Witness to War Foundation

10/09/2026

The NVA soldiers were setting up an ambush and John Blair (3rd Battalion, 4th Marines), who was cut off and alone, saw them. Not going to let that happen, he crept up and took care of it. Then his buddy Bob Espinola appeared and the two of them saw that an enemy machine gun was mowing down Marines. We're not going to survive this but let's go get 'em. They hugged each other and began a rampage that resulted in a Silver Star for each of them. (Caution: strong language)

(Interview conducted on September 1, 2017)

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10/08/2026

We recently had the great fortune to sit down with Army veteran Jeff Struecker who served for many years as a Ranger and later as a Chaplain. After deploying to Operation Just Cause and Operation Desert Storm, Struecker would be sent to Mogadishu in 1993 during Operation Gothic Serpent. This chilling event would be widely documented in the book and film, Black Hawk Down.

We're grateful for the opportunity to
hear his stories and recognize his service and that of the others who served alongside him.

10/05/2026

Recently, we were invited to spend time with veterans of the 65th Combat Engineer Battalion during their annual reunion, which not only included veterans of Vietnam, but also some of their younger members. We got to speak with many of the Vietnam-era vets about their experiences clearing mines from heavily trafficked routes and setting up bridges and infrastructure that kept the 25th Infantry Division in the fight.

We're thankful for the opportunity to speak with them about their service, and look forward to being back with the group in the future.

10/05/2026

He didn't like duty in the MACV provincial headquarters so Jim Ellis (2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 25th Infantry Division) volunteered for a US unit. He was placed in the 25th Infantry Division near Cu Chi. He immediately faced two problems, there were nightly mortar attacks and he had a man who refused to go out on listening post duty. He fixed both real quick.

(Interview conducted on November 14, 2016)

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09/22/2026

The Battle of Phuoc Yen unfolded over several days as elements of the 101st Airborne closed a cordon around a battalion of the NVA. Medic Ed Barbour (1st Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division) was busy, even performing a tracheotomy during the fight. Near the end, the commanding general brought his chopper in to see the situation. PFC Barbour barked a command to the general who complied because it was the right thing to do. (Caution: strong language)

(Interview conducted on August 6, 2017)

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09/18/2026

In honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we share Bob White's story again. Bob was the last POW released in Vietnam.

It was only one month into his second tour of Vietnam that surveillance pilot Bob White (73rd Aviation Company- Aerial Surveillance) was shot down over the Mekong Delta. Along with a Navy observer who was with him on the mission, he was kept in small camps right in the same area. The rations were meager, there was hardly any contact with anyone, and he had injured his back when he ejected. This wasn't going to be easy.

While imprisoned, Bob and his Vietnamese guards had a chopstick business going. He made them and they sold them. After three and a half years he was finally released, the last American prisoner to be freed. He was on no list and had been forgotten even by the enemy headquarters.

(Interview conducted on June 20, 2018)

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09/16/2026

This past weekend, we had the great opportunity to spend time with veterans of 2nd Battalion, 34th Armor Regiment who were commemorating the 20th anniversary of their return from a tour in Iraq. Based out of Fort Riley, Kansas, these armored scouts were deployed to the Diyala province in 2005 where insurgent forces were frequently placing IEDs to disrupt actions in the region.

We thank these veterans for allowing us to spend time with them and sharing some of their stories with us!

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09/16/2026

The role for Delta Force in the Grenada operation involved a night assault. They prepped and waited on the runway. And they waited and they waited. Finally, after the State Department was finished messing everything up, they moved out in daylight and their helicopters were badly shot up. Don Feeney's (1st Special Forces Operational Detachment–Delta) craft had the least damage and they landed to assist the team members who were shot down.

(Interview conducted on August 22, 2014)

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09/11/2026

Gene Carter tells of his harrowing experience in the Pentagon during the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center and right near his wing of the Pentagon. His proximity to the explosion reignited some of his fight or flight instincts.

(Interview conducted on September 16, 2013)

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09/11/2026

Part 2 of "Taking Requests, Taking Fire" is out now. Take a listen: https://www.vvmf.org/echoes/

Even after 50 years, the impact of the Vietnam War echoes across generations. Hear the stories of service and sacrifice from people who are affected -- veterans, their families, and others who add perspective to those experiences. Brought to you by the nonprofit that built the Vietnam Veterans Memor...