarship but also joined the Army ROTC on campus. After commissioning, he expect...
Lt Col Robert Jeffrey, USAF, Vietnam, POW Part 2
In our previous episode, we learned how U.S. Air Force pilot Robert Jefffrey was shot down over North Vietnam during his first mission of th...
Lt Col Robert Jeffrey, USAF, Vietnam, POW Part 1
Robert Jeffrey became fascinated with aviation at a young age after his father got a pilot's license. By the time he was preparing to gradua...
Col. Harvey 'Barney' Barnum, USMC, Vietnam, Medal of Honor
Harvey C, "Barney" Barnum, Jr. arrived in Vietnam in late 1965 with 2nd Battalion, 12th Marines in the 3rd Infantry Division. In the final d...
GySgt Luke Focer, USMC Special Operations, Iraq, Afghanistan
Luke Focer was not sure what he wanted to do after high school but after reading many books on the military and being impressed by a teacher...