Épisodes

  • Henry F. Warner: A Corporal Against the Tanks
    Nov 17 2025

    This episode of “Beyond the Call: Medal of Honor Stories” tells the story of Corporal Henry F. Warner, a 21-year-old antitank gunner whose courage on a frozen Belgian hillside helped halt a German armored thrust during the Battle of the Bulge. Near the village of Dom Bütgenbach in December 1944, Warner and his 57mm antitank gun faced repeated attacks from German tanks and infantry. Wounded, under intense fire, and eventually alone at his gun, he refused to abandon his position, destroying or disabling multiple enemy tanks and helping to save his battalion’s line.

    Across this episode, we walk through Warner’s life, the wider context of the Ardennes offensive, and a step-by-step breakdown of his Medal of Honor actions. You’ll hear how one junior NCO’s training, discipline, and resolve under fire shaped a critical moment in World War II, and what his story still offers modern leaders and listeners today. If you care about military history, battlefield leadership, or the human dimension of valor, this is an episode you will not want to miss.

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    14 min
  • Beyond the Call: George Fleming Davis: The Commander Who Conned Through Fire
    Nov 10 2025

    Commander George Fleming Davis’s story stands as one of the most striking examples of courage at sea during the Second World War. As commander of the destroyer United States Ship Walke during the approach to Lingayen Gulf on January sixth, nineteen forty five, Davis faced a relentless wave of suicide aircraft. Though mortally wounded when his ship was struck, he refused to abandon the bridge, steering his vessel through fire and chaos until his crew regained control. His calm resolve under impossible pressure turned near disaster into survival, saving both ship and crew while holding the line for the fleet’s advance.

    This episode of the Trackpads Military Podcast brings that moment to life, tracing how discipline, leadership, and duty fused in a single act of heroism. Listeners will hear how the Walke’s battered deck became a stage for leadership that still echoes through naval tradition. It’s a reminder that the strength of command lies not in rank or title, but in the courage to stand firm when everything burns around you—a lesson as relevant today as it was in the Pacific war.

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    12 min
  • Fort McKinley’s Relentless Storm: Manuel Pérez Jr.’s Heroism in World War II
    Oct 27 2025

    Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. I am your host, and today we bring you the extraordinary story of Private First Class Manuel Pérez Jr., a paratrooper of the 11th Airborne Division whose bravery at Fort William McKinley in February 1945 would help secure a crucial victory in the liberation of the Philippines. You can find more on the military and the Medal of Honor at Trackpads.com.

    This episode is drawn directly from the full written article, telling Pérez’s story in vivid detail. From the oppressive heat and peril of Luzon’s jungles to the deadly fortifications of Fort McKinley, you will hear how one soldier’s unyielding courage broke enemy defenses, saved lives, and left a legacy that still inspires generations.

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    19 min
  • One-Man Regiment: Wilson Douglas Watson’s Heroism in World War II
    Oct 20 2025

    Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. I’m your host, and today we bring you the remarkable story of a Marine whose actions on the black sands of Iwo Jima would earn him the Medal of Honor and the nickname “One-Man Regiment.” This episode is drawn directly from our full-length article, preserving every detail so you can experience the battle as it unfolded.

    In February 1945, during some of the fiercest fighting of World War II, Private Wilson Douglas Watson of the United States Marine Corps Reserve charged enemy pillboxes, destroyed entrenched positions, and stood alone for fifteen minutes on an exposed hilltop, holding off sixty Japanese soldiers. His courage and determination secured critical ground for his platoon and left a legacy that continues to inspire. You can find more military history and Medal of Honor stories at Trackpads.com.

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    21 min
  • Trailer
    Oct 14 2025
    2 min
  • Against the Fires of Ploesti: Leon William Johnson’s Heroism in World War II
    Oct 13 2025

    Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. In this episode, we bring you the incredible story of Colonel Leon William Johnson, a United States Army Air Corps commander whose courage in World War II earned him the Medal of Honor. On August 1, 1943, Johnson led his B-24 Liberators into the heart of one of the most heavily defended targets in Europe — the Ploesti oil refineries in Axis-controlled Romania.

    What unfolded was a mission unlike any other: a low-level strike through walls of anti-aircraft fire, aggressive enemy fighter attacks, and an environment choked with smoke, flames, and the constant threat of exploding fuel. Against staggering odds, Johnson’s leadership and skill carried his men through the gauntlet, crippling a vital enemy resource and writing his name into the annals of military aviation history. You can find more about the Medal of Honor, military history, and stories like this at Trackpads.com.

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    21 min
  • Through Fire and Steel: Paul B. Huff’s Heroism in World War II
    Oct 6 2025

    Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. Today’s episode takes you to the mud-soaked fields outside Carano, Italy, in February 1944, where one man’s courage and decisive action changed the fate of his patrol. Sergeant Paul B. Huff of the 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion would cross 200 yards of open ground under withering enemy fire, dismantling machine gun nests, capturing prisoners, and securing critical intelligence that shaped the battle ahead.

    This episode is narrated directly from the full written profile of Paul B. Huff, Medal of Honor recipient, bringing you both the historical record and vivid, period-accurate combat detail. To explore more stories of military valor and history, visit Trackpads.com.

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    23 min
  • Final Flight of Valor: Donald Joseph Gott’s Heroism in World War II
    Sep 29 2025

    Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. Today’s episode shares the extraordinary story of First Lieutenant Donald Joseph Gott, whose final flight over Germany in nineteen forty four became a lasting testament to courage and selflessness. Against impossible odds, with his B Seventeen bomber crippled by enemy fire and three crew members gravely wounded, he refused to abandon them—choosing instead to steer his burning aircraft toward safety, knowing it would almost certainly cost him his life.

    If you enjoy learning more about military history and extraordinary individuals, be sure to visit Trackpads dot com for articles, podcasts, and more.

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    17 min