1 00:00:17,140 --> 00:00:23,581 Speaker 1: Pushkin. Hey, everyone is Jared Martinez. 2 00:00:23,781 --> 00:00:26,220 Speaker 2: Before we get into this episode, I wanted to let 3 00:00:26,301 --> 00:00:28,700 Speaker 2: you know that you can listen to the entire season 4 00:00:28,781 --> 00:00:32,620 Speaker 2: of Medal of Honor right now ad free with Pushkin Plus. 5 00:00:33,061 --> 00:00:36,060 Speaker 2: Get all our incredible stories of courage with a Pushkin 6 00:00:36,141 --> 00:00:39,181 Speaker 2: Plus subscription. Sign up and save on the Medal of 7 00:00:39,221 --> 00:00:43,220 Speaker 2: Honor show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin dot fm, 8 00:00:43,221 --> 00:00:47,301 Speaker 2: slash Plus. Use the code M twenty five for twenty 9 00:00:47,381 --> 00:00:49,541 Speaker 2: five percent off an annual subscription. 10 00:00:50,060 --> 00:00:53,741 Speaker 1: Okay, now to the episode. 11 00:00:55,700 --> 00:01:00,541 Speaker 2: The passenger train chugged into Germany's Black Forest. It was 12 00:01:00,621 --> 00:01:05,901 Speaker 2: July sixth, nineteen eighteen. The fourth class carriage was packed 13 00:01:05,901 --> 00:01:08,940 Speaker 2: with German soldiers. They were back from the front lines 14 00:01:08,981 --> 00:01:13,381 Speaker 2: of World War One, dressed in their uniforms, smoking and talking, 15 00:01:14,101 --> 00:01:18,541 Speaker 2: happy to be out of the trenches. An American prisoner 16 00:01:18,621 --> 00:01:22,701 Speaker 2: sat on a simple wooden bench. One German guard was 17 00:01:22,741 --> 00:01:26,860 Speaker 2: on his left, another faced him, but both had their 18 00:01:26,860 --> 00:01:31,060 Speaker 2: guns trained on him. The prisoner looked out the window, 19 00:01:31,500 --> 00:01:34,101 Speaker 2: and he watched as the light shifted through the trees. 20 00:01:35,461 --> 00:01:36,500 Speaker 1: For hours, the. 21 00:01:36,500 --> 00:01:41,101 Speaker 2: Train went slowly, pushing its way uphill deeper into the forest. 22 00:01:42,860 --> 00:01:45,261 Speaker 2: The prisoner ran his hands through his dark brown hair. 23 00:01:45,901 --> 00:01:48,821 Speaker 2: He hadn't had much to eat for weeks. He was 24 00:01:48,901 --> 00:01:52,621 Speaker 2: dressed in rags, but he was hyper focused. He was 25 00:01:52,621 --> 00:01:56,821 Speaker 2: determined to find the right moment to escape, to jump 26 00:01:56,901 --> 00:02:00,821 Speaker 2: off of this train. It was a totally insane idea, 27 00:02:01,381 --> 00:02:04,781 Speaker 2: but that wasn't going to stop him. Then he felt 28 00:02:04,821 --> 00:02:09,221 Speaker 2: the train going faster. They were heading down hill, which 29 00:02:09,261 --> 00:02:11,340 Speaker 2: meant they were almost at their desk the nation. 30 00:02:12,421 --> 00:02:13,541 Speaker 1: His heart was pounding. 31 00:02:14,701 --> 00:02:17,221 Speaker 2: The window next to him was shut tight, but the 32 00:02:17,261 --> 00:02:21,741 Speaker 2: one across the aisle was wide open. He saw farms 33 00:02:21,741 --> 00:02:25,661 Speaker 2: flash by people working in the fields. The train was 34 00:02:25,701 --> 00:02:30,861 Speaker 2: going around forty miles an hour, maybe more. And then 35 00:02:30,901 --> 00:02:33,581 Speaker 2: the prisoner noticed that the guard across from him was 36 00:02:33,621 --> 00:02:38,101 Speaker 2: falling asleep. He watched as his eyes closed as his 37 00:02:38,221 --> 00:02:42,341 Speaker 2: head dropped right then the guard beside him turned to 38 00:02:42,381 --> 00:02:43,501 Speaker 2: talk to another soldier. 39 00:02:44,301 --> 00:02:47,701 Speaker 1: The prisoner realized it was now or never. 40 00:02:49,621 --> 00:02:52,461 Speaker 2: He stood up and he ran across the aisle and 41 00:02:52,541 --> 00:02:59,861 Speaker 2: went headfirst through the open window. 42 00:03:01,661 --> 00:03:02,221 Speaker 1: I'm JR. 43 00:03:02,301 --> 00:03:07,101 Speaker 2: Martinez and this is Medal of Honor Stories of Courage. 44 00:03:07,381 --> 00:03:10,101 Speaker 2: The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration in 45 00:03:10,181 --> 00:03:13,901 Speaker 2: the United States. It's awarded for gallantry and bravery and 46 00:03:13,981 --> 00:03:17,221 Speaker 2: combat at the risk of life, above and beyond the 47 00:03:17,221 --> 00:03:21,061 Speaker 2: call of duty. Each candidate must be approved all the 48 00:03:21,061 --> 00:03:24,101 Speaker 2: way up the chain of command, from the supervisory officer 49 00:03:24,101 --> 00:03:25,901 Speaker 2: in the field to the White House. 50 00:03:26,901 --> 00:03:28,661 Speaker 1: This show is about those heroes. 51 00:03:28,861 --> 00:03:31,821 Speaker 2: What they did, what it meant, and what their stories 52 00:03:31,821 --> 00:03:36,341 Speaker 2: tell us about the nature of courage and sacrifice. In 53 00:03:36,381 --> 00:03:39,661 Speaker 2: this episode, we're going to meet Edward Isaac. He was 54 00:03:39,701 --> 00:03:42,221 Speaker 2: a naval officer who was captured by the Germans in 55 00:03:42,341 --> 00:03:46,341 Speaker 2: nineteen eighteen. And from the moment he was captured, he 56 00:03:46,381 --> 00:03:51,181 Speaker 2: was trying to escape. He plotted, he planned, He hid 57 00:03:51,301 --> 00:03:54,821 Speaker 2: maps and money and yeat. He jumped out of a 58 00:03:54,861 --> 00:03:59,901 Speaker 2: moving train. He tried to escape not once, not twice, 59 00:04:00,101 --> 00:04:05,021 Speaker 2: but seven times, and each attempt was dangerous and honestly 60 00:04:05,621 --> 00:04:11,181 Speaker 2: borderline crazy. The man just refused to give up. That's 61 00:04:11,221 --> 00:04:13,461 Speaker 2: not what makes Edward's story so different from the ones 62 00:04:13,501 --> 00:04:17,260 Speaker 2: I've told you before. His story is unique because he 63 00:04:17,261 --> 00:04:20,301 Speaker 2: didn't risk his life to say one man, or even 64 00:04:20,341 --> 00:04:25,381 Speaker 2: a group of them. He ran and ran and ran 65 00:04:26,261 --> 00:04:46,901 Speaker 2: because he wanted to stop the whole damn war. Explosions 66 00:04:46,941 --> 00:04:52,301 Speaker 2: were rocking the USS President Lincoln. Torpedoes skimmed across the ocean. 