Carl Sitter: When Faith Led the Fight

This is an iHeart podcast.

American Military University is the number one provider of education to our military and veterans in this country.

They offer something truly unique: special rates and grants for the entire family, making education affordable not just for those who serve, but also for their loved ones.

If you have a military or veteran family member and you're looking for affordable, high-quality education, AMU is the place for you.

Visit amu.apus.edu slash military to learn more.

That's amu.apus.edu slash military.

This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal can help you find and finance the right vehicle with ease.

With Navy Federal's Car Buying Service powered by TrueCar, you can find the vehicle that's right for you as you search through inventory and compare models.

And you can get an amazing rate when you finance with Navy Federal.

Visit NavyFederal.org slash TrueCar to learn more.

Navy Federal is insured by NCUA, credit and collateral subject to approval.

Visit NavyFederal.org slash TrueCar to learn more.

In today's super competitive business environment, the edge goes to those who push harder, move faster, and level up every tool in their arsenal.

T-Mobile knows all about that.

They're now the best network, according to the experts at UCLA Speed Test, and they're using that network to launch Supermobile, the first and only business plan to combine intelligent performance, built-in security, and seamless satellite coverage.

That's your business, Supercharged.

Learn more at supermobile.com.

Seamless coverage with compatible devices in most outdoor areas in the U.S.

where you can see the sky.

Best network based on analysis by UCLA of Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025.

Pushkin.

A deadly winter storm whipped across the jagged hill in North Korea.

It was the last day of November, 1950,

and it was more than 20 degrees below zero.

The Marines of Company G tried to find a foothold on the hill.

It was pure ice.

They kicked their frozen guns, hoping to get them to work.

They tried to carve foxholes in the rock-hard ground.

They searched for some way to shelter from what was coming.

And they had to do it fast.

They heard the sound of bugles and whistles.

The Marines knew what that meant.

They were about to face an onslaught of enemy soldiers.

And they were totally and completely outnumbered.

UN forces had been trying to hold this ground for days.

Many had already been wounded or killed.

And some had snuck off the hill.

They knew certain death when they saw it.

But not the men of Company G.

There was something that kept them going.

It sure wasn't food.

Their cans of rations were frozen solid.

It wasn't adrenaline either.

It was their captain, Carl Sitter.

He moved from one position to the other.

He checked their guns.

But mostly, He talked to them.

He told them they could do it.

They could fight off the enemy.

They could survive and hold that hill.

Secretly in his heart, Carl believed that he might not survive.

In fact, he was pretty sure he would never make it home.

But he had faith that his men would.

I'm J.R.

Martinez, and this is Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage.

The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in the United States, awarded for gallantry and bravery in combat at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty.

Each candidate must be approved all the way up the chain of command, from the supervisory officer in the field to the White House.

This show is about those heroes.

what they did, what it meant, and what their stories tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice.

Carl Sitter wasn't your typical Marine.

He wasn't an amazing physical specimen, all muscle and rawn.

He was kind of pudgy, round-faced, and kind.

But he had a superpower, a talent for taking care of his men.

shepherding them through the worst days of their lives, inspiring them.

They knew for he would never leave them behind.

And here's the crazy thing: Carl wasn't really supposed to be there.

His story of leadership is filled with crazy good luck and crazy bad luck.

His story is about fate and faith, the kind of faith that can keep you alive

against impossible odds.

When Carl Sitter got to Korea in 1950, he wasn't supposed to be leading any Marines at all.

He was supposed to be a special services officer.

And if you don't know what that is, it's the officer in charge of equipment.

In Carl's case, that equipment wasn't guns or ammo.

It was basketballs, footballs, and jockstraps.

Not exactly the job he'd wanted.

Carl was only 27, but he was pretty out of shape.

So out of shape that his superiors had him in a desk job.

But Carl wanted to be on the front lines.

So he pushed and pushed.

But special services was the most the brass would give him.

It was a demotion.

Still,

Carl didn't complain.

It was a job in the war and he took it.

