Steve Kofron's father and grandfather both served in the military. His grandfather was a U.S. Marine who fought at Iwo Jima. But Kofron had his own reasons for joining the service and the U.S. Army in particular. After a few years, he successfully completed Ranger training. But a short time later he pursued U.S. Army Special Forces and earned his Green Beret. Not long after that, the 9/11 terrorist attacks struck the United States and Operational Detachment Alpha (ODA) 595 was among the first units deployed to Afghanistan.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Kofron gives us a peek at his elite training, preparing to deploy after 9/11, and flying into Afghanistan. He describes becoming a horse soldier (which he had not planned on) and teaming up with Northern Alliance fighters to take on the Taliban.

Kofron tells us about riding horses in steep mountain paths with sheer cliffs just inches away and calling in devastating air strikes on Taliban positions. He details the intense combat at Tiangi Pass near Mazar-i-Sharif and what happened when they finally got to the city.

Bob Ingram joined the Navy after graduating high school in 1963 to give himself some direction. He was initially assigned to work in electronics, but after getting a bad case of pneumonia, Ingram was so impressed by the dedication of the Navy corpsmen, that he decided to become one. Corpsman training was long and demanding and Marine Corps aid training followed that. 

After struggling to find a good Marine unit to join, Ingram was off to Vietnam in late 1965 - attached to C Company, 1st Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. They saw a lot of action right from the start.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Ingram takes us into corpsman training, being assigned to the wrong company, and the joy of being moved to a great one. He then details his actions in February 1966, as he rendered aid to his Marines and also manned a machine gun to expose the enemy position. Ingram would receive the Silver Star.

Just a few weeks later, on March 28, 1966, C Company found itself in another vicious fight, and lost a platoon almost instantly. Ingram provided aid to wounded Marines, gathered weapons and ammo from those who were killed and brought it to those still in the fight, and, again, grabbed a gun to target and drive out the enemy. He did all of this despite being shot several times, including once in the head.

Ingram will tell us about his long road to recovery, how he learned of the effort to award him the Medal of Honor, and what the medal means to him and the men he served alongside.

Nils Mockler joined the U.S. Marine Corps at the age of 17, only because they wouldn't let him join when he was 16. Upon enlisting in 1944, Mockler completed boot camp and was soon tapped as a combat intelligence scout. He also dabbled in explosives as you'll hear. After more training in Hawaii, Mockler and many other Marines left for Iwo Jima, where they would land in February 1945 and become part of one of the most vicious battles in the entire war.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Mockler takes us on board his ship as the battle plans were opened up and military planners thought Iwo Jima wold be a two-day mission. He also shares his experience coming ashore on D+1 and the fierce Japanese resistance he and the other Marines faces. 

Mockler also describes the battle-hardened unit he was attached to, the apprehension of sitting in his foxhole through the night in anticipation of Japanese attacks, and watching the cemetery of American service members grow far beyond what the battle planners could have imagined. And he describes the exhiliration of watching the American flag raised atop Mount Suribachi.

Sami Steigmann was born in Romanian controlled territory in December 1939. Before he turned two years old, he was a prisoner at the Mogilev-Podolski concentration camp. He was five when the war ended, but the impact of the Holocaust on his family and his own life carry on to this day. 

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Steigmann, shares the horrible conditions of his father's childhood, how Romania started as a Soviet ally but then aligned with Nazi Germany, and what life was like under both.

Steigmann then explains the brutal conditions at Mogilev-Podolski and the desperate effort to find food. He shares what his father gave up for bread and tells us about the mysterious stranger who saved his own life. He was also subjected to medical experiments by the Nazis.

We'll also learn about the nightmares Steigmann suffered after the war, why Steigmann's family moved to Israel in 1961, and about his service in the Israeli Air Force before he came to the United States.

Now a public speaker about the Holocaust, Steigmann shares why it is vital for all generations to understand what happened and how and why is happened.

Matt Smith grew up on Long Island and joined Army ROTC at the University of Delaware in 1989. Four years later, he was commissioned as an officer. Smith was working in the private sector and serving in the Army National Guard when the 9/11 terrorist attacks were perpetrated by Al Qaeda in 2001. Over the next two decades, Smith would be leading soldiers into combat during the invasion of Iraq and on two deployments in Afghanistan.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Smith takes us through the rapid invasion in Iraq and how he first learned about improvised explosive devices. He also tells us about a bizarre and fascinating mission he and his men undertook in western Iraq.

Six years later, Smith served as a battalion commander in Afghanistan and saw the most intense combat of his career. He explains how the mission they trained for suddenly changed when they arrived, how he adjusted to the enemy strategically, and how he kept morale up despite deaths and serious injuries.

