1001 Heroes, Legends, Histories & Mysteries Podcast

JON'S TOP TEN WWII FAVORITES: #1 OF 10 BEST "The Commando Raid on St. Nazaire: the Most Daring Raid of WWII":

The St. Nazaire Raid, also known as Operation Chariot, was a British Amphibious attack on the heavily defended Normandie drydock at St. Nazaire on March 26th, 1942. The objective of the raid was to destroy the drydock in German-held St. Nazaire, thus denying an Atlantic repair port to the new and powerful German battleship Tirpitz, which by itself was capable of winning the battle for the North Atlantic and cutting off England from much needed supplies. A joint operation involving over 200 British Commandos supported by Naval forces and RAF, the raid, costly in human lives, was the most decorated single action in British WWII naval history. #WWII #Commandos #TheGreatestRaidofAll #StNazaire #Podcast #HistoryPodcast . Music: mattia cupelli and machinamasound.com Bradham, Randolph (2003). Hitler's U-boat fortresses. Santa Barbara: Greenwood Publishing Group. Dorrian, James (1998). Storming St. Nazaire: the Gripping Story of the Dock-Busting Raid, March, 1942. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press. Ford, Ken (2001). St. Nazaire 1942: The Great Commando Raid; Osprey Campaign series #92. Oxford: Osprey Publishing.

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The obsolete destroyer HMS Campbeltown, accompanied by 18 smaller craft, crossed the English Channel to the Atlantic coast of France and rammed into the Normandie dry dock south gate. The ship had been packed with delayed-action explosives, well hidden within a steel and concrete case, that detonated later that day, putting the dock out of service until 1948.[4]

A force of commandos landed to destroy machinery and other structures. German gunfire sank, set ablaze, or immobilized virtually all the small craft intended to transport the commandos back to England. The commandos fought their way through the town to escape overland but many surrendered when they ran out of ammunition or were surrounded by the Wehrmacht defending Saint-Nazaire.

Of the 612 men who undertook the raid, 228 returned to Britain, 169 were killed and 215 became prisoners of war. German casualties included over 360 dead, some of whom were killed after the raid when Campbeltown exploded. To recognise their bravery, 89 members of the raiding party were awarded decorations, including five Victoria Crosses. After the war, St Nazaire was one of 38 battle honours awarded to the commandos. The operation has been called "the greatest raid of all" in British military circles.

The Tuskeegee Airmen of WWII were the first black pilots to break the color barrier in our Army/Airforce- a job in itself- and this is their heroes story as they paved the way for big changes in our military as well as our industries in the 40's and beyond. Included you will find our 2022 interview with Lt.Col. Harry Stewart as he shares his stories and gives advice to our younger generation about being the best you can be if you want to succeed in life. Lt, Col. Stewart passed this past Feb 2025 at age 100. He turned 100 on July 4th, 2024. RIP. It was a huge honor for me to interview him on his life and career as found in his book 'Soaring To Glory', which I HIGHLY recommend.

Join us at www.bestof1001stories.com for hundreds of WWII stories like this one!

The incredible true story of Moe Berg- a major league baseball player who became a WWII spy and infiltrated the Nazi top scientist group to find out if the Nazis were close to making the atom bomb.

Credits:

Music: Chuck Brodsky, Baseball Ballads Compass/Red House Records www.chuckbrodsky.com Records

Smithsonian Magazine 'Baseball Player Turned Spy Moe berg Went Undercover to Assassinate the nazi Top Scientist' Zachary Clary

Central Intelligence Agency: Moe Berg, Baseball Player, Linguist, Lawyer, Intel Officer

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I first heard this story on Paul Harvey years ago., and I've retold it in part but never in full. This is the story of Lieutenant Commander Edward Henry O'Hare (March 13, 1914 – November 26, 1943) who was an American naval aviator of the United States Navy, who on February 20, 1942, became the Navy's first fighter ace of the war when he single-handedly attacked a formation of nine Japanese medium bombers approaching his aircraft carrier. Even though he had a limited amount of ammunition, he was credited with shooting down five enemy bombers and became the first naval aviator recipient of the Medal of Honor in World War II.

Butch's father had been the attorney for gangster Al Capone for years and at some point had agreed to go undercover for the US Treasury Service in order to expose Capone for tax evasion- the spoken legend being that Eddie (EJ), Butch;'s father, knew that by testifying to Capone's dirty dealings he would be putting a target on his own back, and agreed to give up Capone in exchange for the promise that Butch could attend the US Naval Academy. EJ testified, Capone went to prison, and in revenge, as the legend (most likely true) goes, EJ was shot and killed while driving to work.

