Beyond the Call: Medal of Honor Stories

Beyond the Call: Corporal Arthur O. Beyer near Arloncourt, Belgium, 1945

Beyond the Call: Corporal Arthur O. Beyer at Arloncourt, Belgium, 1945 tells the story of a tank destroyer gunner whose solo advance under fire helped break a German defensive line in the closing months of the Second World War. This episode follows Beyer’s life from rural Iowa to the snow-covered ridges of Belgium, tracing the ambush that pinned his armored column, the daring assault that silenced enemy guns and captured dozens of soldiers, and the broader impact on the winter campaign. Listeners hear a clear narrative of the action, context around the Battle of the Bulge, and a reflection on leadership, initiative, and responsibility. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com.

Beyond the Call: Private Ova A. Kelley at Buri Airstrip, Leyte, 1944

Beyond the Call: Private Ova A. Kelley at Buri Airstrip, Leyte, 1944 follows a rifleman in World War II’s Pacific campaign as a single, stunning act of courage shatters a Japanese strongpoint and unlocks a stalled American attack. Listeners hear the ground-level narrative of Kelley’s solo charge, the wider fight for Leyte and its vital airfields, and a reflective look at how initiative, responsibility, and sacrifice define real leadership under fire. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com, bringing the human stories behind the Medal of Honor to life in your headphones.

Beyond the Call: Private Dale Merlin Hansen at Hill 60, Okinawa, 1945

Beyond the Call: Private Dale Merlin Hansen at Hill 60, Okinawa, 1945 tells the story of a young Marine who crawled alone into withering fire to break open a critical Japanese strongpoint during the brutal fighting on Okinawa in World War II. Listeners hear a ground-level narrative of the assault on Hill 60, the larger campaign that made this ridge so important, and the split-second decisions that turned one farm boy from Nebraska into a Medal of Honor recipient. The episode reflects on leadership, responsibility, and sacrifice in combat. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com.

Beyond the Call: Corporal Hershel “Woody” Williams at Iwo Jima, 1945

Beyond the Call: Corporal Hershel “Woody” Williams at Iwo Jima, 1945 follows a young Marine flamethrower operator as he battles through fortified pillboxes on the black sands of a crucial Pacific island in World War Two, opening a path for his pinned-down company. Listeners hear the larger story of the Iwo Jima campaign, the stalled advance, and the four hours in which Williams repeatedly crossed open ground under fire to clear strongpoints that tanks and infantry could not reach alone. The episode reflects on courage, responsibility, and a lifetime of quiet service after the war. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com.

Beyond the Call: Staff Sergeant John C. Sjogren at San Jose Hacienda, 1945

Beyond the Call: Staff Sergeant John C. Sjogren at San Jose Hacienda, 1945 follows an American infantry squad leader on a fortified ridge in the Philippines during World War II, tracing his solo assault on pillboxes, the rescue of a wounded sergeant across open ground, and the destruction of enemy positions that opened the way for his company. The episode sets his actions within the wider Negros campaign and his journey from small-town Michigan to the Pacific, then reflects on what his story reveals about small-unit leadership, responsibility, and quiet courage beyond the Medal of Honor. Beyond the Call is the Monday feature of Dispatch: U.S. Military History Magazine, and the podcast is developed by Trackpads.com.