67 00:04:53,101 --> 00:04:59,341 Speaker 2: One hit then two, then three men were shouting, racing 68 00:04:59,421 --> 00:05:02,861 Speaker 2: to their post, and cascades of water and debris were 69 00:05:02,941 --> 00:05:06,901 Speaker 2: raining down on the decks. It was May thirty first, 70 00:05:06,981 --> 00:05:10,141 Speaker 2: nineteen eighteen, and the Lincoln was on its way back 71 00:05:10,141 --> 00:05:13,461 Speaker 2: to the United States. It was a naval transport ship 72 00:05:13,861 --> 00:05:17,021 Speaker 2: and it had just taken thousands of American troops to France. 73 00:05:17,901 --> 00:05:19,901 Speaker 2: This was way before the time when troops could be 74 00:05:19,901 --> 00:05:23,101 Speaker 2: flown overseas. They had to go by boat. 75 00:05:23,901 --> 00:05:28,301 Speaker 3: Theirs is the gigantic task of delivering men, munitions, and 76 00:05:28,461 --> 00:05:37,501 Speaker 3: food to Europe, battle the deadly submarines and blockade Germany. 77 00:05:37,661 --> 00:05:41,261 Speaker 2: The Atlantic Ocean was full of German submarines. They'd been 78 00:05:41,381 --> 00:05:45,781 Speaker 2: hunting Allied ships for months. The US Navy was desperately 79 00:05:45,821 --> 00:05:50,061 Speaker 2: trying to stop them. Those subs were sinking thousands of ships, 80 00:05:50,501 --> 00:05:54,821 Speaker 2: not just warships but commercial boats too, causing more than 81 00:05:54,901 --> 00:05:58,901 Speaker 2: ten thousand deaths. And so here was the US S 82 00:05:58,981 --> 00:06:03,181 Speaker 2: Lincoln in the crosshairs of a German submarine, the U ninety. 83 00:06:04,341 --> 00:06:07,341 Speaker 2: It was nine am when the torpedoes hit, and Edward 84 00:06:07,381 --> 00:06:11,621 Speaker 2: Isaac was eating his breakfast. He was twenty six lieutenant. 85 00:06:12,101 --> 00:06:14,981 Speaker 2: He had thick, dark hair and a dimple in his chin. 86 00:06:15,621 --> 00:06:17,341 Speaker 2: He had a wife and a baby girl who were 87 00:06:17,381 --> 00:06:20,101 Speaker 2: waiting for him back home. He had grown up in 88 00:06:20,141 --> 00:06:23,621 Speaker 2: a hard working family on the Iowa Frontier. His dad 89 00:06:23,661 --> 00:06:26,020 Speaker 2: was a French immigrant who built wagons for a living. 90 00:06:26,861 --> 00:06:29,981 Speaker 2: Edward was the youngest of nine kids, and he was 91 00:06:30,061 --> 00:06:34,381 Speaker 2: always kind of stubborn, obsessed with doing. 92 00:06:34,141 --> 00:06:34,821 Speaker 1: The right thing. 93 00:06:35,701 --> 00:06:41,021 Speaker 2: His willpower was well, you'll find out soon the torpedoes 94 00:06:41,141 --> 00:06:44,701 Speaker 2: ripped through the Lincoln. Edward put down his breakfast and 95 00:06:44,901 --> 00:06:46,541 Speaker 2: raced through the wreckage. 96 00:06:46,861 --> 00:06:48,141 Speaker 1: Soon the captain. 97 00:06:47,861 --> 00:06:52,861 Speaker 2: Ordered abandoned ship men ran to the lifeboats, loading up 98 00:06:52,861 --> 00:06:55,741 Speaker 2: and pushing off as far from the sinking ship as 99 00:06:55,741 --> 00:06:58,421 Speaker 2: they could. Then they tied their boats together so that 100 00:06:58,461 --> 00:07:01,941 Speaker 2: nobody would drift off and be lost. And at nine 101 00:07:01,941 --> 00:07:05,501 Speaker 2: point thirty the USS President Lincoln put her nose in 102 00:07:05,541 --> 00:07:07,901 Speaker 2: the air and sank to the bottom of the ocean. 103 00:07:11,021 --> 00:07:14,221 Speaker 2: Almost everyone had made it off alive. A feeling of 104 00:07:14,261 --> 00:07:18,141 Speaker 2: relief swept over the lifeboats. They sent up distressed flares 105 00:07:18,341 --> 00:07:22,301 Speaker 2: and waited to be rescued and checked this out. As 106 00:07:22,341 --> 00:07:27,501 Speaker 2: the flares went up, they sang this song. He hal 107 00:07:29,221 --> 00:07:39,061 Speaker 2: his hail, Hell were full of cheer. Their ship just 108 00:07:39,101 --> 00:07:46,261 Speaker 2: went down. Suddenly, the U ninety surfaced again. The Americans 109 00:07:46,261 --> 00:07:49,381 Speaker 2: weren't sure what the Germans wanted, but they knew it 110 00:07:49,461 --> 00:07:53,701 Speaker 2: wasn't good. Edward was in his officer's uniform and was 111 00:07:53,781 --> 00:07:56,981 Speaker 2: noticed by the subs captain Walter Remy. 112 00:07:57,381 --> 00:08:00,501 Speaker 4: When the submarine came to the surface. After the ship 113 00:08:00,581 --> 00:08:05,741 Speaker 4: went down, Raymie spotted me and put a megaphone to 114 00:08:05,941 --> 00:08:08,701 Speaker 4: his mouth and said, come alongside. 115 00:08:10,221 --> 00:08:12,461 Speaker 2: Edward was in a you in nineteen eighty one, when 116 00:08:12,461 --> 00:08:16,261 Speaker 2: he was ninety. He still remembered that moment like it 117 00:08:16,341 --> 00:08:17,021 Speaker 2: was yesterday. 118 00:08:17,661 --> 00:08:22,901 Speaker 4: Two sailors from the submarine reached down and pulled me up. 119 00:08:23,941 --> 00:08:27,221 Speaker 4: So I went up to the skipper, who was in 120 00:08:27,341 --> 00:08:31,381 Speaker 4: the Connie tower. He said, are you the captain of 121 00:08:31,461 --> 00:08:36,780 Speaker 4: the President Lincoln. I said no, I'm only the first lieutenant. Well, 122 00:08:36,821 --> 00:08:39,861 Speaker 4: he said, you point out the captain. I have orders 123 00:08:39,901 --> 00:08:43,141 Speaker 4: whenever I sink a man of war to take the 124 00:08:43,221 --> 00:08:44,180 Speaker 4: captain prisoner. 