Veterans Breakfast Club

WWII Okinawa Veteran James Wheeler

At 104 years old, WWII Army veteran James Wheeler is one of the last surviving American tankers to witness firsthand the brutal Battle of Okinawa. A member of Company C, 193rd Tank Battalion, Wheeler fought in one of the most punishing armored campaigns of the Pacific War, where American Sherman tanks were sent headlong into the deadly defenses of the Japanese Shuri Line.

In April 1945, the 193rd Tank Battalion took part in the disastrous assault on Kakazu Ridge and Kakazu Village—what historians later called the “Death Ride of the Shermans.” Trapped without infantry support, Wheeler’s battalion drove into a maze of mines, hidden anti-tank guns, artillery fire, and suicide attacks. In a single day, the battalion lost 22 tanks, the greatest single combat loss of American tanks in the Pacific Theater.

Join us for a rare and extraordinary conversation with James Wheeler as he reflects on survival, combat inside a Sherman tank, and the savage realities of Okinawa, one of the bloodiest battles of World War II. Wheeler’s memories offer not just a window into armored warfare in the Pacific, but a living connection to a rapidly vanishing generation.

#WWII #WorldWarII #Okinawa #BattleOfOkinawa #TankBattalion #ShermanTank #USArmy #PacificWar #GreatestGeneration #MilitaryHistory #WW2Veteran #TankCrew #Okinawa1945 #Veterans #VeteransBreakfastClub

Linebacker I: The Air Battle of 1972

In the spring of 1972, North Vietnam launched the massive Easter Offensive, a conventional invasion that nearly broke South Vietnam. The response: Operation Linebacker I—a sustained U.S. air campaign that reshaped the battlefield and helped halt the advance.

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club (VBC) for a powerful live conversation on this pivotal moment in the Vietnam War.

Our guest, Brian Harrison, served in Vietnam in 1972–1973 with the legendary 1st Cavalry Division’s “Centaurs” (air cavalry)—flying in the thick of the fighting as U.S. airpower supported South Vietnamese forces on the ground. His firsthand perspective brings us closer to the reality of the Easter Offensive and the air war that followed.

We’ll explore what triggered the 1972 Easter Offensive and how Operation Linebacker I differed from earlier bombing campaigns like Rolling Thunder. We’ll look at the role of air cavalry and helicopter operations in the fight, and what it felt like on the ground and in the air during one of the war’s most intense phases. Finally, we’ll consider why 1972 marked a turning point in U.S. strategy in Vietnam.

#VietnamWar #LinebackerI #EasterOffensive #MilitaryHistory #AirWar #USAirForce #ArmyAviation #VietnamVeterans #VeteransStories #ColdWarHistory

 

WWII Marine Neal McCallum and the Battle of Okinawa

Join VBC LIVE on Thursday, May 7 at 7PM (ET) for a conversation with World War II Marine veteran Neal McCallum, who fought in the Battle of Okinawa 81 years ago.

At just 18 years old, McCallum landed on Okinawa with Fox Company, 29th Marine Regiment, 6th Marine Division, part of the massive U.S. invasion force that stormed the island on Easter Sunday April 1, 1945y.

He served as an infantryman in a mortar section and fought through some of the fiercest combat of the war, including the deadly struggle for Sugar Loaf Hill, where Marines suffered staggering losses. On May 19, 1945, McCallum was seriously wounded by enemy fire, just one day after his close friend was killed in action.

The Battle of Okinawa was the largest amphibious assault in the Pacific Theater and one of the bloodiest. The battle raged over 82 days. Whenit was over, more 12,000 Americans were dead and another 37,000 wounded. Japanese casualties were many times that number. And, perhaps most tragic, 100,000–200,000 Okinawan civilians were dead.

Fought across ridges, caves, and fortified positions, Okinawa became a war of attrition with kamikaze attacks. The scale of the destruction gave a U.S. forces a yardstick for estimating the cost of invading mainland Japan.

