Podcast
Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage
Hosted by Pushkin Industries · EN
Awarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration. On the Medal of Honor podcast, we uncover the stories behind the medal. What those heroes did. What it meant. And what their actions reveal about courage and sacrifice.
In our third season, you’ll hear about people like the French-born immigrant who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, the Marine who overcame his disability to save his fellow troops during the Vietnam War, and the legendary Lawrence Chamberlain, who left his post as a university professor to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.
New episodes drop every Wednesday. Beginning May 20th, you can binge the full season ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm/plus and use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription.
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13episodes
Episodes
Newest firstAll episodes
The Incredible Escape: Edouard Izac’s 120-Mile Trek
3d ago00:34:39Tap to summarizeDuring World War I, Navy Lieutenant Edouard Izac was plucked from a lifeboat by a German submarine, where, for weeks, he lived among his captors. After secretly gathering intelligence on the movements of the German fleet, Izac knew this information could change the course of the war and had to be given to the Allies. But first, he had to get out of Germany. He would hurl himself out of a moving train, trek 120 miles through the mountains, and swim across the Rhine, but he would never, ever give up. Binge the full season of Medal of Honor, ad-free, with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up and save on the Medal of Honor show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription. Connect with the team! Follow Pushkin on social @pushkinpods Follow JR Martinez @iamjrmartinez Email the team: medalofhonor@pushkin.fm Episode resources: Escape by Dwight R Messimer (Naval Institute Press, 1994) Prisoner of the U-90 by Edouard Victor Isaacs (Houghton Mifflin, 1919) “Oral History: the Recollections of Lieutenant Edouard Victor Isaacs, U.S.N.” by the Department of the Navy, 1918 Medal of Honor by Allen Mikaelian (Hyperion, 2002)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →No Man Left Behind: James Fleming’s Impossible Vietnam War Rescue
1w ago00:31:05Tap to summarizeIn 1968, in the dense jungles of Vietnam, a team of Green Berets was pinned down by an overwhelming North Vietnamese Army force. Their last hope was a young Air Force pilot named James Fleming. Despite being low on fuel and facing a wall of enemy fire, Fleming refused to turn back. The rescue mission seemed destined to fail, but a split-second decision would earn Fleming the nation’s highest military honor. Binge the full season of Medal of Honor, ad-free, with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up and save on the Medal of Honor show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription. Connect with the team! Follow Pushkin on social @pushkinpods Follow JR Martinez @iamjrmartinez Email the team: medalofhonor@pushkin.fm Episode resources: “SOG Combat in Cambodia: Under the Gun at Tango Five-One” by Randy Harrison, Soldier of Fortune Magazine, August 1982 Green Hornets: The History of the U.S. Air Force 20th Special Operations Squadron by Wayne Mutza (Schiffer Military History, 2007) Secret Green Beret Commandos In Cambodia: A Memorial History of MACVSOG's Command and Control Detachment South (CCS) And Its Air Partners, Republic of Vietnam, 1967-1972 by Fred S. Lindsey (AuthorHouse, 2012)See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Introducing Season Three
3w ago00:03:00Tap to summarizeWhat turns an ordinary person into a legend? Host and Army veteran J.R. Martinez returns with stories of split-second decisions that changed the course of history. Hear about harrowing escapes from prisoner-of-war-camps, daring flights to the farthest reaches of the globe, miraculous rescues, and acts of self sacrifice that will never be forgotten. These stories are about what it takes to become a hero and what happens after. Binge the full season of Medal of Honor, ad-free, with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm/plus and use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription. This season, you’ll hear the stories of: James Fleming: the Vietnam pilot who flew a helicopter into a death trap to save his men. Edouard Izac: the WWI sailor who escaped a U-boat and a moving train to deliver enemy secrets. George Sakato: the Japanese-American soldier who turned grief into a one-man army for the 442nd Regimental Combat Team. Richard Byrd: The world’s most famous explorer who might’ve faked his flight to the North Pole. Florent Groberg: The man who tackled a suicide bomber to save his team in Afghanistan. Richard Pittman: The one-eyed Marine who tricked his way into Vietnam to hold a jungle trail alone. Joseph Rodriguez: the Korean War soldier whose bravery was fueled by his love for a girl back home Clarence Sasser: The combat medic who crawled through a flooded rice paddy trying to help as many soldiers as he could. Joshua Chamberlain: The college professor whose bayonet charge saved the Union at Gettysburg. The Four Chaplains: Four men of different faiths who sacrificed themselves to save their fellow soldiers See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Showing Up On Veterans Day
