Witness to War Foundation

06/11/2026

In the aftermath of the massive Operation Junction City, helicopter pilot Jack Swickard (118th Assault Helicopter Company) was assigned to ferry a special ops paymaster from camp to camp. At one of these stops, he was asked if he could help extract a civilian irregular unit that was surrounded by a large enemy force. Of course he could.

First, he had to cut his way down through the vegetation with his rotor blades. Once there, as the men began loading onto the chopper, the bullets were flying thick, some finding targets among those already on board.

(Interview conducted on July 4, 2018)

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06/10/2026

It was chaos. There was no standardization of equipment between the Army, the Marines and Special Ops as Operation Iraqi Freedom unfolded. The outcome was inevitable, though, and Saddam was toppled. Mike Burke (2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment) recalls his unit's involvement in the Jessica Lynch rescue, and "capturing" a high ranking Ba'ath official only to get a big surprise.

(Interview conducted on October 2, 2024)

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06/09/2026

Another team was hit hard the day before. Recon Marine Zach Johnson (1st Force Reconnaissance Company) took his team into the same area the next day and they ran into action as well. He called in artillery and continued the patrol into the night. Boats moving ordnance were spotted and taken out. A defensive position for overnight was secured and, sure enough, here they came looking for some revenge.

(Interview conducted on February 23, 2018)

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06/09/2026

Now playing in theaters, https://www.facebook.com/pressurethefilm, tells the story of the planning for D-Day. We invite you to hear directly from the folks who landed that day, and learn what the men and women involved experienced during World War II.

Search for “D-Day” on our channel at www.youtube.com/.

PRESSURE starring Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon and Damian Lewis. Now playing only in theaters.

06/08/2026

Air America aviator, MajGen (Ret.) Larry Taylor, was operating near a secret communications site when he heard on the radio that an A-1 Skyraider pilot was bailing out. He flew his helicopter to the area and was waiting when the parachute came down. It would be years before he learned the name of the rescued pilot.

(Interview conducted on January 4, 2016)

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06/05/2026

Helen Denton kept her role in D-Day a secret for 50 years. While stationed in London, she was responsible for typing up the battle plans for that fateful day. As she says, "I guess you could say that a woman can keep a secret if she has to."

Hear the full story: https://www.witnesstowar.org/combat_stories/WWII/2376

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06/04/2026

On the way to Okinawa, Elmer Dunn (USS Cacapon) reflects on the losses the Navy and Marines had faced up to that point. The closer they got to the invasion the more they'd encounter submarines, or one of the Kamikaze pilots, one of which would leave him with a lifelong injury.

(Interview conducted on September 12, 2016)

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06/03/2026

"We had to have a passport and a visa to go to Vietnam in 1962 to get shot at."

The war in Vietnam didn't begin with LBJ. In 1961, the first Army helicopter unit arrived and, the following year, Michael Hull (57th Transportation Helicopter Company) arrived as a replacement pilot. He flew combat assaults and resupply missions, mostly supporting Vietnamese troops.

(Interview conducted on January 6, 2026)

Hear the full story: https://www.witnesstowar.org/combat_stories/Vietnam/13153

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06/02/2026

One step off the ramp and Red Onines (6th Naval Beach Battalion) dropped into water over his head and, in seconds, all his gear except his rifle was gone. As he saw bullets streaking through the water around him, he tried to recall his physics classes, wondering how the water affected the trajectory.

Hear the full story: https://www.witnesstowar.org/combat_stories/WWII/4719

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06/02/2026

Torre Tobiassen (6th Naval Beach Battalion) wanted to get onto the beach as fast as he could and get behind the dunes. Trying to figure out what to do, he had just changed positions when an 88 hit.

Hear the full story: https://www.witnesstowar.org/combat_stories/WWII/36

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