Fighter Pilot Podcast

We close out our month-long tribute to the Marine Corps’ 250th birthday with a special replay of a 2021 Happy Hour conversation featuring Lieutenant General Richard E. Carey.Across nearly four decades in uniform, General Carey rose from enlisted grunt to three-star general, serving everywhere from the Inchon landings and Chosin Reservoir to the skies over Vietnam. He went on to amass more than 9,000 hours in every fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft the Marine Corps flew. Yet what stands out most is his quiet warmth and the timeless wisdom he shared—like sitting down with a beloved grandfather who’s seen it all.General Carey passed away in early 2025 and now rests in the very cemetery he once helped establish. Rest in peace, General Carey. And Semper Fi, Marines.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Our monthlong celebration of the US Marine Corps' 250th birthday continues this week with retired Lieutenant Colonel Isaac "Whiskey" Lee who spent a 20-year career flying CH-53E Super Stallions.Veteran of the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, Weapons & Tactics instructor...Whiskey chronicles hard-fought lessons learned and personal vulnerabilities in his book, Hangar 4: A Combat Aviator's Memoir. Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

This Veterans Day, we are rebroadcasting a walk down memory lane first shared in 2024 featuring guests from past Fighter Pilot Podcast episodes.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

To mark the U.S. Marine Corps' 250th birthday on November 10, 2025, we are repurposing a 2023 Patreon Happy Hour featuring Doug Griffith who flew AH-1 Cobras during Operation Desert Storm.Doug shares great stories and a master class on what it means to be a Marine Aviator.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Jim 'Bullet' Markel, a Vietnam-era U.S. Marine aviator, discusses his exciting journey from boot camp to flying the F-8 Crusader. He shares exhilarating stories about his first solo flights, reaching the 1,000 mph milestone, and harrowing combat missions that earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross. Markel also delves into the challenges of air-to-ground tactics and the camaraderie among Marines, reflecting on his treasured experiences both in the air and on the ground as he celebrates the Corps' 250th birthday.

The U.S. Navy has one of the largest air forces in the world comprised of a wide variety of aircraft from helicopters to strike fighters to patrol planes. While squadrons, air wings, and type wings have a well-established chain of command, ultimately they all fall under the purview of a single person. Known formally as the Commander, Naval Air Forces, the position is known better as simply, the Air Boss.On this episode, U.S. Navy Vice Admiral and air boss Dan “Undra” Cheever, joins us to discuss the current state and future of naval aviation. We touch on numerous high-level strategic issues and spend several minutes answering listener questions.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

This week, we pause our monthlong celebration of the U.S. Navy's 250th birthday to check in with FPP friend, Dave "Chip" Berke.Fighter pilot extraordinaire, battle-proven forward air controller, and esteemed leadership coach, Chip codifies his many hard-won lessons learned into a powerful and concise new book, The Need to Lead."Every problem is a leadership problem," Chip asserts—find out why and, more importantly, how to effectively address these problems in this fascinating read available on Amazon and most major bookstores October 21, 2025.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Tony Grayson, a former U.S. Navy submarine officer with 21 years of experience, shares fascinating insights into the world of submarines. He compares undersea warfare with aviation, discussing the roles and missions of different types of submarines. Learn about torpedoes, the nuances of submarine operations, and how they collaborate with special forces. Grayson amusingly compares submarine films to reality, revealing how closely they align with actual operations. He also touches on the future of submarines amid advancements in technology.

October 2025 marks 250 years of the U.S. Navy and we begin our monthlong celebration with retired Rear Admiral Jeremy "Bear" Taylor, who considers himself the luckiest man alive.Commissioned in 1957, Bear would accumulate more than 6,000 flight hours in fighters and trainers and over 1,000 carrier landings during his 35+ years of service. He was assigned to 13 different aircraft carriers and flew 50 additional types and models of aircraft, including 10 helicopters.During the Vietnam War, Bear flew the A-4 Skyhawk, accruing 200+ Rolling Thunder missions in North Vietnam. He fired numerous AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground missiles and was later involved in developing the JDAM. Bear commanded an A-7 Corsair II squadron, the aircraft carrier USS Coral Sea, and the Strike Fighter Wing of the Pacific Fleet.Visit https://www.rollingthunderremembered.com/ where Bear and other Vietnam veteran stories are chronicled.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations

Some aircraft have specialized roles most applicable to certain types of warfare—and thus only appear in certain conflicts around the globe.And then there are the workhorses that show up everywhere.On this episode, former Royal Air Force navigator-turned-pilot Elliott "Jellers" Jardine explains how the Boeing CH-47 Chinook is one of those aircraft. From Vietnam to the Falkland Islands to Sierra Leone and the more recent desert operations, the Chinook is always in demand. And always delivers.Stay tuned after the feature interview for an important update on the future of this show.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/the-fighter-pilot-podcast/donations