The following shows aired in June 2016. Click on the show date in the left column to listen to that show. Files are in MP3 format.
6/5/16 Ghost Army. This week on Veterans Radio we welcome Historian Rick Beyer, best-selling author, award-winning filmmaker, and popular speaker. He wrote and directed the acclaimed documentary film The Ghost Army, seen on PBS in 2013.

In the summer of 1944, a hand-picked group of young GIs landed in France to conduct a secret mission. Armed with rubber tanks, fake artillery, and more than a few tricks up their sleeves, their job was to create a traveling road show of deception on the battlefields of Europe, with the German Army as their audience. From Normandy to the Rhine, the 1,100 men of the Twenty-Third Headquarters Special Troops, known as the “Ghost Army,” conjured up phony convoys, phantom divisions, and make-believe headquarters to fool the enemy about the strength and location of American units. Many of the deceivers were recruited from art schools, including such future luminaries as Bill Blass, Ellsworth Kelly, Arthur Singer, and Art Kane. As they traveled across Europe, they filled their duffel bags with the drawings and paintings they created between missions. Based on meticulous research and interviews with surviving members of the Ghost Army, and lavishly illustrated with the soldiers’ original artwork and never-before published documents, The Ghost Army of World War II tells the riveting true story of a group of young artists and engineers who wielded imagination, paint, and bravado to save thousands of American lives and help win the war.
6/12/16 Making Your Own Reality. This week on Veterans Radio we will be talking with James P. Meade, Ph.D., a Warrant Officer helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War, who incurred a massive brain injury during a helicopter crash.  When he awoke from a 10 week coma, he had no memory of the first 19 years of his life.

In his new book, “Making Your Own Reality: A Survival Story” Meade shares the story of how he became brain damaged at age 19 as a result of a helicopter crash. After being unconscious for 10 weeks, he worked for years to relearn everything he once knew. Meade woke up to the realization that he would only overcome his limitations by making his own recovery a reality.

Now a motivational speaker and the CEO of the Dr. James Meade, Jr. Foundation, Meade has written “Making Your Own Reality” to share his belief that everyone has the ability to make his/her dreams a reality.

“I attempt to stress with all my clients that if you don’t make yourself better, it is not going to happen,” Meade said. “No therapist or doctor or anyone is going to do it for you.”

“Making Your Own Reality” emphasizes that nothing worthwhile is impossible if individuals are willing to work and sometimes be comfortable asking for help.
6/19/16 True Grit. What did Rosie the Riveter,Army Specialist Holly McGough,Navy Seabee Gary Lillie,and Astronaut Neil Armstronghave in common? TRUE “GRIT”! They all had it. Join our panel of military Journalists/Authors/Historians: long time Veterans Radio contributor Kevin Hymel, former Historian for the U.S. army’s Combat Studies Institute currently writing with the Air Force as  Journalist/Writer, John C. McManus, Professor of military history at Missouri University of Science and Technology and, Lt. Col. William C. Latham, ret. U.S. Army. Chinook Pilot, Vietnam, Director, OCS Course, U.S. Army Logistics University  as we let them use their research and writings to tell us about great military leaders and rate them accordingly. No automatic roses here.
6/26/16 Medal of Honor Recipient Sammy L. Davis. “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 gun crew, 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 gun crew 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 warning 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, injured 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.” Medal of Honor Citation