Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs discusses the Vietnam War and his US Army career

Jack Jacobs Medal of Honor If Not Now When

Medal of Honor recipient Jack Jacobs discusses the Vietnam War and his US Army career

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Interview Timeline

Colonel Jack Jacobs (US Army, Retired) retired from the Army as a full Colonel in 1987. He is a widely regarded military analyst and serves on a number of charitable boards of directors. He served in Vietnam and was awarded a Medal of Honor for an action in his first of two combat tours. We spoke about the Vietnam War, the medal, and the US Army. If Not Now, When?: Duty and Sacrifice in America’s Time of Need (Berkley Hardcover, 2008)

0:40 – Jack talks about why he joined the US Army.

2:33 – Jack talks about being an 11B and joining the Airborne.

3:20 – Jack talks about going to Vietnam.

4:52 – Jack talks about when and where he served in September.

6:45 – Jack talks about how they’d deploy as advisors.

8:03 – Jack talks about living with the Vietnamese troops.

8:54 – Jack talks about the strengths and weaknesses of the Vietnamese forces.

13:43 – Jack talks about Vietnamese units.

15:29 – Jack talks about being in the front lines.

17:36 – Jack talks about the event that led to the award of the Medal of Honor.

22:13 – Jack talks about the possible spies among friendly forces.

23:02 – Jack talks about support for the unit.

24:21 – Jack talks about Navy gunships supporting his unit.

25:15 – Jack talks about the ambush where he was wounded.

27:03 – Jack provides details about the ambush.

28:32 – Jack talks about what he thought when the ambush occurred.

30:31 – Jack talks about emotions in combat.

32:03 – Jack talks about the length of the engagement and his wound.

33:20 – Jack talks about medical care on the battlefield.

34:43 – Jack talks about operating while wounded.

36:04 – Jack details how he learned about his Medal of Honor.

38:04 – Jack talks about his emotions about the medal.

40:15 – Jack talks about the paperwork for his medal.

40:46 – Jack talks about awards for other members and how some have been denied.

43:05 – Jack talks about integration in the military.

43:22 – Jack talks about fighting to go back to Vietnam.

46:37 – Jack talks about his second tour and some of the battles.

47:38 – Jack talks about differences in the Vietnamese military between his first and second tours.

50:08 – Jack talks about US strategy in his second tour.

51:00 – Jack talks about his return from his second tour.

51:49 – Jack talks about his post-Vietnam military career.

52:55 – Jack talks about young cadets succeeding later in life.

54:48 – Jack talks about West Point.

56:56 – Jack talks about the US Army post-Vietnam.

59:48 – Jack talks about the Soviets in Afghanistan and China.

1:02:25 – Jack talks about meeting other Medal of Honor recipients.

1:03:54 – Jack talks about his discomfort with being a Medal of Honor recipient because of those who didn’t get one or survive.

1:05:18 – Jack talks about the books he wrote.

1:06:23 – Jack talks about a series titled “Ten Weeks” on basic training that will be coming out on Hulu.

1:08:28 – Details on the book can be found on Amazon.

1:11:59 – Jack talks about young people and military service.

Links of interest

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Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Jack Jacobs

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, podcast, Berkley Hardcover, American history, Modern War, United States, Vietnam, Vietnam War,

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An overview of Napoleonic era artillery – Interview with Kevin Kiley

An overview of Napoleonic era artillery – Interview with Kevin Kiley

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/3gIAEnM

Interview Timeline

Kevin F. Kiley is a retired US Marine Corps artillery officer and a graduate of West Point. He has a master’s degree in Military History from and has written extensively on historic artillery and other topics. We spoke about his latest book, a dictionary of Napoleonic artillery. Artillery of the Napoleonic Wars: A Concise Dictionary, 1792-1815 (Frontline Books, 2021)

0:38 – Kevin talks about why he started writing about the Napoleonic Wars.

3:13 – Kevin talks about the focus of the book on technical artillery terms.

4:35 – Kevin contrasts field artillery and all other types of artillery.

8:01 – Kevin talks about Napoleon’s rise because of being an artillerist.

10:46 – Kevin talks about where the artillery pieces were made.

13:04 – Kevin talks about overheating artillery guns.

14:07 – Kevin talks about the gun foundries at the time.

15:30 – Kevin talks more about foundries.

16:06 – Kevin talks about naval artillery.

16:51 – Kevin talks about the artillery engineers of the time.

18:17 – Kevin talks about meritocracy in the French military.

19:29 – Kevin talks about moving artillery around.

21:35 – Kevin talks about horses and artillery teams.

22:06 – Kevin talks about horses knowing artillery commands.

22:53 – Kevin talks about how quickly gun crews could set up.

24:13 – Kevin talks about the elements needed to load and fire a gun.

25:59 – Kevin talks about the cartridge, siege loading, and the sabot.