Battle of Okinawa, World War II Pacific, US Marines WWII, Okinawa 1945, Neal McCallum, WWII veteran interview, Sugar Loaf Hill, Pacific War history, VBC Live, Veterans Breakfast Club, WWII stories, military history livestream

#WWII #BattleOfOkinawa #USMarines #VeteransStories #MilitaryHistory #VBC #PacificWar #Okinawa #WW2Veteran #HistoryLive

Veterans Open Conversation

[00:00 - 01:10] Introduction and Welcome

Hosts Shaun, Todd, and Glenn welcome viewers.
Overview of the Veterans Breakfast Club mission: creating communities of listening around veterans and their stories.
Invitation to join live Zoom sessions and watch on Facebook or YouTube.

[01:10 - 06:40] Upcoming Events and Programs

Announcement of Thursday night’s "Greatest Generation Live" focusing on World War II and the 81st anniversary of the Battle of Okinawa.
Introduction of two Okinawa veterans guests: Neil Mallalum (99 years old) and James Wheeler (104 years old).
Discussion of their service, experiences, and upcoming program details.
Mention of in-person breakfasts and the BBC magazine distribution.

[06:40 - 34:00] Why Veterans Wear Black Caps - Open Discussion

Jim Roberts poses the question: Why do veterans wear black caps? (Jim shares his personal experience and reflections on wearing his Vietnam unit hat.)
Discussion about the symbolism of hats for veterans as identifiers and conversation starters.
Mixed feelings about public reactions to hats and "Thank you for your service" comments.

Ben Dawson (Air Force veteran) talks about pride and connection through hats.
Baltimore Ben shares his evolving attitude toward wearing veteran hats and public recognition.
Chris Perolo discusses the military tradition of headgear and its role in identity.
John Per shares his pride in his Army Security Agency hat and its role in connecting with fellow veterans.

Patrick Hughes talks about his separate brigade service and pride in his hat.
Ron comments on the professional look and versatility of black hats.
Al Smith shares mixed feelings about wearing hats and recognition.
Rick Weber tells the story of the "Lobcocks" nickname and its significance.
Mark Spearigio discusses his late adoption of wearing hats due to Vietnam War reception and the healing aspect of acknowledgment.
Sue Watson shares her father's Marine Corps hats and the significance of the Eoima survivor hat.

Discussion about family members wearing veteran hats or apparel.
Civilians working with veterans share their experiences with public recognition.
John Terry and others discuss the importance of hats as conversation starters and symbols of pride.

[34:00 - 55:50] Special Guest: Bill Peters and Army Security Agency Story

Bill Peters joins to share a story about a photo of Army Security Agency veterans in Vietnam.
Description of the photo location (Dong Ba Thin near Cameron Bay) and unit activities.
Discussion about the casual dress in the photo and life in Vietnam.
Bill shares his homecoming experience and current involvement with military honor guards.
Plans for an upcoming Army Security Agency anniversary program.

[55:50 - 01:17:40] Anniversary of the Kent State Shooting - Historical Context and Veteran Memories

Greg Yoast provides a detailed history of the Kent State shooting on May 4, 1970.
Explanation of the political and social climate leading to the incident, including Nixon’s Cambodia incursion.
Todd and veterans share personal memories and reflections on the event.
Don Nemch recalls the impact and significance of Kent State and related protests.
Ben Dawson and others discuss the National Guard’s role and the atmosphere on campuses.
John Terry shares his experience as a ROC instructor during ongoing protests.
Bill Rios shares his story as a two-war veteran and Vietnam War protester, including his draft experience and later service in the National Guard during the Gulf War.
Discussion about the complexity and divisiveness of the Kent State incident and its lasting impact on veterans and the nation.

[01:17:40 - End] Closing Remarks and Upcoming Programs

Thanks to participants and viewers.
Reminder to join the upcoming Battle of Okinawa program.
Encouragement to support the Veterans Breakfast Club through membership and participation.
This breakdown captures the main topics and flow of the conversation, providing viewers with a clear guide to the video content.

