Ron Cushman and Jamie Marks
Ron Cushman spent nearly 30 years teaching kindergarten in Bothell, Washington, a suburb outside of Seattle.
But he hadn’t always planned on becoming a teacher.
As Ron told his former student, Jamie Marks, his journey to the kindergarten classroom began when he was wounded in Vietnam.
Originally aired February 26, 2012 on NPR’s Weekend Edition Sunday.
Photo: Ron showing off his prosthetic arm to students. Courtesy of Ron Cushman
Paul Crowley and Dreamer
Many veterans seek out the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Hospital in hopes of feeling better. Thanks to Dreamer (R) those veterans often end up looking better, too.
Since the 1970s, Dreamer, a veteran himself, has been giving free haircuts to vets.
He can be found in a red, white, and blue painted trailer parked at the VA, where he averages about 200 haircuts a month.
In 2011, Paul Crowley (L) showed up looking for a trim. Today, he’s Dreamer’s assistant.
At StoryCorps, the pair sat down to speak about their friendship.
Originally aired February 24, 2012, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Frank Curre
On December 7, 1941, 2,403 Americans died when hundreds of Japanese fighter planes attacked the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor in Oahu, Hawaii.
After convincing his mother to sign his enlistment papers, Frank Curre joined the Navy at 17 years old. In August 1941, he went aboard the battleship USS Tennessee and was in the mess cooking on the day of the attack.
At StoryCorps, he shared his harrowing recollections.
Frank died on December 7, 2011, the 70th anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. He was 88 years old.
Originally aired November 11, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Craig Williams and Richard Bennett
Iraq War veteran Richard Bennett (R) talks with Craig Williams (L) about how they became unlikely business partners.
Joel Healy and Kelli Healy Salazar
Joel Healy joined the Army when he was 17 years old to help pay for college. He never imagined that he would witness the detonation of more than 20 atomic bombs.
Joel was a private first class when he was assigned to Camp Desert Rock, north of Las Vegas in 1957.
That’s where he took part in Operation Plumbbob, one of the largest nuclear tests series ever conducted on U.S. soil.
At StoryCorps, Joel told his daughter, Kelli Healy Salazar, about his time at the Nevada test site.
It’s hard to determine just how many became ill because they were present at these tests, but Joel and thousands of others have received compensation from the federal government as part of the Radiation Exposure Compensation Act of 1990.
Originally aired October 12, 2012, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Max Voelz
Max Voelz met his future wife, Kimberly, on Valentine’s Day, while they were training to work in Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit — the Army’s elite bomb squad.
Both Max and Kim were sent to Iraq in 2003. One night, Max called in the location of an explosive and Kim was sent to disarm it. She did not survive the mission.
Max sat down for StoryCorps to remember her.
Originally aired May 27, 2011, on NPR’s Morning Edition.
Top photo: Kimberly Voelz at work. Courtesy of Max Voelz.
Jerald Collman
Jerald Collman, who served in Vietnam, remembers receiving the bodies of fallen soldiers as an Army Graves Registration collection point officer.
Kendall Bailey and his friend Don Davis
Kendall Bailey (R) talks to his friend Don Davis (L) about his dismissal from the U.S. Marines under the “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy.
Andrea Doctor
Johnnie Doctor, Jr. was an information systems technician first class in the United States Navy. He worked at the Pentagon and was killed in the September 11, 2001 attacks.
Johnnie’s wife, Andrea, came to StoryCorps to talk about that day and how she has drawn on Johnnie’s strength to move forward.
Recorded September 12, 2008.
James Sargent and Don Sargent
James Sargent (left) enlisted in the Army in 1966 and fought in the Vietnam War, his younger brother Don (right) attempted to join the Air Force but was rejected because he has diabetes. At StoryCorps they discuss their admiration for each other and the separate battles they have each fought.
Originally aired August 14, 2009, on NPR’s Morning Edition.