The Warrior Next Door Podcast

In episode 3 of Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright's series, he discusses the Liberty ships maneuverability, or lack thereof, and touches upon the bringing of German POW's to the US.Support the show

In episode 2 we continue with WWII Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright as he describes his second mission and action he saw at Anzio.Support the show

In episode 1, we meet Merchant Marine Raleigh Wright in an interview that we conducted in 2008 where we hear about his enlistment and training as well as his first mission. Support the show

Join us as Robert Balch shares what it was like to be the tip of the spear for the 14th Armored division during WW2. Beginning with a brutal baptism by fire in Gertwiller in November 1944, his platoon advanced as the spearhead column, crossing the German border at Wissembourg and conducting high-stakes scouting missions directly against the Dragon's Teeth of the Siegfried Line. The unit faced severe physical and psychological strain, enduring freezing foxholes during a tense "battle of nerves" near Bitche, before being forced into a chaotic, full-scale tactical withdrawal when hit by a massive German counter-offensive during Operation Nordwind, the last German counter offensive of the war. Robert reflects on their service during the post-war occupation of Germany, members of the platoon fiercely defended the purpose and conduct of the American GI, emphasizing that their resolve was permanently forged by the trauma of combat and the firsthand horrors of liberating concentration camps like Dachau and Buchenwald. Support the show

Join us as Robert Balch shares what it was like to be the tip of the spear for the 14th Armored division during WW2. Beginning with a brutal baptism by fire in Gertwiller in November 1944, his platoon advanced as the spearhead column, crossing the German border at Wissembourg and conducting high-stakes scouting missions directly against the Dragon's Teeth of the Siegfried Line. The unit faced severe physical and psychological strain, enduring freezing foxholes during a tense "battle of nerves" near Bitche, before being forced into a chaotic, full-scale tactical withdrawal when hit by a massive German counter-offensive during Operation Nordwind, the last German counter offensive of the war. Robert reflects on their service during the post-war occupation of Germany, members of the platoon fiercely defended the purpose and conduct of the American GI, emphasizing that their resolve was permanently forged by the trauma of combat and the firsthand horrors of liberating concentration camps like Dachau and Buchenwald. Support the show

Join us as Robert Balch shares what it was like to be the tip of the spear for the 14th Armored division during WW2. Beginning with a brutal baptism by fire in Gertwiller in November 1944, his platoon advanced as the spearhead column, crossing the German border at Wissembourg and conducting high-stakes scouting missions directly against the Dragon's Teeth of the Siegfried Line. The unit faced severe physical and psychological strain, enduring freezing foxholes during a tense "battle of nerves" near Bitche, before being forced into a chaotic, full-scale tactical withdrawal when hit by a massive German counter-offensive during Operation Nordwind, the last German counter offensive of the war. Robert reflects on their service during the post-war occupation of Germany, members of the platoon fiercely defended the purpose and conduct of the American GI, emphasizing that their resolve was permanently forged by the trauma of combat and the firsthand horrors of liberating concentration camps like Dachau and Buchenwald. Support the show

The World War II Story Share live Zoom event, hosted on July 9th by the Ray Harris Jr. of This History of WW2 Podcast and Tony Lupo and Ryan Fairfield of The Warrior Next Door Podcast, with special guest and moderator Shaun Hall of the Veterans Breakfast Club, provided an interactive platform for participants to honor the legacies of the war. The two-hour recorded program brought together members of their audience to share personal and family accounts of bravery, sacrifice, and wartime experiences, ensuring these historical narratives remain preserved. In addition to fostering community connection and historical remembrance among attendees, select stories shared during the live broadcast were earmarked for potential feature spots on future podcast episodes!Support the show

Join us as Robert Balch shares what it was like to be the tip of the spear for the 14th Armored division during WW2. Beginning with a brutal baptism by fire in Gertwiller in November 1944, his platoon advanced as the spearhead column, crossing the German border at Wissembourg and conducting high-stakes scouting missions directly against the Dragon's Teeth of the Siegfried Line. The unit faced severe physical and psychological strain, enduring freezing foxholes during a tense "battle of nerves" near Bitche, before being forced into a chaotic, full-scale tactical withdrawal when hit by a massive German counter-offensive during Operation Nordwind, the last German counter offensive of the war. Robert reflects on their service during the post-war occupation of Germany, members of the platoon fiercely defended the purpose and conduct of the American GI, emphasizing that their resolve was permanently forged by the trauma of combat and the firsthand horrors of liberating concentration camps like Dachau and Buchenwald. Support the show

Part 3 of our discussion of the Hemevez Massacre of six 82nd Airborne paratrooper on DDAY 1944 with subject matter expert and historian Marty Morgan.Support the show

