Podcast
Heroes Behind Headlines
Hosted by Heroes Behind Headlines · EN
Heroes Behind the Headlines: a new podcast featuring an explosive new story every episode. First-hand accounts of adventures and events which have shaped our world . The real stories behind the headlines you know, told by the heroes you don’t. Hosted by NYT and international bestselling author Ralph Pezzullo.
31episodes
Episodes
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Son Seeks justice for His Father’s Death in Terrorist Bombing
4d ago00:48:13Tap to summarizeOn January 24, 1975, six young businessmen were enjoying lunch in lower Manhattan’s historic Fraunces Tavern when a bomb placed inside the restaurant exploded, tearing through the building. It had been planted by a group claiming support for Puerto Rican independence known as the “FALN,” the most active domestic terrorist organization in American history. Four of the young businessmen died and 50 others were injured, many horrifically. Among the four victims was Frank Connor, a son of immigrants and the father to two young sons – the youngest of whom was Joe Connor, who was 9 years old at the time. Joe Connor’s book, Shattered Lives, co-authored by Jeff Ingber, chronicles the origins of the Puerto Rican independence movement, its transformation into a Cuban-led Marxist cause, the FALN’s decade-long reign of murder and destruction that was a precursor to future domestic terrorism, the hunt for the perpetrators by a group of dedicated FBI agents, the inexplicable escape from prison by the FALN’s chief bombmaker who eventually received asylum in Cuba, and the political maneuvering that led to Presidents Clinton and Obama granting clemency to FALN members. Our guest, Joe Connor, talks about the devastating impact of the Fraunces Tavern bombing on the families of its many other victims, uniting them in their struggle to move forward while seeking justice for their loved ones. Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →The Truth Behind The War On Drugs
2w ago01:01:46Tap to summarizeAward-winning journalist Bill Conroy is back dishing the inside dirt on how America's war on drugs has really turned into a complex business of law enforcement and political policy conflicts. Bill describes how the federal agencies charged with protecting the U.S. from the drug trade compete with each other and the differing priorities of our intelligence agencies. Bill hits the highlights from his latest book, "The Great Pretense."Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →High Stakes Treason: Former CIA Chief Cashes In On Terrorism
3w ago00:47:59Tap to summarizeWriter Ian Trottier has penned a biography of John Brennan, government intelligence figure with a stellar biography--under former president Obama, Brennan served as head of the CIA, oounterterrorism advisor; and Deputy National Security Advisor for Homeland Security and Counter-terrorism; and Deputy National Security Advisor under President George W. Bush.While pointed at the hot issues surrounding America's security, he declared himself a Communist and a devotee of Wahabism--an ultra-conservative offfshoot of Sunni Islam. Author Trottier also presents his findings regarding Brennan's profiting from terrorist activity, including the Boston Marathon Bombing, prompting the question, 'Has terrorism become a business?'Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →Bank Robber And FBI Agent Remember The Hollywood Bank Robber
4w ago01:20:02Tap to summarizeCharismatic mastermind and one-time meth cook Scott Scurlock befriended Steve Meyer and pulled him into a surreal world of treehouses and crime in Washington in the early to mid-90s. Scott earned notoriety as the most prolific bank robber ever in Washington state, and the nickname, “Hollywood,” for the extensive facial prosthetics he wore during the robberies.Shawn Johnson led the FBI team that apprehended Scott’s associates, including Steve, in a bloody shootout, and resulted in Scott taking his own life. Steve and Shawn are here together, sharing their different perspectives on this remarkable true crime saga.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →Medal Of Honor Winner & MACV-SOG Legend
Jun 1500:46:45Tap to summarizeColonel Robert Howard was a very distinguished member of the top-secret MACV-SOG units that fought during the Vietnam War in America’s secret war in Laos and Cambodia. Comprised of only one to a few U.S. special force team members plus a cadre of native Vietnamese, Montagnard, Cambodian (Khmer Krom), and Nung fighters, these recon units operated deep behind enemy lines recovering downed pilots and attempting POW rescues, destroying enemy fuel dumps and caches, conducting wiretaps, gathering intelligence and spreading propaganda which forced Hanoi to divert 40,000 troops—about four divisions—to rear security missions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Surrounded by heroes, Bob distinguished himself among his peers, becoming the most decorated Green Beret ever. His medal include the Medal of Honor–for sheer valor and heroism even as he suffered multiple wounds himself defending his men. Today’s guest, historian Stephen L. Moore shares Bob Howard’s story in his book “Beyond the Call of Duty: The Life of Colonel Robert Howard, the Most Decorated Green Beret.”Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →At Ground Zero In Nagasaki
Jun 800:34:49Tap to summarizeRight after the U.S. dropped the bomb on Nagasaki, Victoria Kelly’s grandfather was sent there as part of the U.S. forces sent to occupy the city after its destruction. Victoria grew up curious about her grandfather’s experience there, as he’d died before she was born. Victoria has partnered with Karen Tanabe, whose family survived the bombing, to make “Atomic Echoes”: A documentary that details what it was like for the locals and the U.S. soldiers on the ground, and how they came together to help the afflicted, as they all struggled with the fallout of radiation. Victoria joins HBH today, to share some of the amazing stories and people she and Karen discovered in their journey to make a filmed record of what it was like after an atomic bomb goes off.
