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Mississippi Moments Podcast

After fifty years, we've heard it all. From the horrors of war to the struggle for civil rights, Mississippians have shared their stories with us. The writers, the soldiers, the activists, the musicians, the politicians, the comedians, the teachers, the farmers, the sharecroppers, the survivors, the winners, the losers, the haves, and the have-nots. They've all entrusted us with their memories, by the thousands. You like stories? We've got stories. After fifty years, we've heard it all.
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Now displaying: Category: Military History
Jun 13, 2016
MSM 485 James Jones - The 761st Tank Battalion

In March of 1942, the first African-American armored combat unit was formed at Camp Claiborne, Louisiana. Viewed by army brass as more of a novelty or public relations tool, the 761st might never have seen combat were it not for General George S. Patton who requested they be placed under his command.  In this episode, James Jones of Laurel discusses the history of the 761st tank battalion. Jones was serving at a replacement depot outside of Paris when he assigned to the 761st as a replacement. He recalls being trained to operate a tank just five miles from the front and how the European populace reacted to seeing black soldiers.

On December 16, 1944, Germany launched a major counteroffensive through the Ardennes Forest in an effort to cut off Allied supply lines. Jones recounts the often overlooked but vital role the 761st played in the Battle of the Bulge.

May 29, 2016
MSM 483 Doris Barwick - WWII Veterans & PTSD

After the attack on the Naval Base at Pearl Harbor in 1941, America declared war on Japan. In this episode, Laurel native, Doris Barwick recalls how their community responded. Young men, some not even out of high school, volunteered for service by the thousands and soon found themselves on the front lines in Europe and the Pacific.

As a result of intense fighting during WWII and later the Korean Conflict, many of these soldiers suffered from battle fatigue, known today as PTSD, for years afterwards. To treat the lingering effects of PTSD, they often turned to alcohol.

Doris Barwick remembers her husband’s frequent nightmares and describes how he overcame his addiction. After getting sober himself, Jim Barwick became a drug and alcohol counselor and spent his remaining seventeen years helping others.

 

Image: 2,000 Yard Stare by Thomas Lea, c 1944 Life Magazine

May 16, 2016
MSM 481 John Childress - The Navy Seals in Vietnam

John Childress joined the Navy Seals in 1968. In this episode, he recalls training teams of mercenaries for raids into North Vietnam. As a result of his efforts, the Viet Cong placed a bounty on Childress. He explains how a bomb left on an ammo pile outside his office nearly got him.

Childress also discusses how the Viet Cong charged Vietnamese businesses protection money during the war and in a podcast extra describes a raid his team conducted on a VC prison camp.

Oct 5, 2015
MSM 458 George Hall - Mental Golf at the Hanoi Hilton

In 1965, George Hall of Hattiesburg was an Air Force reconnaissance pilot stationed in Thailand. In this episode, he recalls the day in September his plane was shot down over North Vietnam. Hall spent the next seven and a half years as a prisoner of war. He describes life at the infamous Hanoi Hilton and the torture he endured at the hands of his captors.

When he was finally released in 1973, it took time for Hall to readjust to life in Hattiesburg after so long a POW. He remembers being shocked by the price of a hamburger.

Unlike many Vietnam veterans, Hall returned home to a hero’s welcome. He discusses playing mental golf to pass the time and his discomfort with being called a “War Hero.”

Sep 28, 2015
MSM 457 - Dr. Andrew Wiest - The Boys of '67

In 1997, USM professor Andrew Wiest began teaching a class on Vietnam. In this episode, he recalls looking for ways to make history come alive for his students and the unexpected results of those efforts.

 After meeting Vietnam veteran John Young, Wiest was inspired to write The Boys of ’67. He details the writing process and the book’s impact on the men of Charlie Company and their families.

In 2014, the National Geographic Channel premiered The Boys of ’67, a documentary based on the book. Wiest explains how the project came about and the challenges it presented.

The documentary received Emmy Award nominations in four categories. In a podcast extra,  Wiest discusses the prospect of winning an Emmy and what it means for the men of Charlie Company.

Jul 13, 2015
MSM 446 Emma Foret - The Life of a Corpsman's Wife

Emma Foret was the wife of a Navy hospital corpsman. In this episode she recalls their life together and how she and the children coped with her husband’s absence.

She also discusses the special bond between the Navy and Marine Corp and how the wives of these servicemen depended on each other.

PODCAST EXTRA: Even in times of peace, conflicts can arise at a moment’s notice.  Foret remembers her husband’s role in two such events and how the Navy kept the families informed.

May 22, 2015
MSM 439 Bill Barnes - The Coast Guard during WWII

Bill Barnes of Jackson joined the Coast Guard the day after the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. In this episode, he recalls his time in the Pacific spent aboard a Patrol boat. Barnes also describes the process of arming and testing the new craft before heading out to sea.

After serving two years in the Pacific Theater, Barnes returned stateside for a new duty: helping develop rescue methods still used by the Coast Guard today.

