Edward Byers became fascinated with the military - and Navy SEALs in particular - through books and movies in his younger years. He joined the U.S. Navy and, just a few months after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, began SEAL training. His service would then bring him face to face with our enemies on multiple deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Byers takes us through the mentally and physically grueling experience of BUD/S training to become a SEAL and his deployments to Iraq. And Byers walks us through the harrowing and costly mission to rescue an American doctor that resulted in Byers receiving the military's highest honor.

P.J. Dahl was enthralled by flying from a young age, devouring any book he could find on the Red Baron and other early legends of the air. So when he had the opportunity to become a pilot in World War II, Dahl jumped at the chance.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Dahl takes us into his P-38 cockpit in the Pacific Theater, walks us through his multiple kills of Japanese planes, and the harrowing mission that very nearly cost him his life near the Philippines.

Ralph Goldsticker, Jr. was 20 years old when he joined the U.S. Army following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in December 1941. After trying to become a pilot, Goldsticker became a bombardier aboard a B-17 bomber and deployed to to the European theater.

In this edition, Goldsticker takes us from training to his first mission and from his assignments on D-Day to the end of the war. He also shares a remarkable story that took him to Russia and even the Middle East in the midst of the war.

Frank Pomroy and many other U.S. Marines suffered greatly at the battle of Guadalcanal - both from the conditions and from the difficult fighting against the Japanese. But more intense fighting awaited Pomroy on the island of Peleliu in 1944.

In this second part of our feature on Mr. Pomroy, he explains why he could have avoided the battle, the harrowing efforts to take Bloody Nose Ridge, staring down Japanese tanks, and more.

Frank Pomroy joined the U.S. Marine Corps and fought in two of the most critical battles in the Pacific theater of World War II. In this first of our two-part feature on Mr. Pomroy, Frank takes us inside the battle for Guadalcanal.

Pomroy describes the horrendous living and food conditions he suffered through as well as the intense fighting against the Japanese, the difficulty of getting American forces off the island, and his poignant trip back more than four decades later.

Robert Owens joined the U.S. Marine Corps at age 16 by telling recruiters he was 18. Soon he would be joining the other young black men as part of the Montford Point Marines, a unit that was created after an order from President Franklin D. Roosevelt but still kept U.S. Marines segregated.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Owens discusses why he joined the Marines at such a young age, why his first day of training made him wonder if he had made a big mistake, guarding Japanese POW's on Guam after World War II, and what he sees as the legacy of the Montford Point Marines.

Oliver Nickle originally intended to join the U.S. Navy but ultimately enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 17 after his parents gave their approval. He served as a weapons company man in the 5th U.S. Marine Division but perhaps his most vivid memories are of the frigid cold and snow.

After deployments to Naples and Okinawa, among others, Nickle served as operations chief of the 3rd Marine Regiment in Vietnam and also served with the joint staff in Hawaii, which he considers the most eye-opening deployment of his career.

And Nickles shares his pride in his son also serving 30 years in the Marine Corps.

John Billings was hooked on flying when he was three years old, so when it came time to serve in World War II, the Army Air Forces was a natural fit. He came a B-24 bomber pilot but later served on clandestine missions for the Office of Strategic Services, the precursor to the CIA.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Billings describes his bombing missions, getting recruited for the OSS, how his first secret mission had a terrible conclusion, and his role in the mission made famous by the movie "Inglorious Basterds."

A member of the 101st Airborne Division, Kayla Williams was among the very first American forces to enter Iraq in 2003 and roll from Kuwait to Baghdad within a matter of weeks. While serving there she also met her future husband, Brian McGough.

In the fall of 2003, Brian's convoy was attacked. At first, doctors did not expect him to live and then they doubted his ability to care for himself. He proved them wrong. In the midst of Brian's recovery from serious head injuries and Kayla's own reintegration challenges, they struck up a romance and were married.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Williams describes her service in Iraq, the major challenges she and Brian faced due to his injuries, their frustrations with Veterans Affairs, and how other military families can find the physical and mental health care they need.

Mathias "Matt" Gutman came from a military family and joined the U.S. Navy shortly after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. He became a coxswain on LST 553, delivering men and equipment under fire on several amphibious landings.

In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Gutman takes us through his first landing at Peleliu all the way to Okinawa and beyond. He also describes what it's like to land under fire and then turn around and go back to sea, and he shares the feeling of jubilation when the Japanese surrendered.