Finally, Smith tells us about the work he is doing now to prepare other veterans for a successful business career after they leave the military.

Ed Miklavic was one of 12 children and he ended up joining the U.S. Army Air Corps in 1940 because he tagged along with his brother and a friend to the Army recruiter. But Ed was better qualified than both of them. This was before the U.S. entered World War II, and the Army didn't even have a current uniform to give Miklavcic. Nonetheless, he headed out west for training and was stationed at Pearl Harbor's Wheeler Field leading up to the Japanese attacks on December 7, 1941.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Miklavcic tells us what his duties were before the attacks, how the attacks unfolded for him on December 7, and what he saw at Wheeler Field once the attacks were over.

Miklavcic also describes his service on Iwo Jima. He explains why he came ashore days later than expected, what he saw when he landed, and his assignment at the airfields. He shares what it was like trying to dig and build in the black ash sand of Iwo Jima and to deal with Japanese mortar attacks and nighttime raids. He also remembers the iconic flag raising atop Mount Suribachi.

Finally, Miklavcic stresses the importance of remembering the service and sacrifice of all who have fought, bled, and died for our nation.

William Keim joined the U.S. Merchant Marine in 1943 at the age of 17. He was called to active duty when he turned 18 years old that same year. For the next two years, he served as an oilerman on Liberty Ships in both the Atlantic and the Pacific theaters, transporting critical supplies and evading constant enemy efforts to sink their ships.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Keim tells all about the Liberty Ships and his role in keeping the engines running smoothly. He details the constant threat of German U-Boats in the North Atlantic, what the American vessels did to avoid getting sunk, and the horror of witnessing other ships getting hit without being able to help the souls on board.

He also explains what it was like for the ships to be strafed by German planes and also be the targets of buzz bombs while in port on Christmas 1944. 

Finally, Keim shares what it was like for the U.S. Merchant Marine veterans to receive the Congressional Gold Medal and long overdue recognition for their service.

Sydney Levit was 17 years old when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Like most kids his age, he was eager to serve. In 1943, Levit was drafted into the U.S. Army and he soon had the opportunity to join the airborne, training as a paratrooper and also with gliders. He became part of the 17th Airborne Division.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Levit describes the rigorous training he went through as part of the airborne, including his first jump out of an airplane and learning how gliders work. He then explains how his unit spent months training in England, waiting to enter the fight. Their first action was at Malmedy and was both vicious and chaotic.

Levit details the logistical fight against the Germans at the Bulge and the separate struggle against the brutal and unrelenting cold that was also a daily fight to stay alive.

Then, Levit takes us into Operation Varsity, the massive airborne campaign designed to help the Allies cross the Rhine River. Yet, very few Americans are even aware of it.

Levit also shares memorable moments away from the fighting, including his interactions with prisoners, being stunned by the death of President Roosevelt, and being surprised when a Hollywood star just popped into his tent.

Ralph Gastelum grew up in Tucson, Arizona, and never experienced much of a winter before joining the U.S. Marine Corps. His first real winter would be spent in Korea in some of the most bitterly cold temperatures that American forces have ever experienced - at Chosin Reservoir in Korea.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Sgt. Gastelum recalls the Inchon Landing. He also explains what urban combat was like in those early days and along the front lines in more rural areas. He also tells us how he survived at Chosin Reservoir by playing dead as the Chinese attacked and how he later discovered which of his fellow Marines saved his life there.

Finally, Gastelum talks about his return trip to Korea decades and what the Wall of Remembrance at the Korean War Veterans Memorial meant to him at the time of its dedication.

Handlon Tim "Bear" Handlon wanted to serve in the military after seeing the 9/11 terrorist attacks unfold on television. There was just one problem. He was only in eighth grade. After a football scholarship to Yale and a few years in the private sector, Handlon went to Navy Officer Candidate School with a goal of becoming a U.S. Navy SEAL.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Handlon takes us through BUD/s training in great detail. He explains how 200 guys were whittled down to less than 20 within just a few weeks. He also reveals the toughest parts of Hell Week, the major challanges that came after Hell Week, and what he sees as the major difference between the guys who quit SEAL training and those who keep pushing on until the end.

Handlon also tells us about having to prove himself again after joining SEAL Team 2 and how he managed to run a business while fully immersed in his work as a SEAL. He also explains how his business looks to supports veterans both as employees and customers and how he uses some of his profits to retire the medical debt of service members.

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.