On September 19, 1949, the Chicago-area Orchard Field Airport was renamed O'Hare International Airport, sin honor of Butch o'Hare.. An F4F Wildcat, in a livery identical to the aircraft ("White F-15") flown by O'Hare, is on display in Terminal 2. The display was formally opened on the seventy-fifth anniversary of his Medal of Honor flight

See picture of Butch and his wife while being awarded the Medal of Honor. at our web page at 1001 heroes here: www.bestof1001stories.com.

This is one of my all-time favorites)

In 1952, a Pueblo, Colorado housewife named Virginia Tighe volunteered for a hypnosis session, unaware that she would be revealing the fully detailed life of an Irish woman named Bridget Kathleen (Bridey) Murphy (1798-1864),. It it was detailed-featuring a full view of Cork and Belfast in the early 1800's, and containing lots of details that couldn't have been found in any books, as well as unusual words, folk songs, social morays and customs, names of shops, streets. crops, schools, and much more. And Virginia had never been to Ireland.

The full story became a best seller, then a movie,in 1956, before a steady stream of journalists as well as religious leaders began a campaign to discredit the story, Join us for one of the most incredible stories from world of psychiatry and the paranormal......and a story that will challenge your beliefs in reincarnation.

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(One of my top ten all time favs at 1001) In 1952, a Pueblo, Colorado housewife named Virginia Tighe volunteered for a hypnosis session, unaware that she would be revealing the fully detailed life of an Irish woman named Bridget Kathleen (Bridey) Murphy (1798-1864),. It it was detailed-featuring a full view of Cork and Belfast in the early 1800's, and containing lots of details that couldn't have been found in any books, as well as unusual words, folk songs, social morays and customs, names of shops, streets. crops, schools, and much more. And Virginia had never been to Ireland.

The full story became a best seller, then a movie,in 1956, before a steady stream of journalists as well as religious leaders began a campaign to discredit the story, Join us for one of the most incredible stories from world of psychiatry and the paranormal......and a story that will challenge your beliefs in reincarnation.

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For full transcript see our website at www.bestof1001stories.com at each episode at 1001 Heroes-Thank you! and any review telling us that this show was not well researched can pound sand while gleefully tring to listen to the early recordings while reading the BOOK the reviewer recommended. ! Full transcript available at website (www.bestof1001stories.com - see 1001 Heroes episodes)If you enjoy and appreciate what we have shared with these deep-dive , well researched, music included, episodes please send your reviews-Thanks! JH

Resources Used: https://www.britannica.com/art/blues-music https://publicdomain4u.com Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. The Memphis blues. 1923. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669804/ Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. St. Louis blues. 1922. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669595 https://jfderry.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/charlie-patton-1891-1934-father-of-the-blues-part-2/ https://visitmississippi.org/experiences/the-history-of-mississippi-delta-blues-music/ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ma-rainey-mn0000237213/biography https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/ma-rainey-about/14074/ https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197432/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104187.Bessie: A comprehensive biography detailing Bessie Smith's life and career. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/bessie-smith-about-the-empress-of-the-blues/724/: An informative documentary exploring her impact on the music world. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bessie-smith: A detailed biography highlighting her contributions to music and culture. https://www.biography.com/musician/wc-handy [Library of Congress's collection](https://www.loc.gov/collections/w- c-handy-papers/about-this-collection/) Explore B.B. King's discography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bb-king-mn0000059156/discography Listen to B.B. King and Eric Clapton's "Riding with the King": https://www.jamendo.com/track/riding-with-the-king Discover more about B.B. King's honors: https://rockhall.com/inductees/bb-king B.B. King's Official Website: https://www.bbking.com AllMusic Biography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bb-king-mn0000059156/biography For more information on the blues and its history, visit https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org https://blues.org https://folkways.si.edu/blues https://www.memphisrocknsoul.org https://mohistory.org/ https://stlouisbluessociety.org/ https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_blues_festival.html is a must-visit for blues enthusiasts. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1217091.Sammy_Davis_Jr_ [Ma Rainey's Black Bottom](https://www.imdb.com/title https://classicsdujour.com/classic-rock-hits-that-are-actually-blues-songs/ https://www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org/ https://www.pbs.org/robertjohnson/notebooks/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/blues-paramount-records/ - A comprehensive history of Paramount Records, the label that recorded some of Willie Brown's notable tracks. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/robert-johnson-the-search-for-the-man-behind-the-myth-116078151/

"Urban Legends I"- Urban legends are described as often told stories quoted as truth but lacking in verification. Here are ten of our favorites, with some that are true thrown in for posterity. We hope you enjoy them. 1) The Colander Copier Crime Caper, 2) The Hook, 3), The Killer Biscuit, 4), The Bricklayer's Report, 5) The USS Nimitz and the Lighthouse, 6), The Flea Market Declaration, 7), Elvis's Harley, 8) There goes the Monarchy, 9), Mothman, and 10), The New Jersey Devil.

