Inspired by a family legacy of service, Ted Severn entered the Army during one of the most turbulent periods in American history—the Vietnam War. As an infantry officer, he led young soldiers through unforgiving terrain, impossible decisions, and conditions that tested both the body and the conscience. In this powerful conversation, we explore what persevering truly means when survival is the reward for doing so. Ted reflects on leadership under fire, the moral weight carried long after the battlefield, and the kind of resilience that is not learned from books—but forged in necessity. This is not simply a story of endurance, but of perspective earned at great cost—an honest look at what remains after war, and how hardship can shape a deeper understanding of life itself.

Chapters:

0:00 Introduction

2:09 Tell Us About This Jeep

4:06 Life Before The Military

8:32 Family Legacy of Service

18:02 Preparing For War

25:53 A Warm Welcome to Vietnam

36:47 Operation Bach Ma

46:20 Hot LZ

54:51 Enemy Contact

1:08:35 Psalm 23

1:18:11 Evacuation

1:28:19 Controlling Fear

1:45:42 Family

1:47:42 Three Lessons From Vietnam

1:53:10 Advice For Young Men

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Ted Severn | Surviving Vietnam: From Battlefield to Reflection