Vaughn Collicott spent the first year of his life traveling in a covered wagon. Before he was 21 years old, he was helping to fire the guns of a Navy destroyer at German positions on the coast of Normandy. The very same day, his ship was hit and sunk in the English Channel.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Collicott takes us from the frigid confines of training at Great Lakes, Illinois, to D-Day, to serving in the Pacific during the final months of the war.

Collicott tells us about going though fire control training and then being assigned to the brand new USS Meredith. He explains what the Meredith's role was on D-Day and how it targeted and destroyed a troublesome German pillbox the next day.

But just hour later, the Meredith was struck and it slowly sunk. Collicott walks us through that harrowing experience in detail, including why he survived the blast, what he did immediately afterwards, the injuries he saw that day, and the moments that still haunt him.

Collicott then shares his experiences in Pacific aboard the USS Lanier, including the new jobs that he had and how he almost got left behind in Guam as the Lanier was pulling out of port.

Finally, he details his efforts later in life to correct the official history of the USS Meredith.

Joe "Peppy" Sciarra was drafted into the U.S. Army the day after he graduated from high school. All four boys in his family served during World War II. After basic training, Sciarra was assigned to the Army's 25th Infantry Division, known as "Tropic Lightning." He was then ordered to be part of a heavy weapons platoon operating 81 millimeter mortars. The weapon would be critical to the U.S. driving the Japanese off of 47 separate ridges on the island of Luzon in the Philippines over five months in 1945.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Sciarra explains how the 81 millimeter guns were operated and why he sees them as the decisive weapon at Luzon. He also tells us about a suprisingly easy landing at Luzon, but there would nothing easy after that. He details the Japanese weapons that took a significant toll on American forces, what it was like fighting uphill all the time, how the Japanese ambushed our soldiers, and how he ended up with with a promotion he didn't want.

Sciarra also takes us into the personal side of war, losing friends, and honoring the remains of the fallen. He also tells us about his harrowing journey to Japan for occupational duty and the serious illness he faced at the end of the war. But more than anything, Sciarra wants all Americans to appreciate the courage and sacrifice of the U.S. Army infantry in World War II and beyond.

Joseph Picard was a teenager when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor in December 1941. Unlike some of his peers, Picard was neither excited to join the service nor dreading it. He just accepted that he would need to serve.

After completing basic training, Picard was assigned to the 552nd Field Artillery Battalion, working with the massive 240mm guns. The battalion was held out of D-Day operations and landed at Utah Beach in late June 1944.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Picard takes us through all the work involved in assembling and operating the 240mm guns. He also walks us from Utah Beach through the Battle for St. Lo and the Allied drive to Paris.

Picard also describes the devastating combat at the Battle of Aachen, losing his best friend in combat, and the chaos and bitter cold at the Battle of the Bulge.

Don Graves tried to enlist in the U.S. Marine Corps the day after President Franklin Roosevelt declared the Japanese attack at Pearl Harbor a day of infamy. Since he was only 16 years old, Graves had to wait another six months to enlist. When he did, he went through basic training in California and was soon assigned as a flamethrower operator in the 2nd Battalion, 28th Regiment, 5th Marine Division.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Graves recounts the harrowing landing during the third wave at Iwo Jima, getting pinned down in the water, what they had to do to reach the volcanic ash beach, and how he begged God to spare his life as the bullets flew above him.

Graves also tells us about the fight up Mount Suribachi against Japanese forces with the higher ground. He explains what made the difference in the fight, a shocking encounter with a Japanese soldier during the battle, and what he remembers about the iconic flag raising atop Mount Suribachi.

Then Graves details an even more intense fight at Hill 362 A, where his unit lost all its remaining officers. He also takes us into the fighting in the caves, both with guns and with his flamethrower. And he shares one of the most devastating moments of the battle that took place in his own foxhole.

Finally, Graves describes leaving the island alive when so many other Marines didn't. And he remembers hearing the news of the Japanese surrender just as he was training for the invasion of Japan.

Ed Hiner had no intention of joining the military until a friend's father forced him to help a military family in need. During that experience, Hiner met a Navy SEAL, learned about what the SEALs do, and immediately knew that's what he wanted to do with his life. Hiner joined the Navy, qualified for BUD/s training, and was one of just 10 SEAL candidates in his class to graduate.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Hiner takes us through BUD/s training - from how his life abruptly changed the moment he arrived at Coronado to the mental toughness required to survive to his absolute refusal to quit. 

Hiner shares stories from his deployments to Iraq, including a high-profile mission thrust upon him as soon as he arrived and capturing the notorious "Butcher of Ramadi."