Part 2 of our discussion of the Hemevez Massacre of six 82nd Airborne paratrooper on DDAY 1944 with subject matter expert and historian Marty Morgan.Support the show

Part 1 of our discussion of the Hemevez Massacre of six 82nd Airborne paratrooper on DDAY 1944 with subject matter expert and historian Marty Morgan.Support the show

As one of 11 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivors, Earl "Chuck" Kohler was honored at the PBS Annual Memorial Day event held on May 24th, 2026. On Dec 7th, 1941, Chuck was working at the PBY Flying Boat base on Pearl Harbor where he was one of the few who were able to fight back against the Japanese raiders. He would continue fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre supporting the deadly "Black Cats" PBY squadrons that decimated Japanese shipping and warships.Listen in as Chuck tells us about his recollection of events that very few still alive today are able to do! Support the show

As one of 11 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivors, Earl "Chuck" Kohler was honored at the PBS Annual Memorial Day event held on May 24th, 2026. On Dec 7th, 1941, Chuck was working at the PBY Flying Boat base on Pearl Harbor where he was one of the few who were able to fight back against the Japanese raiders. He would continue fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre supporting the deadly "Black Cats" PBY squadrons that decimated Japanese shipping and warships.Listen in as Chuck tells us about his recollection of events that very few still alive today are able to do! Support the show

As one of 11 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivors, Earl "Chuck" Kohler was honored at the PBS Annual Memorial Day event held on May 24th, 2026. On Dec 7th, 1941, Chuck was working at the PBY Flying Boat base on Pearl Harbor where he was one of the few who were able to fight back against the Japanese raiders. He would continue fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre supporting the deadly "Black Cats" PBY squadrons that decimated Japanese shipping and warships.Listen in as Chuck tells us about his recollection of events that very few still alive today are able to do! Support the show

As one of 11 remaining Pearl Harbor Survivors, Earl "Chuck" Kohler was honored at the PBS Annual Memorial Day event held on May 24th, 2026. On Dec 7th, 1941, Chuck was working at the PBY Flying Boat base on Pearl Harbor where he was one of the few who were able to fight back against the Japanese raiders. He would continue fighting the Japanese in the Pacific Theatre supporting the deadly "Black Cats" PBY squadrons that decimated Japanese shipping and warships.Listen in as Chuck tells us about his recollection of events that very few still alive today are able to do! Support the show

For the lead up to this weekend's National Memorial Day Concert, Sunday May 24 at 8 pm ET on PBS, we are proud to present a sneak peek of our interview with a veteran being honored at the concert - US Navy veteran and Pearl Harbor defender Earl "Chuck" Kohler. His series starts Monday May 25th on Memorial Day. Please watch the concert for a dramatic telling of his story and then listen to our series starting Monday to hear his story told in his own words.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 2 of the Col. Glenn Crum series. In this episode Col. Crum takes us to England and describes his experiences as a fighter pilot escorting B-17's from Nov 1944 - May 1945.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 1 of the Col. Glenn Crum series. Col. Crum was a P-51 fighter pilot and career Air Force serviceman, retiring as a Colonel in 1968. In this episode we hear about his inspiration for becoming a pilot and learn of his training beginning in 1942.Support the show

Co-hosts Tony and Ryan dug DEEP into their archives and share the second interview they ever conducted as volunteers for the Library of Congress. It was February of 2003 when they interviewed Frank DeCicco Jr., who served as a waist gunner in B-17s during WW2.Join us as Frank recalls providing first aid to wounded airmen on his bomber, demonstrates how our P-38s and P-51s protected the bomber stream, and the gruesome story of combat in the 8th Air Force over Europe.Support the show

Co-hosts Tony and Ryan dug DEEP into their archives and share the second interview they ever conducted as volunteers for the Library of Congress. It was February of 2003 when they interviewed Frank DeCicco Jr., who served as a waist gunner in B-17s during WW2.Join us as Frank recalls providing first aid to wounded airmen on his bomber, demonstrates how our P-38s and P-51s protected the bomber stream, and the gruesome story of combat in the 8th Air Force over Europe.Support the show

Co-hosts Tony and Ryan dug DEEP into their archives and share the second interview they ever conducted as volunteers for the Library of Congress. It was February of 2003 when they interviewed Frank DeCicco Jr., who served as a waist gunner in B-17s during WW2.Join us as Frank recalls providing first aid to wounded airmen on his bomber, demonstrates how our P-38s and P-51s protected the bomber stream, and the gruesome story of combat in the 8th Air Force over Europe.Support the show

Our special guest, Cory Graff, is a curator at the largest museum for WW2 history in the United States - The National Museum of WW2 in New Orleans. The museum was started by the late Stephen Ambrose, author of Band of Brothers and many other best selling books. Since it's inception, it has drawn over 10 million visitors and is considered THE museum to enjoy exhibits that cover the entirety of the second world war in the United States.Listen in as Cory shares a behind the scenes look at what it's like curating exhibits at this amazing museum and talks about a BRAND NEW exhibit featuring The history of the heavy cruiser, USS New Orleans - A homecoming! Don't miss it!Support the show

