Walk Among Heroes
‘Walk Among Heroes’ is a podcast that presents real stories from the bravest men and women in the world, real military heroes. Jeff Wells, Veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, hosts military heroes, as they tell their stories, unedited, and in their own words. From the sights, sounds, and smells of combat, to their secrets for a long and successful life, these Veterans tell all. This podcast is perfect for anyone who wants to learn about our nation’s history, and most importantly, wants to understand the intimate details of those who fought to provide us with the greatest privilege in the world, freedom. Wars are not won by generals standing in front of maps. They are won by the men on the ground, fighting through near-impossible odds to ensure our liberty will never falter. Unlike other podcasts that focus on higher-level military history, ‘Walk Among Heroes’ brings you stories and perspectives from those closest to the battles: the Ground-Pounders, G.I.’s, Dog Faces, Doughboys, Grunts, Sailors, Flyboys, Squids, Frogmen, Devil Dogs, Leathernecks, and others who were on the ground, in the arena, fighting for our great nation. Hear their stories and perspectives as ‘Walk Among Heroes’ strives to ensure they are never forgotten. A new episode will be released every Tuesday. To check out more stories from our great heroes, visit walkamongheroes.org.
Walk Among Heroes
Walk Among Heroes Podcast Episode 36: George Koch (U.S. Merchant Marine, Murmansk Run)
We are honored to introduce Mr. George Koch as our guest for Walk Among Heroes Podcast Episode 36. Mr. Koch is our first guest who served as a U.S. Merchant Marine. Born and raised in New York, Mr. Koch (pronounced ‘Coke’) dropped out of high school in tenth grade to join the Merchant Marines. At age 16 in September 1944, he reported to his first ship in New York Harbor. He soon found himself sailing north on the Murmansk Run. The Murmansk Run was a LONG, treacherous journey through German-controlled, Arctic frozen waters, from the United States to Russia, past Norway and through northern Europe. At the time, the United States was manufacturing weapons and supplies to support our allies (Lend-Lease Program) including Russia, in their fight against Germany on the Eastern front. Because Japan had the Pacific blockaded, we were forced to deliver supplies from the Atlantic north of Europe to the Russian port of Murmansk.
During the journey to Murmansk, Mr. Koch’s ship was attacked by a German U-Boat and was nearly hit by a torpedo. Other ships in his convoy were hit. Upon arriving in Murmansk, Mr. Koch was able to visit the city, interact with Russian soldiers and local civilians, and became one of just a few U.S. soldiers who set foot on Russian soil during World War II. In February 2021, Russia awarded Mr. Koch with the Medal of Ushakov, a rare military honor seldom awarded to anyone outside of Russia.
Today, Mr. Koch resides in Rotonda West, FL with his lovely wife of 75 years, Jean.