Podcast Extra

At the beginning of the war, the Coast Guard didn’t have enough uniforms, weapons or even beds for the influx of new recruits.

Barnes recalls going to extremes to try and keep warm.

 

Feb 13, 2015
MSM 428 Lee Spearman - Black Soldiers During WWII

During WWII, most African-American Soldiers served in support units away from the front lines. All that changed during the War in the Pacific where because of the close proxmity of the conflict, black soldiers found themselves fighting shoulder to shoulder with their white counterparts.  In this episode, Lee Spearman of Bay Springs remembers the only objective was to stay alive.  

Journalist Ernie Pyle reported from the frontlines in Europe and the Pacific during WWII.  Spearman was there when Pyle was hit by enemy fire.

 

Jun 4, 2014
MSM 400 Alvy Ray Pittman - Demolition Man

Ray Pittman of Hattiesburg joined the Marines in 1942 as a demolition man. In this episode, he describes a typical demolition team and the dangerous jobs they performed.

Pittman’s team suffered heavy casualties during some of the worst battles in the Pacific theater. He recalls how a spare pistol saved his life on the island of Iwo Jima.

Pittman also remembers the day his friend Maxwell was killed while they were on a recon mission and how their actions prevented an ambush by the Japanese.

This D-Day, as we pause to remember our soldiers who fought so valiantly on the beaches at Normandy, let us also consider those brave men who were fighting on the other side of the world with this--our 400th episode of Mississippi Moments.

(the picture is of a Marshall Island enemy block house blown up by Ray's team)

 

Mar 14, 2014

The Center for Oral History has proudly preserved the stories of hundreds of US veterans.

In this episode, B-24 bomber pilot C.R. Cadenhead of Greenville recalls his crew of 'misfits' and a much welcomed escort by those Southern gentlemen, the Tuskegee Airmen.

 

Sep 20, 2013

Leakesville native, Dr. John Allums was teaching at the University of Georgia in 1951 when the Korean War began. He recounts making the transition from college professor to Air Force Intelligence Officer. He also explains how he worked with representatives from various government agencies to prepare reports for the president. 

On May 1st, 1960, a US U2 spy plane was shot done by the Soviet government while on a mission to photograph Russian military bases. Allums discusses why he feels that President Eisenhower made a mistake when he publicly acknowledged the U2 program.

Jun 10, 2013

In 2005, Joseph Hammonds of Sand Hill was serving in Iraq with the 150th Combat Engineer Battalion. He remembers searching for stockpiles of weapons and the danger posed by improvised explosive devices or I.E.D.s. 

Hammonds recalls earning a Combat Action Citation for surviving an I.E.D. attack while on patrol in the spring of that year. He reflects on the heavy price paid by tank crews who often took the lead in convoys.

While in Iraq, Hammonds’ grandfather passed away and he was denied leave time to attend the funeral. He explains how missing that funeral possibly saved the lives of his friends.

May 17, 2013

When Frank Forsyth of Foxworth watched the lone B-29 bomber fly over the camp where he had lived as a POW for three years, he was unaware that it was carrying a nuclear bomb in its belly.  Soon after the bomb was dropped on the nearby town of Nagasaki, he was set free to wander the country.  In this extended version of the radio broadcast, Forsyth recalls the shock of seeing the completely destroyed city. He also talks about returing to the USA before re-enlisting in the Marines.

Happy Memorial Day from Mississippi Moments.

May 16, 2013

Dr. James Moye of Laurel was a bomber pilot during WWII.  He remembers the day his B-24 was shot down over Austria and how he and his crew were captured by the Germans.

In this extended version of the radio broadcast, Moye details the highly organized intelligence gathering operations conducted by the British prisoners. He also recounts his three harrowing escape attempts.

This is an entertaining episode and a good way to reflect on the sacrifices made by our troops during WWII as Memorial Day approaches.

Apr 12, 2013
MSMo 350 Gen. Sidney Berry - The West Point Code of Honor, Ext. Ver.

   In April of 1974, Hattiesburg native General Sidney Berry was appointed Supervisor of the U.S. Army’s West Point Military Academy. He recalls the job interview with General Creighton Abrams and how that meeting affected his tenure at the Academy.

   In 1975, Congress authorized the admission of women to West Point.  Berry discusses overseeing the transition and how the West Point Code of Honor was put to the test during a cadet cheating scandal.

Feb 22, 2013
MS Mo 346 Rev. Rodney Duke - The USS Pueblo Incident

On January 23rd, 1968, the USS Pueblo, a Naval Intelligence ship was seized in International waters by the North Korean Government. Reverend Rodney Duke of Lake, Mississippi was serving as a communications technician aboard the Pueblo at the time. For the next 334 days Duke and the rest of the crew endured over 200 interrogations. He remembers the physical and psychological torture and the effect it had on him. This extended version contains more graphic detail than the broadcast version.

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