episode-header-image

Jul 15

31m 4s

The Medic Who Gave Everything: Clarence ...

Pushkin Industries

About this episode

In 1968, Clarence Sasser was a young combat medic thrust into a nightmare. During a reconnaissance mission in Vietnam, his company was ambushed in a rice paddy. Despite being shot in the leg and unable to walk, Sasser spent the next several hours crawling through the mud, doing his best to care for his fellow soldiers. It would be decades before he was ready to talk about what he saw and heard.

Binge the full season of Medal of Honor, ad-free, with a Pushkin+ subscription. Sign up and save on the Medal of Honor show page on Apple Podcasts or at pushkin.fm/plus. Use the code MOH25 for 25% off an annual subscription.

Connect with the team!

Follow Pushkin on social @pushkinpods
Follow JR Martinez @iamjrmartinez
Follow Meredith Rollins @meredithkrollins
Email the team: medalofhonor@pushkin.fm

Episode resource:

AMEDD Center of HIstory & Heritage interview with Clarence Sasser, 3/23/1987

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Up next

A Helmet Lined with Letters: Joseph Rodriguez’s Love Story

In 1951, Joseph Rodriguez and his unit were on a ridge in Korea, pinned down by gunfire. There was seemingly no way out. But Rodriguez had something to steady him. Tucked inside his helmet were letters from his girlfriend back home, Rose. He grabbed a handful of grenades and spri ... Show More

A Helmet Lined with Letters: Joseph Rodriguez’s Love Story

In 1951, Joseph Rodriguez and his unit were on a ridge in Korea, pinned down by gunfire. There was seemingly no way out. But Rodriguez had something to steady him. Tucked inside his helmet were letters from his girlfriend back home, Rose. He grabbed a handful of grenades and spri ... Show More

Sneaking into the Corps: Richard Pittman, The One-Eyed Marine

Richard Pittman was legally blind in his right eye—a condition that should have kept him away from the front lines of the Vietnam War. But Pittman wasn't a man who took "no" for an answer. After sneaking his way into the U.S. Marines, he found himself on a trail in the jungle, si ... Show More

Recommended Episodes

EP161: The Only Woman to be Awarded the Medal of Honor, Midnight at the Live Fire Exercise and From Tech-Startup to Making a Wooden Pen with His Dad: The Story of Allegory

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers a truly extraordinary Civil War heroine, Mary Edwards Walker. Our regular contributor Richard Muniz tells the story of an unforgettable accident at Ft. Irwin, California. For Chad and Jess Schumacher, life seemed ... Show More

War often brings out the best in people in response to the worst situations. These two tales should serve as curious evidence. Join our Patreon for ad-free episodes!: https://www.patreon.com/grimandmildSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

America’s First Real Life Superhero

On this episode of Our American Stories, former Air Force Captain and Air Force OSI Special Agent Vince Benedetto shares his story of going to a school to teach students about why we honor our veterans. But to understand why, we have to understand who made our country possible in ... Show More

413: Clinton Romesha—It Doesn't Get Better

In 2009, Clint was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions during the battle of Kamdesh during the Afghan War, which he recalls in his book, Red Platoon: A True Story of American Valor, a New York Times bestseller. For Veterans Day, Clint shares his insights into why his outpo ... Show More

EP219: The Angel of St. Marye's Heights and "You Must Get To Know Your Community Before You Can Serve It"

On this episode of Our American Stories, listener Richard Hood from Valencia, California, takes us back in time to the Battle of Fredericksburg and tells a story about compassion in the midst of America's deadliest war. Christina Long has always had a mind focused on education, d ... Show More

EP226: A Tuskegee Airman's Story of Heroism and Service and A Sister's Love and Loss of Three Brothers

On this episode of Our American Stories, Lt. Col. Harry Stewart fought for his country in WW2, and faced discrimination and worse along the way. But he said he'd do it all over again for the country he loves. Edie Hand tells us the story of her brothers, the Blackburn boys, and t ... Show More

SYMHC Classics: Desmond T. Doss

This 2016 episode covers Desmond T. Doss, the first conscientious objector to be awarded the Medal of Honor. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.