WWII Navy SeaBee Richard Inlow

Join us for a remarkable evening with World War II veteran Richard “Dick” Inlow, a 101-year-old Navy Seabee who served in the Pacific.

Drafted out of high school and sent to a Seabee battalion, Dick didn’t even know what a Seabee was—just that the Navy put him on a train and sent him where he was needed. Before long, he found himself landing in the first wave at Peleliu, supporting the Marines under fire, carrying ammunition through waist-deep water as bullets struck around him.

“I survived by hiding behind the Marines,” he says with characteristic understatement.

Dick served with the 33rd Naval Construction Battalion, helping repair airstrips under combat conditions and supporting frontline operations in some of the Pacific’s most brutal fighting.

After the war, Dick built a full and accomplished life, becoming a teacher, a mathematician, and a man who never lost his passion for learning.

About VBC LIVE:
Veterans Breakfast Club brings veterans, families, and the public together in “communities of listening”—where stories connect us across generations, experiences, and perspectives.

#WWII #Veterans #Seabees #Peleliu #PacificWar #OralHistory #VeteransStories #MilitaryHistory #GreatestGeneration #VBC

Aeromedical Evacuation: Film + Live Talkback

What happens between the battlefield and home? Aeromedical, an Emmy Award–winning documentary by Rebecca Abbott and Tim Malloy, takes you inside U.S. Air Force aeromedical evacuation missions that move wounded service members from combat zones to advanced care—often within hours, and sometimes back to the United States within days.

Filmed in Afghanistan, Germany, and the U.S., the documentary captures a life-saving system nearly a century in the making, from its beginnings in 1918 to today’s flying intensive care units aboard C-17, C-130, and KC-135 aircraft. The result is a survival rate approaching 98%. More than a story of combat, Aeromedical reveals the skill, urgency, and quiet dedication of the doctors, nurses, technicians, and aircrews—many from the National Guard and Reserve—who keep the wounded alive in the air.

Following the 28-minute film, join the Veterans Breakfast Club for a live conversation and Q&A with the filmmakers and aeromedical crew members. This VBC LIVE program offers a different view of war—not the fight itself, but the effort to bring people home.

#Aeromedical #USAirForce #Medevac #MilitaryMedicine #Veterans #DocumentaryFilm #VBC #VeteransBreakfastClub #Landstuhl #Ramstein #C17 #C130 #KC135 #WarStories #MilitaryHistory #NationalGuard #Reserves #AfghanistanWar

Learning to Live from Those Willing to Die

Retired Navy Captain and author David E. Grogan joins us to discuss his book Learning to Live from Those Willing to Die, a collection of life lessons drawn from the lived experiences of American veterans. Grogan, a former international and operational attorney for the U.S. Navy, has spent years listening closely to those who served. The result is a book that not only describes twenty-six veterans’ personal battlefields, but also digs deeper to discover the enduring life lessons their service teaches.

All royalties from the book are donated to America’s VetDogs, which provides guide and service dogs to veterans and first responders. The project has already raised more than $4,100 for the charity—a reminder that these veterans continue to serve others through their stories.

For this special program, David will be joined by four of the veterans whose lives anchor key chapters in the book. Each represents a different era of service and a different lesson learned.

Specialist Tom Garvey’s service in Vietnam underscores one of the most enduring truths of military life: survival and sanity often hinge on friendship. His chapter reflects on the bonds formed under stress and how loyalty to one another carried young soldiers through war and long afterward.

Specialist Billy Terrell’s story emphasizes his efforts to provide a sanctuary for the most vulnerable victims of the Vietnam War. His service shaped in him a deep commitment to fairness and advocacy, particularly for those without a voice. His chapter explores how efforts military members take to help others often change lives, including their own.

Specialist Eric Ferguson’s experience during the Gulf War era highlights a quieter but powerful trait: attentiveness. Listening—to mentors, to circumstances, to possibilities, even to art—opened doors that might otherwise have remained closed. His story is about recognizing opportunity in unlikely moments and having the discipline to act.

