Ted Kuykendall was an electrictrician during WWII and was serving on the USS Nevada when the Japanese Imperial Navy bombed Pearl Harbor on Dec 7th, 1941. He shares his remembrances from one of the most historic events in modern history onboard the only battleship to make steam as it tried to leave the harbor during the attack.

Later, he would find himself in Tokyo immediately after the Japanese surrender and shares his observations of a post-war Japan. 

This is the story of Bill Mauch from Sapulpa, OK who served in the 8th Amphibious Tractor Battalion attached to the 1st Marine Division.

He fought in WWII on the islands of Peleliu and Okinawa and witnessed the horror of fighting in the Pacific against the increasingly desperate Japanese Army and Marines.

Many of the vets we've interviewed have had SOMETHING to say about the USO. So, in this Air Raid Edition, we share some of the remembrances and unpack why this was so important to the veterans we've interviewed. 

Ray has been kind enough to allow TWND to crash his podcast, The History of WWII, for the past three years where we share select clips from veterans we've featured that year on The Warrior Next Door Podcast.
In this episode we share clips from an interview with John "Lucky" Luckadoo, who was a member of the Bloody 100th bomb group who survived the early days of the 8th Air Force bombing raids over Germany. 
In the second part of the series we share clips from an interview with Jack Hamlin, who was a rescue diver for the US Coast Guard during the invasion of Normandy on Omaha beach where he saved countless lives.

We announced in late 2024 that TWND were invited by author Peter Lion to Wiltz Luxembourg for the celebration of the 80th Anniversary of the American St. Nick! We decided to add a number of stops to our itinerary to help develop additional content for TWND that our listeners may enjoy. These include historically rich locations around Wiltz, a field trip with Berten and Shane to various WWII battlefields, at tour of the Manhay Museum, a hike through the Hurtgen forest and much more!

Welcome to this unique series where we witness a online meeting between an Irish sailor from WWII whose ship the HMS Capel was sunk off Cherbourg, France and the US Coast Guardsman who may have attended his rescue. In this first episode we discuss how this event came about and we meet our two veterans.

A special thanks to The Logbook Project for coordinating this interview!

We feature Al Johnson, who served with the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during WWII. Al was a member of Operations Group (OG) Patrick and Blueberry who fought behind enemy lines in France and China, respectively, during WWII. 

Of the 14 million+ servicemen who fought in WWII, only ~7,500 served as an OG with the OSS. This is a truly special and remarkable story!

In this series, we meet Corporal Ryan Downing of Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines as he takes us through his training and deployment to Iraq in late 2003 where he fights in the 1st and 2nd Battles for Ramadi in 2004 and 2006.

These would be two of the most hotly contested battles the Marines would fight in Iraq before and during “The Surge” in an effort to quell sectarian violence in the region.

Ray Harris of The History of WWII podcast and TWND share their picks for the TOP FIVE WWII MOVIES! They also discuss what makes a great war movie…and what doesn’t.

This impactful series features Marta Warner, a German girl who grew up during the rise and fall of Hitler and Nazi Germany.

The first series (Series 14) was recorded in 2022 and the second (Series 46) was from a follow up interview just before her passing in 2024.

Her experiences provide a cautionary tale for ANY generation.

In this series we meet Jan Davis, retired astronaut who flew on 3 space shuttle missions and daughter of Ben Smotherman who flew B-17’s in 1943 out of England. We will learn about his experiences as a pilot early in the air war and also as a POW till wars end. In the second half of the series, Jan talks about her story as an astronaut and how her father's story impacted her life.

In this series we explore the extensive research conducted by Jan Douma, son of Filips Douma who was a police officer during WW2 in NAZI-occupied Netherlands Jan provides a vivid account of what his father endured after he was apprehended helping the Dutch resistance in the summer of 1944 and sent to a series of concentration camps where he would be days from death when the war ended.