For a second.

Because

right after he got to the base in Japan with all that equipment, a typhoon blew it into the water.

All of it.

Gone.

And that's how his career in special services ended.

The brass had no choice but to give him the job he'd wanted in the first place, on the front lines.

So he was given command of Company G.

When his Marines looked at him, they couldn't quite believe this dumpy guy was going to be their leader.

He didn't have a six-pack, but he had something that a lot of other guys didn't.

Experience.

He had enlisted when he was just 17 years old, right out of high school.

He served in World War II, rising quickly through the ranks.

And by the time the Marines landed in Guam in 1944, he was a lieutenant and had received the first of what would be four purple hearts.

But he also picked up a habit, wearing his pistol holster over his heart.

Here's why.

During one battle, he felt the slam of a bullet into the left side of his chest.

He thought, this is it.

I'm going to die.

But wait a minute, he was definitely alive.

So he touched his chest and he felt warm blood.

But he also felt the cold steel of his pistol.

It had stopped the bullet.

He would wear the pistol there for the rest of his combat career.

By the time the war was over, Carl had a silver star and a life in the core.

Sure,

maybe he'd gotten a little soft since World War II, but that didn't mean he wasn't keen to fight in the next conflict,

Korea.

On Sunday, June 25th, Communist forces attacked the Republic of Korea.

That's President Harry Truman.

We know that the cost of freedom is high, but we are determined to preserve our freedom no matter what the cost.

At first, it looked like the United Nations forces would make quick work of this new war.

General Douglas MacArthur led them into South Korea, and they easily drove the North Koreans back above the 38th parallel.

But then MacArthur decided they should try for a second victory.

this time in the North.

By the winter of 1950, UN troops troops had landed in North Korea and were moving inland.

They went up treacherous mountain passes and straight into a trap.

They didn't know that around 400,000 Chinese troops had secretly crossed the Manchurian border to aid the North Koreans.

Some were battle-hardened veterans.

And most were so-called volunteers who had been forced into combat.

They didn't have enough weapons.

They were fed very little, but there were so many more of them.

And on the night of November 27th, they attacked.

Chinese soldiers surrounded the group of Marines who had gotten the farthest into the mountains.

And the Americans realized they were outnumbered by the thousands.

General MacArthur ordered a hasty withdrawal, but then those withdrawing troops got trapped.

They were miles inland, near the Chosin or Changjin Reservoir.

There was only one road out, and the Chinese forces captured it.

They were hopelessly stuck.

Reporters were there to witness the mayhem.

Here, thousands of Marines and other United Nations forces are trapped by overwhelming masses of Chinese Reds who encircle them near the Changjin Reservoir.

Carl and Company G were in North Korea, but far from the fighting.

That didn't last long.

Stephen Olmsted was a young Marine private in Carl's company.

Then we got the word you guys are going to join up with your parents at the time.

They were going to bring ammunition, food, and supplies to the trapped Marines.

The people up around the reservoir desperately needed reinforcements, particularly some more tanks.

Most of the troops were near the UN forces' last best foothold, a town called Hagaroo Re.

It had makeshift hospital facilities and a half-constructed airstrip.

It was their only hope to unite the separated groups of Marines.

Hagaroo-Re had to be held at all costs.

Carl's men would have to fight their way there, up the main supply route, that dangerous mountain road.

Then they would clear the path for all the UN troops to retreat to the port and get out of North Korea.

And

they would be outnumbered 10 to 1.

This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal can help you find and finance the right vehicle with ease.

And this summer, you're in the driver's seat with savings.

You can get a $250 bonus when you buy your next car through Navy Federal's Car Buying Service, powered by TrueCar and financed with Navy Federal.

With this tool, you can find the vehicle that's right for you as you search through inventory and compare models.

And you could get an amazing rate when you finance with Navy Federal.

Navy Federal strives to support all active duty veterans and their families to achieve their personal and financial goals.

And this partnership with TrueCar is one of the many tools Navy Federal uses to help its members.

