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Battle Ground man’s new book recounts his time in Vietnam as U.S. Marine, photographer Scott Hewitt

Episode 3185 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Marine Vietnam Vet Dennis Fisher and his new book Then All Hell Broke Loose. The featured story is titled: Battle Ground man’s new book recounts his time in Vietnam as U.S. Marine, photographer.. It appeared on the Columbian, Washington website and was submitted by Scott Hewitt [scott.hewitt@columbian.com].

Hewitt reported that U.S. Marine Cpl. Dennis Fisher’s memoir, Then All Hell Broke Loose, offers an intimate and powerful account of his experiences during the Vietnam War, blending his gripping narrative with the photographs he took on the front lines. Serving from 1966 to 1968, Fisher began as an infantry rifleman before being transferred to the 1st Marine Division Combat Photo Section. His photographs, many depicting harrowing moments of violence and death, serve as a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by Vietnam veterans. Fisher’s lens captured the brutal reality of war, offering an unflinching view of the chaos he witnessed.

His book is not just a personal reflection but a tribute to all Vietnam veterans, whose courage and sacrifices often went unrecognized. Fisher, who was wounded in action, underscores the immense toll of war and the lasting impact it has on soldiers. His photographs, now featured in a permanent exhibit at The National Archives, preserve the stories of those who fought and sometimes died without the recognition they deserved.

Through his work and memoir, Fisher brings attention to the Vietnam War experience, allowing future generations to understand the pain, heroism, and brotherhood of those who served. His photos, once shared with only a few, now speak to the broader public, honoring the legacy of all Vietnam veterans and ensuring their stories are never forgotten.

 Listen to Episode 3185 and discover more about Marine Vietnam Vet Dennis Fisher and his new book Then All Hell Broke Loose.

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A Marine fires a Minigun mounted in the door of a UH-1Y helicopter.

Episode 3184 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the future of miniguns use in the U.S. Military. The featured story is titled: New Common Minigun Variant To Replace All Existing Versions Eyed By U.S.. It appeared on the TWZ website and was submitted by Joseph Trevithick [joe@twz.com].

Trevithick reported that the U.S. military is considering replacing all existing variants of the iconic Minigun with a single standardized model designated the GAU-24/A. The six-barrel, electrically powered 7.62x51mm Gatling-style machine gun has been in service since the 1960s and currently exists in numerous versions across the Department of Defense, creating logistical and supply chain challenges due to non-interchangeable parts.

The U.S. Navy’s Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR), through its Program Executive Office for Unmanned Aviation and Strike Weapons, recently issued a request for information to identify manufacturers capable of producing the GAU-24/A using a government-owned technical data package. The goal is to determine an acquisition strategy for a common replacement weapon. Under a tentative plan, five initial GAU-24/A guns would be delivered to Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane for testing within 12 months of contract award, with broader efforts potentially beginning in fiscal year 2027 and lasting three to five years.

While no specific technical requirements have been disclosed, standardization would simplify maintenance and sustainment for the thousands of Miniguns still in service. Originally developed by General Electric, the Minigun saw extensive combat use during the Vietnam War on helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and gunships, and has since evolved into lighter, more reliable, and maritime-optimized variants produced by multiple manufacturers.

Today, Miniguns remain widely employed on aircraft, vehicles, and watercraft, especially by special operations forces, for suppression and close-in defense. Though alternative calibers have been discussed, the weapon’s continued use of standard 7.62mm ammunition and proven effectiveness suggest it will remain a staple—potentially in a single, unified form—for years to come.

Listen to Episode 3184 and discover more about the future of mimigun use in the U.S. Military.

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Keith Lawrence, a member of the Kentucky Journalism Hall of Fame, writes for the Messenger-Inquirer in Owensboro.

Episode 3183 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about how Vietnam Era Vet Keith Lawrence is helping remember lost Vietnam Vets. The featured story is titled: 5 decades can’t relieve all pain from Vietnam era. It appeared on the Grayson County News website and was submitted by Keith Lawrence [klawrence@messenger-inquirer.com].

Lawrence reported that the story is a quiet, haunting remembrance that turns a single February morning in 1970 into a lasting meditation on duty, loss, and the extraordinary character of the Vietnam Veteran generation. It begins in the predawn hours at a rural draft board, where two young men sit on cold metal chairs, watching the final minutes of their civilian lives slip away. At 6 a.m., a bus will carry them toward Memphis and into the U.S. Army, while half a world away another deadly day in Vietnam grinds to a close.

That ordinary day would claim 27 American lives — men ranging from an 18-year-old barely two weeks in-country to a 41-year-old career soldier. They left behind wives, parents, and families forever changed. Their names are listed with reverence, not as statistics, but as individuals whose lives mattered. The author insists the reader pause and acknowledge them, underscoring the human cost paid by a generation asked to fight an unpopular, unresolved war.