Welcome to another Air Raid Edition of the Warrior Next Door Podcast. This episode we feature Nick Devaux and Lars McKie of The Logbook Project Podcast as they discuss their unique effort to gain signatories of WWII veterans from around the world to Nick's fathers WWII RCAF Logbook. They have launched their accompanying podcast we discuss the origins of the project as well as hear of a few signatories in the logbook.

Join us as Sammy L. Davis shares his experiences as a soldier in Vietnam who would earn the Medal of Honor for his actions as a cannoneer during Operation Cudgel on November 18th, 1967.

His accounts are captured vividly in his book "You Don't Lose 'Til You Quit Trying: Lessons on Adversity and Victory from a Vietnam Veteran and Medal of Honor Recipient"

In this series, we feature Jack Hamlin, who served in the US Coast Guard during WWII as a rescue diver in Rescue Flotilla One. On DDAY, he was on Cutter #23 just 500 yards off Omaha Beach rescuing drowning soldiers from the cold waters of the English Channel. Later, on Dec 24, 1944, Jack would help with the rescue of survivors from the sinking of the SS Leopoldville which was stricken by a German sub.

Join us as Steve shares his experiences as a member of a MiTTs team serving in southern Iraq in 2011, as US forces were being drawn down and how it affected him to learn the fate of Iraqis he served with and advised including Azeez who was featured in Series 35 of The Warrior Next Door podcast.

This series features an interview TWND conducted with Lucky Luckadoo, a B-17 co-pilot in the 100th BG, along with the author of his biography, Kevin Maurer, titled "Damn Lucky". Lucky was featured in the coda to Masters of the Air: The Bloody Hundredth, narrated by Tom Hanks. Listen in as Lucky describes in vivid detail what it was like to be a survivor of the 100th BG when the USAAF was still learning how to fight the vaunted Luftwaffe that would result in 77% of the men he trained with in the 100th BG being killed, captured or wounded.

We follow George as he trains to become an Ordnance Officer for B-17's of the 385th bomb group in England throughout the entire war. George provides detailed information on the types of bombs he had to load, the number of flights per day and the danger of being a B-17 crew member over Germany.

Our conversation with Donald covers a lot of topics including his use of oral histories to add depth to the narratives in his book, how he connected with Tom Hanks and Steven Spielberg during the mini-series The Pacific and the path that led to having his book be the basis for the latest installment of the Spielberg/Hanks WWII epic: Masters of the Air.

Azeez volunteered to assist the US Armed forces in Iraq as an interpreter during Operation Iraqi Freedom and the "Surge" when sectarian strife left Iraq in chaos. This interview illustrates the bond interpreters had with their US-led teams and the fate of many of them after the US Armed forces left.

Frank McClelland was featured in the book “The American Saint Nick”, by Peter Lion. This series shares clips from an audio recording he made in the early 1990's. We are honored to have co-hosts Peter Lion, David Brookins, the son of Richard Brookins (THE American Saint Nick) and Frank's grand daughter, Priscilla Forney. Frank talks about his training as an MP, his duties in France as the 28th Infantry fought across Europe and ultimately Wiltz, Luxembourg where he became a POW.

Major General William Matz served WITH DISTINCTION in the Vietnam war and on five presidential administrations. He would earn the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star, Purple Heart, four Legion of Merit awards and the Army Distinguished Service Medal. He would also serve during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Ole Miss riot of 1962, Operation Just Cause and the terrorist attack in Riyadh.

William Bratton was a Native American who became a Petty Officer and Radio Operator in TBM Avenger squadron VC-63 stationed aboard the escort carrier USS Kitkun Bay. During Mr. Bratton’s service he witnessed kamikaze attacks, endured a flying accident, participated in the bombing of Japan, and was in Tokyo Bay during the surrender as well as ferried allied POW’s out of Japan after the war in 1945.

