Veterans Chronicles

James Wright, USMC, 'Enduring Vietnam'

James Wright joined the U.S. Marine Corps after graduating high school. His three years of service in the Marines fell during peacetime, but just a few years later American found itself fully immersed in the Vietnam War. Wright followed the war carefully at the time, but it was years later as an academic that he began studying the war very closely. For his book, "Enduring Vietnam: An American Generation and Its War," Wright interviewed many Vietnam veterans and family members of those who never came home. He also visited Vietnam and some of the key battlegrounds of the war. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Wright explains what Vietnam veterans want Americans to know and appreciate about their service, what surprised them most when they came home, and how they ought to be thought of today.

Steven Fenves, U.S. Army, Holocaust Survivor

Steven Fenves and his family enjoyed a nice middle class life in Hungary for his first ten years. In 1941, Hungarian authorities began discriminating against Jewish families. Within three years, he and his family were headed for the notorious concentration and death camps. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Fenves provides incredible detail as he describes the persecution his family faced from 1941-1945, his time at the brutal Auschwitz camp, moving to a smaller facility near Buchenwald, and his eventual liberation by U.S. forces. Fenves also tells us about escaping the expansion of Communism and getting to the U.S. after the war, serving in the U.S. Army, and his determination to inform as many people as possible about the truth of the Holocaust.

Col. Mike Dowe, U.S. Army, Korea, POW

From a young age, Mike Dowe knew that he wanted to attend the U.S. Military Academy and serve our nation in uniform. In 1950, he graduated from West Point and was immediately sent to Korea. After months of successfully pushing the North Koreans back to the north, American forces suddenly faced an endless surge of enemy Chinese soldiers pouring across the border. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col. Dowe discusses his his time in combat, being taken prisoner, the horrific conditions in the prison camp, and the remarkable heroism of Father Emil Kapaun, an Army chaplain and fellow POW, who would posthumously receive the Medal of Honor.

Tom Fitzpatrick, U.S. Army Air Corps, WWII

Tom Fitzpatrick grew up in Pennsylvania and had never been on an airplane before joining the U.S. Army Air Corps in World War II. Before long, he was serving as a radio navigator on a B-17 bomber crew. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Fitzpatrick explains his role on bombing missions, the close calls his crew endured, targeting the critical Nazi oil facilities in Ploesti, and how his plane and many others were protected by the Red Tails of the legendary Tuskegee Airmen.

Maj. General Victor Hugo Jr., U.S. Army, Vietnam

Retired U.S. Army Major General Victor Hugo, Jr. takes us through his distinguished Army career, from West Point through Vietnam to perfecting the Patriot Missiles that served us so well during the Gulf War. In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Gen. Hugo describes his time in Vietnam shortly after the French left in the mid-1950s as well as his critical assignments throughout the war. You'll also hear about his duty in the Old Guard at Arlington National Cemetery, his thoughts about how the Vietnam War ended, and the treatment he received after coming home. Don't miss learning about Gen. Hugo's decades of service to our nation.