Medal of Honor: Stories of Courage
Pushkin Industries
Awarded for bravery that goes above and beyond the call of duty, the Medal of Honor is the United States’ highest military decoration. On the Medal of Honor podcast, we uncover the stories behind the medal. What those heroes did. What it meant. And what their actions reveal about courage and sacrifice.In our third season, you’ll hear about people like the French-born immigrant who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan, the Marine who overcame his disability to save his fellow troops during the Vietnam War, and the legendary Lawrence Chamberlain, who left his post as a university professor to fight in the Battle of Gettysburg.New episodes drop every Wednesday. Beginning May 20th, you can binge the full season ad-free with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up on the Medal of Honor show page in Apple or at Pushkin.fm/plus and use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription.
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkinSubscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
Subscribe on Apple: apple.co/pushkinSubscribe on Pushkin: pushkin.fm/plus
Episodes
Mentioned books
Aug 5, 2026 • 32min
Jennifer Deluca: The Woman Making Sure No Veteran Heals Alone
Jennifer DeLuca, executive director of Fisher House Boston who provides free lodging for military families during medical care. She discusses keeping families close to improve patient morale and outcomes. Stories include how she started the work, the everyday courage of military families, the emotional toll on staff, community support, and why donations and presence matter.
7 snips
Jul 29, 2026 • 34min
Faith on a Sinking Ship: The Immortal Four Chaplains
A harrowing wartime sinking in icy North Atlantic waters sets the scene. Four military chaplains from different faiths form an unlikely friendship aboard a crowded transport. Amid chaos after a torpedo strike, they give up life jackets and calm terrified soldiers. The story explores rescue efforts, survival horrors, and the lasting interfaith legacy and memorials that followed.
Jul 22, 2026 • 32min
Bayonets! Joshua Chamberlain’s Famous Stand at Gettysburg
A scholar-turned-soldier recounts the famous bayonet charge on Little Round Top and the tense march to Gettysburg. The story traces his unlikely rise to command, brutal combat, severe wounds, and return to battle. It also touches on his Medal of Honor, political career, and the quieter compassion that defined his later life.
Jul 15, 2026 • 31min
The Medic Who Gave Everything: Clarence Sasser’s Longest Night
Clarence Sasser, a Vietnam War combat medic and Medal of Honor recipient who later worked for the VA, recounts his longest night in a rice paddy. He speaks about crawling under fire after being wounded, running out of supplies, and the emotional toll of tending the seriously injured. He also reflects on fame, silence, and why he finally began to tell his story.
Jul 8, 2026 • 26min
A Helmet Lined with Letters: Joseph Rodriguez’s Love Story
Joseph Rodriguez, a Korean War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who later served 30 years in the Army, shares a wartime love story. He talks about the letters from Rose that steadied him, the solo grenade assault up a ridgeline, getting wounded and losing his helmet, and life after the war including public service and family.
Jul 8, 2026 • 26min
A Helmet Lined with Letters: Joseph Rodriguez’s Love Story
Joseph Rodriguez, a U.S. Army sergeant and Medal of Honor recipient, kept letters from his love Rose in his helmet. He recounts being pinned on a Korean ridge, charging enemy positions with grenades, and the life-changing return home. The story also covers proposing in the park, the Medal of Honor ceremony with President Truman, and decades of service, family, and heritage.
7 snips
Jul 1, 2026 • 33min
Sneaking into the Corps: Richard Pittman, The One-Eyed Marine
Richard Pittman, a Vietnam War veteran and Medal of Honor recipient who once sneaked into the Marines despite being blind in one eye. He recounts training, Operation Hastings, a jungle ambush, grabbing an unmanned machine gun and charging into intense fire, close-quarters combat, heavy losses, and later reenlisting and reflecting at the Vietnam Memorial.
Jun 24, 2026 • 26min
Sebastian Junger on Tribe, War, and the Cost of Coming Home
Sebastian Junger, journalist and author of Tribe, draws on years embedded with American soldiers to explore community, trauma, and belonging. He recounts combat camaraderie, loyalty-driven heroism, and how returning home can become the hardest part. He also discusses societal roots of alienation and choices parents can make to foster real community.
Jun 17, 2026 • 35min
Eight Seconds in Afghanistan: The Quick Heroism of Florent Groberg
Florent Groberg, French-born U.S. Army captain and Medal of Honor recipient who tackled a suicide bomber in Afghanistan. He recounts sensing danger, sprinting to stop the attacker, and the blast that followed. He reflects on recovery, survivor responsibility, his immigrant identity, return visits, and life after service. Intense, personal, and focused on rapid decisions in a split second.
Jun 10, 2026 • 35min
A Scandal at the North Pole: The Legend of Richard Byrd
A daring 1926 polar flight and the risky decisions that got two pilots airborne. The heated rivalry with Roald Amundsen and last-minute makeshift fixes in Norway. Mechanical failures, tricky navigation near the pole, and the dramatic claim of arrival. A later swirl of controversy around logs and proofs that challenges the legend.