Make your plan with Navy Federal and TrueCar today.

Navy Federal Credit Union.

To qualify for the $250 bonus, car purchase and financing must be completed by September 2nd, 2025.

Terms and conditions apply and are available at navyfederal.org/slash TrueCar.

Credit and collateral subject to approval.

Navy Federal is insured by NCUA.

In today's super competitive business environment, the edge goes to those who push harder, move faster, and level up every tool in their arsenal.

T-Mobile knows all about that.

They're now the best network, according to the experts at OOCLA Speed Test, and they're using that network to launch SuperMobile.

the first and only business plan to combine intelligent performance, built-in security, and seamless satellite coverage.

With Super Mobile, your performance, security, and coverage are supercharged.

With a network that adapts in real time, your business stays operating at peak capacity even in times of high demand.

With built-in security on the first nationwide 5G advanced network, you keep private data private for you, your team, your clients.

And with seamless coverage from the world's largest satellite-to-mobile constellation, your whole team can text and stay updated even when they're off the grid.

That's your business, Supercharged.

Learn more at supermobile.com.

Seamless coverage with compatible devices in most outdoor areas in the US where you can see the sky.

Best network based on analysis by OOCLA of Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025.

This message is a paid partnership with AppleCard.

I was just at a theme park in Florida with my almost four-year-old.

Between enjoying the sunshine and the rides, the last thing I wanted to worry about was my wallet.

That's why AppleCard with Apple Pay saved my vacation.

One tap, a check-in, and I was off to see the attractions.

Every purchase from hot dogs, and oh, we had hot dogs, to t-shirts earned me daily cash.

Unlike waiting in line for a ride, there's no waiting.

until the end of the month for rewards.

And my daily cash is automatically deposited into the savings account I opened through Apple Card, where it earns interest.

With Apple Pays, secure technology built right into my iPhone and Apple Watch, I pay to shops, restaurants, and attractions without ever digging from my wallet.

The best part?

No fees, no hassles.

I spent less time managing my money and more time doing nothing short of epic.

Apply for Apple Card in the wallet app on your iPhone.

Subject to credit approval.

Savings available to Apple Card owners, subject to eligibility.

Variable APRs for Apple Card range from 18.24% to 28.49% based on credit worthiness.

Rates as of July 1st, 2025.

Savings on Apple Card by Goldman Sancts Bank, USA, Salt Lake City Branch.

Member FDIC.

Terms and more at AppleCard.com.

There's something important you need to know about the Battle of the Chosen Reservoir.

It wasn't just the enemy that was deadly.

It was the weather.

It was the coldest Korean winter in 100 years.

Raymond Davis was there.

Like Carl, he was commanding a group of Marines.

The snow came, the temperature dropped to 40 below zero.

In the mountains, the weather service said the wind chill was something like 70 below zero.

Weapons froze shut.

Truck batteries died.

Faces covered with ice.

Our radios wouldn't work.

They were frozen.

Food frozen, water frozen.

Terrible conditions.

And the the men didn't have the right gear.

After all, everyone, including leadership, had been sure they'd be home by Christmas.

Their coats were thin.

On their feet, they wore something called shoe packs.

They weren't winter boots, just rubber soles and a leather top.

They made your feet sweat when you marched and freeze when you stopped.

Tons of men got frostbite.

Anytime I find a Marine down, I would get him on his feet because he'd freeze to death.

And now Carl and his men were going deeper into the mountains.

Carl's company had joined forces with Colonel Douglas Drysdale of the British Royal Marines.

On November 29th, They all set out for the UN camp at Hagaruri.

Here's Stephen Almsted again, that private in Carl's company.

We boarded trucks and it was kind of like an old Western movie going through what is later called Hellfire Alley.

Hellfire Alley is right.

On one side of the road, there were steep drop-offs going down thousands of feet.

On the other side, Chinese fighters held the high ground.

They turned that mountain road into a shooting gallery.

We had to jump out and engage him, drive him away, and go and do it all over again.

