Sergeant Aurio Pierro served as a Tank Commander in WWII. He fought amongst the notoriously difficult hedgerows during the Invasion of Normandy, and in the Battle of the Bulge. 

During the Battle of the Bulge, Pierro and his platoon were under heavy fire in an extended battle with the Germans. After their tank was heavily damaged and they ran out of ammo, they left their tank and took cover in a bakery, but Pierro was injured in the process. The bakery was shelled relentlessly from all sides, and soon caught on fire, so they were forced to move down to the cellar. The Germans told Pierro and his platoon to surrender, but they refused. They spent the night in the cellar, and in the morning, fought their way back to their tank, suffering heavy casualties.
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Sgt. Aurio Pierro: Under Attack From All Sides

The unsanitized truth of what we have asked of those who defend this nation. From archived tapes of WWI veterans, to conversations with modern-day warriors, these are their stories, in their own words.

History

Society & Culture

Today, in honor of the 80th anniversary of the Invasion of Normandy, we’re sharing this interview with 2Lt. Daniel Clark. 

Clark served in the Army during World War II as a Glider Infantryman. In this first part of his interview, Clark explains how he ended up in the invasion, and provides his recollection of D-Day.

Next time on Warriors In Their Own Words, we’ll hear the rest of his interview, where he recounts Operation Market Garden, the Battle of the Bulge, and freeing the prisoners of Wöbbelin Concentration Camp. 
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Glider Infantry on D-Day: 2Lt. Daniel Clark Part I

Lieutenant Colonel Henry Mayo “Hank” Bourgeois served in World War II as a Marine Corps fighter pilot. He was a member of the Black Sheep Squadron (VMFA-214), which became famous for their numerous successes over the Solomon Islands, and their leader, Lt. Col. Gregory “Pappy” Boyington. 

Boyington had previously earned a name for himself as a member of the Flying Tigers, but he left and created his own unit which became the Black Sheep. He had a reputation as an incredibly skilled pilot, but also a serious alcoholic. He survived two years in a prison camp after being shot down, and ended the war with 28 confirmed kills and the Medal of Honor.

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Inside the Black Sheep Squadron: LTC Henry Mayo “Hank” Bourgeois

“That’s bold talk for a guy that’s only got one bullet…”

Master Sergeant Earl Plumlee served in the Marine Corps before switching to the Army. He became a Green Beret and deployed to Afghanistan in 2013.

Plumlee was awarded the Medal of Honor for his part in helping defend Forward Operating Base Ghazni. His story is straight out of a movie. Under heavy fire, he neutralized several enemies, survived multiple close-range blasts, and emerged with only minor injuries.

In this special Memorial Day interview, Plumlee talks about his military career, recounts what earned him the Medal of Honor, and gives his thoughts on Memorial Day. 
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An Insurgent’s Nightmare: MSG Earl Plumlee

Colonel Sam Hartwell served in Korea, Germany, and Afghanistan with the U.S. Army. In Afghanistan he was a part of Special Operations Command, and he later worked at the Pentagon with the USD I&S.

In March 2022, Hartwell left retirement to volunteer in Ukraine.

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Afghanistan, Ukraine, and the Pentagon: Col. Sam Hartwell

Specialist 5 Jon Wallenius served in Vietnam with the Army, and fought in the famous Battle of Ia Drang. As a member of the First Cavalry Division, it was his job to scout for enemies in advanced positions and clear LZs for the infantry. 
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Sgt. Aurio Pierro: Under Attack From All Sides

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