125 00:08:45,580 --> 00:08:48,501 Speaker 2: Now, Edward wasn't about to let his captain be captured, 126 00:08:48,901 --> 00:08:50,221 Speaker 2: so he lied to Remy. 127 00:08:50,981 --> 00:08:53,341 Speaker 4: I turned to him and I said, I think he 128 00:08:53,420 --> 00:08:56,421 Speaker 4: went down with a ship. Oh, he said, he had 129 00:08:56,501 --> 00:08:58,021 Speaker 4: plenty of time to get out. 130 00:08:59,741 --> 00:09:02,301 Speaker 2: Remy had to have a prisoner, so he kept Edward. 131 00:09:03,021 --> 00:09:05,741 Speaker 2: He offered him a glass of sherry and gave him 132 00:09:05,741 --> 00:09:09,180 Speaker 2: some nice dry clothes. It was a preview of what 133 00:09:09,221 --> 00:09:11,941 Speaker 2: life would be like on board the unit. It was 134 00:09:11,981 --> 00:09:17,781 Speaker 2: all weirdly civilized. Edward dined with the officers. They played bridge. 135 00:09:18,460 --> 00:09:21,621 Speaker 2: The Germans spoke English. It was taught at their naval academy. 136 00:09:22,460 --> 00:09:22,981 Speaker 1: And get this. 137 00:09:23,700 --> 00:09:26,701 Speaker 2: One day they stopped at a remote Scottish island that 138 00:09:26,780 --> 00:09:30,741 Speaker 2: had tons of wild sheep. The Germans went hunting for food, 139 00:09:31,060 --> 00:09:34,101 Speaker 2: and they even brought Edward back a little lamb to 140 00:09:34,221 --> 00:09:37,580 Speaker 2: keep as a ped As he later said, quote we 141 00:09:37,660 --> 00:09:40,621 Speaker 2: named it Rona, and we were the best of friends. 142 00:09:42,060 --> 00:09:45,180 Speaker 2: But Edward wasn't just playing cards and hanging out with Rona. 143 00:09:45,820 --> 00:09:49,261 Speaker 2: He was furious about being captured and not being able 144 00:09:49,300 --> 00:09:52,180 Speaker 2: to help with the war, so he decided to make 145 00:09:52,261 --> 00:09:55,060 Speaker 2: up for it. He was going to spend his captivity 146 00:09:55,141 --> 00:09:58,701 Speaker 2: studying the U boat. After all, this was the weapon 147 00:09:58,741 --> 00:10:02,101 Speaker 2: that was winning the war for Germany. Now he had 148 00:10:02,141 --> 00:10:05,581 Speaker 2: a front row seat to how this killing machine actually worked. 149 00:10:06,700 --> 00:10:09,381 Speaker 2: He would learn what he could, and then he would escape. 150 00:10:09,381 --> 00:10:12,421 Speaker 2: It didn't matter how it was going to be. He 151 00:10:12,460 --> 00:10:15,621 Speaker 2: would risk everything to bring his intelligence to the Allies 152 00:10:16,060 --> 00:10:21,141 Speaker 2: and help finally destroy the enemy fleet. On June ninth, 153 00:10:21,300 --> 00:10:25,141 Speaker 2: the U ninety surfaced a cruise slowly through a channel. 154 00:10:25,780 --> 00:10:28,701 Speaker 2: Sweden was on one side, Denmark was on the other. 155 00:10:29,700 --> 00:10:34,820 Speaker 2: Two more German submarines appeared, then a destroyer. It was 156 00:10:34,861 --> 00:10:39,420 Speaker 2: a secret rendezvous point. Now Edward had even better intel 157 00:10:39,940 --> 00:10:42,381 Speaker 2: and he could see land. It was just a few 158 00:10:42,460 --> 00:10:47,420 Speaker 2: miles away, so he decided to jump right there and 159 00:10:47,580 --> 00:10:52,181 Speaker 2: swim for freedom. He moved towards the guard rail, trying 160 00:10:52,221 --> 00:10:56,461 Speaker 2: to seem casual, and then someone shouted behind him. It 161 00:10:56,580 --> 00:11:01,940 Speaker 2: was Captain Remy. He ordered Edward below deck. Escape Attempt 162 00:11:02,021 --> 00:11:06,021 Speaker 2: number one was over, But the two men were gentlemen, 163 00:11:06,261 --> 00:11:07,701 Speaker 2: so they never spoke of it again. 164 00:11:08,780 --> 00:11:12,540 Speaker 4: Not a bad guy, as a matter fact, he treated 165 00:11:12,580 --> 00:11:18,780 Speaker 4: me very well. That took us twelve days on that submarine. 166 00:11:19,261 --> 00:11:24,381 Speaker 4: Eventually we got to the base of the High Seas 167 00:11:24,460 --> 00:11:28,621 Speaker 4: Fleet and we went down the Kiel Canal. From that 168 00:11:28,861 --> 00:11:31,941 Speaker 4: time on the course, I was at the mercy of 169 00:11:32,180 --> 00:11:34,700 Speaker 4: these prisons. 170 00:11:34,261 --> 00:11:36,980 Speaker 2: And Captain Remy must have known how bad things were 171 00:11:37,021 --> 00:11:41,101 Speaker 2: gonna get. He secretly brought Edward some German money, a 172 00:11:41,141 --> 00:11:46,181 Speaker 2: toothbrush and soap. After Remy left, Edward was moved to 173 00:11:46,221 --> 00:11:50,861 Speaker 2: a place nicknamed the Listening Hotel. The Germans would put 174 00:11:50,901 --> 00:11:54,501 Speaker 2: prisoners who spoke the same language together, hoping they would 175 00:11:54,501 --> 00:11:57,861 Speaker 2: share secrets with each other because each room had hidden 176 00:11:57,981 --> 00:12:03,261 Speaker 2: listening devices. But previous prisoners had scratched beware the dictaphones 177 00:12:03,381 --> 00:12:08,261 Speaker 2: on various surfaces, so instead the men just loudly insulted 178 00:12:08,261 --> 00:12:12,580 Speaker 2: the Germans. Next, Edward was sent to a prison camp. 179 00:12:13,381 --> 00:12:15,621 Speaker 2: It was grim, food was scarce. 180 00:12:16,780 --> 00:12:22,021 Speaker 4: After about a week starvation diet as usual, they transferred 181 00:12:22,101 --> 00:12:29,780 Speaker 4: me down to carlsdru It's a distribution camp for Allied prisoners. 182 00:12:30,341 --> 00:12:33,580 Speaker 2: That's where the hunger really began. All they got was 183 00:12:33,621 --> 00:12:36,860 Speaker 2: thin broth and black bread, and it wasn't even bread 184 00:12:36,901 --> 00:12:40,901 Speaker 2: at all. It was a mix of water, potatoes, sawdust, 185 00:12:41,141 --> 00:12:45,981 Speaker 2: and sand. Edward was already determined to escape. He was 186 00:12:46,060 --> 00:12:49,501 Speaker 2: dying to share his intel. Being hungry just made him 187 00:12:49,501 --> 00:12:53,780 Speaker 2: want to leave sooner. Edward got along with the other 188 00:12:53,820 --> 00:12:58,501 Speaker 2: Allied prisoners, particularly the ones from France. After all, he'd 189 00:12:58,501 --> 00:13:02,220 Speaker 2: grown up speaking French at home, and those guys had 190 00:13:02,300 --> 00:13:04,381 Speaker 2: learned a thing or two about German prisons. 