He also talks about the value of restraint in combat and why not using lethal force often saved a lot of lives and trouble.

Patrick Zilliacus was born in Finland and came to the U.S. when his father became the Finnish military attache in Washington, primarily to procure weapons for Finland's war with Russia. Left on his own in the U.S. at age 16, Zilliacus worked in a steel mill before joining the U.S. Navy in 1943. He was assigned as a torpedo man on a brand new submarine, the USS Spot.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Zilliacus explains how he was almost killed when the USS Spot went out for "shakedown" after commissioning. He also details what it was like stalking and attacking Japanese vessels off the coast of China, and how his sub sunk the Nanking Maru.

Zilliacus also tells us what it was like to be pursued by Japanese ships, how the Spot was very close to a major event at the end of the war, and what his future wife told him about Japanese atrocies committed against her family in the Philippines.

He also shares the story of how his father crossed paths with a major Axis leader long before World War II and why he does not want World War II veterans to be called the Greatest Generation.

Ltt Gen. Marc Sasseville was born into an Air Force family and that played a significant role in his decision to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy and become an Air Force officer. After 14 years on active duty, Sasseville shifted to the Air National Guard in 1999 and also became a commercial airline pilot.

On September 11, 2001, Sasseville was serving with the 113th Wing of the District of Columbia Air National Guard at Andrews Air Force base when Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four airliners. Once the second plane struck the World Trade Center, Sasseville and everyone else on base knew it was a terrorist attack. But would there be more planes? And would they be headed for Washington, D.C.?

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Gen. Sasseville tells how that day unfolded. He explains what development required pilots in the D.C. Air National Guard to scramble their F-16's and be ready to confront any other other planes being flown by terrorists. But they had a big problem. None of their F-16's were armed with missiles and there was no time to wait for that. The reality soon hit home: if they needed to stop an airliner, they'd have to hit it with their own planes. If that was required, they would not be coming home.

Sasseville takes us through his thinking on the most effective way to strike an airliner with an F-16. Ultimately, that would not be necessary due to the heroism of the passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93. Sasseville honors them and he tells us what it was like flying near the Pentagon not long after it was attacked.

He also reveals the unexpected assignment he received later in that day on 9/11 and details his time as commander of the 410th Expeditionary Operations Support Squadron in the early days of the Iraq War. Finally, he reflects upon what was really asked of him on 9/11 and his instinctive willingness to put his life on the line to protect our nation.

Andrew Card served more than five years as White House Chief of Staff for President George W. Bush. Less than eight months into Bush's first term, Al Qaeda terrorists hijacked four U.S. airliners. Two were flown into each of the twin towers of the World Trade Center. Another was used to crash into the Pentagon. The fourth plane was headed to Washington, but was forced down in a Pennsylvania field by the heroic passengers of United Flight 93.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Mr. Card takes us moment by moment as he learned the disasters in New York City were actually deliberate acts of terrorism by Islamic extremists, told the president the news in a Florida elementary school classroom, gave orders to get Air Force One ready to depart early, and figured out where they were going next.

He also takes us inside the intense debate he had with the president about whether to return to Washington and the first decisions Bush had to make, including whether to shoot down airliners refusing to obey air traffic commands.

Card also discusses President Bush's speech after returning to the White House, his impromptu message to Ground Zero recovery workers  on a bullhorn, his emotional meeting with first responders and families of those lost on 9/11 and much more.

We'll also hear why Bush asked Card to take one high-ranking national security official "to the woodshed" and the shocking thing British Prime Minister Tony Blair told Card after Bush's speech to a joint session of Congress. And we'll learn how both Bush and Card were scolded after Bush said he wanted Osama bin Laden captured "dead or alive."

Timothy Brown was serving as supervisor of field operations in New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani's office of emergency management on September 11, 2001. He was already at work near the World Trade Center when terrorists flew the first plane into the North Tower. He was in the lobby of that building when he got word that a second plane controlled by terrorists struck the South Tower. He immediately rushed over there. Less than an hour later, the South Tower collapsed while Timothy Brown was still inside.

In this edition of Veterans Chronicles, Brown walks us from when he heard of the first attack through the horror of the South Tower coming down all around him. He explains what it felt like and sounded like as 110 stories crashed down around him. He also describes emerging from the rubble and getting out of the area just as the North Tower came down.

Brown believes his life was spared in order to share the heroic actions of firefighters and other first responders on 9/11. And he tells multiple stories of those heroes, many of whom were friends he lost that day. 

Finally, Brown offers his thanks to the veterans who took the fight to the terrorists in the wars following 9/11.