Butch Underwood was just 17 years old when he enlisted in the U.S. Army and volunteered to serve as a tank driver in Vietnam.In this unfiltered conversation, Butch shares what it was really like fighting in one of the most dangerous roles in the war—riding inside a 52-ton tank through jungles, minefields, and ambushes. From his very first firefight to being wounded in combat, his story reveals the harsh realities young soldiers faced daily.

But the war didn’t end when he came home. Butch opens up about PTSD, opioid addiction, and the long road to recovery—losing friends, family struggles, and ultimately finding peace later in life. His story is one of survival, accountability, and redemption.If you believe these stories matter, please like, subscribe, and share to help preserve the voices of those who served.

👉 If you’re a Veteran struggling with VA benefits, click this link in to schedule a free consultation: https://crm.zoho.com/bookings/YourFreeConsultationwithAskaVetMedGroup?rid=e9b38e78cb91065c1fe320a7ded78fbd8bba8f49d0461551777fc2994529c25a57fa5b8c5b5a0967c3c2b0d295b2b223gid8b25e599eed0bfe92c1438b980632c02b6ed9488ec5e11f8c6677be7ffc43cec

⏱️ CHAPTERS:

1:45 – Growing up in poverty & losing his father

4:30 – Enlisting at 17 & choosing tanks

6:00 – Training on the M60 tank

8:00 – Arriving in Vietnam & first impressions

10:30 – First firefight & free fire zone mistake

13:30 – Life on a tank: missions, ambushes, and survival

16:30 – Landmines & the dangers of being a driver

18:30 – Final mission & getting wounded

21:00 – Hospital experience & meeting General Abrams

23:00 – Opioid addiction begins

25:30 – Coming home & silence after the war

27:30 – PTSD, breakdown, and losing control

30:00 – 20+ years of opioid addiction

32:30 – Losing friends to overdoses & quitting cold turkey

34:30 – Divorce, family loss, and personal rock bottom

36:30 – Finding love again & rebuilding life

38:00 – Honor Flight & finally feeling welcomed home

40:00 – Advice for veterans struggling with PTSD & addiction

If you or a Veteran you know has a story that should be heard, we'd love to hear from you at [email protected].

In this episode of Ask A Vet, we sit down with Vietnam Veteran Ernest, whose two back-to-back tours as a Huey door gunner took him from avoiding the draft… to becoming the man everyone in his unit depended on.

Ernest shares unbelievable stories: being shot down four times, falling 100 feet from a helicopter into a rice paddy, saving his pilot’s life, living 50 yards from the South China Sea, water-skiing in a war zone, and fighting in some of the most chaotic conditions imaginable.

Ernest’s perspective on service, survival, friendship, and finally being honored decades later on an Honor Flight is something every American needs to hear. If this episode impacted you, please subscribe and help us continue documenting the stories of the heroes who served.

Chapters:

01:10 – Background & Avoiding the Draft

06:30 – Basic Training at Fort Jackson

10:05 – Arriving in Vietnam

12:00 – MOS Changed Overnight After Base Attack

13:35 – Becoming a Door Gunner

16:15 – Building a Hooch by the Sea

18:00 – Water-Skiing in a War Zone

20:25 – Shot Down Multiple Times

23:40 – Saving His Pilot’s Life

27:50 – Missions Across Vietnam

31:00 – Falling Out of a Helicopter

34:45 – First Combat Mission & Melting the Gun

38:00 – Daily Life

45:00 – Re-upping & Serving a Second Tour

48:30 – Coming Home to Hostility

50:20 – The Honor Flight That Finally Healed Something

54:40 – Life After the War & Reflections

In this episode of Ask A Vet, we sit down with Korean War Navy Veteran John Llewellyn, who shares what it was really like serving aboard a destroyer, or what sailors called a “tin can.”From joining the Navy at 18 on a whim… to working deep in the engine room under extreme heat… to surviving typhoons in the Pacific… John gives a raw, honest account of life at sea during the Korean War.