See our collection of Urban Legends at https://www.bestof1001stories.com/show/1001-heroes-legends-histories-mysteries-podcast/categories/legends-and-urban-legends/

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Thank you for joining us on this episode of 1001 Heroes. Please leave a review for this show and let Jon know you are enjoying stories of this kind. Let him know, what is your favorite blues artist or song? For now we leave you with Ma Rainey.

See 'The Birth of the lues' at our website (www.bestof1001stories.com) for full transcript

To the reviewer who low scored us for "poor research": please see "Resources" below- then pound sand trying to listen to the the birth of the blues with the BOOK you recommended. For those of you who appreciate the efforts it took to do this Blues special please kindly let us know-Thanks!

[MUSIC: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nl2CpegOuXY Black Bottom, Ma Rainey] Resources Used: https://www.britannica.com/art/blues-music https://publicdomain4u.com Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. The Memphis blues. 1923. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669804/ Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. St. Louis blues. 1922. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669595 https://jfderry.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/charlie-patton-1891-1934-father-of-the-blues-part-2/ https://visitmississippi.org/experiences/the-history-of-mississippi-delta-blues-music/ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ma-rainey-mn0000237213/biography https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/ma-rainey-about/14074/ https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197432/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104187.Bessie: A comprehensive biography detailing Bessie Smith's life and career.

Resources Used: pt 1,2 https://www.britannica.com/art/blues-music https://publicdomain4u.com Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. The Memphis blues. 1923. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669804/ Ted Lewis Jazz Band, W. C Handy, and Ted Lewis. St. Louis blues. 1922. Audio. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/jukebox-669595 https://jfderry.wordpress.com/2015/08/18/charlie-patton-1891-1934-father-of-the-blues-part-2/ https://visitmississippi.org/experiences/the-history-of-mississippi-delta-blues-music/ https://www.allmusic.com/artist/ma-rainey-mn0000237213/biography https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/ma-rainey-about/14074/ https://www.loc.gov/item/ihas.200197432/ https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/104187.Bessie: A comprehensive biography detailing Bessie Smith's life and career. https://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/bessie-smith-about-the-empress-of-the-blues/724/: An informative documentary exploring her impact on the music world. https://www.womenshistory.org/education-resources/biographies/bessie-smith: A detailed biography highlighting her contributions to music and culture. https://www.biography.com/musician/wc-handy [Library of Congress's collection](https://www.loc.gov/collections/w- c-handy-papers/about-this-collection/) Explore B.B. King's discography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bb-king-mn0000059156/discography Listen to B.B. King and Eric Clapton's "Riding with the King": https://www.jamendo.com/track/riding-with-the-king Discover more about B.B. King's honors: https://rockhall.com/inductees/bb-king B.B. King's Official Website: https://www.bbking.com AllMusic Biography: https://www.allmusic.com/artist/bb-king-mn0000059156/biography For more information on the blues and its history, visit https://www.deltabluesmuseum.org https://blues.org https://folkways.si.edu/blues https://www.memphisrocknsoul.org https://mohistory.org/ https://stlouisbluessociety.org/ https://www.chicago.gov/city/en/depts/dca/supp_info/chicago_blues_festival.html is a must-visit for blues enthusiasts. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1217091.Sammy_Davis_Jr_ [Ma Rainey's Black Bottom](https://www.imdb.com/title https://classicsdujour.com/classic-rock-hits-that-are-actually-blues-songs/ https://www.robertjohnsonbluesfoundation.org/ https://www.pbs.org/robertjohnson/notebooks/ https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/blues-paramount-records/ - A comprehensive history of Paramount Records, the label that recorded some of Willie Brown's notable tracks. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/robert-johnson-the-search-for-the-man-behind-the-myth-116078151/

Interview with Command Sgt. Maj. Bart Womack

New Book- IMBEDDEDD ENEMY

Shortly after deploying for the war in Iraq, an unprecedented attack was about to take place; the first of it's kind in U.S. military history. Embedded Enemy is the true story of the deadly attack against the men and women of Headquarters and Headquarters Company First Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. The Bastogne Brigade was staged at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait where they prepared for combat. During the early morning hours of 23 March 2003, a fellow American soldier, Sergeant Hasan Akbar, executed the unthinkable by throwing hand grenades into his Chain of Command's tents. He then followed up with small-arms fire while his Commanding Officers slept in preparation for war.Shortly after deploying for the war in Iraq, an unprecedented attack was about to take place; the first of it's kind in U.S. military history. Embedded Enemy is the true story of the deadly attack against the men and women of Headquarters and Headquarters Company First Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. The Bastogne Brigade was staged at Camp Pennsylvania in Kuwait where they prepared for combat. During the early morning hours of 23 March 2003, a fellow American soldier, Sergeant Hasan Akbar, executed the unthinkable by throwing hand grenades into his Chain of Command's tents. He then followed up with small-arms fire while his Commanding Officers slept in preparation for war.

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