26:41 – Kevin talks about fuses.

27:23 – Kevin talks about loading lit bullets.

28:59 – Kevin talks about the French system after 1815.

29:19 – Kevin talks about the research he did for the book.

32:42 – Kevin talks about counter-battery action.

34:05 – Kevin talks about incendiary shells.

35:43 – Kevin talks about standing up to artillery attacks.

36:30 – Kevin talks about the French at the American Revolution.

37:27 – Kevin talks about Washington’s use of artillery.

38:28 – Kevin talks about national approaches to artillery.

42:35 – Kevin talks about building cannons.

44:27 – Kevin talks about artillery in French battles.

46:54 – Kevin talks about the War of 1812.

48:04 – Kevin talks about an odd-sounding artillery term

50:52 – Kevin talks about Russian changes in artillery.

51:40 – Kevin talks about the best artillerists.

52:55 – Kevin talks about the cavalry and the artillery.

53:53 – Kevin talks about how the artillery protected itself.

54:31 – Kevin talks about artillery unit make-ups.

56:26 – Kevin talks about his various books.

1:02:49 – Kevin talks about temperature and artillery.

1:05:34 – Kevin talks about hearing loss and artillery.

1:10:20 – Kevin talks about Napoleon’s interest in naval artillery.

1:12:33 – Kevin talks about important qualities of an artillery officer.

1:13:19 – Kevin talks about interest in the Napoleonic Wars.

1:16:28 – Kevin talks about myths about the Napoleonic Wars.

1:17:47 – Kevin talks about the Russians and Napoleon.

1:22:03 – Information on the book can be found at amazon.

1:23:48 – Kevin talks about the Eastern Roman Empire.

1:25:15 – Kevin talks about how he got published.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/3gIAEnM

https://penandswordbooks.com/imprints/frontline-books/artillery-of-the-napoleonic-wars-65598.html#.YMzrCUwpCUk

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Kevin Kiley

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, podcast, Frontline Books, editor interview, General military history, 19th century war, Napoleonic Wars, 18th century war, United States, Germany, Russia, France, Britain,

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What motivated the Medieval Crusader Bohemond to conquer – Interview with Georgios Theotokis

Georgios Theotokis Bohemond of Taranto

What motivated the Medieval Crusader Bohemond to conquer – Interview with Georgios Theotokis

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/34YYkyF

Interview Timeline

Georgios Theotokis studies and teaches medieval history. He has writtene xtensively on the subject and he’s recently published a book studying the strategy and tactits of the medieval crusader Bohemond. We spoke about the book and Bohemond. Bohemond of Taranto: Crusader and Conqueror (Pen and Sword Military, 2021)

0:35 – Georgios talks about why he wrote about Bohemond.

2:31 – Georgios talks about the image of Bohemond.

6:19 – Georgios goes over Bohemond’s biography.

11:07 – Georgios talks about the Norman conquests.

16:14 – Georgios talks about the motivations of the crusaders.

19:19 – Georgios talks about the composition of Bohemond’s forces.

20:51 – Georgios talks about their cavalry.

22:50 – Georgios talks about leadership hierarchy among the crusaders.

24:07 – Georgios talks about the relationship between the crusaders and the Byzantiums.

27:02 – Georgios talks about Bohemond’s strategy.

32:21 – Georgios touches on the horses of the area and logistics.

34:40 – Georgios talks about the importance of the port Bohemond sieged twice.

35:56 – Georgios talks about the navigability of the Danube.

36:13 – Georgios talks about the historical resources he used.

38:10 – Georgios talks about archaeological evidence.

39:14 – Georgios talks about the Tower of Bohemond.

40:40 – Georgios talks about Bohemond’s language.

41:59 – Georgios talks about the Normans in Spain.

42:50 – Georgios talks about Bohemond’s resilience.

44:44 – Georgios talks about Bohemond’s motives.

46:36 – Georgios talks about traveling for his book research.

47:37 – Georgios talks about the historic hatred for Bohemond.

51:09 – Georgios talks about the marriage with Constance.

55:29 – Georgios can be found at academia.edu.

Links of interest

https://amzn.to/34YYkyF

https://penandswordbooks.com/imprints/pen-and-sword-military/bohemond-of-taranto.html#.YL9m_0wpCUk

Contact Information

For more “Military History Inside Out” please follow me at www.warscholar.org, on Facebook at warscholar, on twitter at Warscholar, on youtube at warscholar1945 and on Instagram @crisalvarezswarscholar. Or subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | Spotify Please see historyrabbithole.com for a list of my dozen or so blogs and podcasts. You’re sure to find something you like.

Guests: Georgios Theotokis

Host: Cris Alvarez

Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, academic, podcast, Pen and Sword, Medieval warfare,

Check out this book here   https://amzn.to/34YYkyF

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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