Transcribe →Born From War: A Father’s Legacy To His Son
Jun 100:46:54Tap to summarizePatrick Naughton’s father served in Vietnam when he was a child, and shared accounts of his experiences and adventures – from infantry to serving in Special Forces as part of the MACV-SOG teams doing recon and battling across the fence” in America’s secret war with Northern Vietnam forces in Laos and Cambodia.Patrick felt the only path to truly earn his larger-than-life’s father’s respect was to enlist in the military himself, and he likewise joined the infantry and served in Iraq. His book “Born From War,” is a fascinating account of the parallel experiences father and son had, and the lessons about generational impact of military service learned by both.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →REPRISE: SOG Green Beret legend in "The Secret War" in Vietnam: Part II
May 2600:49:50Tap to summarizeThe second half of this two-part interview from 2023 with one of our favorite Americans, in celebration of Memorial Day:A living legend of MACV-SOG and the Green Berets, John "Tilt" Stryker Meyer shares some of the most daring first-person stories of combat ever told! Inserted by Kingbee helicopter into the dense jungle along the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos and Cambodia during the height of the Vietnam War, Tilt and the US and indigenous members of Strike Force Idaho deployed on one impossible top-secret mission after another, spying on, harassing and taking it to the North Vietnamese and Vietcong despite a casualty rate of over 100%.Top-secret, all-volunteer SOG teams soon became the bane of the NVA's and Vietcong's existence, and despite overwhelming odds and sometimes having to face battalion-size enemy detachments, Tilt describes how these small US-indigenous units bravely soldiered on achieving a combined kill ratio of 158 to 1 – the highest in US military history.Bravery like that described by Tilt is not only inspiring, it changes the way we perceive the Vietnam War.
Transcribe →REPRISE: SOG Green Beret Legend in "The Secret War" in Vietnam: Part I
May 2500:51:23Tap to summarizeWe're re-airing this two-part interview from 2023 with one of our favorite Americans, in celebration of Memorial Day:A living legend of MACV-SOG and the Green Berets, John "Tilt" Stryker Meyer shares some of the most daring first-person stories of combat ever told! Inserted by Kingbee helicopter into the dense jungle along the Ho Chi Minh trail in Laos and Cambodia during the height of the Vietnam War, Tilt and the US and indigenous members of Strike Force Idaho deployed on one impossible top-secret mission after another, spying on, harassing and taking it to the North Vietnamese and Vietcong despite a casualty rate of over 100%.Top-secret, all-volunteer SOG teams soon became the bane of the NVA's and Vietcong's existence, and despite overwhelming odds and sometimes having to face battalion-size enemy detachments, Tilt describes how these small US-indigenous units bravely soldiered on achieving a combined kill ratio of 158 to 1 – the highest in US military history.Bravery like that described by Tilt is not only inspiring, it changes the way we perceive the Vietnam War. Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
Transcribe →Daughter Of A Scoundrel: Karen Holt On CIA Cutout Dad Chauncey Marvin Holt
May 1801:23:26Tap to summarizeKaren Holt didn’t realize her childhood was anything other than normal--whether it was her father’s absence every Monday to Friday; their odd moves from town to town without any warning; the FBI arresting her father; seeing Detroit mafioso Peter Licavoli on his ranch; or even visiting her father in his ‘country club’ prison.One of the most unusual figures in recent memory, Chauncey served as accountant and money manager for mobster Meyer Lansky, he was also an off-the-books CIA operative and specialist in forged documents and credentials, a ballistics expert, a circus performer and fine artist.He was also present at Dealey Plaza the day JFK was assassinated, November 22, 1963. In fact, Holt was pictured in Life Magazine as one of the three hobos detained as witnesses.Chauncey's outrageous life, which also included bootlegging, gunrunning, and maintaining multiple aliases, is captured in his autobiography “Self-Portrait of a Scoundrel,” which reads like a CIA thriller.Heroes Behind HeadlinesExecutive Producer Ralph PezzulloProduced & Engineered by Mike DawsonMusic provided by ExtremeMusic.com
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