191 00:13:05,381 --> 00:13:08,341 Speaker 4: They had been at war two or three years before 192 00:13:08,460 --> 00:13:12,741 Speaker 4: we got into it. He had quite a school there 193 00:13:13,261 --> 00:13:16,101 Speaker 4: learning how to get loose finally. 194 00:13:18,060 --> 00:13:20,780 Speaker 2: First, he and a few other men bribed a guard 195 00:13:20,820 --> 00:13:23,780 Speaker 2: to help them get out, but the guard was caught. 196 00:13:24,261 --> 00:13:29,261 Speaker 2: Escape plan number two failed. Then came attempt number three. 197 00:13:30,180 --> 00:13:32,181 Speaker 2: Edward climbed a tree next to the fence in the 198 00:13:32,180 --> 00:13:34,741 Speaker 2: middle of the night, planning to drop to the other 199 00:13:34,861 --> 00:13:38,621 Speaker 2: side when the guards wandered away, but somehow the guards 200 00:13:38,621 --> 00:13:41,780 Speaker 2: never moved. He didn't have a chance to try that again. 201 00:13:42,700 --> 00:13:47,100 Speaker 4: Early one morning, after several attempts to escape, they came 202 00:13:47,180 --> 00:13:52,220 Speaker 4: for me, and I had just time enough to grab 203 00:13:52,741 --> 00:13:56,060 Speaker 4: a little knapsack that I had made out of an 204 00:13:56,060 --> 00:13:57,021 Speaker 4: old shirt. 205 00:13:57,820 --> 00:14:00,180 Speaker 2: He didn't know where they were taking him, but wherever 206 00:14:00,261 --> 00:14:03,460 Speaker 2: he was going, yeah, that's right, he was going to 207 00:14:03,580 --> 00:14:07,060 Speaker 2: try to escape. So with the knapsack there was money 208 00:14:07,101 --> 00:14:10,501 Speaker 2: hidden in a can of shaving cream, a tiny compass, 209 00:14:10,621 --> 00:14:13,621 Speaker 2: and a jar of lard, and a map and a 210 00:14:13,700 --> 00:14:17,221 Speaker 2: tin of cocoa powder. The guards poked into the jar 211 00:14:17,300 --> 00:14:20,141 Speaker 2: of lard and into the coco but they didn't find 212 00:14:20,181 --> 00:14:20,901 Speaker 2: a single thing. 213 00:14:21,981 --> 00:14:27,381 Speaker 4: Then they put a chargean and a corporal as my guards. 214 00:14:26,821 --> 00:14:30,781 Speaker 5: With loaded rifles to escort me to the train. 215 00:14:31,981 --> 00:14:35,541 Speaker 4: I finally got from them that we were going to 216 00:14:35,781 --> 00:14:41,901 Speaker 4: the Russian and the American prison camp for officers in 217 00:14:42,021 --> 00:14:43,941 Speaker 4: the Black Forest. 218 00:14:46,341 --> 00:14:49,741 Speaker 2: They found spots in that crowded train car. Other men 219 00:14:49,821 --> 00:14:52,621 Speaker 2: would have settled in for that ride, but not Edward. 220 00:14:53,341 --> 00:14:58,341 Speaker 2: He was getting ready for escape number four. He eyed 221 00:14:58,341 --> 00:15:02,261 Speaker 2: the open window across the aisle. It was tiny, only 222 00:15:02,341 --> 00:15:05,941 Speaker 2: eighteen by twenty four inches, and he kept on waiting 223 00:15:05,941 --> 00:15:10,181 Speaker 2: for the right chance to jump. Even when the train 224 00:15:10,221 --> 00:15:15,261 Speaker 2: started going. He watched his guards until he saw his opening. 225 00:15:16,341 --> 00:15:19,701 Speaker 4: One was sort of dozing, the other was looking up 226 00:15:19,741 --> 00:15:25,500 Speaker 4: and talking with a soldier. And I jumped past the guards, 227 00:15:25,821 --> 00:15:29,341 Speaker 4: off the train, through my head and shoulders through. 228 00:15:29,501 --> 00:15:30,421 Speaker 5: I expected to. 229 00:15:30,460 --> 00:15:34,580 Speaker 4: Land on that running board, you know, alongside those fourth 230 00:15:34,621 --> 00:15:36,901 Speaker 4: class carriages. This didn't have. 231 00:15:36,981 --> 00:15:41,421 Speaker 2: Any Edward had no foothold, so he fell straight onto 232 00:15:41,460 --> 00:15:43,421 Speaker 2: the track that ran parallel to the train. 233 00:15:44,301 --> 00:15:46,061 Speaker 5: Now, I kept rolling over and over. 234 00:15:47,141 --> 00:15:50,221 Speaker 2: His face hid one still tie, and his knees hit another. 235 00:15:50,901 --> 00:15:53,701 Speaker 2: He blacked out, and when he woke up a few 236 00:15:53,701 --> 00:15:57,261 Speaker 2: seconds later, he could hear the train screeching to a stop. 237 00:15:58,421 --> 00:16:01,221 Speaker 4: By that time, the guards had pulled a string and 238 00:16:01,421 --> 00:16:06,061 Speaker 4: the train stopped about three hundred yards farther down. These 239 00:16:06,141 --> 00:16:10,821 Speaker 4: guards came out were shooting at me. When I realized 240 00:16:10,981 --> 00:16:12,101 Speaker 4: that I couldn't run. 241 00:16:13,421 --> 00:16:16,580 Speaker 2: He couldn't bend his knees, so we started hobbling away 242 00:16:16,661 --> 00:16:20,141 Speaker 2: as fast as he could. The guards were firing warning 243 00:16:20,181 --> 00:16:24,541 Speaker 2: shots around his head, screaming at him to halt. Finally 244 00:16:24,861 --> 00:16:28,460 Speaker 2: he stopped and put his hands in the air. Their 245 00:16:28,501 --> 00:16:31,261 Speaker 2: response was to hit him with the rifle. He fell 246 00:16:31,301 --> 00:16:34,701 Speaker 2: to the ground. They kicked him. He struggled to get 247 00:16:34,701 --> 00:16:39,580 Speaker 2: to his feet, and they knocked him down again. Later 248 00:16:40,021 --> 00:16:42,861 Speaker 2: one of those guards would actually be court martialed, not 249 00:16:43,021 --> 00:16:47,941 Speaker 2: for beating an arm prisoner before destroying German Army property. 250 00:16:48,021 --> 00:16:51,021 Speaker 2: He had Edward so hard that he broke his gun. 251 00:16:52,021 --> 00:16:54,941 Speaker 2: But even after the gun broke, they kept going. 