Commander Tom Jones unconventional career as a Navy attorney took him from military courtrooms to capture missions with the SEALs in Iraq. He had an equally unconventional family life growing up, yet his family always remained in the forefront of his military career. His chapter reflects on the sustaining force of family—before, during, and after war—and how service impacts not only the individual but also all those they love.

This evening will not be a book talk but rather a conversation about what military service teaches and how those lessons echo long after the service is over.

The Future of Vietnam Veterans of America

On Monday, April 13 at 7pm ET, VBC Live welcomes national leaders of Vietnam Veterans of America for a candid and timely discussion about the organization’s future. Joining us are Thomas Burke, National President; Dominick Yezzo, National General Counsel; and James McCormick, Executive Director for Government Affairs. Nearly five decades after its founding, VVA faces a generational turning point. As Vietnam-era veterans age, the organization must determine how to preserve its identity and mission while ensuring continuity. Should membership remain exclusive to Vietnam-era veterans, or expand to include those who served in later conflicts? What structural or governance changes are under consideration?

These questions surfaced forcefully at last year’s national convention in New Orleans, where debate over the organization’s direction revealed both deep loyalty to its founding purpose and strong differences over how best to move forward. On this program, our guests will explain the options being discussed, reflect on what is at stake, and share their own stories of military service and decades of advocacy. This conversation offers a respectful forum to better understand the choices ahead and the legacy VVA seeks to carry forward.

Desert Shield/Desert Storm Open Conversation

We invite all Persian Gulf War veterans to join us and share their stories. After our recent VBC Live conversation marking Desert Shield and Desert Storm (1990–1991), we heard from many of you: Thank you for doing this. I don’t often get to speak about it. People forget we were there. The First Gulf War often slips between the memory of Vietnam and the long shadow of 9/11.

So on Monday, April 6, we’re offering an Open Mic and Open Conversation focused on Gulf War-era service. We have no agenda or presentation, just casual and focused conversation from those who served in 1990-1991. Please join us to connect, compare notes, swap stories, ask questions, and remember what this moment in history felt like from the inside.

In August 1990, Saddam Hussein’s Iraq invaded Kuwait. The U.S. and a broad international coalition responded first with Operation Desert Shield, which was a massive buildup to defend Saudi Arabia and deter further Iraqi advances. It was followed in January 1991 by Operation Desert Storm, the air campaign and then the ground offensive that liberated Kuwait in just 100 hours.

The war was large and fast. It involved hundreds of thousands of service members fighting the war through logistics, maintenance, intelligence, medical care, transportation, communications, air defense, and a thousand other jobs that made everything else possible.

Some deployed to Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the Gulf, Turkey, the Red Sea. Others served stateside or in Europe working supply, airlift/sealift, vehicle maintenance, air defense, communications, or medical operations.

Wherever you served, please join us to talk about what you were doing, thinking, and feeling 35 years ago.

Veterans Advocate and USMC Veteran Cyla Srna

We welcome Major Cyla Srna of the Texas State Guard, who will tell us about her Marine Corps service as an Aviation Structural Mechanic and her decision to join Texas’s State Defense Force, where she’s served for the past 12 years. Cyla is also an advocate for women veterans. In 2020, she agreed to enter the Ms. Veteran America competition in order to call attention to the problem of women veterans’ homelessness.

Cyla has a deep understanding of the problem, as she’s experienced it herself. We’ll talk about that and about her unique posts in the Texas State Guard, including Emergency Operations during Hurricane Harvey and COVID-19.

Cyla will educate us about the Texas State Guard, one of twenty examples of a little-known part of America’s military system: the State Defense Forces (SDFs). Authorized under Title 32 of the U.S. Code and grounded in states’ constitutional authority to maintain militias, SDFs exist alongside the National Guard but cannot be federalized. Their mission is strictly state-focused—responding to natural disasters, public health emergencies, border and infrastructure security, logistics, communications, and community support when governors call.

These units are volunteer, uniformed, and trained, often composed of prior-service veterans as well as civilians who want to serve close to home.