The Hidden Heroes of Arlington and What We Miss on Memorial Day – Gary Zelinski

On this special Memorial Day episode of Uncomfy, host Julie Rose sits down with retired U.S. Air Force Intelligence Officer Gary Zelinski, author of “A Walk Among Heroes: Searching for America’s Better Angels,” to discover the hidden stories buried at Arlington National Cemetery. From boxing legend Joe Louis to Audie Murphy’s unsung wife, Pamela Opal Lee, Zelinski shares the deeply personal journeys that led him to uncover the silent heroes of our nation’s military past—and why he believes the families of service members deserve our honor just as much as the fallen themselves. What does Memorial Day mean to you? Who are the heroes in your family? Tell us in the comments or email us at [email protected]. Get Gary's book, “A Walk Among Heroes: Searching for America’s Better Angels” - https://garyzelinski.com/books/ Check out Julie’s other podcast, Top of Mind with Julie Rose - https://lnkfi.re/TopofMind Subscribe/follow for more conversations that challenge, inspire, and invite us to grow. Episode transcript - https://uncomfypodcastbyu.blogspot.com/2025/05/the-hidden-heroes-of-arlington-and-what.html CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction 00:44 Memorial Day and Arlington National Cemetery 01:13 Intro to Gary Zelinski: A Walk Among Heroes 01:28 Gary's Personal Connection to Arlington 03:56 Joe Louis: A Hero Beyond the Ring 06:51 The Story of Pamela Opal Lee 09:32 Honoring Military Families 11:11 Reflections on Memorial Day 14:44 Conclusion