Veterans Chronicles

Leonard Ganz knew he was going to be drafted, so he studied all of the branches and enlisted in the U.S. Army. After basic and other training, he pursued Officer Candidate School. By the time he deployed to Vietnam in the summer of 1969, Ganz was also part of Military Assistance Command, which was designed to work with and support our South Vietnamese allies. 

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Ganz explains Military Assistance Command and what it was like for a California kid to arrive in the heat and humidity of Vietnam. He also shares what type of training he did to prepare for his responsibilities and what the relationship with his Vietnamese officer was like.

Ganz also takes us inside two of the toughest days he spent in Vietnam. He tells us about the saddest day of his deployment when a young Vietnamese soldier died in his arms waiting for an evacuation.

He also details Thanksgiving Day 1969. From refusing orders to dire warnings and from leeches to receiving a medal, Ganz walks us through the events of that harrowing day. He also describes the pain of returning to an ungrateful nation.

Floyd Brantley was born in Texas in 1925. He was 16 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. Unlike many Americans, Brantley knew exactly where Pearl Harbor was. His brother was already serving in the U.S. Navy and had served there. A year later, Brantley received devastating news: his brother, Charles, had been killed in the waters off Guadalcanal. 

Not long after that, Brantley was ordered into service, became a Navy corpsman, and was deployed to the South Pacific, not far from Guadalcanal.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Brantley tells us the story of how his brother was killed and how he spent years trying to find out more about what happened that day and how respected his brother was.

Brantley also takes us inside the fleet hospital where he worked in the Russell Islands. He explains his role there and the types of injuries he treated. Plus, he shares fascinating stories of dealing with a Japanese prisoner/patient and a teenage native from the island.

Later, Brantley tells us just how abruptly the Navy left the Russell Islands once Japan surrendered and how he got a painful early ticket home. He also shares his service from Korea and Vietnam, and the unique way he switched from the Navy to the U.S. Air Force.

Vince Makela enlisted in the U.S. Army while he was still in high school. After basic training, he specialized in communications and dreamed of flight school. When that dream didn't come true, Makela set his sights on another impressive goal - becoming a Green Beret.

Several years later, he found himself in one of the first American units to set foot in Afghanistan after the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595 not only achieved amazing results, but the men also became widely known as the "Horse Soldiers."

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Makela takes us from basic training to a very meaningful early deployment to Korea. He also walks us through selection and qualifying for U.S. Army Special Forces and his vivid memories of 9/11.

From there, Makela explains how ODA 595 was quickly ordered to prepare for deployment and draw up plans for its operation in Afghanistan. You'll also hear how no one in the unit was expecting to become a horse soldier and how they adapted rather quickly to the mission.

Finally, Makela tells about the part of that mission that he still considers the highlight of his military career.

Kaj Larsen did not follow the typical route to becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL. He was admitted to the U.S. Naval Academy but left after two years to focus on playing water polo at the collegiate level. A few years later he enlisted in the Navy and immediately tried to get a slot in Basic Underwater Demolition SEAL (BUD/s) training in Coronado, California. Those billets are not usually given to men who left Annapolis but Larsen managed to snag one after his lifeguarding skills made headlines. 

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Larsen explains his path to becoming a SEAL officer in more detail, his thoughts upon arriving at Coronado, and how the incredible intensity of the training started during the first hour of the very first day. 

Larsen also details the agony of "Hell Week," his most difficult moments during BUD/s, and what the seemingly ruthless instructors are trying to achieve through their relentless demands. Larsen also tells us what it was like being in the middle of this training when the 9/11 terrorist attacks struck the U.S.

Finally, Larsen reveals what his first combat experience was like and how SEAL gear and tactics have evolved since his time in combat as a result of new technologies and adapting to the tactics of our enemies.

Allison Black surprised her family by deciding to enlist in the U.S. Air Force after high school. She did it to be part of a mission bigger than herself. After basic training, Black spent the next several years as a Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape - or SERE - instructor, teaching service members what to do if shot down, stuck behind enemy lines, or captured. 

After several years of that she became an officer in Air Force special operations and served as a navigator aboard an AC-130H gunship. Shortly after 9/11, she and her crew were deployed to Afghanistan.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Col. Black describes her life in SERE training, making the shift to special operations and the AC-130, what 9/11 was like for her, entering combat in Afghanistan, and how a famed Afghan ally ended up dubbing her "The Angel of Death."

Retiring in 2024, Black also reflects on the lessons she learned in 32 years of service and what she hopes others learned from her.