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    Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient | Operation Utah | Vietnam Veteran | Community Activist | Danny Hernandez

    enNovember 05, 2022

    About this Episode

    Today we hear the Combat Story of Danny Hernandez, a Vietnam Veteran who served as a Marine rifleman in Operation Utah in March 1966. Danny would later be awarded the Silver Star and there is currently a push to have that upgraded to a Medal of Honor.

    Danny came from the rough streets of East LA and after Vietnam would return to be a committed community activist and mentor for many of the kids who were not as fortunate as he was. 

    The Silver Star was certainly earned as Danny was shot twice while providing medical aid to a stranded and wounded Marine on the battlefield; refusing to be evacuated, and killing several enemy soldiers as they flanked the casualty collection point that Danny had just been sitting in. 

    Danny’s work on mentoring and building the community in his hometown is inspiring and you can’t help but laugh as you hear some of the stories of the Marine Corps back in the Vietnam era. 

    His story is documented in his book, titled “Silver Star: An American Story” in much greater detail for those who are left wanting more. 

    Find Danny Online: 

    -Book: Silver Star: An American Story https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Star-American-Danny-Hernandez-ebook/dp/B07CJYYLLS/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=&sr=

    Find Ryan Online: 

    • - Ryan’s Linktree https://linktr.ee/combatstory
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    • - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
    • - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
    • - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
    • - Email ryan@combatstory.com
    • - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus

    Show Notes:

    • 0:00 - Intro 
    • 0:58 - Guest Introduction (Danny Hernandez) 
    • 2:12 - Interview begins 
    • 2:58 -  Growing up on the streets and early interest in joining the Marines 
    • 12:04 -  What Marine Corps boot camp was like in 1965 
    • 25:46 - Combat Story - Vietnam War - Movement into country and the amphibious landing 
    • 30:05 - First time in battle the first night they were there 
    • 33:35 - The brutal environment of Vietnam 
    • 35:48 - First 45 days of battles and the brotherhood fighting for each other 
    • 38:48 - How the streets made him sharper in battle 
    • 40:44 - Combat Story - Operation Utah - the 2nd largest battle in Vietnam history by Marines
    • 1:02:00 - Wounded and tagged to get out but went back into battle anyway
    • 1:09:31 -  Getting shot again, flown out for medical care, and adjusting to not being in combat 
    • 1:23:20 - Receiving a Silver Star 43 years later 
    • 1:30:33 - How influential was Vietnam in your work later in the community? 
    • 1:32:28 - About Danny's books "Silver Star: An American Story" and the new one "Chaos to Community"  
    • 1:33:09 - Listener comments and shout outs 

    This video covers the following subjects:

    • - Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient
    • - Operation Utah
    • - Vietnam Veteran
    • - Danny Hernandez

    By the time Danny graduates high school in 1965, he must choose between the two futures represented by his two uncles: Street Warrior or Military Man. Danny chooses the Marine Corps. Danny graduates from boot camp the same year President Lyndon B. Johnson commits ground troops to Vietnam. While his cousins back home express interest in the civil rights movement, Danny loses good friends in jungle raids and skirmishes with the Viet Cong. This is a gripping, true-life story, told in Danny's own words. From his training at Camp Pendleton to his heroic actions saving the lives of his fellow marines during Operation Utah, through his honorable discharge during one of the most tumultuous years of the Civil Rights Movement, Danny's endearing, honest, and sometimes heart-wrenching story honors the lives of those who risked everything for their country and their fellow marines.

    If you would like to learn more about Marine Corps Silver Star Recipient, Danny Hernandez I suggest you look into our various other video clips: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCyApoJr-mNmdMNwdk22xEQ

    _________________________

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    Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.

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    🔗 Find Ryan Online:
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    - Merch https://www.bonfire.com/store/combats...
    - Instagram @combatstory https://www.instagram.com/combatstory
    - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
    - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
    - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
    - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
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    Join hundreds of others with our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan each week about the show, life, and the military.

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    02:13:05 - Sentimental Items
    02:14:25 - Would You Do It All Again
    02:15:42 - Listener Feedback

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    - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

     

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    In this second round Combat Story with Jack Beaumont, we pickup with Jack being forced to walk away from flying jets after wrecking his back in a hard landing. His back was too injured to handle the Gs and an ejection from the aircraft, making him a liability to his fellow fighter pilots. 

    He found his way over to fly planes in the French COS or Special Operations Command in some amazing circumstances, to include evading radar and landing to unimproved runways at night in bad weather (it’s really amazing piloting), followed by a transition into the very secretive world of the French External Security Service or DGSE, which is the French version of the CIA and a very capable service. 

