Veterans Chronicles (Interviews)

This special edition of Veterans Chronicles features two veterans whose military service helped to launch them into careers in entertainment. Pat Sajak has become a household name as host of "Wheel of Fortune," though he earlier served in the Army in Vietnam as a DJ with AFRN. Keni Thomas was an Army Ranger in the Battle of Mogadishu, and has since gone one to a successful career as a country music recording artist.

This special episode features four veterans of the elite, but forgotten, 2nd Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) - the only all-black Ranger unit in U.S. Army history - which saw action in the Korean War. Guest hosted by Paul Berry, the men speak of training, deployment, and combat, as well as the bonds of brotherhood built among elite soldiers whose story has never been fully told.

This week's guest is retired U.S. Army Colonel Jimmie Kanaya, a recipient of the Silver Star for actions while serving with the famed 442nd Regimental Combat Team during World War II. A combat medic during the war, Kanaya's story was featured in the acclaimed HISTORY documentary, "WWII in HD."

A graduate of West Point and veteran of the Gulf War, Bosnia, and Afghanistan, COL Gregory Gadson's life was changed forever while serving in Iraq in 2007 when his vehicle was hit by an IED while traveling back from a memorial service honoring fallen comrades. Despite losing both legs above the knee, Gadson has proven an inspiration to his fellow wounded warriors, and was recently chosen to lead the Army's Wounded Warrior program.

SGT Jason Collins, United States Army, deployed to the front lines in Afghanistan in 2009 as part of Special Troops Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 10th Mountain Division. There, he played an important role in the training of Afghan police, working to build the country's infrastructure and build a more stable country.

This episode of Profiles in Valor features U.S. Army Special Forces Staff Sergeant Andre Murnane, a communications sergeant wounded while serving in Afghanistan, currently recovering at Walter Reed Army Medical Center.

This episode of Profiles in Valor features U.S. Army Major Mark Thompson, recipient of the Bronze Star for his service as commander of a high-value detention facility in Iraq.

The inspiration for the hit movie "Good Morning, Vietnam," Adrian Croanuer served in the Air Force in Vietnam, hosting a radio program on the American Forces Vietnam Network. Recently he has worked as a special assistant to the Director of the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office. In this episode, American Veterans Center president James Roberts talks to Adrian about his experiences in Vietnam and the film that made him famous.

Lorenzo DuFau earned his place in American history as one of 150 black men to serve aboard the USS Mason when it sailed in the Atlantic during World War II. The Mason wsa the first naval ship to be manned by a predominately African-American crew. Following the attack on Pearl Harbor, DuFau was determined to serve his country, and volunteered for the Navy to prove that Americans of all colors could serve honorably and heroically.

Frank Caldwell joined the Marine Corps in 1942, and was assigned to the 1st Marine Parachute Battalion. He saw action on Guadalcanal, Vella La Vella, and Bougainville before the parachute battalions were deactivated and he was assigned to the 5th Marine Division. As commander of F Co., 2nd Bn, 26th Marines, he landed on Iwo Jima February 19, 1945. There, his men captured more ground than any other Marine company in the battle. Yet at the end of the battle, none of his officers remained,...

In this Profiles in Valor, U.S. Army Reserves Colonel Rodney Faulk, recipient of the Bronze Star, recounts his deployments as a Military Police Battalion commander during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In this Profiles in Valor, Dr. Dave Hnida, author of "Paradise General: Riding the Surge at a Combat Hospital in Iraq", shares his story of tending to American service members wounded during a critical period in Operation Iraqi Freedom.

In this episode, American Veterans Center president Jim Roberts conducts a follow up interview with Rufus Phillips, author of the recently published "Why Vietnam Matters," and one of the earliest American advisers to serve in Vietnam. In this episode, Phillips discusses the Buddhist Revolution, the assasination of President Diem, and his personal experiences in Vietnam.

Profiles in Valor, the newest radio program from the American Veterans Center, features a short interview with a decorated service member of today's generation. In this episode, host Tim Holbert interviews Master Gunnery Sergeant Peter Proietto, recipient of the Bronze Star with Valor for heroism in Operation Enduring Freedom.

This week's episode features two of the most acclaimed stories of modern war. The first guest, Michael Durant, was the American pilot who was taken prisoner when his helicopter was shot down during the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993. His story was portrayed in the book and film, "Black Hawk Down," and he is the author of the recently published "The Night Stalkers." The second guest, Paul Monti, joins the program to share the story of his son, Army SFC Jared Monti, who became the second American...