Ted Easterling served as a U.S. Marine combat engineer in the Vietnam War. He received his Ph.D. in history from the University of Akron, where he taught history. He studied and wrote a book about USMC Combat Action Platoons in Vietnam. We spoke about these units and the Vietnam War. War in the Villages: The U.S. Marine Corps Combined Action Platoons in the Vietnam War (University of North Texas Press, 2021)
https://youtu.be/s2cy8dsSYG0
Tags: Books, audio interviews, author, academic, videos, University of North Texas Press, Modern War, United States, Vietnam, Vietnam War,
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.
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.
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,