Fans of our show know that we occasionally combine forces with Ray Harris Jr., the host of The History of WW2 Podcast, to share our views on various topics associated with WW2. This two part series focuses on our picks for the Top Five Nazi Blunders of WW2. Please share your top fives on our facebook page or website!https://www.facebook.com/WarriorNextDoor/https://www.thewarriornextdoor.com/Support the show

Fans of our show know that we occasionally combine forces with Ray Harris Jr., the host of The History of WW2 Podcast, to share our views on various topics associated with WW2. This two part series focuses on our picks for the Top Five Nazi Blunders of WW2. Please share your top fives on our facebook page or website!https://www.facebook.com/WarriorNextDoor/https://www.thewarriornextdoor.com/Support the show

Final episode of the John Solis series. In this episode John details the role of his ship during the invasion of Okinawa and what it was like at wars end .Support the show

John “Benny” Solis: A US Navy seaman who served aboard a Fletcher class destroyer during WWII.  In this episode John describes working inside the 5” gun turret during the heat of battle in the Pacific. Support the show

Episode 1 of the John Solis series: A US Navy seaman who served aboard a Fletcher class destroyer during WWII. In this episode John describes joining the Navy and training aboard the USS Laws DD-558.Support the show

EP 3/3 - Patrick discusses what's next for the WWII Battlefield Research and Preservation Group.Support the show

EP 2 - Patrick discusses his recovery of the B-17 "Bull Session" from a field with layers of history.Support the show

Episode 1 of our interview with WWII Battlefield Research and Preservation group President Patrick Murphy. In this episode he discusses how he got involved in crash recovery and his issues dealing with regulations and personalities within Luxembourg.Support the show

Lt. Pete Konduros served as a bombardier in the 5th Bomb Group (Heavy), in the 394th Bomb Squadron in the Pacific Theatre. Listen in as Pete tells us about his missions in the pacific theatre which would culminate in his harrowing near death experience during his 9th mission over Zamboanga City in the Philippines on March 9th, 1945!Support the show

Lt. Pete Konduros served as a bombardier in the 5th Bomb Group (Heavy), in the 394th Bomb Squadron in the Pacific Theatre. Listen in as Pete tells us about his missions in the pacific theatre which would culminate in his harrowing near death experience during his 9th mission over Zamboanga City in the Philippines on March 9th, 1945!Support the show

Lt. Pete Konduros served as a bombardier in the 5th Bomb Group (Heavy), in the 394th Bomb Squadron in the Pacific Theatre. Listen in as Pete tells us about his missions in the pacific theatre which would culminate in his harrowing near death experience during his 9th mission over Zamboanga City in the Philippines on March 9th, 1945!Support the show

Lt. Pete Konduros served as a bombardier in the 5th Bomb Group (Heavy), in the 394th Bomb Squadron in the Pacific Theatre. Listen in as Pete tells us about his missions in the pacific theatre which would culminate in his harrowing near death experience during his 9th mission over Zamboanga City in the Philippines on March 9th, 1945!Support the show

Welcome to episode 2 of the 2 part Dr. Myra Miller series. Dr. Miller discusses her research and the information that can be gleaned from the military Morning Reports to add detail to a veterans service record.Support the show

Welcome to episode 1 of the 2 part Dr. Myra Miller series. Dr. Miller discusses her company Footsteps Researchers and their focus of researching the veteran archives in St. Louis to help families learn details of their loved one's military service.Support the show

Welcome to the final episode of the 4 part “The American St Nick” series: a reading of the true WWII story brought to us by Emmy award winning producer and writer Peter Lion.In this episode Chapters 13 and 14 will be read by Marie Anne Schweig, the daughter of the man who initiated the search for Richard Brookins: Jeanly Schweig;  Chapter 15 and "Of Note" will be read by author Peter Lion and the addendum “The Colmar Incident” will be read by Ryan Fairfield.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 3 of the 4 part “The American St Nick” series: a reading of the true WWII story brought to us by Emmy award winning producer and writer Peter Lion.In this episode Chapters 9 and 10 will be read by Don Brookins (son of Richard Brookins), Chapter 11 is read by granddaughter of Frank McClelland, Priscilla Forney and Chapter 12 will be read by Warrior Next Door co-host Ryan Fairfield.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 2 of the exclusive 4 part reading of Peter Lion's "The American St Nick". In this episode Chapters 5 and 6 will be read by the daughter of Richard Brookins: Carol Brookins-Northrup and Chapters 7and 8 will be read by Richard Brookins eldest son, David Brookins.Support the show