Carl was focused and calm as they made their way towards Hagaruri.

At one point, they came under intense fire.

The Chinese had set up a roadblock up ahead, and Company G were sitting ducks.

Unless they got out and cleared it, their trucks would explode where they stood.

Now,

we don't have access to recordings of Carl, but he was interviewed many times during his life.

Our editor and good friend of the podcast, Ben Nadaf Hoffrey, is going to read his words here.

This is what Carl told Leatherneck magazine in 1986.

I yelled for everybody to get off the trucks and it seemed like anybody close to me was getting shot.

Like I was protected by an invisible shield and I wasn't being hit.

Carl didn't have time to marvel at his survival.

As the bullets ranged down, he raced to the front of the convoy.

He had to check in with Drysdale.

But when he got there, he discovered that Drysdale had been shot.

He could no longer lead the group.

He gave command to Carl.

In case all of this action has wiped your memory, let me remind you, Carl wasn't even supposed to be on the front lines.

And he certainly wasn't supposed to be leading this group of men on this deadly mission.

But he didn't question it.

He had a sense that if he was there, it was for a reason.

By this point, it was night.

The surviving Marines cleared the roadblock and jumped back in the trucks.

They rattled forward through the dark, unsure of how far they had come and how much further they had to go.

Tracers and explosions lit up the night as they inched towards Hagaruri.

Then they saw the distant lights of the Marine encampment.

Carl breathed a sigh of relief.

There were tents on the side of the road.

They had to be Americans.

They weren't.

Chinese fighters jumped out of the tents and the Marines were right back in the battle.

Three of the trucks went over the side of the road on fire.

Lost for good.

And the rest of the convoy hit the gas and made it out of the ambush.

And at 9 p.m., they finally reached Hagaruri.

The 12-mile journey had taken 12 hours.

Of the 900 men who started out that morning, 169 were killed, 159 were wounded, and 321 were missing or captured.

That left them with less than a third of their fighting force.

Once they got to camp, Carl told his men to get some rest.

They would have to sleep on the frozen ground.

Half the people didn't have sleeping bags.

I didn't have one.

I gave mine up.

When they woke up the next morning, they were covered in snow.

You could see all these holes where people had melted through the snow while they slept.

They were freezing and exhausted.

But if the UN troops ever wanted to leave the chosen reservoir, Carl and his Marines would have to fight again.

They had to take East Hill.

East Hill rose about 500 meters above the valley floor.

It was the high ground.

Whoever controlled East Hill controlled that one road in and out of Hagururi.

Plus, if the Chinese took East Hill, the Marines would never be able to finish the airfield.

That means they would never get more supplies.

They wouldn't be able to bring out their wounded and their dead.

If we had not controlled them, physically controlled them, the 1st Marine Division, in all likelihood, would have been annihilated.

Carl would be going to relieve Major Reginald Myers.

Myers had been fighting on East Hill for two days.

He and his men were just barely hanging on.

Myers needed help badly.

Here's what interests me.

As a leader, Myers was the opposite of Carl Sitter.

A tough Marine with an old school way of leading his men.

If he felt they weren't moving fast enough, he'd just...

Well, I'll let him tell you.

You kicked them, you shot at them, rather, you pulled your pistol out and you fired in the air and did everything you could to get them to move.

Basically, you treated your men like cattle.

Which is how a lot of guys treated soldiers.

But let's be honest, that didn't always work.

A lot of Meyers' men had gotten off the hill as quickly as they could.

They took wounded soldiers down to the aid station and somehow never managed to go back up.

And now,

Meyers was down to just 75 men.

So on the morning of the 30th, Carl and his Marines started up that icy hill, slipping and crawling, passing the bodies of fallen soldiers soldiers as they made their way higher.

The Chinese machine guns kicked up dirt and shards of ice around them.

But finally,

they got to the top.

They began to dig in.

They tried to carve out foxholes in the ice, but their tools snapped like matchsticks.

They knew the counterattack was coming.

