Ask a Vet Podcast - Curious Humanography

09/03/2026

How I Ended Up Flying B 52s Wearing Glasses

Buddy had 20/20 vision when he entered the military. But after months of studying and training, his eyesight began to deteriorate and he started wearing glasses.

Normally, that might have threatened his path toward becoming a military pilot. But the Vietnam War was intensifying, and pilots were badly needed. Buddy had already flown the T-41 trainer and proved he could fly, so he was allowed to continue into pilot training while wearing glasses.

This is a firsthand Vietnam veteran story about military pilot training, changing eyesight, and how the war unexpectedly changed the path Buddy took into the cockpit.

Watch Buddy’s complete interview “What They Don't Tell You About Flying B-52s Over Vietnam” here: https://youtu.be/QblbyTbSVe4

09/03/2026

We Were Rocketed So Often, We Quit Hiding

Butch was a 20-year-old Army helicopter pilot in Vietnam, flying UH-1 Hueys carrying 1st Infantry soldiers into jungle landing zones.

But the danger didn't only happen out in the jungle.

Their own base was attacked by rockets so frequently that the soldiers started calling it “Rocket City.”

Butch remembers the sound of the rockets landing nearby—the distinctive thump, followed by destruction all around them.

And after enough attacks, something changed.

You got tired.

You stopped reacting.

Eventually, as Butch remembers it, you simply thought:

“Take me, Lord. Whatever, if it's gonna hit me, it's gonna hit me.”

Watch Butch’s complete interview “What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a 19-Year-Old Vietnam Combat Pilot” here: https://youtu.be/I-m43R9oOQE

09/03/2026

We Were Hi-Fi Snobs In Vietnam
They were young helicopter pilots in Vietnam, but between missions they had another serious obsession: hi-fi.

Butch remembers how all the warrant officer pilots had stereo systems in their hooches, complete with reel-to-reel tape machines. They'd argue about which equipment was better, compare their setups, and even order new components through the PX.

For a few hours between missions, these young pilots weren't thinking about flying—they were thinking about music and who had the better stereo.

It's a fascinating glimpse into the ordinary side of life for American helicopter pilots during the Vietnam War.

Watch Butch’s complete interview “What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a 19-Year-Old Vietnam Combat Pilot” here: https://youtu.be/I-m43R9oOQE

09/03/2026

Why The Lieutenants Were Jealous Of The Warrant Officers

Butch was a young Army Huey pilot in Vietnam, and he discovered an unexpected advantage as a warrant officer: he flew constantly.

While the older Regular Line Officers (RLOs) had administrative duties and other responsibilities on the airbase, the warrant officers spent most of their time flying. That meant they accumulated flight experience faster—and some became aircraft commanders before the lieutenants did.

Butch remembers that the officers weren't exactly thrilled about being passed up by younger warrant pilots. And with a laugh, he admits, “I may have rubbed it into them a little.”

A firsthand Vietnam veteran story about Army aviation, Huey pilots, warrant officers, and the unusual rivalry between experienced pilots and commissioned officers.

Watch Butch’s complete interview “What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a 19-Year-Old Vietnam Combat Pilot” here: https://youtu.be/I-m43R9oOQE

09/02/2026

The Night Our Howitzers Became Shotguns

One night in Vietnam, a large enemy force came close enough to threaten Robert's artillery firebase directly.

His 105mm howitzers were lowered and used at extremely close range.

They fired flechette rounds, which Robert remembers as thousands of small metal “nails,” along with high explosive, white phosphorus and illumination rounds.

What followed was exactly what Robert remembers:

“Small arms fire. It's chaos. A lot of noise.”

Watch Robert’s complete interview “What They Don't Tell You About Being a 25-Year-Old Battery Commander in Combat” here : https://youtu.be/tRB_uY7rCo8

09/02/2026

Why Submariners Rarely Talk

Why are submariners so famously tight-lipped?

Henry, a former nuclear submarine engineer, explains why the Navy's “Silent Service” takes operational security so seriously.

During World War II, a public comment about the depth capabilities of American submarines reportedly gave the Japanese valuable information, allowing them to adjust their depth charges. Henry points to the incident as an example of why seemingly harmless information can have deadly consequences.

For submariners, silence isn't just tradition. It's part of protecting the men aboard the boat.

A firsthand veteran story about nuclear submarines, the Silent Service, operational security, and the lessons learned from World War II.

Watch Henry’s complete interview “EP 54: What They Don't Tell You About Hunting Soviet Submarines” here: https://youtu.be/REDv8NI7ASs

09/02/2026

You Could Buy A Pontiac GTO At The PX In Vietnam

While he was still serving in Vietnam, Butch bought something pretty unexpected through the PX: a brand-new 1970 Pontiac GTO.

He arranged to have the car waiting for him when he returned to the United States. Just two days after getting home, his mother drove him to the Pontiac dealership—and there it was.

For a young Vietnam helicopter pilot, going from Vietnam to sitting behind the wheel of a brand-new GTO was quite a homecoming.

Butch's story is another fascinating glimpse into the unexpected details of everyday life for American soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Watch Butch’s complete interview “What They Didn’t Tell You About Being a 19-Year-Old Vietnam Combat Pilot” here: https://youtu.be/I-m43R9oOQE

09/01/2026

I Landed In Vietnam And Thought I'd Gone To Hell

Robert remembers the moment he first stepped off the plane and arrived in Vietnam during the Vietnam War. The heat and humidity hit him immediately—so intensely that his glasses fogged up and he wondered, “Have I gone to hell?”

For many young soldiers, arriving in Vietnam was the moment the reality of the war finally became physical. Robert describes the overwhelming heat, humidity, and shock of stepping into an entirely unfamiliar world.

This is a firsthand Vietnam veteran story about what it actually felt like to arrive in Vietnam for the first time.

Watch Robert’s complete interview “What They Don't Tell You About Being a 25-Year-Old Battery Commander in Combat” here : https://youtu.be/tRB_uY7rCo8

09/01/2026

🎙️ NEW EPISODE: Retired Navy Commander Henry Rausch joins us to talk about his career on Cold War fast-attack submarines — tracking Soviet boats, surfacing through Arctic ice, and spending up to 90 days underwater with zero contact with his family.

Henry's memoir Submerged spent 15 months on the bestseller list, and in this episode he opens up about the parts of submarine life most people never hear about: the isolation, the toll on marriages, and why he thinks America's submarine force needs to grow, fast.

Watch/listen now:

He served on Cold War fast-attack submarines, surfaced through Arct...

09/01/2026

Who do you know whose story deserves to be heard? 🇺🇸

We’re looking for Veterans willing to sit down and share their military experiences: the stories, memories, challenges, friendships, and moments that shaped who they became.

Maybe it’s your dad. Your grandmother. A friend, neighbor, coworker, or someone you served alongside. Maybe it's YOU.

They don’t have to be famous. They don’t need a dramatic story. We simply want to hear what their service was really like in their own words.

We’re continuing to record conversations with Veterans around the country, and we’re also traveling to meet Veterans where they are.

Know someone who should be on Ask a Vet? You can refer them to us here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdyogCOFyVrO_sRo7OrwHR-Y8H_o2j8VBkv_t9zelHZ2pfR3w/viewform?usp=sharing&utm_source=chatgpt.com

It only takes about two minutes, and then we'll reach out to them directly 🇺🇸

Help us preserve these stories while we still can.

Thank you for thinking of us. Tell us about a Veteran whose story you think we should hear. We'll reach out & let them decide if they'd like to talk — and we'll mention you sent us their way. Takes about 2 minutes.