Harold Brown earned his wings as a member of the Tuskegee Airmen, the first Black aviators in the United States armed services. At the outset of his distinguished, two-decade-long career in the military, Brown flew for this ground-breaking World War II unit. On his 30th mission, his P-51 Mustang was shot down. He survived as a prisoner of war in Germany until liberation. Brown recognized the irony that the first time he experienced integrated living was in a POW camp.” For more powerful memories from veterans, visit the PBS series, American Veteran, where you can also watch the television series and digital short films. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads----------------------------In Memoriam: Harold Brown (1924-2023) This episode features the story of Tuskegee Airman Harold Brown, who passed away on January 12, 2023 at the age of 98. A fighter pilot in WWII, POW, and Korean War veteran who later achieved the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, Brown experienced firsthand how the military's integration preceded and helped influence broader civil rights progress in America. We are honored to preserve his testimony about this pivotal chapter in our nation's history.
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The Reaper
Nick Irving was a member of the elite Army Rangers, serving three deployments each in Iraq and Afghanistan. He became a sniper and earned the nickname “The Reaper” for his deadly accuracy and high body count. But returning home wasn’t so simple. “Overseas,” Irving said, “I had all the control in the world. I just pull a trigger and anything that was bad went away.” Once he was stateside, he realized that the most dangerous enemies he faced were his own demons.For more powerful memories from veterans, visit the PBS series, American Veteran, where you can also watch the television series and digital short films. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads
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My Boys
Edie Meeks had two brothers, one who was serving in Vietnam and the other who was protesting the war. She loved them both but decided that if something happened to her brother in combat, she wanted him to have the best care. She volunteered for the Army Nurses Corps, one of 100,000 women who served in Vietnam during the war, working 12 hours a day, six days a week, fighting to save lives and haunted by those who died.For more powerful memories from veterans, visitthe PBS series, American Veteran, where you can also watch the television series and digital short films. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads
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No, I’m Not Good
As a teenager watching the 9/11 attacks, Clifton Hicks remembers that it was “our Pearl Harbor moment.” He joined the army as an M1 Abrams tank specialist and deployed to Germany, Kuwait, and finally to Iraq. There, his experiences in combat convinced him that what he was doing wasn’t glamorous or honorable. He earned the enmity of many of his colleagues by speaking out against the war. Then he made the risky decision to try and get out of the army as a conscientious objector. For more powerful memories from veterans, visitthe PBS series, American Veteran, where you can also watch the television series and digital short films. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads
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It Was Just Too Exciting
Edward Field grew up feeling out of place in Long Island, New York, a gay, Jewish “interloper.” When he joined the Army Air Corps in 1942, he felt he’d “escaped from a world I didn’t like to one I did.” Field became a navigator and flew twenty-seven missions over Germany. One mission ended in a crash landing in the North Sea and an astonishing act of altruism.For more powerful memories from veterans, visit the PBS series, American Veteran, where you can also watch the television series and digital short films. Learn more about American Experience Follow the show on Instagram, X, Facebook, Threads
"American Experience Presents" brings a fresh take on the iconic stories told on TV's most-watched history series. This 10-episode anthology launches with three powerful narratives: Joseph McCarthy, whose anti-communist crusade terrorized 1950s America; media titan William Randolph Hearst, the newspaper mogul whose empire shaped public opinion for decades; and Sgt. Isaac Woodard, the decorated World War II veteran whose brutal assault by police sparked a civil rights awakening. This new GBH podcast examines how these three transformative figures shaped pivotal moments in 20th century America, bringing their stories to life for a new generation of listeners.Connect with American Experience on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Threads and YouTube.-----------------------------------Credits:Lead Producer: Devin Maverick RobinsAssociate Producer: Meiqian HeScriptwriters: Galen Beebe and Andrew NewmanStory Editor: Devin Maverick Robins Editorial Advisor: John BredarSound Designer: Jack PombriantNarrators: James Edwards and Cameo GeorgeExecutive Producer: Cameo George
USA