252 00:16:55,861 --> 00:16:59,261 Speaker 4: They jerked me to my feet and didn't risk the 253 00:16:59,341 --> 00:17:03,741 Speaker 4: other gun. They crowded me with a bayonet. We were 254 00:17:03,941 --> 00:17:07,741 Speaker 4: five miles from the prison camp at the time. 255 00:17:09,141 --> 00:17:11,221 Speaker 2: They made him hobble all the way to the prison. 256 00:17:12,061 --> 00:17:15,901 Speaker 2: By the time he arrived, he was near death. The 257 00:17:15,941 --> 00:17:19,061 Speaker 2: camp doctor tended to his injuries. He had more than 258 00:17:19,101 --> 00:17:20,621 Speaker 2: a hundred separate wounds. 259 00:17:21,461 --> 00:17:25,861 Speaker 4: They put me in solitary confinement in a cell, and 260 00:17:26,221 --> 00:17:31,741 Speaker 4: I was there or oh, I suppose three months. 261 00:17:32,941 --> 00:17:35,901 Speaker 2: It would be weeks before Edward could walk again, months 262 00:17:35,981 --> 00:17:38,781 Speaker 2: before he could bend his knees, but the pain just 263 00:17:38,821 --> 00:17:42,421 Speaker 2: made him more determined. He had to escape and share 264 00:17:42,461 --> 00:17:58,061 Speaker 2: the intel he thought could end the war. The prison 265 00:17:58,101 --> 00:18:00,901 Speaker 2: camp of Villaingen was deep in the black forest, but 266 00:18:00,941 --> 00:18:03,901 Speaker 2: there was one good thing about it. It was close 267 00:18:03,981 --> 00:18:08,461 Speaker 2: to Switzerland, which was neutral territory. Edward Isaac knew that 268 00:18:08,541 --> 00:18:10,661 Speaker 2: if he could make it to the border, he would 269 00:18:10,701 --> 00:18:14,620 Speaker 2: be as soon as he got out of solitary, he 270 00:18:14,661 --> 00:18:18,421 Speaker 2: started sizing up the camp. To anyone else, the situation 271 00:18:18,541 --> 00:18:22,100 Speaker 2: would have seemed impossible. The whole place was surrounded by 272 00:18:22,181 --> 00:18:26,461 Speaker 2: multiple bar wire fences, plus guards with rifles, and the 273 00:18:26,541 --> 00:18:30,701 Speaker 2: man could barely walk. But the prisoners got German news 274 00:18:30,701 --> 00:18:34,581 Speaker 2: in the camp, and every day he heard that Allied 275 00:18:34,621 --> 00:18:38,421 Speaker 2: ships were being blown up. Sure, some of this was 276 00:18:38,461 --> 00:18:42,181 Speaker 2: wartime propaganda, but even if half of it was true, 277 00:18:42,661 --> 00:18:46,941 Speaker 2: the situation was dire. Edward was certain his intel would 278 00:18:46,941 --> 00:18:51,381 Speaker 2: save lives, maybe even stop the war, so he started 279 00:18:51,381 --> 00:18:54,701 Speaker 2: getting up early, doing calisthenics and taking a cold shower. 280 00:18:55,461 --> 00:18:56,821 Speaker 1: Pretty soon he was. 281 00:18:56,781 --> 00:19:01,261 Speaker 2: Walking fifteen miles a day around the prison barracks. I 282 00:19:01,341 --> 00:19:05,061 Speaker 2: told you he was stubborn, didn't I? Then he worked 283 00:19:05,101 --> 00:19:08,421 Speaker 2: up a plan. He decided that multiple prisoners would have 284 00:19:08,501 --> 00:19:12,981 Speaker 2: to escape at the same time would mean more chaos, 285 00:19:13,861 --> 00:19:17,741 Speaker 2: so we recruited other prisoners, which wasn't hard since everyone 286 00:19:17,781 --> 00:19:20,301 Speaker 2: wanted to get the heck out of there, even though 287 00:19:20,341 --> 00:19:26,141 Speaker 2: they all knew that failure could mean death. For escape 288 00:19:26,141 --> 00:19:31,541 Speaker 2: plan number wait where are we oh right? Five, Edward 289 00:19:31,581 --> 00:19:33,381 Speaker 2: planned for the men to go over the roof of 290 00:19:33,421 --> 00:19:36,341 Speaker 2: a workshed. It was next to a segment of fence 291 00:19:36,381 --> 00:19:40,701 Speaker 2: that didn't have much barbed wire, but then overnight the 292 00:19:40,781 --> 00:19:45,221 Speaker 2: Germans added more wire there, so it was on to 293 00:19:45,301 --> 00:19:49,181 Speaker 2: the next idea. For escape plan number six, they would 294 00:19:49,221 --> 00:19:52,421 Speaker 2: sneak out a garden door. It wasn't guarded all that well. 295 00:19:53,301 --> 00:19:57,341 Speaker 2: A guy named Harold Willis, another American prisoner and Edward's friend, 296 00:19:57,861 --> 00:20:00,221 Speaker 2: was trying to make a key for the door, But 297 00:20:00,341 --> 00:20:03,341 Speaker 2: then a Russian prisoner tried to escape at the same 298 00:20:03,541 --> 00:20:06,261 Speaker 2: exact spot and he was caught, so. 299 00:20:06,261 --> 00:20:07,381 Speaker 1: The guards were doubled. 300 00:20:08,941 --> 00:20:12,861 Speaker 2: Edward was almost out of ideas, as he later wrote, quote, 301 00:20:13,261 --> 00:20:16,861 Speaker 2: my fortunes reached their lowest EBB, but they were destined 302 00:20:16,901 --> 00:20:21,261 Speaker 2: to brighten with the never dying hope of success. Never 303 00:20:21,461 --> 00:20:26,181 Speaker 2: dying hope of success. Now that, my friends, is optimism, 304 00:20:28,141 --> 00:20:31,821 Speaker 2: which brings us to escape. Plan number seven. Edward would 305 00:20:31,861 --> 00:20:35,301 Speaker 2: secretly build the ladder to take them over the fences. 306 00:20:36,061 --> 00:20:43,901 Speaker 4: There were two long pieces of pine that the Russians 307 00:20:44,301 --> 00:20:49,221 Speaker 4: used to lay out sort of a volleyball set. 308 00:20:50,381 --> 00:20:53,580 Speaker 2: Yeah you heard that right. The prisoners were allowed to 309 00:20:53,581 --> 00:20:56,421 Speaker 2: play games in prison, and it sounds like the Russians 310 00:20:56,461 --> 00:20:58,261 Speaker 2: really liked volleyball. 311 00:20:59,141 --> 00:20:59,541 Speaker 1: Anyway. 