LtCol Tom Williams, USMC-Ret, Doorsteps of Hell

Dr. Stephen Phillips interviews LtCol Tom Williams, USMC-Ret, to discuss his book Doorsteps of Hell, the first in his memoir series entitled Heart of a Marine. Doorsteps of Hell relays Tom's stories from childhood, life as a cadet a North Georgia College, becoming an Officer of Marines, and his service as an infantry officer in Vietnam. LtCol Williams' website is: https://www.heartofamarineseries.com/

John Sherwood interviews former Navy SEAL Sniper Brandon Webb about his naval career and his novel, Steel Fear.  Webb is the author of 12 books. He served in the Navy for 13 years as a rescue swimmer and SEAL. Steel Fear is a murder mystery that takes place on the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72).

John Sherwood interviews General Kenneth F. “Frank” McKenzie Jr., USMC Ret. about his new book The Melting Point: High Command and War in the 21st Century.  General McKenzie served as the commander of CENTCOM from March 2019 to April 2022. In that role, he oversaw the 2020 strike that killed Qasem Soleimani, the leader of the Iranian Quds Force; and America’s final withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.  

Dr. Stephen Phillips interviews Dr. David Winkler to discuss his book, Witness to Neptune's Inferno: The Pacific War Diary of Lieutenant Commander Lloyd Mustin, USS Atlanta (CL 51).

Dr. John Sherwood interviews Dr. Edward J. Marolda about his new book Admirals Under Fire: The U.S. Navy and the Vietnam War.  Dr. Marolda is the author of nine books on the Navy in Vietnam and worked as a civilian historian for the U.S. Navy for 40 years. This is Part 2 of a two-part episode on this important contribution to the historiography of the Vietnam War.

Dr. John Sherwood interviews Dr. Edward J. Marolda about his new book Admirals Under Fire: The U.S. Navy and the Vietnam War.  Dr. Marolda is the author of nine books on the Navy in Vietnam and worked as a civilian historian for the U.S. Navy for 40 years. This is Part 1 of a two-part episode on this important contribution to the historiography of the Vietnam War.

Dr. Abby Mullen discusses her forthcoming book To Fix a National Character: The United States in the First Barbary War, 1800-1805 with Tyler Pitrof. A periodic host of Preble Hall herself, Dr. Mullen is currently serving as an assistant professor in the History Department at the United States Naval Academy. 

Dr. Sam Limneos discusses his recent Ph.D. dissertation, “More Nobility of Soul: Honor at the United States Naval Academy, 1845-1875,” with John Sherwood. Dr. Limneos served for four years as an archivist at the U.S. Naval Academy before joining the Naval History and Heritage Command in 2023 as the Deputy Branch Head of the Navy Archives.

Dr. John Sherwood interviews General David H. Petraeus about his new book, co-authored with Andrew Roberts, entitled Conflict: The Evolution of Warfare from 1945 to Ukraine. Topics covered include the characteristics of strategic leadership in war; and how technology has changed war since World War II. He also offers some career advice to midshipmen and cadets drawn from his life experiences, which include command of the surge in Iraq, U.S. CENTCOM, and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan

Dr. Stephen Phillips interviews author Charles Lachman to discuss his book, Codename Nemo: The Hunt for a Nazi U-Boat and the Elusive Enigma Machine, which tells the story of the U.S. Navy's capture of the German U-boat, U-505 on June 4, 1944.