Ralph entered the US Army and was immediately sent to the west coast for training before shipping out to the Pacific war. On his way he goes through the traditional US Navy “Shellback” hazing ceremony for crossing the equator and landed on Okinawa and Iwo Jima.

This series features James Jennings, a signalman who served in the US Navy aboard the USS Talladega; a Haskell class amphibious attack transport during WWII. James would land with the invasion force to help direct men and material during the battles for Iwo Jima, Okinawa and the occupation of Japan where she would be the first ship to dock at Yokohama.

This series featuring 1st Lt Alfred Cramer; a B-17G Navigator with the 8th Air Force as he participates in the heavy bombing campaigns to take out German war industry in the fall of 1944. You will hear about several very near misses, how he was wounded by flak on a bombing run and tangled with the famous Luftwaffe ME-262, the world’s first operational jet fighter.

We explore S/Sgt Keith Muntz of the 377th IR of the 95th ID as he takes part in the assault on Metz and becomes a POW after a brutal frontal assault on prepared positions.

Listen in to our annual D-Day Special as we introduce you to Leo Westerholm, a combat medic with the 501st PIR of the 101st Airborne Who would jump on D-Day on June 6th, 1944 and suffer from the deprivations as a POW.

Sergeant Henry Friedenberger III is a Marine Corps veteran of the Gulf War. We follow Henry as he joins the Marine Corps shortly after 9/11, gets deployed in a Marine Expeditionary Unit and finds his calling in life. However, it all comes unraveled as PTSD begins taking a toll. Its a fresh story of redemption that is still underway as Henry put his life back together after writing a book called "10 rules to succeed like a Marine".

Military author and historian Mark W. Allen joins TWND to discuss his most recent book: Midway Submerged - American and Japanese Submarine Operations at the Battle of Midway, May-June 1942.

Imagine manning a coastal gun north of Santa Barbara, CA in early 1942 and seeing a huge Japanese submarine steam past your gun sights. You are ordered not to fire on it and then witness it shell an oil refinery: the first bombardment of US shores since the War of 1812. This was the experience of Sgt Gerard Daley who served in the Western Defense Command in 1942 and then the First Cavalry in the Pacific Theater.

Please join us for a short two part series as we set foot inside La Maison de la Liberation or “The Liberation House”. This is a fascinating story of intrigue was shared with us during our trip to Normandy in June 2022. It entails the story of the first home liberated on D-Day on Omaha Beach, its French occupants who were involved in the French Resistance, accusations of collaboration, and the eventual clearing of the family name.

Allan Edwards was a bugler aboard the battleship USS California during WWII. You will hear about the damage and sinking of the USS California in Pearl Harbor, its raising, repair and triumphant return to service in 1944 as well as Allan’s role as a bugler aboard the ship and her role in the battle of Leyte Gulf, and Okinawa. Step aboard sailor! Uncle Sam is calling on YOU to avenge Pearl Harbor.

This series features none another than William “Obie” O’Brien, a P-51 fighter ace who flew with the Yoxford Boys: the famed 357th Fighter Group of the Mighty 8th Air Force. This squadron would generate 42 aces including Bud Anderson and Chuck Yeager. We also bring back F-16 fighter pilot John “OSCER” Nowakowski as a guest host to compare and contrast the 20th and 21st century fighter pilot!

What would you do if you joined the Navy during WWII, were told to report to your ship, and went aboard before you have had any basic training? In fact, you go aboard still in your civilian clothes and suitcase! That is precisely what happened to Wish Lemons. Arriving on Dec 10, 1941, the still smoldering Pearl Harbor would be where he would transfer to the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco. Listen in!

Welcome to our next series featuring Vietnam Helicopter pilot Jim Thomas. Mr. Thomas flew Cobra gunships with the First Calvary starting in February 1970 in Vietnam. The Cobra gunship was a new attack helicopter to be used in tandem with smaller scout helicopters to flush out enemy and work with scouts on the ground. His story is fascinating and he even survived a few crashes.