And at 10.30 that night, it did.

A Chinese illumination grenade went off and the sky turned to a sickly green.

In the dim light, the Marines could see the hill below them.

There were so many men climbing up.

It looked like the ground was moving.

The sound of their bugles and whistles cut through the icy air.

Carl told the Richmond Times Dispatch in 1993 that it was the scariest sound in the world.

If you're not afraid, you're stupid.

I think everybody was afraid.

Carl's men looked up at him with hopelessness.

They were so outnumbered.

But Carl knew what his job was.

Not to force them like Meyers.

Not even just lead them, but to motivate them by understanding what they were going through.

Those people were depending on me.

And when they depend on you, you have to live up to their expectations.

And soon enough, the enemy soldiers were right on top of them.

It was hand-to-hand grenades that night.

You're all hepped up and the bugles screaming and people screaming.

It seemed to me they kept coming and coming.

It was a free-for-all.

Everyone shooting at close range.

And when the bullets ran out, they hit each other with helmets.

stabbed them with bayonets.

Carl was hit in the face and chest by grenade fragments, but he kept shooting back with that pistol he kept holstered on his heart.

The blood froze on his wounds.

But against those crazy odds, Carl's men held the line.

They held that hill

all night.

Once the sun came up, Carl had a view across the valley.

And what he saw was

awful.

Bodies everywhere.

and about a thousand more Chinese troops forming up to get back into the hills.

He knew they would return that night and he knew he didn't have enough men to take them.

So he had a crazy idea.

He called down to the bottom of the hill and asked for any able-bodied man to be sent up East Hill.

Cooks and supply people and engineers answered the call.

This ragtag crew made their way up to join Carl and his Marines.

Carl was already an improbable leader, and now he was leading men who weren't even supposed to be fighting.

But if anyone could inspire them, it was Carl.

In 1999, he told a Richmond Times Dispatch reporter that he had total faith in those men, even if he wasn't sure he would survive.

I had no doubt we were going to get out of there, but I didn't know if I personally would make it.

As darkness descended again, the enemy returned in full force, just as Carl had feared.

The hill was rocked with mortar fire.

The Chinese soldiers attacked in group after group.

Their numbers seemed endless.

All through that long night, Carl exposed himself himself to fire again and again,

just so he could take care of his guys.

He went from foxhole to foxhole, adjusting machine guns, telling his men to stay strong and hang on.

Once again, he was wounded, hit with shrapnel in the face, chest, and arms.

But he would not leave.

All of his other officers had been hit or evacuated or killed.

He felt it was his duty to stay.

They knew that I wouldn't leave them.

And when they believe in you, then things can get done that maybe under normal conditions would never get done.

But these were abnormal conditions.

And people had faith in themselves, in their units, and the core.

That's what all boils down to.

And then, just before dawn, the attack slowed.

As the sun rose, rose, it was quiet.

They were alive.

Carl Sitter had led his team of supply guys, cooks, and Marines through the darkest night.

He had believed in them.

And so they had believed in themselves.

This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal can help you find and finance the right vehicle with ease.

And this summer, you're in the driver's seat with savings.

You can get a $250 bonus when you buy your next car through Navy Federal's Car Buying Service, powered by TrueCar and financed with Navy Federal.

With this tool, you can find the vehicle that's right for you as you search through inventory and compare models.

And you could get an amazing rate when you finance with Navy Federal.

Navy Federal strives to support all active duty veterans and their families to achieve their personal and financial goals.

And this partnership with TrueCar is one of the many tools Navy Federal uses to help its members.

Make your plan with Navy Federal and TrueCar today.

Navy Federal Credit Union.

To qualify for the $250 bonus, car purchase and financing must be completed by September 2nd, 2025.

Terms and conditions apply and are available at navyfederal.org slash true car.

Credit and collateral subject to approval.

Navy Federal is insured by NCUA.

In today's super competitive business environment, the edge goes to those who push harder, move faster, and level up every tool in their arsenal.

T-Mobile knows all about that.