312 00:21:00,061 --> 00:21:02,781 Speaker 2: The border of the court was made of long pieces 313 00:21:02,821 --> 00:21:05,061 Speaker 2: of wood, and Edward stole them. 314 00:21:06,021 --> 00:21:10,501 Speaker 4: I got those two flats into my barracks, where there 315 00:21:10,541 --> 00:21:16,181 Speaker 4: were eight cots with eight prisoners. I seek created these 316 00:21:16,261 --> 00:21:18,581 Speaker 4: two under those cots. 317 00:21:19,941 --> 00:21:22,821 Speaker 2: Then he needed to make rungs for the ladder. He 318 00:21:22,901 --> 00:21:25,381 Speaker 2: stole the tops of the wooden boxes their food came in. 319 00:21:26,221 --> 00:21:28,821 Speaker 2: He had all the pieces. Now he just had to 320 00:21:28,861 --> 00:21:31,101 Speaker 2: figure out how to put the ladder together. 321 00:21:32,141 --> 00:21:35,941 Speaker 4: There were no nails, but I took the screws out 322 00:21:35,941 --> 00:21:39,621 Speaker 4: of all the doors in all the barracks, enough to 323 00:21:40,101 --> 00:21:43,541 Speaker 4: keep the door swinging. But I got enough so that 324 00:21:43,701 --> 00:21:48,181 Speaker 4: I could have a regular ladder leading right straight out. 325 00:21:49,381 --> 00:21:54,301 Speaker 2: I mean, who thinks of this. The last part of 326 00:21:54,341 --> 00:21:56,421 Speaker 2: the plan was cutting the lights to the camp so 327 00:21:56,501 --> 00:21:59,741 Speaker 2: the prisoners could get out in the darkness. The power 328 00:21:59,781 --> 00:22:03,580 Speaker 2: came in from the neighboring town, but unlike modern power lines, 329 00:22:03,901 --> 00:22:08,621 Speaker 2: these were made from raw, uncoated wire. Edward figured out 330 00:22:08,901 --> 00:22:11,741 Speaker 2: that if you threw a metal chain of them, the 331 00:22:11,821 --> 00:22:15,101 Speaker 2: wires would short circuit and the lights would go out. 332 00:22:15,301 --> 00:22:17,781 Speaker 2: So he recruited some friends to throw the chain at 333 00:22:17,821 --> 00:22:21,101 Speaker 2: the appointed hour, and then they waited for their moment. 334 00:22:22,141 --> 00:22:27,701 Speaker 2: It came October sixth, nineteen eighteen. The camp announced that 335 00:22:27,781 --> 00:22:31,421 Speaker 2: all the Russian prisoners would be moved. It meant two things, 336 00:22:32,101 --> 00:22:35,821 Speaker 2: first that all the barracks would be searched, and second, 337 00:22:36,341 --> 00:22:40,061 Speaker 2: there would be way more guards per prisoner. They had 338 00:22:40,101 --> 00:22:45,781 Speaker 2: to get out now. As night fell on October sixth, 339 00:22:46,141 --> 00:22:49,741 Speaker 2: Edward gave the sign. His friends threw a chain over 340 00:22:49,821 --> 00:22:52,301 Speaker 2: the wire to short circuit the lights. 341 00:22:52,741 --> 00:22:56,781 Speaker 1: Edward held his breath. It worked. 342 00:22:57,901 --> 00:23:02,021 Speaker 4: The lights went out, and then they came on. Immediately 343 00:23:02,861 --> 00:23:06,781 Speaker 4: Well I realized what was happening. The thing was swinging 344 00:23:06,901 --> 00:23:12,741 Speaker 4: back and forth and releasing Finally it blew the fuse 345 00:23:13,221 --> 00:23:16,741 Speaker 4: and the lights went out. 346 00:23:17,621 --> 00:23:21,581 Speaker 2: Next, some Russian prisoners had volunteered to create a distraction, 347 00:23:22,381 --> 00:23:24,661 Speaker 2: so as soon as the lights went out, they started 348 00:23:24,661 --> 00:23:27,461 Speaker 2: a racket on the far side of the camp, and 349 00:23:27,501 --> 00:23:31,661 Speaker 2: then thirteen Americans headed out into the darkness. But as 350 00:23:31,701 --> 00:23:34,981 Speaker 2: soon as the guards figured out what was happening, it 351 00:23:35,061 --> 00:23:35,701 Speaker 2: was mayhem. 352 00:23:36,381 --> 00:23:37,741 Speaker 1: Shots everywhere. 353 00:23:39,061 --> 00:23:41,581 Speaker 2: Edward was the second man off the ladder, and as 354 00:23:41,581 --> 00:23:45,181 Speaker 2: he swung to the ground, the guards yelled halt and 355 00:23:45,301 --> 00:23:49,661 Speaker 2: trained their rifles on him. The shots were so close 356 00:23:50,221 --> 00:23:54,541 Speaker 2: that Edward's hair got burned by the muzzle flash. He 357 00:23:54,701 --> 00:23:57,941 Speaker 2: ran as fast as he could, bent over and zig 358 00:23:58,061 --> 00:23:59,141 Speaker 2: zagging through the night. 359 00:24:00,181 --> 00:24:02,021 Speaker 5: That's how we got out of the camp. 360 00:24:03,421 --> 00:24:06,221 Speaker 2: He had arranged to meet Harold Willis, that guy who 361 00:24:06,261 --> 00:24:09,261 Speaker 2: made the key for escape Planned number six, but his 362 00:24:09,301 --> 00:24:13,221 Speaker 2: friend was late. Edward could hear the hounds in the distance. 363 00:24:14,301 --> 00:24:18,141 Speaker 2: Then Willis came crashing through the trees. They ran together 364 00:24:18,221 --> 00:24:21,821 Speaker 2: through the darkness. Willis had stolen pepper from the mill tent, 365 00:24:22,261 --> 00:24:24,661 Speaker 2: and he sprinkled it behind them to keep the hounds 366 00:24:24,661 --> 00:24:28,541 Speaker 2: off of their scent. They sloshed through swamps with water 367 00:24:28,741 --> 00:24:33,021 Speaker 2: up to their shoulders, and finally, as the sun was rising, 368 00:24:33,541 --> 00:24:37,421 Speaker 2: they hid themselves under a cliff. The hounds were still 369 00:24:37,461 --> 00:24:41,821 Speaker 2: behind them. They could hear their barking, first so close, 370 00:24:42,701 --> 00:24:49,981 Speaker 2: and then further and further away. The Swiss border was 371 00:24:50,021 --> 00:24:53,141 Speaker 2: only eighteen miles from the camp, but any of the 372 00:24:53,221 --> 00:24:57,821 Speaker 2: direct routes were blocked by German soldiers. Instead, their trip 373 00:24:57,821 --> 00:25:03,181 Speaker 2: would cover one hundred and twenty miles. They stole vegetables 374 00:25:03,181 --> 00:25:08,421 Speaker 2: from gardens. In the dark, they slept huddled under Willis's coat. Finally, 375 00:25:08,901 --> 00:25:13,301 Speaker 2: six days later they reached the a Rhine River. Switzerland 376 00:25:13,381 --> 00:25:17,741 Speaker 2: was just on the other side, but there were searchlights 377 00:25:17,781 --> 00:25:21,221 Speaker 2: sweeping the river banks, so they painted themselves with mud, 378 00:25:21,741 --> 00:25:25,981 Speaker 2: hoping to blend in with the rocks. They slowly moved 379 00:25:26,021 --> 00:25:29,621 Speaker 2: into the water. The current was stronger than they expected. 