Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went

Series produced by University of Montana Journalism

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These nonscripted stories were edited from longer oral histories filed with the Library of Congress' Veterans History Project. That project, the largest of its kind, was created to record and preserve the experience of war in the words of those who served.

This series was produced as part of the University of Montana's Intermediate Audio class taught by Jule Gardner Banville. Producers' names are listed in the descriptions on individual stories and should be credited if aired.


20 Pieces

Order by: Newest First | Oldest First
Roger Cox: "There were nights you couldn't tell blood from sweat."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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On Roger Cox's third night in a Vietnam fox hole, 30 men died. He was one of three or four he served with who came home. The Marine says those who ...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 03:40
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Donald Loranger Jr.: "Everything that happened in the world, I got to be a part of."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Maj. Gen. Donald Loranger was a kid from Havre, a small town in north central Montana. He was the first member of his family to go to college who e...

  • Added: Jan 22, 2015
  • Length: 03:35
Beau Buffkin: "Warfare over there is very, very impersonal."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Beaufort Buffkin served with the U.S. Army as an infantry specialist during Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan. Bravo Battery, with which he...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 03:35
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Shawn Grove: "It was after 9/11 and I thought I could make a difference."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Shawn Grove was a linguist in the U.S. Army for five years and served in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He spent a year in a horse stable, which he said ...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 02:30
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Maxey Carpenter: "It was a good job. So it was like: Move out, kid."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Maxey B. Carpenter achieved the rank of full colonel in the U.S. Army in a career that spanned nearly 30 years. He was deployed to Panama, the Phil...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 03:10
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Craig Misajet: "Hey man, chill out. Your legs are still there. You're good."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Craig Misajet joined the Marine Corps in Feburary 2008, partly to get out of the trouble he'd found in high school in Wyoming. He went to Iraq, whi...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 02:56
  • Purchases: 1
Bart Bauer: "That camera gave us a false sense of security."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Bart Bauer retired from the U.S. Navy in 2014, after serving 24 years. In Iraq, he was a photographer, part of the Expeditionary Combat Camera oper...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 02:52
  • Purchases: 1
Charlotte Schnase: "Coming home was a big letdown."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Charlotte Schnase was an E-4 in Iraq, a postal worker who got the mail where it needed to go. It's an overlooked job that took its toll on her, esp...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 03:14
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Collin Grote: "Their truck had just been hit with a roadside bomb."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Collin Grote, a sergeant with the Montana Army National Guard, was a combat medic. His convoy was in charge of moving supplies along routes in Iraq...

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  • Added: Dec 30, 2014
  • Length: 03:25
  • Purchases: 1
Adam McCaw: "It's too dangerous to leave things without being smoothed over."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Part of Adam McCaw's job with the U.S. Army's 4th Infantry 7th Special Forces Group was to train Afghanis to be police officers. He had to fire a f...

  • Added: Dec 29, 2014
  • Length: 03:02
Tylor Willis: "The day I got blown up is the first day that comes to mind."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Tylor Willis was a Corporal E-4 who served with the U.S. Marines in Afghanistan in the Battle of Sangin. He was awarded a Purple Heart. While in co...

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  • Added: Dec 29, 2014
  • Length: 02:50
  • Purchases: 2
Tony Lin: "You would only join the Marine Corps if you wanted to see action."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Tony Lin served from 2005 to 2013 and was deployed five times, including two Marine Expeditionary Unit deployments and three to Afghanistan. He ser...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 02:59
  • Purchases: 2
Katie Stevens Goidich: "Was this really worth 14 years of my life?"
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Katie Stevens Goidich served with the U.S. Navy from 1997 to 2006 on active duty and from 2007 to 2012 in the Navy Reserve. After bootcamp and the ...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 03:40
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Ross Holcomb: "You're not allowed to sit there and not do anything."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Ross Holcomb served with the 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines for four years and was deployed to Fallujah Iraq, and Goullistan, Afghanistan.

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 03:00
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Miles Netzer: "What opportunity would I have ever had without joining?"
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Miles Netzer served with the U.S. Marines from June 2002 through July 2011. He deployed several times to multiple theaters. His parent unit was VMG...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 02:40
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Tyler Preston: "I knew then that we were going to war."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Tyler Preston joined the Navy on Sept. 14, 1999, and served 11 years as an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman or "Parachute Rigger" and was stationed wi...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 03:06
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Sorn Jessen: "I grew up in Eastern Montana on the Crow Reservation."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Sorn Jessen was attached to the 513th Military Intelligence Battalion out of Fort Gordon, Ga. He deployed with his unit to Camp Doha, Kuwait, in Se...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 02:41
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Mike Warner: "I don't know how many lives were saved by handing them two MREs."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Michael Warner served with the U.S. Marines from 2002 to 2008, deploying to Iraq from 2003 to the end of 2005. His tank unit cleared a large number...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 02:57
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Larry Himes: "Because if he's got a bomb, I'm gonna blow up."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
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Larry G. Himes served in the U.S. Air Force, the U.S Army National Guard and the U.S. Army. His service began in 1980. He deployed with the Nationa...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 03:00
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Mikaila Stinar: "When people look at me, they don't see soldier. They just see a girl."
From: University of Montana Journalism
Series: Combat Stories: Vets on War and Why They Went
Caption: Mikaila Stinar, far left, Credit: contributed photo
Mikaila Stinar served in Iraq from 2010 to 2011 with Echo Co. 145th BSB attached to the 1-163rd Infantry Battalion. Her unit provided convoy securi...

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  • Added: Jan 22, 2014
  • Length: 02:56
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