Diary of a Nation

The content in this episode is graphic and may be disturbing for some listeners. Former POW Capt. Hubert Buchanan was an Air Force fighter pilot when a Vietnamese fighter ace shot down his F-4 Phantom in 1966. He was quickly captured and moved among half a dozen POW camps over the next 6.5 years. Capt. Buchanan was held captive one year longer than the late US Senator John McCain. 

In part one, Capt. Buchanan recounts the dogfight that ended with his capture. He describes what happened to his aircraft commander, Major John Robertson, the pilot who flew with him that fateful afternoon. To this day, Capt. Buchanan remains in contact with his captor. 

A handful of landmark rulings over the past 25 years significantly advanced gay rights in the US. Despite that, institutions and individuals continue to discriminate against gay people. My guest Fausto Di Ianne even tried to pray away the gay. 

Breast cancer dramatically changed Irene Alton. Today, she's a 5-year survivor. Listen as she describes the events leading up to her diagnosis, her cancer treatment and her life today. 

Abenaki Native Mali Obomsawin is an activist. She's also a member of the folk band, Lula Wiles. In this interview, she discusses her activism on behalf of land rights and social justice. Photo credit: Lokotah Sanborn, Penobscot Nation. "Shaking As It Turns" song used with artist permission. Band: lulawiles.com. Articles referenced in podcast appear in Smithsonian Folklife and Boston Globe.

Part Three: In the final part of the interview, Kati Preston discusses her associations with Israeli government officials and fellow Holocaust survivors plus her current interests and her take on American politics. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle.

Part Two: After the Holocaust, Kati Preston emigrates to Israel. She eventually becomes a highly-successful fashion designer, interacting with Christian Dior and Harry Winston while in Paris.  She learned eight languages, moved across seven countries, married three times, and gave birth to four sons. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle. 

The content in this episode is graphic and may be disturbing for some listeners. Holocaust survivor Kati Preston was just five years old when a Hungarian soldier pierced the floor of a barn attic with his bayonet, missing her hay-covered head by an inch. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz, the largest Nazi concentration camp where 28 members of her family and 50 of her kindergarten classmates were exterminated. In part one, Kati shares her memories of the Holocaust. Autobiography: Holocaust to Healing: Closing the Circle. 

The US is home to approximately 1.4 million transgender adults, yet most of us don't know anyone who is transgender. NH State Representative Gerri Cannon is a transgender woman who also serves on the school board in her community. This is her story. Photo credit: Deb Cram. 

Randy Pierce knows life with and without eyesight. He's a husband, a dog lover, a runner, a mountain climber, and a motivational speaker. Yesterday, he ran the virtual Boston Marathon. Two days earlier, his guide dog Autumn passed away. This episode is dedicated to her memory. Memoir: See You at the Summit: My Blind Journey from the Depths of Loss to the Heights of Achievement. Charity: 2020visionquest.org.