380 00:25:30,501 --> 00:25:34,140 Speaker 2: One minute, Willis was right in front of Edward. The 381 00:25:34,181 --> 00:25:39,301 Speaker 2: next minute he was gone. As Edward said later quote, 382 00:25:39,541 --> 00:25:41,741 Speaker 2: it was as if the earth had opened up and 383 00:25:41,861 --> 00:25:45,741 Speaker 2: swallowed him. But he didn't have time to wonder what 384 00:25:45,821 --> 00:25:49,021 Speaker 2: had happened, because the moment he inched forward, he was 385 00:25:49,061 --> 00:25:53,941 Speaker 2: swept away by the current too. He was weak and freezing. 386 00:25:55,221 --> 00:25:58,581 Speaker 2: There was just seven hundred feet of water separating him 387 00:25:58,581 --> 00:26:01,661 Speaker 2: from freedom, so he swam as hard as he could, 388 00:26:02,541 --> 00:26:04,501 Speaker 2: but the current was dragging him into a bend in 389 00:26:04,541 --> 00:26:07,821 Speaker 2: the river. He knew it was about to push him 390 00:26:07,861 --> 00:26:12,421 Speaker 2: back to the German side. He was exhausted, he had 391 00:26:12,421 --> 00:26:17,661 Speaker 2: no fight left, so he turned over on his back, closed. 392 00:26:17,301 --> 00:26:18,981 Speaker 1: His eyes and prayed. 393 00:26:36,021 --> 00:26:39,461 Speaker 2: Edward Isaac was on his back, floating in the icy 394 00:26:39,541 --> 00:26:43,381 Speaker 2: Rhine River. He'd been running for six days to escape 395 00:26:43,421 --> 00:26:47,021 Speaker 2: the Germans. He was freezing, hungry, and tired. 396 00:26:47,861 --> 00:26:51,221 Speaker 1: He was just done. 397 00:26:51,461 --> 00:26:54,861 Speaker 2: And at that exact moment that Edward Isaac gave up 398 00:26:55,261 --> 00:27:01,541 Speaker 2: his feet touched the rocks. He was in Switzerland. He 399 00:27:01,621 --> 00:27:04,580 Speaker 2: had been a prisoner for one hundred and thirty six days, 400 00:27:05,221 --> 00:27:13,941 Speaker 2: and now he was free. Attempt number seven was a success. Unbelievably, 401 00:27:14,181 --> 00:27:17,621 Speaker 2: Willis had made it too. Of the thirteen men who 402 00:27:17,701 --> 00:27:23,421 Speaker 2: tried to escape that night, only three actually did. Edward 403 00:27:23,461 --> 00:27:27,461 Speaker 2: didn't spend any time pondering how crazy his escape had been. 404 00:27:28,181 --> 00:27:30,501 Speaker 2: He just got to the Naval command center in London 405 00:27:30,741 --> 00:27:34,101 Speaker 2: as fast as he could. He told him about all 406 00:27:34,141 --> 00:27:36,781 Speaker 2: the inner workings of the German U boats, about that 407 00:27:36,861 --> 00:27:40,341 Speaker 2: rendezvous point for the naval fleet, but his intel didn't 408 00:27:40,381 --> 00:27:45,021 Speaker 2: quite make the impact he hoped for. Why because peace 409 00:27:45,101 --> 00:27:50,261 Speaker 2: talks were already underway by the time Edward got to 410 00:27:50,341 --> 00:27:54,821 Speaker 2: Washington on November eleventh, the war was over. He watched 411 00:27:54,861 --> 00:27:58,141 Speaker 2: the celebrations with his new friend the Assistant Secretary of 412 00:27:58,181 --> 00:28:01,701 Speaker 2: the Navy. The two had met while Edward was being debriefed. 413 00:28:02,741 --> 00:28:07,981 Speaker 2: That friend's name was Franklin Delano Roosevelt, and two years later, 414 00:28:08,301 --> 00:28:12,021 Speaker 2: when Edward received his Medal of Honor, it was Fdr 415 00:28:12,421 --> 00:28:17,461 Speaker 2: who presented it to him. Admiral William Simms, who commanded 416 00:28:17,461 --> 00:28:20,741 Speaker 2: the Navy in Europe, didn't believe that Edward deserved the metal. 417 00:28:21,661 --> 00:28:24,461 Speaker 2: He told reporters that quote, all he did was get 418 00:28:24,501 --> 00:28:28,821 Speaker 2: captured by the enemy. But Josepha's Daniels, the Secretary of 419 00:28:28,861 --> 00:28:32,741 Speaker 2: the Navy, deeply disagreed, and, as he put it, quote 420 00:28:33,061 --> 00:28:37,381 Speaker 2: his rare experiences, his alertness to secure information that would 421 00:28:37,381 --> 00:28:40,941 Speaker 2: aid his country, his resolve to find or make a 422 00:28:41,021 --> 00:28:44,941 Speaker 2: way to escape, these make a story that would live 423 00:28:44,981 --> 00:28:50,061 Speaker 2: in the animals of navel daring. Daniels asked Edward to 424 00:28:50,101 --> 00:28:53,941 Speaker 2: write a book about his experiences, which he did, but 425 00:28:54,141 --> 00:28:58,381 Speaker 2: Edward didn't see his story as heroic. In fact, his 426 00:28:58,501 --> 00:29:02,701 Speaker 2: memoir ended on a wistful note. The very last line 427 00:29:02,741 --> 00:29:10,701 Speaker 2: was I was too late. In nineteen thirty six, Edward 428 00:29:10,741 --> 00:29:13,781 Speaker 2: was called back into the service of his country. He 429 00:29:13,821 --> 00:29:16,501 Speaker 2: had retired from the Navy right after the war. His 430 00:29:16,541 --> 00:29:20,621 Speaker 2: injuries had never quite healed, but now his old friend 431 00:29:20,741 --> 00:29:24,301 Speaker 2: FDR was president, so he agreed to run for Congress 432 00:29:24,341 --> 00:29:25,141 Speaker 2: in California. 