He talks about the moments that shaped him: watching combat from offshore, facing fear and opportunity, turning down life-changing decisions, and ultimately finding purpose after service. This is a story about growth, perspective, and what service truly gives back.If you want to understand what the Korean War was like from someone who lived it, not from a textbook, this is an episode you don’t want to miss.

🇺🇸 Thank you to all Veterans for your service.

Chapters:

02:15 – Growing up in Utah & Joining the Navy

05:30 – Boot Camp Experience (San Diego)

08:00 – Machinist Mate School & First Assignment

10:00 – Getting Assigned to the USS Stembel (“Tin Can”)

12:30 – Life Aboard a Destroyer

15:00 – Journey to the Pacific & First Deployment

18:30 – Escorting Aircraft Carriers (Task Force 77)

21:00 – Close Call: Carrier Plane Crash

23:30 – Patrolling North Korea & Combat Conditions

26:00 – Volunteering for Shore Duty (and Regret)

28:30 – The Day the War Ended

40:00 – Opportunities in the Navy (and Turning Them Down)

44:00 – Life in the Engine Room & Dangerous Conditions

48:00 – Typhoons at Sea + Injuries, Close Calls & Deaths on Board

56:00 – Returning Home & Transition to Civilian Life

59:00 – Career in Law Enforcement

01:02:00 – Final Reflections

In this episode of Ask A Vet, we sit down with Vietnam War Veteran Mike, who shares a raw, unfiltered account of his journey from childhood in Detroit to the front lines of Vietnam.

Mike opens up about volunteering for the draft, enduring brutal training conditions, and the shocking moment when war became real, just days after arriving in-country. As a Pathfinder, he was tasked with some of the most dangerous missions: rescuing downed pilots, navigating hostile terrain, and surviving situations where one mistake could cost lives.

 Chapters

1:15 – Growing up in Detroit & Volunteering for the draft
6:45 – Boot camp & early Army experiences
10:00 – What Vietnam was really like (expectations vs reality)
13:30 – Brutal training at Camp Crockett
18:45 – Becoming a Pathfinder
22:00 – Arrival in Vietnam
26:30 – Life at a Special Forces camp
30:00 – First mission & being left behind
34:30 – Combat realities & dangerous rescues
40:00 – The psychological toll of war
44:30 – Close calls, fear, and survival instincts
48:00 – Malaria, illness, and daily hardships
52:00 – R&R in Hong Kong & going AWOL
56:30 – A shocking incident within his own unit
1:00:00 – Reflections on war and responsibility

What was it really like to be a “Donut Dollie” in Vietnam?In this episode of Ask a Vet, we sit down with Vietnam Red Cross Donut Dollie Diane Thornal to hear her remarkable story serving on the front lines of the Vietnam War.Diane was one of just 627 women who volunteered with the American Red Cross Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO) program. Known affectionately by the troops as “Donut Dollies,” these women traveled by helicopter to remote firebases and combat outposts bringing games, conversation, and a brief reminder of home to soldiers in the middle of war. Diane shares how she volunteered to go to Vietnam at just 22 years old, flew by helicopter to visit units across the country, and even found herself pinned down overnight by an entire North Vietnamese battalion while visiting a firebase in the A Shau Valley. She also tells the unforgettable story of meeting her future husband, Army helicopter pilot Ben Thornal, at Camp Eagle — a wartime romance that began with a can of deodorant and a jar of olives.

For more of Diane and the Donut Dollies' story, watch the documentary:“The Donut Dollies: 627 Women Who Also Served in Vietnam.”

EPISODE CHAPTERS:

01:05 Red Cross Involvement & Discovering the Donut Dollie Program

08:55 Training with the Red Cross in Washington D.C.

