A Conversation with Donald Cole

A conversation with Robert Brakley

On this week’s episode, Gazette reporter Erin Prater sat down with Robert Brakley, an army combat engineer who has rolled with the punches for his entire life.

A Conversation with Paul Morin

For this week’s episode Gazette reporter Kate Shefte sat down with retired Army Colonel Paul Morin and his family for an interview on his 95th birthday in Colorado Springs on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019. Paul enlisted in the Army at age 19 and spent two years in the Philippines.

Condition Red

For this week’s episode, Gazette editor Vince Bzdek sat down with Linda Wilson-Madden to read some of the letters her father wrote while he was deployed and to share what she knew of her late father's service.

A Conversation with Frank Macon

For this week’s episode Gazette reporter Stephanie Earls sat down with 96-year-old, Tuskegee airman Frank Macon. A Colorado Springs native who grew up Pine Street. Frank loved to build things, learn how they worked and experiment, which often got him scolded by his aunts. From a young age he knew he wanted to be a pilot and took every opportunity he could to learn about airplanes. The war presented him with the opportunity to fly, but a week before graduating with his class of Tuskegee airmen he suffered an accident that would make him unable to fly for the Air Force or commercially ever again. Frank shared his story with us, but you can also read about his life in his book “I wanted to be a pilot”

A Conversation with Donald Cole

On this week’s episode, Gazette reporter Amanda Hancock speaks with Donald Cole about his World War II experiences. Donald Cole was born and raised in Colorado. He’s spent most of his life on a ranch in Colorado Springs, where his family homesteaded in 1929. They worked on the ranch every day from dusk to dawn. Donald was drafted into the Navy and spent 26 months in the service. When he got out, he returned to the land he was familiar with and has remained there.