Mississippi Moments Podcast

To celebrate the publication of an important new book Dogwood, A National Guard Unit's War in Iraq, by Dr. Andrew Wiest of the Dale Center for the Study of War and Society, we present this one hour special podcast episode.   In 2003 US and coalition forces unleased Operation Iraqi Freedom to overthrow the regime of Saddam Hussein, expecting an easy victory and a short war.   After a quick seizure of Baghdad, though, the nation of Iraq dissolved into disarray, with an insurgency, led by both Saddam loyalists and foreign jihadists, spiraled out of control.   The deteriorating situation meant that the US would need more forces in Iraq, and quickly, which resulted in the mobilization of National Guard units from all over the country.   As part of that mobilization the 155th Brigade Combat Team from Mississippi would be activated and made ready for war. Their efforts to bring peace to the heart of the insurgency at a remote forward operating base codenamed Dogwood would result in the loss of some of their best and brightest.   This is the story of one such Guardsman, Sergeant First Class Sean Cooley, during his deployment to Iraq in 2005. In this podcast episode, Dr. Andrew Wiest provides in-depth context to the story and we learn of the sacrifice and legacy of this remarkable young man as told by his wife and friends.

From the producers of Mississippi Moments comes a new 10 episode long form podcast, Voices of Our People: WWII. Follow this link to subscribe or search your favorite podcast directory: https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/32993807 [https://directory.libsyn.com/episode/index/id/32993807] From the Center for Oral History & Cultural Heritage at USM, comes a new history podcast combining the best of our extensive Oral History collection and in-depth analysis of the major events that have fundamentally shaped modern society.  In Season 1 of Voices of Our People, The COH&CH, in partnership with the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society at USM and the Mississippi Humanities Council, presents a new 10 episode exploration of the greatest conflict of the 20th Century, World War II. Hosted by Bill Ellison, Voices of Our People: WWII will premier on Monday, Sept. 30, with a new episode each subsequent Monday through Dec. 2--five days before the 83rd anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack. About the Center for Oral History & Cultural Heritage Since 1971, the COH&CH has collected and preserved the stories of Mississippi from all walks of life. In sharing their memories, the over 4,000 and counting contributors to our collection have given the Center--and all of Mississippi--a precious gift that remains long after they pass on. Our collection has proven an invaluable resource for researchers, journalists, teachers, students, documentarians, and museums. About the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society As one of the top military history programs in the country, the Dale Center for the Study of War & Society houses a distinguished academic community with expertise in how conflict affects communities, soldiers, and non-combatants. The Dale Center expands on the field of military history, with its traditional focus on leaders, strategies, and operations, and seeks to identify and understand the social and cultural consequences of war. About the Mississippi Humanities Council With funding from the State of Mississippi through the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, the Mississippi Humanities Council creates opportunities for Mississippians to learn about themselves and the larger world and enriches communities through civil conversation about our history and culture.

On this Memorial Day, we look back at episode #615 from May 2019. Jim Swager of Brookhaven joined the US Army shortly after his 18th birthday, three months before D-day. In this episode, he shares his memories of the journey from Mississippi to the battlefields of France as part of the 103rd Infantry, Cactus Division. Although he weighed a mere 130 lbs. his captain made him a machine gunner and assigned him a BAR. The Browning Automatic Rifle was a 30-caliber light machine gun used extensively by Allied forces during WWII. Swager recalls the challenge of lugging the twenty-pound weapon across Europe. During the war, Swager always enjoyed meeting other Mississippians and remembers how he and his buddy from Iuka survived a German artillery barrage together. In the chaos of war, soldiers are sometimes mistaken for the enemy by friendly forces and pay the ultimate price. Swager gets emotional when he discusses how another friend was killed doing night reconnaissance. The Nazi government sent millions of Jews and other so-called undesirables to concentration camps for forced labor and eventual extermination. Swager describes the barbaric conditions of one such camp they helped liberate near the end of the war. WARNING: This episode contains graphic descriptions of violence and atrocities.

Today we look back at a classic MSMO from April of 2016. Carl Walters of Laurel landed his first newspaper job in the 1920s working as a printer’s assistant. In this episode, he recalls how his love of sports led him to become a sports writer. Later, Walters began working for the Meridian Star. He discusses how the Meridian paper broke new ground by being the first to segregate the sports news into its own section. Walters became the first sports editor for the Jackson Daily News in 1946.  Walters reflects on his career as a sports editor and columnist with pride and the innovations we take for granted today, such as the Fall Football Preview Guide. Walters was inducted into the Mississippi Sports Hall of Fame in 1993. You can learn more by visiting their website. http://msfame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/carl-walters-sr/ [https://mississippimoments.org/size/25/Carl%20Walters%20of%20Laurel%20landed%20his%20first%20newspaper%20job%20in%20the%201920s%20working%20as%20a%20printer%E2%80%99s%20assistant.%20In%20this%20episode,%20he%20recalls%20how%20his%20love%20of%20sports%20led%20him%20to%20become%20a%20sports%20writer.%20Later,%20Walters%20began%20working%20for%20the%20Meridian%20Star.%20He%20discusses%20how%20the%20Meridian%20paper%20broke%20new%20ground%20by%20being%20the%20first%20to%20segregate%20the%20sports%20news%20into%20its%20own%20section.%20Walters%20became%20the%20first%20sports%20editor%20for%20the%20Jackson%20Daily%20News%20in%201946.%20Walters%20reflects%20on%20his%20career%20as%20a%20sports%20editor%20and%20columnist%20with%20pride%20and%20the%20innovations%20we%20take%20for%20granted%20today,%20such%20as%20the%20Fall%20Football%20Preview%20Guide.%20Walters%20was%20inducted%20into%20the%20Mississippi%20Sports%20Hall%20of%20Fame%20in%201993.%20You%20can%20learn%20more%20by%20visiting%20their%20website.%20http:/msfame.com/hall-of-fame/inductees/carl-walters-sr/]

This week we look back at the storied career of USM football coach, P. W. Underwood in this MSMO classic from March of 2016. After playing football for Southern Miss, P.W. Underwood returned to Hattiesburg as an assistant coach in 1963. In this episode, he remembers the team ranked number 1 in defense, three years out of four. When Underwood was named head football coach for Southern Miss six years later, he knew some changes needed to be made. At that time USM was known as The Generals and the mascot was a character named General Nathan after Confederate General Nathan Bedford Forrest. That year Underwood signed Willie Heidelburg, the first black player for a major Mississippi school and felt it was time to find a new mascot and establish some new traditions. He recounts the programs and processes he put in place to accomplish those goals. After a humiliating loss to Ole’ Miss the year before, USM was given no chance of winning their 1970 rematch. Coach Underwood recalls how the Eagles were able to beat the odds.