The Commander's Voice: Recent Episodes
Ben Powers
Author and retired customs agent Nick Jacobellis is back with more exciting stories of the 1980s drug war!
A first for The Commander's Voice! Veteran customs agent Nick Jacobellis shares his story of working with a variety of military branches and law enforcement agencies in 1980s Miami, Florida. A departure from our usual guests, Nick's stories are better than anything Hollywood could imagine!
Chris Langlois, grandson of Doc Roe of Easy Company 2/506th PIR, comes on the show to discuss his latest book "Patrick the Paratrooper". Written for elementary school children, the book is part of Chris' iniitaitve to keep the legacy of the men of Easy Company alive, and to share their values of loyalty, courage, and integrity with a new generation.
Down From Heaven Comes Eleven and There’s Hell to Pay Below. Author James Fenelon discusses his new history of the 11th Airborne Division in WWII “Angels Against the Sun”.
Author, podcaster and historian Henry Sledge discusses the impact of his father's classic memoir "With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa". Eugene Sledge's seering account is arguably the most powerful American combat story to emerge from World War 2. Henry discusses the impact of his father's work and his own efforts to preserve his dad's legacy.
Authors Susan and Jack Talley share their experience writing about the wartime service of Susan’s father as a paratroop officer.
Friend of the show George Luz ( @therealgeorgeluzjr.4690) is back to share a veritable trove of letters the men of Easy Company sent to one another and their familes after the fighting stopped.
My very first guest Mark Vlahos, COL, USAF (Ret.) and friend of the show, returns to discuss his latests book, "Leading the Way to Victory: A History of the 60th Troop Carrier group, 1940-1945".
Dr. Brian Matthew Jordan joins the podcast and shares his insights on the challenges Union Army veterans faced in the years after 1865. Dr Jordan’s book “Marching Home: Union Veterans and their Unending Civil War” is available from Liveright Publishing.
Author and former Special Forces soldier James Stejskal takes the time to share his take on the birth of British Special Operations Forces during World War One, and the role armored cars and other combat arms in creating “Hedgehog Force” in support of the Arab Revolt. James’ book Masters of Mayhem is available from Casemate Publishers.
Greg Mertz breaks down the Battle of Shiloh for us on this episode. Greg Al's book "Attack at Daylight and Whip Them" is available from Savas Beatie Publishing as part of their excellent Emerging Civil War series.
Al Ovies drops by to discuss the early careers of George Custer and Wesley Merritt, their burgeoning rivalry and its imapct on the cavalry of the Army of the Potomac during the American Civil War. Al's book "The Boy Generals: George Custer, Wesley Merrit and the Cavalry of the Army of the Potomac" is available from Savas Beatie Publishing.
Andrew Biggio, Author / Police Officer / USMC Combat Veteran, discusses how his journey documenting the stories of World War Two veterans
Dr. Chris Mackowski joins the podcast to discuss The Emerging Civil War book series, dedicated to introducing readers to a wide variety of Civl War related subjects.
My friends Chris Langlois and George Luz Jr return to discuss the legacy of Band of Brothers reunions. For 75 years the men of Easy Company and their descendents have met annually to commemorate the past and celebrate the present. Chris and George share some great stories of these men and their families.
My friend George Luz Jr returns with more tales of his dad's time in Easy Company, 506th PIR, the famed Band of Brothers. George shares video and audio of his dad telling some fantastic stories.
The latest podcast is up! Please tune in to hear an interview with USMC Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams. Mr. Williams shares stories of growing up in West Virginia during the Great Depression, working with the Civilian Conservation Corps, serving as a Marine on Iwo Jima and his experience receiving the Medal of Honor from President Truman.
Retired First Sergeant and Paratrooper Maggie Peppers discusses her experiences as an airborne NCO, the importance of the Division Association in linking the past with the present, and the privilege of meeting those troopers who went before.
George Luz Jr is back on the show to share more stories about his dad's adventures with Easy Company, 506th PIR, the famed Band of Brothers.
Andrew Waters, author of "To The End Of The World" talks about the American Revolution in the South, specifically recalling the British General Charles Cornwallis' pursuit of Nathaneal Greene to the Dan River in early 1781. It's a story of endurance, courage and fighting a thinking general's war.
