Mission Inspire – Details, episodes & analysis

This Courage Conversation with Medal of Honor recipient Major Jim Taylor was recorded last fall during a special Veterans Day visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum’s construction site. Major Taylor and host Mo Barrett discuss his path to the Army, his heroism in Vietnam – where he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded men from burning vehicles – and his memorable experience with President Lyndon Johnson during his White House medal ceremony.

Last fall, during a special Veterans Day visit to the National Medal of Honor Museum’s construction site, host Mo Barrett sat down with two incredible women who are each married to a Medal of Honor recipient: Dixie Davis and Kate Williams. The trio discuss the sacrifices made by the families of servicemembers and the tremendous responsibilities they bear, especially those related to Medal of Honor recipients.

Between Veterans Day and Thanksgiving, November is a time to say thank you to America’s men and women in uniform. This month, the National Medal of Honor Museum paid tribute to servicemembers during a series of events featuring Medal of Honor recipients, the Dallas Cowboys, NFL star Dak Prescott, and other community leaders and supporters. The weekend concluded with 16 Medal of Honor recipients taking the field together at AT&T Stadium for a special halftime tribute during the Dallas Cowboys’ Salute to Service matchup with the New York Giants.

On a special episode of the Mission Inspire podcast, we collected reflections from several members of the Museum staff about the week’s events and the meaning of Veterans Day.

With Veterans Day around the corner, host Mo Barrett is joined by Michael Caldwell, the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation’s Senior Director of Operations and Veteran Engagement, to talk about the Museum Veterans Network and how NMOHMF engages veterans across the country. Plus, Michael offers a progress update on the Museum’s construction and fundraising.

Just a few weeks ago, a new hero joined the ranks of America’s Medal of Honor recipients when President Biden presented our nation’s highest award for valor in combat to retired U.S. Army Captain Larry Taylor for his actions in Vietnam, where he risked his life to rescue four soldiers with a daring helicopter maneuver. To talk about Captain Taylor’s inspiring story, host Mo Barrett is joined by NMOHMF Historians Josh Schick and Kali Martin Schick.

As part of the National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation’s efforts to tell the stories of all recipients, host Mo Barrett is joined by Mark Morgan – grandson of WWII Medal of Honor recipient John “Red” Morgan. Mark discusses his grandfather’s heroic actions during a bombing run over Germany and later imprisonment as a POW, as well as his family’s decision to donate their Medal of Honor and other artifacts to the Museum.

Host Mo Barrett is joined by Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Bruce Crandall – a helicopter pilot in Vietnam who made a series of daring landings under enemy fire to evacuate seriously wounded soldiers. In this episode of our Courage Conversations series, Col. Crandall recounts the actions that earned him the Medal, the rules he set for the men under his command and how he was given the nickname “Snake.”

On the latest episode in our Courage Conversation series, host Mo Barrett is joined by Medal of Honor recipient and National Medal of Honor Museum Foundation Board Member Lieutenant Colonel William Swenson. One of just a handful of recipients still on active duty, Lt. Col. Swenson earned the Medal for his actions in the Battle of Ganjgal near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border on September 8, 2009. He shares his recollections of that day, the lessons he’s learned in the Army and what he hopes to accomplish through the Museum.

Medal of Honor recipient Major General Patrick Brady joins us on this episode of the Mission Inspire podcast. A legendary Hewey helicopter pilot during the Vietnam War, General Brady and his crew rescued nearly 100 wounded servicemen using techniques never before seen in combat. In his conversation with Host Mo Barrett, General Brady talks about the true meaning of Memorial Day, his hopes for the future of the National Medal of Honor Museum and the significance of Section 7A at Arlington National Cemetery.

This month, bipartisan legislation was introduced in Congress that would locate the National Medal of Honor Monument on the National Mall near the Lincoln Memorial. Named after a beloved Medal of Honor recipient, the Hershel ‘Woody’ Williams National Medal of Honor Monument Location Act marks the next important step in building a Monument paying tribute to the Medal’s fewer than 4,000 recipients. Our guest this month is Woody’s grandson and President of the Woody Williams Foundation, Chad Graham. In the episode, Chad shares some of his favorite memories with his grandfather and how he is working to carry on Woody’s legacy through his foundation, which establishes Gold Star Families Memorial Monuments across the United States.