Nov 1100:26:56Tap to summarizeTo mark Veterans Day, host J.R. Martinez sits down with producer Ryan Sweikert to talk about what he’s learned from the stories of veterans who have received the Medal of Honor, how to talk to veterans about their service, and the moments that shaped his life, both in the service and afterward. Medal of Honor Season 3 is coming on May 27th, 2026. In the meantime, we want to hear from you. We’ve put together a listener survey. Tell us what you love about the show. What we can improve on. Stories you think we've missed. To take the survey, follow this link: bit.ly/mohsurveySee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Carl Sitter: When Faith Led the Fight
Aug 1300:33:47Tap to summarizeThe Chosin Reservoir was one of the most brutal battles of the Korean War, with overwhelming enemy forces and deadly weather. Into that fight came Captain Carl Sitter, a pudgy guy who wasn’t even supposed to be there. His inspiring leadership in the face of terrible odds came down to one thing: faith. We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey Episode's bibliography: O'Donnel, Patrick K. “Give Me Tomorrow.” Grand Central Publishing, October 25, 2011.https://www.amazon.com/Give-Me-Tomorrow-Greatest-Story/dp/0306820447. Sterner, C. Douglas, Pamla M. Sterner, Dwight Jon Zimmerman, and Scott Baron. “Beyond Belief: True Stories of American Heroes that Defy Belief.” Independently Published, November 16, 2021. https://www.amazon.com/Beyond-Belief-Stories-American-Heroes/dp/B09M57XDCV. Hardy, Gordon. “Above and beyond: a history of the Medal of Honor from the Civil War to Vietnam by Congressional Medal of Honor Society.” Boston Pub. Co, May 3, 1985. https://www.amazon.com/Above-beyond-history-Congressional-1985-05-03/dp/B01F820WNE. Simmons, Edwin H. Frozen Chosin U.S. Marines at the Changjin Reservoir. USMCU, 2002. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/Frozen%20Chosin%20US%20Marines%20at%20the%20Changjin%20Reservoir%20%20PCN%2019000410000.pdf.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →The Sailor Who Escaped Slavery
Aug 600:34:53Tap to summarizeEnslaved on a plantation in South Carolina, Robert Blake had little chance for freedom. Then came a surprise battle, a bold choice, and a new mission in life: serving in the U.S. Navy. Robert’s heroism would make him the first Black sailor to receive the Medal of Honor. But what happened next is… a total mystery. We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey Episode bibliography: Reidy, Joseph P. “Black Men in Navy Blue During the Civil War.” Navy and Marine, 2001. https://www.navyandmarine.org/ondeck/1862blackinblue.htm Jowdy, Laura. “Who Was Robert Blake? The Mystery of a Black Medal of Honor Recipient.” Congressional Medal of Honor Society, March 6, 2025 https://www.cmohs.org/news-events/medal-of-honor-recipient-profile/who-was-robert-blake-the-mystery-of-a-black-medal-of-honor-recipient/. Frazier, Herb. “Little-known Civil War hero once enslaved on South Santee.” Charleston City Paper, June 2, 2023. https://charlestoncitypaper.com/2023/06/02/little-known-civil-war-hero-once-enslaved-on-south-santee/. “Whatever Happened to Robert Blake and the Battle of Legareville, SC.” Civil War Traveler (Blog), January 5, 2024.https://civilwartraveler.blog/2024/01/05/whatever-happened-to-robert-blake-and-the-battle-of-legareville/ The Frog of History. “The First African American Medal of Honor Recipient is Missing.” YouTube video. June 27, 2020. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aYHT8va5uM&t=233s Quarstein, John V. “Ben Butler and the Contrabands.” The Mariners Museum and Park, May 28, 2021. https://www.marinersmuseum.org/2021/05/ben-butler-and-the-contrabands/ National Archives. “Black Soldiers in the U.S. Military During the Civil War.” National Archives and Records Administration, October 4, 2023.https://www.archives.gov/education/lessons/blacks-civil-war#:~:text=The%20black%20troops%2C%20however%2C%20faced,more%20harshly%20than%20white%20captivesSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Salvatore Giunta Didn’t Want to Be a Hero