Welcome to Episode 1 of an exclusive Warrior Next Door Podcast presentation. A full reading of the true WWII story “The American St Nick”. It is the remarkable story of a few GI’s of the 28th Infantry Division who brought Christmas to the children of the small war torn town of Wiltz, Luxembourg on the eve of the Battle of the Bulge. In this episode, Chapters 1 and 2 are read by the author Peter Lion; chapter 3 is read by grand daughter of Frank McClelland, Priscilla Forney and chapter 4 is read by Warrior Next Door  co-host Tony Lupo. Support the show

Europe has experienced warfare and violence at a scale most Americans can't fathom. As a result, countless millions of rounds of artillery, some of which is still buried in the earth poses a clear a present danger to 21st century citizens.Berten's job is to detect unexploded ordnance so that roads and buildings can be safely constructed. In the course of locating these dangerous implements of war, OTHER historic items and battlefield relics are discovered.As a result, Berten is often the first to detect these lost landscapes of battlefields that go back to Napoleonic times! Listen in as he talks about some of these historical sites and how some of them relate to veterans featured on The Warrior Next Door Podcast!Support the show

Join us as Julius Jakob shares his account of what it was like to be a Czechoslovakian citizen who was forced to fight for the Wehrmacht after his country was annexed by Nazi Germany prior to WW2. Julius was a Sudaten German in Czechoslovakia who served, as a Czech citizen, in the Czech army prior to WW2. After Czechoslovakia was annexed by Germany in 1938/1939, he was conscripted into the German army and was later taken prisoner and served time as a POW for the Americans, Canadians and British.Julius shares experiences that are not as widely studied or discuss but were shared by millions of citizens occupied by the Nazis during WW2. Listen in!Support the show

Join us as Julius Jakob shares his account of what it was like to be a Czechoslovakian citizen who was forced to fight for the Wehrmacht after his country was annexed by Nazi Germany prior to WW2. Julius was a Sudaten German in Czechoslovakia who served, as a Czech citizen, in the Czech army prior to WW2. After Czechoslovakia was annexed by Germany in 1938/1939, he was conscripted into the German army and was later taken prisoner and served time as a POW for the Americans, Canadians and British.Julius shares experiences that are not as widely studied or discuss but were shared by millions of citizens occupied by the Nazis during WW2. Listen in!Support the show

Join us as Julius Jakob shares his account of what it was like to be a Czechoslovakian citizen who was forced to fight for the Wehrmacht after his country was annexed by Nazi Germany prior to WW2. Julius was a Sudaten German in Czechoslovakia who served, as a Czech citizen, in the Czech army prior to WW2. After Czechoslovakia was annexed by Germany in 1938/1939, he was conscripted into the German army and was later taken prisoner and served time as a POW for the Americans, Canadians and British.Julius shares experiences that are not as widely studied or discuss but were shared by millions of citizens occupied by the Nazis during WW2. Listen in!Support the show

Join us as Julius Jakob shares his account of what it was like to be a Czechoslovakian citizen who was forced to fight for the Wehrmacht after his country was annexed by Nazi Germany prior to WW2. Julius was a Sudaten German in Czechoslovakia who served, as a Czech citizen, in the Czech army prior to WW2. After Czechoslovakia was annexed by Germany in 1938/1939, he was conscripted into the German army and was later taken prisoner and served time as a POW for the Americans, Canadians and British.Julius shares experiences that are not as widely studied or discuss but were shared by millions of citizens occupied by the Nazis during WW2. Listen in!Support the show

Welcome to Episode 2 of our two part series featuring Ms. Betty Hayes, who worked in the North American B-25 factory in Kansas City, KS during WWII. In this episode we hear more about her experiences working on the home front and learn of some accolades that she earned for her work in WWII.Support the show

Welcome listeners to Episode 1 of our 2 part series featuring an actual "Rosie the Riveter" during WWII - Ms. Betty Hayes. In this episode we meet Betty and hear about how she got involved in war effort on the home front building B-25 bombers. Support the show

The Warrior Next Door and pleased to have collaborated with Ray Harris Jr. of The History of WW2 Podcast to discuss our Top Five Nazi Blunders of WW2! Please leave your top five on our website warriornextdoor.com or our facebook page!Support the show

The Warrior Next Door and pleased to have collaborated with Ray Harris Jr. of The History of WW2 Podcast to discuss our Top Five Nazi Blunders of WW2! Please leave your top five on our website warriornextdoor.com or our facebook page!Support the show

Nothing makes us more determined to continue sharing these amazing stories than receiving feedback, good and bad, from our listeners. We wanted to share some of the feedback we've received in the first half of 2025 so that our listeners know we read every comment and that these are often a source of inspiration and change. Listen in!Support the show