Woven through the remembrance is survivor’s guilt. Though the author expected to go to Vietnam, his path led instead to service stateside, leaving him safe but burdened by the sense that another man may have died in his place. That feeling has not faded in five decades.

Above all, the piece honors the Vietnam Veteran generation — young Americans who answered the call without certainty, gratitude, or applause. They bore the weight of war, loss, and moral complexity with quiet resilience, and their sacrifice remains a testament to courage, responsibility, and enduring loyalty to one another.

Listen to Episode 3183 and discover more about how Vietnam Era Vet Keith Lawrence is helping remember lost Vietnam Vets.

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Medal of Honor recipient Army SGT Dwight H. Johnson.

President Lyndon B. Johnson wraps the Medal of Honor around the neck of Army Spc. 5th Class Dwight Johnson during a ceremony at the White House on November 19, 1968. (Lyndon B. Johnson President Library)

Episode 3182 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam hero Dwight Johnson. The featured story is titled: The Vietnam tank driver who ran into a burning tank to pull his friends out. It appeared on the We Are the Mighty website and it was submitted by Stephen Ruiz.

Ruiz reported that this account of Dwight Hal Johnson’s combat experience captures not only a single act of extraordinary heroism, but also the deep psychological stress borne by the Vietnam Veteran generation. In January 1968, Johnson believed his yearlong tour in Vietnam was nearly over when a routine transfer placed him on a different M48 Patton tank. That last-minute change altered his fate. Within days, he saw combat for the first time during a fierce battle near Dak To, where enemy rockets struck two tanks in his platoon, including the one he had just left. As his friends burned inside, Johnson charged forward, pulling one badly wounded soldier from the wreckage before it exploded, an image that haunted him for the rest of his life.

Johnson had never wanted to fight. Raised in poverty in Detroit by a single mother, he was taught to avoid violence and run from conflict. Vietnam offered no escape. When his own tank was disabled, Johnson fought relentlessly, emerging into heavy fire and using every weapon available—machine guns, pistols, and even an empty submachine gun used as a blunt instrument. For over thirty minutes, he faced overwhelming odds, killing up to 20 enemy soldiers in close combat.

Though he suffered no major physical wounds, the psychological toll was immediate and severe. Witnesses recalled Johnson becoming uncontrollable after the battle, nearly attacking prisoners and requiring restraint, morphine, and hospitalization. His Medal of Honor recognized his bravery, but his breakdown revealed the invisible wounds carried by many Vietnam veterans—young men thrust into extreme violence, praised for valor, yet left with shattered innocence and lifelong emotional scars.

Listen to Episode 3182 and discover more about Vietnam hero Dwight Johnson.

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This rendering shows what the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial in Myrtle Beach will look like.
Terry Massey/Staff

An enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 turned out for the Jan. 7 groundbreaking ceremony of the city’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Warbird Park in The Market Common.
Terry Massey/Staff

Episode 3181 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial being built at Myrtle Beach, SC. The featured story appeared in the Post and Courier of Myrtle Beach and is titled: ‘For all that they went through’: Myrtle Beach begins building Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial. It was submitted by Terry Massey [tmassey@postandcourier.com]

Massey reported that more than fifty years after the Vietnam War ended, the enduring strength and sacrifice of the Vietnam Veteran generation were powerfully honored during a Jan. 7, 2026 groundbreaking ceremony for Myrtle Beach’s Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial at Warbird Park in The Market Common. An enthusiastic crowd of more than 500 gathered not only to mark the start of construction, but to deliver a long-overdue message to those who served: welcome home.

The memorial, featuring an eight-foot multi-sided wall, reflecting pool, statues, engravings, and illuminated presidential quotes, is designed as a space for remembrance, reflection, and education. Organizers hope to have much of it completed by Memorial Day weekend, underscoring the community’s commitment to honoring veterans whose service was too often met with silence or hostility when they returned.

Retired Air Force Col. Thomas “Buddy” Styers, a Vietnam veteran himself, gave voice to the shared experience of that generation—men and women who served with courage abroad and endured misunderstanding at home. His emotional recollection of returning through a hostile airport captured the resilience of a generation that bore its burdens quietly and continued to serve their communities afterward. Styers later played a key role in transforming the former Myrtle Beach Air Force Base into The Market Common, ensuring military history was preserved for future generations.

The memorial’s rapid progress—from planning to groundbreaking in just one year—reflects a unified community effort, supported by city leaders, veterans’ groups, volunteers, and donors. As city officials noted, this memorial is a small but meaningful way to honor a great generation whose service, sacrifice, and perseverance helped shape the nation and deserve lasting recognition.

Listen to Episode 3181 and discover more about the Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial being built at Myrtle Beach, SC.

