Veterans Chronicles

Colonel Charles McGee's distinguished flying career has seen three wars and witnessed critical moments in American history. A veteran of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen, Col. McGee flew missions with the famed Red Tails during World War II. He is the recipient of three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and would go on to set an Air Force record of 409 combat missions flown during WWII, Korea, and Vietnam.

Dr. J. Phillip "Jack" London is known for his contribution to the success of CACI International, one of the world's leading organizations working to fuse information technology with defense and security. Prior to his career with CACI, Dr. London served in the U.S. Navy, witnessing crucial moments of the Cold War and retiring as a Captain. He discusses how values such as character and integrity have been key tools in allowing him to flourish as a leader and continually serve his country. He expands on these ideas in his latest book "Character: The Ultimate Success Factor."

Richard Camp, retired Marine Corps Colonel, veteran of Vietnam, and esteemed military author and historian discusses his experiences in Vietnam which heavily influenced his life. A recipient of the Purple Heart, Colonel Camp was a Marine Corps officer for 26 years and served as a company commander in Vietnam. He has done much work in historical preservation through several positions such as the Deputy Director for the U.S. Marine Corps History Division. He is the author of ten books, including his most recent publication Assault from the Sky: U.S. Marine Corps Helicopter Observations in Vietnam.

Orson Swindle flew more than 200 missions in Vought F-8E Crusader over the skies of Vietnam. During what was to be his very last mission, he was shot down and taken prisoner. Swindle spent seven years being shuffled around North Vietnamese prison camps, where he for a time shared a cell with future Senator John McCain. Guest hosted by Taylor Kiland and Regen Wilson.

Michael Trotter, Jr. was born into a family with a rich tradition of military service, but that had nothing to do with his decision to join the Army in 2003. By his own admission, he had made a lot of mistakes and his life needed to change course. So he joined the military just a a couple years after the 9/11 attacks and the same year the war in Iraq began. Soon he was a supply sergeant in theater, stationed in what he calls the "so-called Green Zone." His second tour would bring his unit to Ramadi in some of the worst fighting of the war. After leaving the Army, Trotter and his wife formed the musical duo "The War and Treaty."
In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Trotter explains his role as a supply sergeant and how that put him up close to the combat. He also goes into detail about the impact that losing one brother in arms has on a unit and how his singing ability helped his fellow soldiers deal with the painful loss of their friends. He also tells us how much tougher the second tour was in Ramadi and how his time in war left him with an undiagnosed case of post-traumatic stress.
Finally, Trotter reveals how he and his wife created The War and Treaty and the opportunities that helped them break out into stardom. He also shares how his service and honoring the men he served with is closely linked to his music. And he details what Memorial Day means to him.