Episode #216 - Navigating life with PTSD from the Vietnam War
Manage episode 323463004 series 2920048
Joining the show is Vietnam veteran, Robert Toporek to share his story and the story of Milton Olive!
As a decorated Vietnam war veteran and author of this booklet “The First African American to be awarded The Medal of Honor in The Vietnam War". This ebook details the act of bravery BEYOND the CALL OF DUTY Milton Olive, only the eighth African American to receive this award did that day by jumping on a hand grenade and blowing his guts out saving the lives of four other platoon members.
After not talking about Vietnam for over 25 years I found and reached out to Olive’s father and stepmother in Chicago. I shared verbally most of what is in this booklet and promised them I would make this a national story. They gave me their blessings.
This booklet is more than about Olive, it is about the impact on his father and stepmother, it's about the impact his life and death have made on me since that day and my pledge to myself when we put his body down to carry forward his and all of my squad's heroic stories. It's about the impact this story can have on everyone.
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