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US 50 bridge over Tanners Creek in Lawrenceburg.

Episode 3180 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a press release about how two Vietnam Veterans are being honored in Lawrence, Indiana.  It is titled: State Rep. Garrett Bascom Authors Resolution to Honor Fallen Vietnam Soldiers. It was submitted by State Rep. Garrett Bascom (R-Lawrenceburg).

The press release reported that State Rep. Garrett Bascom (R-Lawrenceburg) has introduced a resolution honoring not only two fallen hometown heroes, but also the enduring legacy of all Vietnam Veterans whose courage, sacrifice, and service continue to shape the nation. House Concurrent Resolution 5 proposes renaming two bridges in Lawrenceburg to memorialize Lary D. Fogle and Thomas G. Denning, Lawrenceburg natives and 1965 graduates of Lawrenceburg Consolidated High School who gave their lives during the Vietnam War.

Pvt. Lary D. Fogle served as an Army airborne paratrooper and became the first Dearborn County resident killed in Vietnam. Only 18 years old at the time of his death, Fogle embodied extraordinary bravery and selflessness. He was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart, and his name is permanently inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., a testament to his sacrifice and to all who served.

Lance Cpl. Thomas G. Denning served with the U.S. Marine Corps’ 3rd Marines at Quang Tri. He was killed in action while leading an assault, demonstrating exceptional leadership and valor under fire. Denning received two Purple Hearts, and his name also stands proudly on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Bascom emphasized that these men represent the countless Vietnam Veterans who answered their nation’s call, often at great personal cost. The resolution would rename the eastbound U.S. Highway 50 bridge over Tanners Creek the Lary D. Fogle Memorial Bridge and the westbound flyover the Thomas G. Denning Memorial Bridge. Having advanced from committee, the measure now heads to the House floor, serving as a lasting reminder of the greatness, sacrifice, and honor of all Vietnam Veterans.

Listen to Episode 3180 and discover more about how two Vietnam Veterans are being honored in Lawrence, Indiana.

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Enemy bunker in Vietnam

Bunker clearing by soldiers of the 2/28 Inf.

Episode 3179 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Vietnam Vet Doug Miller and his toughest challenge in Vietnam. The featured story appeared in the Ashland County News and was submitted by Joe Lyons.

Lyons reported that as each January arrives, Vietnam veteran Doug Miller is pulled back more than half a century to the jungles of Vietnam and to January 9, 1970—a date that symbolizes the relentless danger and sacrifice faced by an entire generation of Americans who served. Miller, a member of Delta Company, 2nd Battalion, 28th Infantry, the famed “Black Lions,” recalls a war where every mission carried risk, but few were as deadly as clearing enemy base camps.

These operations exposed the extraordinary courage of Vietnam infantrymen. Enemy forces were masters of concealment, blending bunkers seamlessly into the terrain. Soldiers often realized they had entered a base camp only when sudden, close-range gunfire erupted. In those moments, survival depended on discipline, trust in fellow soldiers, and the ability to act under unimaginable pressure. Casualties mounted quickly, and Delta Company suffered more killed and wounded during base camp clearing than any other type of engagement.

Even when camps appeared abandoned, danger never disappeared. Booby traps left behind turned routine movement into life-or-death gambles. Miller remembers a December 30, 1969 incident in which one soldier was killed and three wounded—proof that vigilance was required every second. After contact ended, soldiers still faced the painstaking task of clearing each bunker individually, demanding nerve, patience, and resolve.

More than 50 years later, Miller’s memories stand as a testament to the greatness of the Vietnam Veteran Generation. These men fought under brutal conditions, far from home, often without recognition, yet they endured with honor. Their bravery, sacrifice, and unwavering commitment remain a powerful reminder of a generation defined by resilience and courage.

Listen to Episode 3179 and discover more about Vietnam Vet Doug Miller and his toughest challenge in Vietnam.

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Retired U.S. Army Captain Stephen Petty was inducted into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame this week.

Episode 3178 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about how Vietnam Vet Steve Petty was honored at Ocala, FL. The featured story appeared in the Ocala News and was submitted by Jeremiah Delgado.

Delgado reported that Marion County is preparing to honor one of its most distinguished citizens while also shining a light on the enduring greatness of all Vietnam Veterans. The Marion County Board of County Commissioners will proclaim January 10 as “Steve Petty Day,” recognizing a man whose life exemplifies courage, sacrifice, and lifelong service. The proclamation follows Petty’s induction into the Florida Veterans’ Hall of Fame on November 6, 2025, one of the highest honors awarded to veterans in the state. The official presentation will take place at the commission’s January 20 meeting.