They're now the best network, according to the experts at OOCLA Speed Test, and they're using that network to launch SuperMobile, the first and only business plan to combine intelligent performance, built-in security, and seamless satellite coverage.

With Supermobile, your performance, security, and coverage are supercharged.

With a network that adapts in real time, your business stays operating at peak capacity even in times of high demand.

With built-in security on the first nationwide 5G advanced network, you keep private data private for you, your team, your clients.

And with seamless coverage from the world's largest satellite-to-mobile constellation, your whole team can text and stay updated even when they're off the grid.

That's your business, supercharged.

Learn more at supermobile.com.

Seamless coverage with compatible devices in most outdoor areas in the U.S.

where you can see the sky.

Best network based on analysis by UCLA of Speed Test Intelligence Data 1H 2025.

American Military University, where where service members like you can access high-quality, affordable education built for your lifestyle.

With online programs that fit around deployments, training, and unpredictable schedules, AMU makes it possible to earn your degree no matter where duty takes you.

Their preferred military rate keeps tuition at just $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's tuition.

And with 24-7 mental health support plus career coaching and other services, AMU is committed to your success during and after your service.

Learn more at amu.apus.edu slash military.

That's amu.apus.edu slash military.

Carl and his Marines would spend one more night on East Hill, but the attacks waned.

Soon, the airport at Hagaruri was open.

Reinforcements and supplies were finally on their way.

Carl had survived.

Only 96 of his men walked off that hill with him.

He took no personal credit for the victory.

Maybe, he thought,

This is why he had that invisible shield around him on the road to Hagaruri.

This is why God had saved him when so many others had fallen.

Carl's grandfather was a Presbyterian minister.

Religious faith was core to the family.

And I think that faith helped Carl feel like he could do what he needed to do.

The UN forces fought their way back down those mountain passes.

towards the port.

The men must have all been shell-shocked by that point, exhausted.

But Carl's leadership didn't waver.

He made sure that his men knew that they mattered and that he would not leave a single person behind.

Stephen Almsted remembers it well.

I felt that if I were hit, killed, or badly wounded, that my fellow Marines, the guys on my right and my left, would get me off the hill and take care of my fighting.

And that meant a lot.

On December 11th, the last American forces reached the port of Hongnam, where ships were waiting to take them home.

Company G was decimated.

Badly shattered men and men frostbitten beyond belief in the terrible cold are put aboard planes for a safe harbor.

Carl had survived.

But the battle had changed him.

It had shown him how fleeting life was,

how fragile we are.

There was something else that struck him, that all the men noticed.

As bad as it had been for the Americans, the Chinese soldiers had it even worse.

They had been cannon fodder.

It seemed like no one in their leadership expected them to survive.

Here's Raymond Davis again.

They didn't have artillery, didn't have air, but we found whole Chinese units frozen to death.

Tennis shoes, no socks.

Carl's heart went out to those enemy fighters.

Even after what he had faced, he felt sympathy and respect for them.

He saw their humanity.

Carl eventually returned to the States.

He got promoted again.

And then he got the call to go to his commanding general's office.

He was going to be awarded the Medal of Honor by President Truman.

Carl and Reginald Myers, the major who had started the battle on East Hill, both received the medal at the White House.

Reporters were there to film it.

Two Marine officers received from the President's hands the nation's highest award, the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Major Reginald Myers is joined in the occasion by his family.

Both he and Major Carl Sitter were cited for their heroic conduct during the disastrous retreat from the Chongjin Reservoir a year ago in Korea.

But Carl didn't believe he did anything particularly special or hard.

I had the easy job because, as commanding officer, you're worried about the troops and hoping your past training and everything will give you the knowledge to go ahead and do the right thing.

And you hope the mission will be completed.

The hardest position was some private down there in a hole.

And the only thing he knows is someone's coming.

Carl stayed in the Marine Corps for a total of 30 years.

He had a full life, a family, two boys and a girl.

And after he retired from the service, he and his wife Ruth settled in Richmond, Virginia.

