Retired US Army Sergeant Major Michael Vining joins me in this episode to talk about the history of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Branch and Bomb Disposal during World War II. He also talks with me about his 30 year Army career in both EOD and Delta Force and some of his accomplishments as an EOD historian.

Links

EOD Warrior Foundation (https://eodwarriorfoundation.org/)

Retired Sergeant Major Paved Way for EOD Technicians in Elite Special Forces Unit (https://www.army.mil/article/263293/retired_sergeant_major_paved_way_for_eod_technicians_in_elite_special_forces_unit)

It's A Blast! Podcast -- SGM Mike Vining: From EOD to Military Legend (https://youtu.be/5bJ30HryCEQ?si=HWur_JsXAJSn4qt3)

Troop Support Supports EOD Mission as National Observance Nears -- National Explosive Ordnance Disposal Day is the first Saturday in May (DLA Article)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Dr. Bill Nance returns to talk about LTG William Simpson, the US Ninth Army, and how average but doctrinally-proficient leaders made things happen. Not everyone needs to be a Patton. This includes a look at Army Groups and those higher echelon levels of command, command relationships, and intricate coordination to ensure the US forces were able to fight effectively.

Links

Commanding Professionalism: Simpson, Moore, and the Ninth US Army by Dr. William S. Nance (Amazon)

Sabers Through the Reich: World War II Corps Cavalry from Normandy to the Elbe by Dr. William S. Nance and Dr. Robert M. Citino (Amazon)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Retired US Army Lieutenant Colonel and current Command Historian for the United States Army Combined Arms Support Command (CASCOM) Tim Gilhool joins me to talk about the "Arsenal of Democracy" which made it possible for the United States to keep the Allies in the fight against the Nazis and Axis forces around the world, while simultaneously arming and equipping a massive American military force that helped fight and win the Second World War.

Links

The Army Green Books (https://www.history.army.mil/html/bookshelves/collect/usaww2.html)

The Blue Books

(https://www.afhistory.af.mil/FAQs/Fact-Sheets/Article/458967/the-u-s-army-air-forces-in-world-war-ii/)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, LTC Nathan Jennings joins me to talk about some of the important lessons in land warfare that were taken from the Battle of France in 1940 and how those lessons come into play by 1944.

Links

Maneuver and Breakthrough in 1940 France: Insights for the US Army and the Russo-Ukrainian War by LTC Nathan A. Jennings, PhD

(https://www.ausa.org/publications/maneuver-and-breakthrough-1940-france-insights-us-army-and-russo-ukrainian-war)

Association of the United States Army - Land Warfare Papers

(https://www.ausa.org/land-warfare-papers)

Fighting by Minutes: Time and the Art of War by Robert R. Leonhard (⁠https://www.amazon.com/Fighting-Minutes-Time-Art-War/dp/1974585530/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&qid=⁠)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

Joining me in this episode is Ken Campbell. Ken has a background in history and works in education. Last year he contributed to the 1943 series with a similar episode discussing two movies that were released in 1943 - This is the Army and Destination Tokyo. For the 1944 series, Ken chose Tunisian Victory and 30 Seconds Over Tokyo.

Links

Why We Fight ~ 1943 Episode 63: Hollywood and the American War Effort in 1943 (Apple Podcasts) (Spotify)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

This episode turned out slightly different than expected but it's a great one! Dr. Myra Miller joins me to share the story of how learning about her father's experience in World War II literally changed her life and her family's connection to this history. Dr. Miller has done some incredible work to make the history of the 83rd Infantry more accessible, as well as other work with documentaries and publications.

Links

Footsteps Researchers (⁠https://www.footstepsresearchers.com/founders⁠)

Solder Stories Vol. I (Amazon)

Soldier Stories Vol. II (Amazon)

Myron H. Miller (https://db.83rdinfdivdocs.org/share/a5fad8b8-5c5d-48ba-9082-0bacfec00994)

Morning Reports (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/docs/morning-reports)

83rd Infantry Division After Action Reports (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/units/83rd-id)

83rd Infantry Division Newspapers (https://83rdinfdivdocs.org/docs/newspapers)

KINGSIZE | Lost WWII B-24 Bomber Identified After 78 Years

(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zaGQRsNuZ-c)

SNAFO DOCS (https://www.youtube.com/SNAFUDOCS)

Reveille (https://www.reveillefilm.com/about)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)

In this episode, Dr. Mitchell Yockelson joins me to talk about the history between American General Dwight D. Eisenhower and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, and how their professional relationship was clearly more than simply colleagues but far from "besties".

Links

Forty-Seven Days: How Pershing's Warriors Came of Age to Defeat the German Army in World War I (Amazon)

Borrowed Soldiers: Americans Under British Command, 1918 (Amazon)

The Paratrooper Generals: Matthew Ridgway, Maxwell Taylor, and the American Airborne from D-Day through Normandy (Amazon)

MacArthur: America's General (Amazon)

Dr. Mitchell Yockelson (https://www.linkedin.com/in/mitchyockelson)

Mother of Tanks website (http://www.motheroftanks.com/podcast/)

Bonus Content (https://www.patreon.com/c/motheroftanks)