Retired Army Captain Steve Petty served as a helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, a conflict defined by extraordinary bravery under relentless conditions. His record includes some of the nation’s highest military honors: the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and the Air Medal with a “V” Device and 40 Oak Leaf Clusters. These awards reflect repeated acts of valor and mirror the heroism shown daily by countless Vietnam Veterans who flew, fought, treated the wounded, and supported their fellow soldiers under fire.

Like so many Vietnam Veterans, Petty carried his sense of duty home. After retiring from the Army, he dedicated himself to serving other veterans through leadership with Veterans Helping Veterans USA, Inc., the Marion County Memorial Honor Guard, and efforts to expand care through the Vet Resource Center.

The county’s proclamation encourages residents to recognize Petty’s extraordinary service, while also honoring the broader legacy of Vietnam Veterans—men and women whose resilience, sacrifice, and quiet strength continue to shape communities across America.

Listen to Episode 3178 and discover more about how Vietnam Vet Steve Petty was honored at Ocala, FL.

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Air Force Master Sgt. James Henry Calfee, was declared missing in action in March 1968.

Episode 3177 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the plight of a Vietnam War MIA family. The featured story is titled: Oahu-based teams search for remains of missing troops from ‘Secret War’ in Laos. It appeared on the Garden Island website and was submitted by Kevin Knodell a writer for the Star-Advertiser.

Knodell reported that Debra Morris’s lifelong search for answers about her uncle, Air Force Master Sgt. James Henry Calfee, began with a haunting farewell. While home on leave from secret missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, Calfee told his family they might never see him again. In March 1968, he was declared missing in action after communist forces overran Lima Site 85, a clandestine U.S. and CIA base in Laos. The Air Force provided few details, instructing the family to remain silent, fueling decades of grief, frustration, and rumors about his fate.

For years, Calfee’s relatives pieced together fragments of information while questioning why the government withheld the truth. In August, scientists with the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) identified a bone recovered from Laos as Calfee’s, finally confirming his death. Family members traveled to Hawaii to meet the team and see the remains, gaining a measure of closure, though many questions remain unanswered. Morris, who promised her grandmother she would uncover the truth, called the identification an important step after 57 years of searching.

The story of Calfee is tied to the “Secret War” in Laos, where U.S. forces covertly operated despite the country’s official neutrality. Lima Site 85 played a critical role in radar and rescue coordination before it was overrun in a brutal two-day battle. DPAA teams have spent decades navigating dangerous terrain and limited records to recover remains from the site, where erosion and secrecy complicate investigations.

Calfee’s family still seeks details about his mission and his vaguely worded Silver Star citation. Efforts to access records have been blocked by classification, a challenge even for DPAA historians. A newly introduced bipartisan bill, the Bring Our Heroes Home Act, aims to improve access to MIA records and accelerate declassification. For Morris, the fight is about dignity and truth: after decades of silence, having even one bone is proof her uncle has not been forgotten.

Listen to Episode 3177 and discover more about the plight of a Vietnam War MIA family.

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Hugh Thompson – The true hero of My Lai

Episode 3176 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Hugh Thompson – the true hero of the My Lai Massacre. The featured story is from Wikipedia.

Hugh Clowers Thompson Jr. stands as one of the greatest moral heroes of the Vietnam War. Born in Atlanta in 1943, Thompson served as a U.S. Army warrant officer and helicopter pilot with the 23rd Infantry Division. On March 16, 1968, while flying an observation mission over the village of Sơn Mỹ, he and his crew—Lawrence Colburn and Glenn Andreotta—witnessed American soldiers killing unarmed civilians. Refusing to look away, Thompson chose conscience over compliance.

As the massacre unfolded, Thompson repeatedly radioed urgent warnings to headquarters and physically intervened on the ground. He landed his small OH-23 helicopter between fleeing villagers and advancing U.S. troops, ordering his own gunners to protect civilians—even if that meant firing on fellow Americans. He confronted officers who claimed they were “just following orders,” insisting that the victims were human beings. Through courage and quick thinking, Thompson and his crew evacuated civilians by air and rescued a young boy from a ditch filled with bodies. His actions directly halted further killing and led commanders to stop the operation.

Thompson’s integrity did not end that day. He reported the crimes, testified during investigations, and helped expose the truth of Mỹ Lai, despite being vilified, threatened, and ostracized. The personal cost was immense, including trauma and public hostility, yet he never recanted and continued serving his country until retirement.

Decades later, justice and honor finally caught up. In 1998, Thompson, Colburn, and Andreotta were awarded the Soldier’s Medal for extraordinary bravery. Thompson later returned to Vietnam to meet survivors, turning tragedy into reconciliation. Remembered at his death in 2006 with full military honors, Hugh Thompson’s legacy endures as a powerful reminder that true greatness in war is defined by humanity, courage, and moral truth.

Listen to Episode 3176 and discover more about Hugh Thompson – the true hero of the My Lai Massacre.

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