The "We're Not Lost, Private" Podcast
Whether you’re interested in learning more about the real Band of Brothers, or exploring the people, places and things associated with a wide range of World War II battles, the “We’re Not Lost, Private” Podcast is the pod for you. We focus on telling the stories of the members of the Greatest Generation who served at the bayonet point and were involved in the battles that helped define the 20th Century and beyond. We’ll talk with historians, authors, battlefield guides and family members of the men and women that were there during one of the most climactic events in human history. Learn what it was like for these service members to take part in a combat parachute assault, an amphibious assault on an enemy held beach, knocking out an enemy strong point, or countless other actions across the breath and width of World War II. The “We’re Not Lost, Private” Podcast puts you right next to them during that action.
Episodes
79 episodes
EP71 – This Hemisphere of Hell, Part 1, w/Geoff Roecker
Join Joe and author/historian Geoff Roecker as they discuss the WWII history of 1st Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment. Based on Geoff’s book, This Hemisphere of Hell, this episode focuses on the early history of the battalion, to include the Mari...
EP70 – Band of Brothers at 25: It’s Impact and Legacy
It’s hard to believe it’s been 25 years since the Band of Brothers miniseries premiered on HBO. It was a landmark achievement that met with universal praise. But it was much more than a TV series. It quickly became part of the fabric of our nat...
EP69 – Operation Fortitude
Operation Fortitude, the Allied deception effort in advance of D-Day…a peer of mine called it, “elegant,” but the proper description might have been encompassing. And it truly was. A multi-discipline effort utilizing a host of deception efforts...
EP68 – The Carolina Museum of the Marine – A Trip Report
It’s time for another museum trip report, this time Joe is off to Jacksonville, North Carolina to visit the brand, spanking new Carolina Museum of the Marine. Opened in June of this year, the CMotM is focused on the service of Marines from Nort...
EP67 – The Red Devils in Normandy w/Neil Barber
Pegasus Bridge…the Orne River Bridge…Merville Battery…actions that capture the imagination and interest of everyone from serious historians and avid history buffs, but those were just three of multiple actions executed by the British and Canadi...
EP66 – Fire and Fortitude w/John McManus
There’s a lot of misconceptions about the Pacific Theater of Operations, and many have to do with the U.S. Army and its level of participation, and proficiency. Dr. John McManus has written a trilogy of books examining the performance of the Ar...
EP65 – LotB: Normandy Ghosts Stories of the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment
In the fourth installment of our “Lore of the Battlefield” series, Joe looks at three ghost stories involving the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment during the Normandy Campaign. See how two Currahee troopers, killed early on D-Day, have interac...
EP64 – The Old Breed: The Complete Story Revealed w/ Henry Sledge
It’s been a long time coming, but Joe finally got to sit down with Henry Sledge. Over the course of an hour, the pair discusses Henry’s father, Eugene “Sledgehammer” Sledge, his WWII classic memoir, With the Old Breed, Henry’s relationship with...
EP63 – The USS Ticonderoga, Dixie Keifer, and My Grandfather
I grew up with two grandfathers that had served in the Pacific Theater of Operations. One of them, my maternal grandfather Byron, was a crewman on the USS Ticonderoga. The Big “T” fought at Leyte, and in the South China Sea. She was kamikazed o...
EP62.5 - Reaction Episode: World War II with Tom Hanks
What did you think of the first three episodes of World War II with Tom Hanks? Join Joe as he drops a few thoughts on this highly anticipated series. If you'd like to become a Patreon supporter of The "We're Not Lost, Pr...
EP62 – Mooch’s Indispensable D-Day Book List
I get asked all the time, “What are your favorite books about D-Day?” or “What are your D-Day book ‘must have’s’?” Well, with D-Day rapidly approaching, you can check in to find out what my indispensable D-Day book list looks like. I cover subj...
EP61 – LotB – The Battle of the Bulge: Death of a Division
The US 106th Infantry Division was star-crossed at best. Trained to a fine point, its regiments were raided by the U.S. Army to replace casualties suffered during the Battle of France. Its leadership lacked experience and a “hand’s on” approach...
EP60 - Honor Besmirched – British Coxswains at Omaha
The second show in our Lore of the Battlefield series, Episode 60 focuses on a story that has been floating around since 1960. Not one, but two well-respected historians perpetuated the myth, one that spoke poorly of our Allied sailors. The sec...
EP59 – Rhino Tanks and Sticky Bombs: GI Ingenuity in the Second World War w/Bob Wettemann
Coming of age during the Great Depression, the American boys who fought in World War II had, through necessity, developed a unique brand of technological resourcefulness. Joe is joined by Bob Wettemann to discuss how American servicemen grew up...
EP58 – Jump into the Fight, Volume I: A Primer
Back in July of 1942, the Army began constituting at Camp Toccoa what would become one of its most famous units, the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Over the course of fourteen months, Company E of the 506th, would train in Toccoa, Georgia, ...
EP57 – Lore of the Battlefield: Eric Fisher Wood Jr.
The first in our “Lore of the Battlefield” series, Joe looks at the legend of Eric Fisher Wood Jr., an artillery officer from the 589th Field Artillery Battalion. The 589th was assigned to the 106th Infantry Division, “Golden Lions,” and like m...
EP56 – Lighting the Torch w/Sam Wallace
Fought between November 1942 and May 1943, the Second World War’s Tunisian Campaign has often been described as where the Allies ‘learned to fight’. The vital culmination of the conflict fought across the breadth of North Africa, as well as an ...
EP55 – The D+1 Battle at Vierville
D-Day has always been one of the most popular topics of World War II. As a result, it’s the smaller battles that occurred later in the campaign that oftentimes get overlooked. As US tank units landed and began moving inland at Utah Beach, they ...
EP54 – The WWII Roundtable w/Paul Woodadge & Reg Jans
Have you ever just wanted to grab a drink and sit down with a couple of like-minded folks and talk WWII history? Well, grab a pint and tuck in for this show as Joe is joined by old friends Paul Woodadge and Reg Jans as they discuss WWII history...
EP53 – The Big Bulge Show w/Reg Jans
A day late and a dollar short, only we’re neither since the Battle of the Bulge officially ended on 25 January 1945. Join Joe and special guest, Reg Jans, as they examine the opening phase of the battle and some of the key fights that fueled th...
EP52.5 – The Death of Donald Hoobler
Donald Hoobler, Easy Company stalwart, heavily featured in the miniseries Band of Brothers. There’s so much incorrect information out there about how he died. Between Wikipedia, guesswork, and the miniseries, it all contributes to the inaccurac...
EP52 – Agent Zo w/Clare Mulley
During World War II, Elzbieta Zawacka was the only woman to reach London as an emissary of the Polish Home Army command. In Britain, she became the only woman to join the Polish elite Special Forces, known as the "Silent Unseen.” She was secret...
EP51 – The Duplex Drive Tanks of Omaha Beach w/Charles Herrick
Many of you have probably read about the Duplex Drive Shermans, one of “Hobart’s Funnies.” The myths and urban legends about their launching and deployment on D-Day have persisted for decades. Author and historian Charles Herrick joins the pod ...
EP50.5 – Where Does the Gear Go?
Patreon supporter Andrew sent me a question about what happens to a paratrooper’s extra gear and dress uniforms when they are training or deployed on a combat operation. Check out this short to find out!
EP50 – The Marine NCO in Combat in WWII w/Steven McCloud
Noncommissioned Officers, or NCOs, have long been considered the backbone of the Marine Corps. But the crucible of combat in World War II tested the NCO corps like no other event. They acted as the continuity, institutional knowledge and experi...