433 00:29:26,021 --> 00:29:26,581 Speaker 1: He won. 434 00:29:28,061 --> 00:29:31,221 Speaker 2: As a congressman, he fought for veterans' rights, He fought 435 00:29:31,221 --> 00:29:34,021 Speaker 2: to establish a battalion of black soldiers in the California 436 00:29:34,101 --> 00:29:37,181 Speaker 2: National Guard, and he worked to create the naval base 437 00:29:37,221 --> 00:29:40,621 Speaker 2: of San Diego, which changed that city and is still 438 00:29:40,661 --> 00:29:44,501 Speaker 2: in use today. He and his wife, Agnes, had six kids. 439 00:29:45,981 --> 00:29:48,421 Speaker 2: World War One was supposed to be the war to 440 00:29:48,541 --> 00:29:52,421 Speaker 2: end all wars, but in nineteen forty one, Edward watched 441 00:29:52,501 --> 00:29:57,261 Speaker 2: horrified as his country declared war on Germany again. Two 442 00:29:57,261 --> 00:30:00,101 Speaker 2: of his sons joined the Navy and were sent overseas 443 00:30:00,101 --> 00:30:04,541 Speaker 2: to fight, and then in April of nineteen forty five, 444 00:30:05,061 --> 00:30:08,421 Speaker 2: Edward was in Germany too, standing in the middle of. 445 00:30:08,381 --> 00:30:09,501 Speaker 1: A prison yard. 446 00:30:10,181 --> 00:30:13,101 Speaker 2: His posture was as straight as ever, but his hair 447 00:30:13,221 --> 00:30:17,741 Speaker 2: was snow white. He looked around him. There were signs 448 00:30:17,741 --> 00:30:22,541 Speaker 2: of death everywhere. He was at a concentration camp. Edward 449 00:30:22,541 --> 00:30:25,341 Speaker 2: and a delegation of other congressmen were there to bear 450 00:30:25,421 --> 00:30:27,421 Speaker 2: witness to the horrors of the Holocaust. 451 00:30:28,661 --> 00:30:31,741 Speaker 6: They came as the elected representatives of the American people, 452 00:30:32,381 --> 00:30:36,741 Speaker 6: to see for themselves to see for America the incontrovertible 453 00:30:36,781 --> 00:30:41,141 Speaker 6: evidence of Nazi in humanity. They and the people of 454 00:30:41,181 --> 00:30:44,141 Speaker 6: now freed Europe will not forget. 455 00:30:45,781 --> 00:30:48,861 Speaker 2: What Edward saw in the concentration camps at the end 456 00:30:48,861 --> 00:30:50,941 Speaker 2: of the war broke his heart. 457 00:30:52,261 --> 00:30:58,981 Speaker 4: I have never forgotten my first impression of Dachau. Here 458 00:30:59,181 --> 00:31:04,581 Speaker 4: was a shed next to the crematorium, and it was 459 00:31:04,621 --> 00:31:11,421 Speaker 4: an open shed fifty sixty feet long, in which human 460 00:31:11,621 --> 00:31:16,381 Speaker 4: carpses were stacked exactly like cardwould. 461 00:31:17,061 --> 00:31:19,421 Speaker 5: I would say there were thousands. 462 00:31:19,661 --> 00:31:27,101 Speaker 4: I will never know because they were so emaciated that 463 00:31:27,141 --> 00:31:31,301 Speaker 4: they didn't take up much space. There was not a 464 00:31:31,501 --> 00:31:35,461 Speaker 4: pound of flesh on any of them. They had been 465 00:31:35,541 --> 00:31:36,541 Speaker 4: starved to death. 466 00:31:43,821 --> 00:31:46,821 Speaker 2: In their later years, Edward and Agnes lived on a 467 00:31:46,821 --> 00:31:51,101 Speaker 2: little farm in Virginia. He rarely talked about World War One. 468 00:31:51,461 --> 00:31:55,061 Speaker 2: In fact, he wrote a family history in nineteen seventy eight. 469 00:31:55,741 --> 00:31:58,541 Speaker 2: It stretched all the way back to the eighteenth century, 470 00:31:59,061 --> 00:32:02,381 Speaker 2: but in it he only mentioned that he joined the Navy. 471 00:32:03,181 --> 00:32:07,781 Speaker 2: There is absolutely nothing about his great escape or his 472 00:32:07,821 --> 00:32:11,981 Speaker 2: Medal of Honor. It's hard to know why. Maybe he 473 00:32:12,021 --> 00:32:15,421 Speaker 2: felt like his actions didn't matter. He hadn't been able 474 00:32:15,461 --> 00:32:17,781 Speaker 2: to stop his war or any of the wars he 475 00:32:17,821 --> 00:32:21,021 Speaker 2: saw during his lifetime. Maybe that made him feel like 476 00:32:21,061 --> 00:32:25,061 Speaker 2: he wasn't a hero. A lot of veterans feel that way. 477 00:32:25,901 --> 00:32:29,461 Speaker 2: They ask what did I really do? But I think 478 00:32:29,501 --> 00:32:34,261 Speaker 2: heroism isn't always about what you do. Sometimes it's about 479 00:32:34,341 --> 00:32:39,861 Speaker 2: what you tried to do. Edward Isaac died in January 480 00:32:39,901 --> 00:32:44,181 Speaker 2: of nineteen ninety. He was ninety eight years old. I 481 00:32:44,221 --> 00:32:48,381 Speaker 2: think his story is about optimism more than anything. Even 482 00:32:48,421 --> 00:32:52,621 Speaker 2: after the first escape attempt failed, he kept trying. He 483 00:32:52,781 --> 00:32:57,101 Speaker 2: kept trying after the third attempt and the sixth. He 484 00:32:57,141 --> 00:33:00,181 Speaker 2: saw the best of us and the worst. 485 00:33:01,061 --> 00:33:34,701 Speaker 7: And yet he still had hope. 486 00:33:35,541 --> 00:33:36,261 Speaker 1: Medal of Honor. 487 00:33:36,421 --> 00:33:39,661 Speaker 2: Stories of Courage is written by Meredith Rollins and produced 488 00:33:39,661 --> 00:33:43,621 Speaker 2: by Meredith Rollins and Ryan Schweiker. Our editor is Lydia 489 00:33:43,701 --> 00:33:48,141 Speaker 2: gene Kott. Sound design by Jake Gorsky. Our executive producer 490 00:33:48,301 --> 00:33:53,141 Speaker 2: is Constanza gayardro fact checking by Arthur Comperts. Original music 491 00:33:53,181 --> 00:33:58,501 Speaker 2: by Eric Phillips. Additional editorial support from Karen Shakerji. Special 492 00:33:58,501 --> 00:34:01,981 Speaker 2: thanks to Carl and Gwyneth Crawford. If you want to 493 00:34:02,021 --> 00:34:03,741 Speaker 2: learn more about this story, take a look at our 494 00:34:03,781 --> 00:34:06,141 Speaker 2: show notes, where we have some of the resources we 495 00:34:06,261 --> 00:34:07,621 Speaker 2: used to put this episode together. 496 00:34:08,980 --> 00:34:10,261 Speaker 1: We also want to hear from you. 497 00:34:10,940 --> 00:34:13,861 Speaker 2: Send us your personal story of courage or highlight someone 498 00:34:13,861 --> 00:34:18,101 Speaker 2: else's bravery. Email us at Medal of Honor at pushkin 499 00:34:18,381 --> 00:34:21,901 Speaker 2: dot Fm. You might hear your stories on future episodes 500 00:34:21,940 --> 00:34:24,021 Speaker 2: of Metal of Honor or see them on our social 501 00:34:24,140 --> 00:34:26,581 Speaker 2: channels at Pushkin Pies. 502 00:34:27,741 --> 00:34:30,220 Speaker 1: I'm your host, JR. Martinez