    In this episode, Jack shares some of the challenging experiences in the cockpit and in the shadowy world of the intelligence community, including the unthinkable moment of losing a human source and his family. This tragic story forms the basis of the book that Jack wrote - The Frenchman - which was picked up for TV by the people who delivered True Detective, The Night Manager, and A Most Wanted Man. His next book, Dark Arena, comes out in February 2024.

    Please enjoy this very insightful Combat Story that goes deep into the experiences of a French special operator and intelligence professional!

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    👇 Show Notes:

    00:00 - Introduction
    00:52 - Guest Profile: Jack Beaumont Round 2 
    02:14 - Start of Interview
    02:44 - SOCOM and Life After Plane Incident
    12:46 - Serbian Mission
    19:06 - Jack's Books
    25:53 - Nord VPN Ad
    24:33 - DGSE Reputation and Rainbow Wire
    32:04 - Getting Accepted To DGSE 
    46:40 - Factor Ad
    48:05 - Spy Training
    01:08:24 - Truth To The Frenchman Opening
    01:18:50 - Toll of Intelligence Officers
    01:26:25 - Sentimental Items
    01:27:19 - Would You Do It Again?
    01:28:24 - Making of The Frenchman
    01:31:48 - Listener Feedback

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    - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

    🔗 Find Jack Beaumont Online:
    - Website https://jackbeaumontofficial.com/
    - Purchase The Frenchman or Dark Arena https://www.amazon.com/stores/Jack%20Beaumont/author/B0034O2UHA

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    French Combat Fighter Pilot & DGSE Intel Officer | MIrage2000 Pilot | Author of The Frenchman | Jack Beaumont Round 1

    French Combat Fighter Pilot & DGSE Intel Officer | MIrage2000 Pilot | Author of The Frenchman | Jack Beaumont Round 1

    Today we have round one of an incredible two part Combat Story and our first from a member of the French military and intelligence services, Jack Beaumont. Jack was an elite fighter pilot in the French Air Force flying single seat Mirage2000’s, designed for dog fighting, in combat operations. 

    Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families.

    He would go on to fly Special Forces aircraft in unbelievable conditions (blacked out, bad weather, to unimproved runways), and then found himself running covert intel operations across the globe with the French DGSE (the French version of CIA and an incredibly capable service as I know very well!). He went on to write a spy thriller called The Frenchman that was recently picked up for a TV show by the people who delivered True Detective, The Night Manager, and A Most Wanted Man!

    In this first round interview, we hear about Jack’s storied family military history that goes back to Napoleon’s generals and a member of the French resistance in WWII. Jack would carry that lineage forward by competing with 3,600 other would-be fighters pilots and becoming just one of only three men who made it through that gauntlet.

    We also hear one of the most challenging experiences for any recruit during training in terms of loss that really hits home, followed by an unprecedented hazing for someone arriving at a new unit that I’ve ever heard that will leave you crying with laughter. 

    We end this episode when Jack wakes up in a hospital after a very hard landing with a surgeon telling him he’d never fly again. He was back in the cockpit three months later. 

    Stay tuned for Round 2 where Jack has to change flying roles as he moves into the secretive French Special Operations aviation community doing things in the air you can’t imagine and eventually finding his way into the French DGSE.

    With that, please enjoy this very interesting and unique Combat Story from our close partners across the pond!

    👇 Show Notes:

    00:00 - Introduction
    01:05 - Guest Profile: 
    02:48 - Start of Interview
    04:26 - The Frenchman and Dark Arena
    06:20 - Childhood
    21:52 - Path to the Military
    28:22 - HelloFresh Ad
    29:35 - Flight School
    43:18 - Tough Part of Flight Curriculum
    52:11 - Induction Into First Unit
    01:03:46 - Timeline of Career
    01:04:29 - First Combat Flight
    01:20:16 - The Crash
    01:38:42 - Continuing To Fly
    01:39:55 - Listener Feedback

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      - Facebook @combatstoryofficial https://fb.me/combatstoryofficial
      - Send us messages at https://m.me/combatstoryofficial
      - Learn more about Ryan www.combatstory.com/aboutus
      - Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle

    Join our weekly Combat Check-In Newsletter (www.combatstory.com/newsletter) to get a short email from Ryan for people who love and support our veterans, service members, and their families. It has info on a significant event in military and/or intel history, a funny military joke, an update on a current event I'm following, something I'm doing that week in my life, a book I'm reading, a look at an upcoming interview, a reflection on a past episode and more!

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