The following shows aired in August 2009. Click on the show date in the left column to listen to that show. Files are in MP3 format.
| 8/1/2009 | Invisible Wounds. Join host Dale Throneberry and his guest Rick Briggs, Veteran’s Program Director for the Brain Injury Association of Michigan, to find out what are some of the problems with those who have experienced TBI and what is being done to help our returning veterans recover. We will also be talking with some survivors of TBI and hear their stories about how they are coping with this devastating and mostly “Invisible Wound”. |
| 8/7/2009 | Jon Voight—His Journey From Vietnam War Protester to Vietnam Veteran Promoter. Congress has declared March 29 of each year as National Vietnam Veterans Day. March 29, 2010 falls on a Monday, so Jon Voight is spearheading a national movement to recognize Vietnam Veterans in a nation-wide celebration on March 28, 2010.
In 1978 Jon Voight won an Academy Award for portraying a paralytic Vietnam Veteran in the film Coming Home; a film that definitely portrayed the best and the worst of Vietnam Veterans; the worst being Hollywood’s stereotypical image of the Vietnam Veteran and the Vietnam War. It has been said that Jon Voight believed in that stereotype. In an August 1, 2009 speech at the Vietnam Veterans of America convention, Voight expressed his regrets for those days and his admiration of those he now calls warriors. Join host Gary Lillie and guest Jon Voight to hear Voight’s call to action for a March 29, 2010 national party—along with his reflections on the past and present. |
| 8/15/2009 | Sammy L Davis MOH. For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty. Sgt. Davis (then Pfc.) distinguished himself during the early morning hours while serving as a cannoneer with Battery C, at a remote fire support base. At approximately 0200 hours, the fire support base was under heavy enemy mortar attack. Simultaneously, an estimated reinforced Viet Cong battalion launched a fierce ground assault upon the fire support base. The attacking enemy drove to within 25 meters of the friendly positions. Only a river separated the Viet Cong from the fire support base. Detecting a nearby enemy position, Sgt. Davis seized a machine gun and provided covering fire for his guncrew, as they attempted to bring direct artillery fire on the enemy. Despite his efforts, an enemy recoilless rifle round scored a direct hit upon the artillery piece. The resultant blast hurled the guncrew from their weapon and blew Sgt. Davis into a foxhole. He struggled to his feet and returned to the howitzer, which was burning furiously. Ignoring repeated warnings to seek cover, Sgt. Davis rammed a shell into the gun. Disregarding a withering hail of enemy fire directed against his position, he aimed and fired the howitzer which rolled backward, knocking Sgt. Davis violently to the ground. Undaunted, he returned to the weapon to fire again when an enemy mortar round exploded within 20 meters of his position, injuring him painfully. Nevertheless, Sgt. Davis loaded the artillery piece, aimed and fired. Again he was knocked down by the recoil. In complete disregard for his safety, Sgt. Davis loaded and fired 3 more shells into the enemy. Disregarding his extensive injuries and his inability to swim, Sgt. Davis picked up an air mattress and struck out across the deep river to rescue 3 wounded comrades on the far side. Upon reaching the 3 wounded men, he stood upright and fired into the dense vegetation to prevent the Viet Cong from advancing. While the most seriously wounded soldier was helped across the river, Sgt. Davis protected the 2 remaining casualties until he could pull them across the river to the fire support base. Though suffering from painful wounds, he refused medical attention, joining another howitzer crew which fired at the large Viet Cong force until it broke contact and fled. Sgt. Davis’ extraordinary heroism, at the risk of his life, are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army. |
| 8/22/2009 | The GI Bill, Then and Now. Formally known as the Serviceman’s Readjustment Act of 1944, it was far from an obvious, straightforward piece of legislation, but resulted from tense political maneuvering and complex negotiations. Unlikely coalitions emerged to shape and pass the bill, bringing together both New Deal Democrats and conservatives who had vehemently opposed Roosevelt’s social-welfare agenda. For the first time in American history returning soldiers were not only supported, but enabled to pursue success—a revolution in America’s policy towards its veterans.Once enacted, the G.I. Bill had far-reaching consequences. By providing job training, unemployment compensation, housing loans, and tuition assistance, it allowed millions of Americans to fulfill long-held dreams of social mobility, reshaping the national landscape. The huge influx of veterans and federal money transformed the modern university and the surge in single home ownership vastly expanded America’s suburbs.”Anyone who has doubts about what government ‘can do’ should read this book. It provides a detailed example of the successes that were achieved when government ‘did.'”–The American ChronicleJoin host, Dale Throneberry, and author Glenn Altschuler as they talk about the history and importance of the original GI Bill and the new Post 9/11 GI Bill. For more information on the Post 9/11 GI Bill go to www.gibill.va.gov |
| 8/29/2009 | A Legacy of Two Fathers. Jerry Yellin, member of The Military Writers Society of America and author of Of War and Weddings and The Blackened Canteen was born in Newark, New Jersey on February 15, 1924. He completed high school in June 1941. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on his 18th birthday, Feb. 15, 1942, and graduated from Luke Field in August, 1943 as a fighter pilot.
He was in combat in the Pacific Theater and Iwo Jima with the 78th Fighter Squadron and participated in the first land based fighter mission over Japan on April 7, 1945 and the last mission of the war on August 14, 1945. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with an Oak Leaf cluster and the Air Medal with four Oak Leaf clusters. He was discharged a Captain in December 1945. Of War and Weddings, A Legacy of Two Fathers is Jerry Yellin’s legacy to his family, to his country and to the nation of Japan. The book is not just Yellin’s extraordinary story of his experiences as a fighter pilot in the Pacific during World War II. it is also a story of the prejudice spawned by war and carried in the hearts of two war veterans, both military pilots, one Japanese and one American. Through the marriage of their children, the two fathers learn to make peace with their war experiences and allow the burdens of hatred for a nation and for a race to be lifted from their lives. And we announce the 2009 Award Nominees for the Military Writers Society of America. Join host Dale Throneberry and President Joyce Faulkner, Founder Bill McDonald and Chief Reviewer Rob Ballister as they announce the nominees for this year’s MWSOA awards and the winners of their prestigious 2009 Founder’s Award and the 2009 President’s Award. Award winners will be announced on our September12th program. Don’t miss this opportunity to learn about some of the best military writers in America. And Richard Lowry outlines what’s going to be happening at the annual Military Writers Conference in Orlando, Florida October 9-11 2009. For more information on the Military Writers Society of America and a complete list of the nominees go to their website: www.mwsadispatches.com/ |