Stacy Hayashi, writer and producer of the movie "Go For Broke: An Origin Story" talks about the 100th Battalion and 442nd RCT, US infantry units made up of Japanese-American soldiers who became the most decorated combat units in the US Army in WW2. An amazing project about great American heroes.
Retired SF officer Joey Ivanov, WW2 battlefield tour leader George Luz Jr, and sculptor Stephen Spears discuss efforts to complete a memorial to the French Resistance in time for a dedication in June 2021.
Major John Nelson Rickard, professor at the Canadian Army Command and Staff College, discusses the development and performace of the Canadian Forces during the Second World War. Major Rickard is the author of numerous books, most recently "The Politics of Command: Lieutenant General A.G.L. McNaughton and the Canadian Army, 1939-1943".
Marty Morgan discusses how he became involved with documenting the wartime history of the 507th PIR, his experiences with the late Doctor Stephen Ambrose, and the combat history of the regiment during the Normandy campaign.
Marcus Brotherton disucsses his book, "Blaze of Light" about the life of Special Forces Medal of Honor recipient Gary Beikirch as well as his work with many members of Easy Company, 506th PIR, the famed "Band of Brothers".
An interview with author and historian Peter Hart on oral history, the Great War and his latest project, "At Close Range: Life and Death in an Artillery Regiment, 1939-1945". This episode runs a little longer than normal, but I think we cover a lot of ground.
Jerry McLaughlin discusses the WW2 story of his uncle, a C-47 navigator last over Normandy early on June 6,1944 and the 40 year search to find out what happened to him.
Paul Woodadge discusses battlefield tourism, documentaries and podcasting WW2 subjects.
Professor Hal Sosabowski , University of Brighton, discusses the formation of the First Polish Independent Parachute Brigade, and its combat debut during Operation Market Garden. Hal is the great grandson of the Brigade Commander, Major General Stanislaw Sosabowski.
George Luz Jr. returns to the podcast to discuss his dad's experiences in the Battle of the Bulge, 76 years ago this month.
An interview with Andrew Kristopik of the WWII Airborne DemonstrationTeam of Frederick, OK.
An interview with Author Bob Welch about his new book "Saving My Enemy", along with Marianne and Dan McNally and Matthias and Volker Engelbert. "Saving My Enemy" is the story of the friendship between Easy Company, 506th PIR veteran Don Malarkey and former German soldier Fritz Engelbert formed at the 60th anniversary commemoration of the Battle of the Bulge.
Greg Way discusses his book "Fallschirmjäger!: A collection of firsthand accounts and diaries by German Paratrooper veterans from the Second World War", and the 20 year journey he undertook to write it.
Joey Ivanov, independent researcher, discusses the French Resistance and efforts to establish an memorial to the resistance in Normandy, France.
George Luz JR son of Easy Company 2/506th PIR and "Band of Brothers" veteran George Luz share stories about his father and the men of Easy Company.
Martin Sambrook discusses Brigadier Orde Wingate and the Chindits, and the airborne aspects of Operation Thursday in WW2 Burma.
French/Dutch author Denis van den Brink shares his experiences living in Normandy and discussing his writing about WW2.
Ben Powers' interview with Liberty Jump Team's Stuart Watkins. COL (R) Watkins' career spans Vietnam to Desert Storm, to include duty as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Airborne.
Interview with David Accetta and Rich Landry of the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Systems Center, and Liberty Jump Team. (Note: I experienced some connectivity issues during the first 5 minutes of the interview, so apologies for the audio quality. After the 5 minute mark it really improves. Please stick with it because David and Rich gave one heck of an interesting interview.)
James Fenelon discusses the 17th Airborne Division and its role in Operation Varsity, the jump across the Rhine in March of 1945.
Chris is the author of "How Easy Company Became a Band of Brothers", which he provides free of charge to public schools through The Doc Roe Foundation.
Jil Launay is Vice President and Drop Zone Safety Officer of the Liberty Jump Team and daughter of D-Day paratrooper MAJ Gordon Smith.
Steve Zaley relates his dad's WW2 experiences with the 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
Jos Groen discusses his working interviewing WWII veterans of the 101st Airborne Division.
Mark Vlahos discusses the contributions of the Army Air Forces Troop Carrier Command during World War II.