Vietnam Forward Observers: From the Archive

Vietnam Forward Observers: From the Archive

Author: Evergreen Podcasts | The Honor Project January 14, 2026 Duration: 1:05:05
During the Vietnam War, all too often the chaos of battle found Allied forces trapped and facing annihilation. The situation called for courageous men to carry out some of the deadliest missions in the history of warfare. Forward Observers, often alone, moved behind enemy lines to serve as the eyes of the artillery gunner in delivering rounds on vital targets. In this episode, Medal of Honor recipients Barney Barnum and Brian Thacker tell their dramatic stories, In Their Own Words. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There is a profound difference between reading about history and hearing it told by the person who lived it. Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories bridges that gap entirely, presenting an unbroken narrative of modern conflict through the voices of those who served. This isn't a commentary or an analysis; it's the raw, direct testimony that forms the bedrock of our understanding. The podcast draws from a remarkable archive, beginning with century-old recordings of veterans from the First World War and extending to contemporary conversations with service members from recent conflicts. Each episode is a standalone account, a deeply personal window into experiences that range from the trenches of France to the mountains of Afghanistan. You'll hear the subtle pauses, the inflections, and the emotion that text alone can never convey. Produced by Evergreen Podcasts in partnership with The Honor Project, the series is committed to preservation without polish, offering the unsanitized truth of military service. Listening feels less like studying an event and more like sitting across from someone as they share a pivotal part of their life. The cumulative effect is a powerful, human-centric tapestry of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries, ensuring these essential perspectives are not lost to time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Warriors In Their Own Words | First Person War Stories
Podcast Episodes
The Surrender of Wake Island: From the Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:51
On December 8th, 1941, Japanese forces attacked Wake Island. The Americans were outmanned and out gunned, but fought hard for 15 days before surrendering. Sgt. Pearsall and his fellow Marines were taken as prisoners of w…
The Horrific Documentation of Death: From the Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:50
Warning: This episode contains depictions of corpses, substance abuse, a suicide attempt, and some foul language. Viewer discretion is advised. Kris Goldsmith is an Army combat Veteran who served in Iraq. As a 19 year-ol…
Captured By the NVA: From the Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:20
Colonel Leo Thorsness served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam. He was a Wild Weasel, whose missions required them to draw surface-to-air (SAM) missiles away from bombers, and then destroy the SAM sites. This meant that Weas…
The Candy Bomber: From the Archive [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:44
Every other week, we'll be re-releasing an episode we think deserves more attention. Today, we'll hear about The Candy Bomber. After World War Two, Germany was split up and occupied by the United States, France, Britain…
An Honest Look: Col. John Folsom [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 38:52
Colonel John Folsom served in the Marine Corps from 1980 to 2010. He was trained as a CH-46 helicopter pilot and a Forward Air Controller, but never flew combat missions. Instead he did staff work at various levels of co…
Life of an F/A-18 Pilot: LCDR Mike Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:36
Lieutenant Commander Mike Smith served in the Navy as an F/A-18 pilot. He deployed 3 times between 2002 and 2014, and was stationed in Japan, Italy, Virginia, Mississippi, Texas, and Florida. He was also Strike/Fighter P…
F/A-18 Pilot in Iraq: LtCol Neal Rickner [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:38
Lieutenant Colonel Neal Rickner served in the US Marine Corps as an F/A-18 pilot and a Forward Air Controller. He completed three tours in Iraq between 2003 and 2007. As a Forward Air Controller (FAC), he toured with an…
Tank Gunner in WWII: T/5 Clement Elissondo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 40:54
Technician Fifth Grade Clement Elissondo served in World War II as a tank gunner. He deployed to France just days after the Invasion of Normandy, and survived the destruction of four of his tanks. In this interview, Elis…
Near-Death on Omaha Beach: CAPT Sidney Salomon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:20
Captain Sidney Salomon served in World War II as an Army Ranger. The Rangers were an elite American unit that trained and operated with the famous British Commandos. Using the element of surprise as their main weapon, th…
From Vietnam to Hollywood: Cpl. Jim Beaver [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:41
Jim Beaver is an actor most widely known for his role as Bobby Singer in the TV series Supernatural. Before his acting career, Beaver served in Vietnam with the Marine Corps as a radio operator. Learn more about your ad…