1 00:00:17,140 --> 00:00:28,941 Speaker 1: Pushkin. This year, America turns two hundred and fifty, two 2 00:00:29,021 --> 00:00:31,901 Speaker 1: hundred and fifty years of strength and heroism. 3 00:00:32,501 --> 00:00:34,980 Speaker 2: You love the man to your right, to you left, 4 00:00:35,021 --> 00:00:37,301 Speaker 2: to your front of your ear. You're willing to die 5 00:00:37,381 --> 00:00:39,501 Speaker 2: for him, and you will to die for your country. 6 00:00:40,260 --> 00:00:44,580 Speaker 1: Two hundred and fifty years of struggle and survival. They 7 00:00:44,661 --> 00:00:47,941 Speaker 1: hit the first gunship and he yells, I'm hit, I'm hit, 8 00:00:48,021 --> 00:00:48,781 Speaker 1: I'm going down. 9 00:00:49,741 --> 00:00:53,421 Speaker 3: It shocked me. The first casualties we took. It was 10 00:00:53,501 --> 00:00:56,261 Speaker 3: like the hammer dropping, you know, and the people were dying. 11 00:00:57,421 --> 00:01:01,061 Speaker 1: Two hundred and fifty years of sacrifice and bravery. 12 00:01:01,661 --> 00:01:04,541 Speaker 2: I realized this is a suicide vest I didn't care 13 00:01:04,581 --> 00:01:06,741 Speaker 2: about my well being. I wanted to make sure he 14 00:01:06,861 --> 00:01:09,221 Speaker 2: was as far away as possible, as quickly as possible 15 00:01:09,221 --> 00:01:10,101 Speaker 2: for everybody else. 16 00:01:11,021 --> 00:01:12,901 Speaker 1: A lot of times over the past two hundred and 17 00:01:12,941 --> 00:01:17,021 Speaker 1: fifty years, our American experiment seemed like it would fall apart. 18 00:01:17,101 --> 00:01:19,101 Speaker 1: At the scenes, our. 19 00:01:18,941 --> 00:01:22,261 Speaker 2: Great specific outpost in the Hawaiian Islands is ruthlessly bombed. 20 00:01:23,101 --> 00:01:25,741 Speaker 3: Pearl Harvill was being bombed. I wanted to show that 21 00:01:25,901 --> 00:01:28,621 Speaker 3: I'm an American, so I volunteered for the army. 22 00:01:29,621 --> 00:01:32,301 Speaker 1: When you look closely at those moments. What held us 23 00:01:32,301 --> 00:01:37,661 Speaker 1: together was ordinary people rising to the occasion and extraordinary circumstances. 24 00:01:38,301 --> 00:01:42,901 Speaker 3: That's the nature of courage, not being unafraid, but confronting 25 00:01:43,101 --> 00:01:45,500 Speaker 3: fear and danger in a selfless fashion. 26 00:01:46,461 --> 00:01:49,300 Speaker 1: I'm JR. Martinez and on this season of Medal of 27 00:01:49,341 --> 00:01:53,300 Speaker 1: Honor Stories of Courage, we're celebrating two hundred and fifty 28 00:01:53,421 --> 00:01:57,621 Speaker 1: years of America's highest award because bravery is in all 29 00:01:57,661 --> 00:01:58,221 Speaker 1: of us. 30 00:01:58,621 --> 00:02:01,381 Speaker 3: I'm not going to sit here and say I was afraid, 31 00:02:01,861 --> 00:02:05,221 Speaker 3: but these were my guys. Your job was to look 32 00:02:05,261 --> 00:02:06,341 Speaker 3: out for them. 33 00:02:06,541 --> 00:02:08,261 Speaker 2: If you have to come home, I'll bring home. 34 00:02:08,981 --> 00:02:12,381 Speaker 1: That's my duty, it's my honor because the same qualities 35 00:02:12,461 --> 00:02:14,501 Speaker 1: that carried us through the first two hundred and fifty 36 00:02:14,581 --> 00:02:17,421 Speaker 1: years will help us in the next two hundred and fifty. 37 00:02:18,181 --> 00:02:22,981 Speaker 3: We are country of heroes. We believe in heroes. 38 00:02:24,341 --> 00:02:28,621 Speaker 1: From Pushkin Industries, this is season three of Metal of Honor, 39 00:02:28,981 --> 00:02:33,501 Speaker 1: Stories of Courage, out on May twentieth. Wherever you get 40 00:02:33,501 --> 00:02:38,701 Speaker 1: your podcasts, subscribe to Pushkin Plus to get episodes of 41 00:02:38,741 --> 00:02:43,061 Speaker 1: Metal of Honor early and ad free. Subscribers also get 42 00:02:43,101 --> 00:02:47,861 Speaker 1: bonus episodes, full audiobooks, and early ad free listening from 43 00:02:47,861 --> 00:02:52,101 Speaker 1: your favorite Pushkin hosts and authors. Your subscription helps our 44 00:02:52,141 --> 00:02:56,101 Speaker 1: independent team continue to make the shows you enjoy. Find 45 00:02:56,101 --> 00:02:59,021 Speaker 1: Pushkin Plus on the Medal of Honor show page on 46 00:02:59,141 --> 00:03:05,261 Speaker 1: Apple Podcasts, or at pushkin dot fm slash plus. Use 47 00:03:05,301 --> 00:03:09,741 Speaker 1: the code mooh two five for twenty five percent off 48 00:03:09,741 --> 00:03:13,021 Speaker 1: an annual subscription, and thank you for your support.