Jul 3000:37:27Tap to summarizeOn a moonlit mountaintop in Afghanistan, Salvatore Giunta ran through a hailstorm of bullets to save a fellow soldier– his best friend– from capture. It was a heroic decision, but Sal didn’t see it that way. This is the story of an extraordinary band of brothers– and how Sal learned to live with what he did. We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey Episode bibliography: Giunta, Salvatore and Joe Layden. Living with Honor: A Memoir. Threshold Editions, December 4, 2012. https://www.amazon.com/Living-Honor-Memoir-Salvatore-Giunta/dp/1451691467. Junger, Sebastian. “Into the Valley of Death.” Vanity Fair, January 2008. https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2008/01/afghanistan200801. Edwards, Elisabeth. “Korengal Valley: Why the Region Is Nicknamed the ‘Valley of Death’.” War History Online, Oct 24, 2022. https://www.warhistoryonline.com/articles/korengal-valley.html.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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How Marine Dan Daly Lived Forever
Jul 2300:34:46Tap to summarizeDan Daly has been described as “America’s Fightin’est Marine,” who shouted that famous phrase, “Come on you sons of bitches, do you want to live forever?” Here, we explore Dan’s legendary (and crazy) adventures– and how his incredible bravery helped shape the modern Marine Corps. We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey Episode bibliography: Dieckmann, Edward. Dan Daly: Reluctant Hero. Marine Corps Gazette, November 1960. https://archive.org/details/sim_marine-corps-gazette_1960-11_44_11/page/24/mode/2up Roberts, Charley. "Devil Dog" Dan Daly: America's Fightin'est Marine. McFarland, November 4, 2021. https://www.amazon.com/Devil-Dog-Dan-Daly-Fightinest/dp/1476686769 O’Connell, Aaron. Keystone Battle Brief: The Boxer Rebellion, China 1900. Marine Corps History Division, United States Marine Corps University, 2019. https://www.usmcu.edu/Portals/218/HD/Brief%20Histories/Boxer%20Rebellion%20Lecture%20Notes.pdf?ver=2019-05-23-084222-070 Iber, Patrick. “The Marine Who Turned Against U.S. Empire.” The New Republic, January 11, 2022. https://newrepublic.com/article/164825/smedley-butler-marine-critic-american-empire. Gleichauf, Justin F. “Old Marine Corps—‘The Fightin’est Marine'.” U.S. Naval Institute, January 1990. https://www.usni.org/magazines/naval-history-magazine/1990/january/old-marine-corps-fightinest-marine Hough, F. O. “Daly of the Horse Marines.” Marine Corps Gazette, November 1954. https://archive.org/details/sim_marine-corps-gazette_1954-11_38_11/mode/2up?q=Daly&view=theater Naval History and Heritage Command. “Daniel Joseph Daly” Modern Biographical Files in the Navy Department Library, May 18, 2021. https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-d/daly-daniel-joseph.htmlSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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Judy Resnick in Space: Full Throttle Up
Jul 1600:43:32Tap to summarizeThe Congressional Space Medal of Honor is awarded to those who go above and beyond– at the farthest edges of our frontier. Judy Resnick was one of our country’s first women astronauts, but what makes her a hero is something else: her willingness to face death in the name of serving a greater good. Special thanks to the NASA History Office, Performance Initiative Podcast, and the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. We’re committed to making Medal of Honor even better, and you can help! Leave your feedback for the show by filling out our listener survey at http://bit.ly/mohsurvey Episode bibliography: Higginbotham, Adam. “Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space.” Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster, May 14, 2024. https://www.amazon.com/Challenger-Story-Heroism-Disaster-Space/dp/198217661X. Mullane, Mike. “Riding Rockets: The Outrageous Tales of a Space Shuttle Astronaut.” Scribner, February 6, 2007. https://www.amazon.com/Riding-Rockets-Outrageous-Shuttle-Astronaut/dp/0743276833. SWE Magazine. “Judith Resnik’s Living Legacy” All Together, January 26, 2021. https://alltogether.swe.org/2021/01/judith-resniks-living-legacy/. Galloway, Barbara. “Astronaut and Akron native Judith Resnik remembered as brilliant, strong-willed.” Beacon Journal, January 27, 2020. https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/local/2020/01/27/jan-29-1986-judith-resnik/1820447007/. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Report of the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident: Chapter II - Events Leading Up to the Challenger Mission. https://www.nasa.gov/history/rogersrep/v1ch2.htm.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Transcribe →Charlie Plumb’s Unexpectedly Long Mission
Jul 900:36:56Tap to summarizeJ. R. Martinez interviews an old friend of his — Captain Charlie Plumb, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot who was shot down in Vietnam and spent six years in the infamous prison The Hanoi Hilton, right next to Medal of Honor recipient Bud Day. Charlie talks about living with guilt and finding forgiveness, even in the most unexpected place imaginable.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
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