KEEP YOUR HONOR CLEAN: My Lai (Part 1)

How could an American rifle company kill over 500 civilians — elderly, women, children and babies?  How did American soldiers rape women with other watching? How could the US Army Division, who owned that company, cover it up?  How could only one person be convicted in the case?

How do they live with it?

What made one helicopter land and intervene in the massacre?

One of the most incredibly horrific events in US Military history and another example of “leadership at the point of confrontation” — you’ll hear their voices.

In this hour, you’ll hear Col David Hackworth, USA (ret), the most decorated Soldier of the Korea/Vietnam era and the author of About Face and Randy Roberts discuss the overall incident.

Listening to this will leave your jaw on the floor and your brain wondering why as a leader I was never taken through the details of these events.

 

THOUGHTS ON GEORGE MARSHALL & GETTYSBURG DAY 3: Phil Smith

George C. Marshall
General, U.S. Army

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

DAY 3 AT GETTYSBURG, Phil Smith, Col USMC (ret), joins us to talk about the deliberate attack made by the Army of Northern Virginia on the Army of the Potomac that occurred on July 3, 1863 on the ridges south of Gettysburg.

Phil and I look at the Lee’s concept for the attack on Day 3.  What was he attempting to do when he ordered “Pickett’s Charge”?

Gettysburg is epic battle in American history with incredible decisions to study for fans of military history and decision making.

GEORGE C. MARSHALL — WINNING THE PEACE: Dr. Rob Havers

George C. Marshall
General, U.S. Army

General George C. Marshall, US Army was one of the greatest world leaders of the 20th Century.  His creation and expansion of the modern US military is extraordinary.  His expansion of the US industrial base that supported the military expansion was extraordinary.  His conception of how post-World War II  Europe would be restored and the role The Marshall Plan would play in transitioning the American wartime industry to peacetime functioning without losing capacity or throwing mass  numbers of people out of work.

Dr. Rob Havers is the President of the George C. Marshall Foundation and paints a vivid picture of how Marshall, who wrote no memoirs, achieved the great things he achieved in his life on the GRAND SCALE he achieved them on.

FASCINATING.

THE BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG — DAY 2: Phil Smith

DAY 2 AT GETTYSBURG, Phil Smith, Col USMC (ret), joins us to talk about the second day of the epic battle that occurred on July 2, 1863 just to south of the City of Gettysburg.

An epic battle in American history with incredible decisions to study for fans of military history and decision making.

Phil and I look at the major decisions made by  that happened as General Robert E. Lee’s Army of Northern Virginia  moved into Pennsylvania with the General George Meade’s Army of the Potomac in pursuit.

“WE HIRE VETERANS” — “THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE” and THE NEXT PROJECT FOR THE RODGERS: Ken Rodgers

Then and Now…

Ken Rodgers, former Marine and Khe Sanh veteran joins us to talk about the battle as well as his ongoing film efforts.

We also discuss things people say to veterans — “We Hire Veterans” and “Thank you for your service” — Ken isn’t a fan.

Ken also updates us on his next project, a documentary about the wives of combat veterans.

 

TBS CLASS 6/67 SUFFERED 50% CASUALTIES IN VIETNAM — THEY GOT TOGETHER RECENTLY: Richard Sisk

Richard Sisk
Lt USMC
Vietnam

Richard Sisk was Commissioned a 2ndLt in the Marine Corps in 1967. He graduated from The Basic School (TBS) with 498 other lieutenants in the Fall of 1967.  Of his TBS class approximately 50% would become casualties — “forty-three were killed in Vietnam. One was killed in Lebanon. Another six died in training accidents. More than 200 were wounded.”  No other TBS class has ever suffered casualties like 6/67 did.  Richard talks about looking back at their time in Vietnam during the height of the fighting of that War and what that view looks like after 50 years.

His article about his Basic School class and their 50th reunion is here published on militarycom.  The article itself is certainly worth a read,  as is the link provided within the article that details the death of 2ndLt Terry Graves who was posthumously award the Congressional Medal of Honor for actions while serving as a platoon commander with 3d Force Reconnaissance Company (click here).  Graves Hall at TBS is named in his honor.

— Richard Sisk was a member of TBS 6/67. He served with 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, in Vietnam where he was wounded twice. He has spent a career in journalism with the New York Daily News and now with Military.com .  He can be reached at Richard.Sisk@Military.com.