Carl worked with the Department of Social Services.

He retired again.

But he had spent the decade since Korea thinking about why he had been spared when so many others had died.

He wondered what God wanted from him.

Was fighting in wars really what he was put on this planet to do?

What war does is destroy people on both sides.

And it takes many years to get back what we destroyed.

We don't really win anything by war.

And so he dug into his faith.

What he found there was a core lesson.

God says we're to love everybody.

So in 1997, when he was 74 years old, he decided to get a master's degree in Christian education.

He knew he was too old to be a minister.

His plan was to volunteer to help the elderly.

But then his friend Bill Crawford passed away.

Crawford was a Medal of Honor recipient from Pueblo, Colorado.

Carl had grown up in Pueblo too.

So Carl flew out to the funeral.

It was a cold and windy day, but Carl insisted on joining the procession to the cemetery.

Standing outside for the service, braving the elements, being there to honor his friend's heroism and service.

After all, he stood out in far worse weather than that.

When he got home, Carl came down with a cold.

The cold turned to pneumonia.

He died three weeks later at the age of 77.

What I love about Carl's story is how grounded it is in faith.

Not faith in a higher power necessarily, though he certainly had that.

I'm talking about faith in the potential of others.

Carl's men had faith in him

and he had faith in them.

It was a virtuous circle, and that circle made them all stronger.

It inspired them.

That was Carl's superpower.

It's an amazing way to lead, and more than that, it's a beautiful way to live.

Medal of Honor, Stories of Courage is written by Meredith Rollins and produced by Meredith Rollins and Jess Shane.

Our editor is Ben Nadaf Hoffrey.

Sound design and additional music by Jake Gorski.

Our executive producer is Constanza Gallardo.

Fact-checking by Arthur Gompertz.

And original music by Eric Phillips.

Production support by Suzanne Gabber.

The rest of the team includes Carl Cadel, Greta Cohn, Christina Sullivan, Sarah Nix, Nicole Optenbosch, Eric Sandler, Morgan Ratner, Jordan McMillan, Kira Posey, Owen Miller, Amy Hagerdorn, and Jake Flanagan.

Special thanks to the Congressional Medal of Honor Society and the Korean War Legacy Foundation.

This is our last episode of this second season, but we want to keep hearing from you.

So please send us your personal story of courage or highlight someone else's bravery.

Email us at medalofhonor at pushkin.fm

you might hear your stories on future episodes of medal of honor or see them on our social channels at pushkin pots

I'm your host J.R.

Martinez

This episode is brought to you by Navy Federal Credit Union.

Navy Federal offers a home buyer's choice loan that can open the door to affordable home ownership.

Because the home buyer's choice loan has no down payment options available, which means you don't have to wait years to save.

Plus, you may be able to lower your rate in the future without refinancing with their no-refi rate drop.

Learn more at NavyFederal.org.

Navy Federal Credit Union.

Terms and conditions apply, equal housing lender, loans subject to approval, and eligibility requirements.

Learn more at NavyFederal.org.

American Military University, where service members like you can access high-quality, affordable education built for your lifestyle.

With online programs that fit around deployments, training, and unpredictable schedules, AMU makes it possible to earn your degree no matter where duty takes you.

Their preferred military rate keeps tuition at just $250 per credit hour for undergraduate and master's tuition.

And with 24-7 mental health support plus career coaching and other services, AMU is committed to your success during and after your service.

Learn more at amu.apus.edu slash military.

That's amu.apus.edu slash military.

Ah, smart water.

Pure, crisp taste, perfectly refreshing.

Wow, that's really good water.

With electrolytes for taste, it's the kind of water that says, I have my life together.

I'm still pretending the laundry on the chair is part of the decor.

Yet, here you are, making excellent hydration choices.

I do feel more sophisticated.

That's called having a taste for taste.

Huh, a taste for taste.

I like that.

Smart water.

For those with a taste for taste, grab yours today.

This is an iHeart Podcast.