11:40 Flying to Vietnam for the first time

16:40 Assigned to Da Nang and the center explosion

18:40 Traveling by helicopter to visit troops

20:10 The games that boosted soldier morale

22:15 Being pinned down by a North Vietnamese battalion

25:20 Visiting wounded soldiers on hospital ships

27:40 Life on bases and interactions with troops

29:45 Meeting helicopter pilot Ben Thornal

34:10 Rocket attacks at Camp Eagle

43:30 R&R trips to Hong Kong and Bangkok

45:30 A wartime proposal sealed with olives

47:40 Coming home early from Vietnam

49:40 Reflecting on the Donut Dollies’ impact

52:20 The Donut Dollies Documentary

54:40 Final reflections on service

If you or someone you know has a story that should be heard, reach out to us at [email protected]

In this episode of Ask a Vet, Dustoff pilot Tom Hall shares the reality of flying medical evacuation missions during the Vietnam War. Tom entered the Army’s helicopter flight program and eventually flew Dustoff missions in the UH-1 Huey, rescuing wounded soldiers under intense enemy fire. In this conversation, he recounts what training was really like, the shocking moment he realized he was headed to Vietnam, and the missions that nearly cost him his life.

From helicopter crashes and night rescue missions to the emotional toll of war, Tom reveals the parts of combat that history books rarely talk about. These are the untold stories of Dustoff pilots in Vietnam, the men who flew straight into danger to save others.

If you enjoy hearing firsthand accounts from veterans, consider subscribing and sharing this episode so these stories are never forgotten. And if you or someone you know has a story that deserves to be heard, reach out to us at [email protected].

Chapters

01:12 Drafted During the Vietnam War

05:10 Basic Training at Fort Polk

09:45 Learning to Fly Army Helicopters

28:30 Preparing to Deploy to Vietnam

33:50 First Days in Vietnam

37:45 First Medevac Mission Shock

45:10 Flying Into Heavy Combat

1:03:30 Night Medevac Hoist Mission Under Fire

1:18:00 Being Shot Down

1:25:30 The Reality of War

1:32:00 Reflections on Service

Randy Olea joined the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War and trained as an Air Policeman, a role responsible for guarding aircraft, securing the base perimeter, and defending against threats most people back home never heard about. In this episode, Randy shares what it was really like to serve in Vietnam, from basic training and Air Police school to guarding the flight line with an M-16, living under constant tension, and navigating the emotional weight of coming home. This conversation is honest, grounded, and deeply human. It’s about service, responsibility, brotherhood, and the things they don’t tell you before you go.

If you value preserving veteran stories, please like, comment, and share- it truly helps these stories reach more people.

Ask A Vet is dedicated to putting as many veterans’ stories into the world as possible before they’re gone forever. If you or someone you know is a veteran with a story to share, we would be honored to hear from you. Please reach out to us at [email protected]

Episode Chapters 

06:00 – Basic Training & Air Police School

12:00 – Arriving in Vietnam

18:00 – What an Air Policeman Actually Did

26:00 – Guarding the Perimeter & Flight Line

34:00 – Carrying an M-16 & Constant Readiness

42:00 – The Brotherhood & Daily Life

50:00 – The Emotional Toll

58:00 – Coming Home & Reflections 

At just 17 years old, Josh Cruze was drafted into the United States Marine Corps and sent to Vietnam as an M60 machine gunner. In this unfiltered conversation, Josh shares what war was really like: the moments no one prepares you for, the brothers he lost, the wounds he survived, and the lifelong battle of coming home from combat when the war never really ends.If you believe these stories matter, please subscribe, like, comment, and share. Your support helps preserve the voices of our veterans before they’re gone forever.

