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
Dropping Into Bastogne: Pfc. John Agnew [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:54
Private First Class John Agnew served in World War II as a Paratrooper and Pathfinder. Pathfinders were paratroopers that dropped into enemy territory first, tasked with setting up signals that would direct the rest of t…
The Pressure of Command: RADM Michael Smith [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:27
Rear Admiral Michael Smith first served as a nuclear engineer in the Navy. After his first tour, he attended graduate school in order to qualify for command. He first gained command of the USS Porter (a destroyer) in 200…
A Pilot in Civilian Clothes: Lt Col Greg Wilson [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
Lieutenant Colonel Greg Wilson served in Vietnam & Laos as a Forward Air Controller. As a Forward Air Controller, it was his job to coordinate airstrikes, and ensure that no friendly troops were hit. After less than six…
The Capture of U-505: QMS2 Don Carter [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 32:16
Signalman 2nd Class Don Carter served on the USS Guadalcanal in World War II. The ship hunted U-Boats, which had terrorized American convoys in the Atlantic. As a signalman, it was his job to use flags and lights to send…
Special Forces & Drone Warfare: LTC Daniel Pace Part II [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:45
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Pace served in the U.S. Army for 22 years. He first deployed to Afghanistan at the beginning of the War on Terror as an infantryman, then redeployed to Afghanistan in ‘03. After attending office…
The War on Terror Begins: LTC Daniel Pace Part I [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 53:22
Lieutenant Colonel Daniel Pace served in the U.S. Army for 22 years. He first deployed to Afghanistan at the beginning of the War on Terror as an infantryman, then redeployed to Afghanistan in ‘03. After attending office…
The Inception of the Pathfinders: LTG John Norton [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:25
Lieutenant General John Norton served in the US Army as a Pathfinder and paratrooper during World War II. He commanded the 505 regimental combat team and completed four jumps during the war, including during the Invasion…
18 Year Old Medic in Vietnam: Lawrence Araujo [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:25
Lawrence Araujo served in Vietnam as an Army Medic. He arrived in Vietnam three weeks after the 1968 Tet Offensive, and spent a year with the infantry as a medic. He then decided to extend his tour, and chose to work in…
Pathfinder On D-Day: Pfc. Robert Earl Sechrist [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:27
Private First Class Robert Earl Sechrist served in the U.S. Army as a paratrooper and pathfinder during World War II. As a Pathfinder, Secrist was one of the first men to parachute into France before the invasion of Norm…
Operation Ivory Coast: MAJ George Petrie [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 25:57
Major George Petrie served in the U.S. Army Special Forces in Vietnam. He was a member of MACV-SOG, and was the first soldier to hit the ground during the Son Tay Raid. MACV or “Military Assistance Command, Vietnam”, was…