Smiling When It Sucks

July 19, 2023 00:48:35
Smiling When It Sucks
The Spear
Smiling When It Sucks

Jul 19 2023 | 00:48:35

/

Show Notes

In 2003, Dan Stuewe was a platoon leader in the 101st Airborne Division preparing to cross into Iraq. With only a few weeks with his platoon, Stuewe deployed forward, convinced he’d never see his new wife again. On the day the unit deployed, a soldier handed him some chewing tobacco and a valuable lesson: smiling changes everything. After air assault missions as the unit moved toward Baghdad, Stuewe's soldiers provided him the valuable reminder to smile when times got tough. Combat in Najaf, Karbala, Baghdad, and Mosul all proved the wisdom of smiling when it sucks.

Other Episodes

Episode

June 08, 2022 00:42:18
Episode Cover

Attack at Hiep Hoa

A newly minted Special Forces officer in the spring of 1966, Mike Eiland landed in Vietnam and joined 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne). A...

Listen

Episode

December 05, 2024 00:48:27
Episode Cover

The A-10 At War

In this episode, retired US Air Force Col. Kim Campbell joins to share a story from 2003. A career A-10 pilot, her squadron was...

Listen

Episode

October 25, 2023 00:54:25
Episode Cover

Apaches Adapting Under Fire

During a deployment in Afghanistan, Chief Warrant Officer 4 Dylan Ferguson was flying an Apache, providing close air support to a special operations ground...

Listen