Episode Chapters:

01:05 – Growing up in Brooklyn & being drafted at 17

04:45 – Convincing his parents to let him join the Marines

08:30 – Boot camp shock, fear, and earning the title “Marine”

13:40 – Infantry training & becoming an M60 machine gunner

17:30 – The Tet Offensive & being sent to Vietnam

21:15 – Arriving in Vietnam & first moments of real fear

24:40 – First firefights and learning how fast things change

29:00 – Losing friends and seeing war’s true cost

33:10 – Operation Allenbrook & the explosion that nearly killed him

36:45 – Being wounded, medevac, and field hospital memories

41:00 – Purple Heart, Guam, and coming home injured

46:30 – Returning to a divided America

50:10 – PTSD, marriage, and silent struggles after the war

55:30 – Finding healing through education and acting

59:40 – How theater changed his life forever

Ask A Vet is dedicated to putting as many veterans’ stories into the world as possible before they’re gone forever. If you or someone you know is a veteran with a story to share, we would be honored to hear from you. Please reach out to us at [email protected].

What was it really like flying Dust Off medevac missions in Vietnam?In this powerful oral history, Kerry Cunningham, a DustOff medevac crew chief, shares what he experienced flying wounded soldiers out of combat zones during the Vietnam War, often under fire, often at night, and often with no margin for error.From being shot at during a “possible broken arm” call, to night hoist rescues in triple-canopy jungle, to the emotional toll of carrying the wounded and dying at just 19 years old, Kerry takes us inside the realities of Vietnam medevac missions.

🎖️ Curious Humanography is proud to partner with Utah Honor Flight, helping veterans visit the memorials built in their honor.

Chapters:

03:05 – Drafted at 19 years old

06:40 – Boot camp & early training

10:15 – Aircraft mechanic school

13:40 – Arriving in Vietnam

15:30 – Volunteering for DustOff

18:45 – What a DustOff crew chief actually does

22:30 – First medevac mission

27:10 – Night hoist rescues in the jungle

32:50 – Being shot at over a “broken arm”

37:40 – Losing friends in the air

42:15 – Carrying wounded enemy soldiers

46:50 – Agent Orange exposure

51:30 – The medics who saved lives

56:10 – Why Dust Off missions were different

01:00:45 – Leaving Vietnam (and going back)

01:07:20 – Coming home to protests

01:17:50 – Final reflections

What was it really like to be an artillery sergeant in Vietnam? In this powerful episode, Paul Henderson shares an unfiltered account of his service during the Vietnam War, from volunteering for the draft in 1968, to leading a 105mm howitzer crew in some of the most dangerous areas of the war. Paul walks us through life on remote firebases, artillery raids deep into hostile territory, incoming rocket and mortar attacks, and the night his life nearly ended in a devastating gun pit explosion.But this episode goes far beyond combat stories; Paul opens up about coming home to a country that didn’t want to hear about Vietnam, struggling silently with PTSD, addiction, guilt, and eventually finding a path toward healing. His perspective on empowering veterans is one of the most honest and insightful conversations we’ve had on the podcast.This episode is about courage, brotherhood, trauma, accountability, and what real healing can look like when veterans are finally allowed to tell their stories.🇺🇸 Thank you to Paul for his honesty, courage, and willingness to share his story.CHAPTERS: 01:05 – Volunteering for the Draft (1968)05:00 – Instant NCO School & Preparing for Combat08:20 – Flying to Vietnam & First Impressions10:00 – 101st Airborne & Life on a Mountain Fire Base15:00 – Inside a 105mm Howitzer Crew19:30 – Tet 68 & Covering the A Shau Valley22:15 – Artillery Raids Behind Enemy Lines24:30 – When the Sappers Hit the Wire27:30 – The First Rocket Attack (Freezing in Fear)30:00 – Brotherhood, Responsibility & Growing Into Command33:30 – The Explosion That Changed Everything36:30 – Medevac & The Reality of War Hospitals39:45 – The Burn Ward in Japan42:30 – Leaving Vietnam: Relief, Guilt & Something Unspoken46:00 – Coming Home to an Unpopular War49:00 – Skiing, Drinking & Detoxing Vietnam52:00 – PTSD, Darkness & Nightmares55:00 – Why I Went Back into Special Forces58:00 – What Vietnam Really Did to Me