Wisconsin state senator and Lt. Colonel Dale Kooyenga joined the military after the 911 attacks and would serve on the front line as a civilian affairs officer in Iraq during the “surge” to try to win the battle of public opinion. Listen in to the nuanced discussion of how the battle can be won and the war lost when the occupation strategy is flawed.

Join us for our first AIR RAID! edition featuring combat engineer Patrick Flynn who deployed to Afghanistan in 2010 as part of Operation Enduring Freedom. Mr. Flynn worked route clearance and survived a traumatic brain and spine injury from an Improvised Explosive Device (IED).

We feature WWII P47 Thunderbolt pilot 2nd Lt Ken Thomas who flew in the China Burma India Theater with the 88th Fighter Squadron of the 80th Fighter Group. We also have 2 active duty military guest co-hosts from the Oklahoma Air Nat Guard 138th Tactical Fighter Wing to provide a modern military perspective on these roles.

In this very special series we chronicle the journey of TSGT Bill Parker as he travels back to Omaha Beach and Normandy for the 78th anniversary of D-Day. We featured Mr. Parker in an earlier series where he described his experience landing in the first wave with the 116th and his fight across 600 miles of war torn Europe. Now he has gone back to Normandy for the first time in 78 years.

Harold Dun was a B-17 pilot who was shot down over Germany and interned as a Prisoner of War at Stalag Luft III. This is the same POW camp where the Great Escape took place. We are also proud to announce our first ever guest co-host for this series, author Marilyn Walton. Ms. Walton is the foremost expert on the downed airman experience, Stalag Luft III and it's liberation.

In this series we follow the experiences of Staff Sgt Gerald Gentis, who flew 30 missions as a Tail Gunner and Togglier in B-17g's of the 548th Bomb Squadron 385th Bomb Group of the Mighty Eight Air Force while stationed in Great Ashfield, England.

Tech Sergeant Bill Parker of the 116th Infantry Regiment of the 29th Infantry Division talks about his life growing up in SE Oklahoma as a cowboy and his experiences landing in the first wave at “Bloody” Omaha Beach on D-Day.

Adjutant Ed Patterson served in the Statistical Command during the North Africa campaign as well as the China Burma India theater of WWII. His work involved planning and coordinating supplies being flown from India over "The Hump", or the Himalayas to allied bases in China.

Aviation Machinist 2nd Class Ira Bewley was a TBF Avenger Turret Gunner in VT-31, a squadron stationed aboard the USS Cabot during the Pacific Theater of WWII. His highly decorated squadron and crew participated in some of the heaviest naval aviation fighting of Pacific Theater.

Captain John Graham commanded a US Navy Patrol Craft (PC-1220), a sub chaser that kept the Atlantic seaboard open during WWII.

John would also serve in the Navy during the Korean War aboard the USS O'Brien under the command of Chester W. Nimitz, Jr.

Could it be possible that the US gave Japan the idea for the kamikaze? This is one possibility we explore as we feature Cpl Dorothy Gibbons of the WAVES who was stationed at the Navy air base in Clinton, OK during WWII supporting a top secret program.

In this Series, we follow Cpl Wyvon Griffin, a black cook in the US Army as he details his experiences being stationed in the Texas Panhandle during WWII. Cpl Griffin discusses the racism he encountered while in the service and the solidarity and support he experienced from the US Army.

Sgt Eldon Ross of the 275th Field Artillery Battalion is featured in this series as he fights across Europe.

WWII Marine Corporal Harvey Hunt was a Fire Team Leader in Company F of the 2nd Battalion 23rd Regiment of the 4th Marine Division who stormed the beaches of four islands in the Pacific Theater. WARNING: Some listeners may find the content disturbing.

In this, the inaugural episode of the Warrior Next Door podcast, we feature Mr. Alfred  Senior. Mr. Senior was a  B-24 Waist Gunner during World War II.