Podcasts about operation matador

Welcome to another engaging episode of Echoes of War! Join Craig from the Pacific War Channel and his co-host Garauv as they embark on a new mini-series covering the entire Malaysian campaign of World War Two. In this introductory episode, they dive into the intricate details of the invasion of Malaya, exploring the strategic significance of key locations like Singapore and the nearby airfields. Discover the complex web of political and military maneuvers that unfolded during this critical time. Learn how the British attempted to defend their territories in the Far East amidst escalating Japanese aggression. With the backdrop of looming war and strained resources, they examine the ambitious but ultimately doomed Operation Matador and its ensuing impact. Join the hosts as they take you back in time to a world on the brink of war, highlighting the fierce battles and tactical blunders that shaped the course of history in the Pacific Theater. Whether you're a history enthusiast or simply curious about World War Two's lesser-known chapters, this episode promises a riveting exploration of the Malaysian campaign's opening moves.

This episode covers the Ramree Island Massacre Myth: did Saltwater Crocodiles really kill hundreds of Japanese soldiers during WW2? There is a myth that during Operation Matador, the battle for Ramree Island in 1945, that hundreds of Japanese soldiers were attacked and eaten by Saltwater Crocodiles. But is there any real evidence of this occurring? The battle for Ramree Island occurred from 14 January – 22 February 1945 and was fought between forces of the XV British Indian corps against the 2nd Battalion, 121st Regiment, 54th Division led by Kan'ichi Nagazawa. The British-Indian forces defeated the Japanese, forcing them into the interior of the island which was a 10 mile mangrove swamp. The Japanese were encircled and faced a horrible fate as they marched through the swamp. Many Japanese attempted swimming for the mainland only to be attacked by allied boat crews and sharks. The story of the Japanese who died within the mangrove swamps of Ramree Island are now full of myths and tall tales, but some have it hundreds of Japanese died to saltwater crocodile attacks. In reality the Japanese succumbed to starvation, dehydration and disease, but perhaps a few did face a gruesome fate against saltwater crocodiles.

The main Japanese landings in Thailand are carried off largely without any resistance, the window for Operation Matador comes and goes without the green light, and the Japanese successfully dogfight a foothold at Kota Bahru forcing the 8th Indian Brigade to withdraw and surrender the Coast and the northern airbases.

Operation Matador: the Empire's one chance, in theory, to forestall a Japanese invasion of Malaya and the subsidiary plan to advance to the Ledge.

Mike Strahle, 34, of Westerville served in the Iraq War in 2005 with the Marine Corps' Columbus-based Company L (known as Lima Company), 3rd Battalion, 25th Regiment, as part of Regimental Combat Team 2. Strahle was with the unit when it conducted anti-insurgency operations in Iraq's Al Anbar province along the Syrian border and later helped launch Operation Matador (the Battle of Al Qaim) on May 8, 2005. Strahle returned to the United States with injuries he had sustained when the vehicle he was riding in was hit by a roadside bomb May 11, 2005. He is the executive director of the Eyes of Freedom, a traveling exhibit of portraits, painted by then-Ohio artist Anita Miller, depicting the 22 Marines and one Navy corpsman who died in Iraq with Lima Company. The exhibit also includes a bronze sculpture, "The Silent Battle," which characterizes the struggle of veterans adapting to civilian life. Strahle said he knew those who died in Iraq while serving with Lima. He was born and raised in Bryan and graduated from Bryan High School in 2003. His interest in the military was motivated by the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks and "the gut feeling of helplessness when you're seeing the United States attacked in a way that hadn't happened in my lifetime." He said he was interested in becoming an officer and joined the ROTC program at Ohio State University. "They made it sound like my ... officer career would be ... much better suited if I had some enlistment time under my belt first," he said. He joined the Marine Corps Reserve when he was "young and still pretty angry about 9/11." Lima preceded its Iraq deployment with two months in California, training in security, surveillance and urban operations and getting used to a hot climate. Upon arriving in Iraq, the unit conducted a number of missions in cities, he said. "We were getting intelligence from any number of sources over there where these insurgents were moving," he said. "An insurgent tactic at the time was to take over part of a city or a few houses on a block" while trying to avoid the Marines, he said. During Lima's operations -- many conducted at night -- insurgents would engage the Marines or flee and then would be engaged or rounded up, he said. "That was the pace early on. ... We were always busy," he said. "But Operation Matador was completely different." The Marines had intelligence about major strongholds in certain cities, and Matador would be a large offensive task force, he said. Lima was prepared "for pretty much the whole city to be angry with us ... or to be prepared for our arrival." The unit began mobilizing before sunrise May 8, "engaging in fairly heavy combat most of the day," with a few men injured by machine guns or hand grenades, he said. During what probably would have been the last house clearing of the day, Cpl. Dustin Derga and Sgt. Anthony Goodwin were killed. Lance Cpl. Nicholas Erdy, who was killed later in the deployment, "performed amazingly" and pulled several wounded men from the house before it was hit by an Air Force bomb, Strahle said. Derga, Strahle said, was a team leader. "He was a very close friend of mine and one of the funniest guys in the platoon," he said. But "when things would go wrong, he had this uncanny ability to flip a switch" and change from "the class clown" to a "damn fine Marine," he said. Derga was killed by machine-gun fire while approaching the house, Strahle said. Several tank rounds were fired into the house before Goodwin took a team inside, Strahle said. The insurgents had prepared a dug-in fortified area inside, Strahle said, and while the tank rounds probably left the insurgents "blind, deaf and dumb," they were still alive. From a lower level, he said, "they opened up fire right through the floor," killing Goodwin and injuring two or three others. Goodwin was a veteran of the Marines' 1st Force Reconnaissance Company, Strahle said, and was "the one to teach us we really didn't know anything and we needed to listen up." Goodwin's capability and effectiveness as a leader led officers to give his unit several offensive tasks, Strahle said. "We had the intelligence, and we knew that this whole city was basically bad guys," Strahle said. "We were ordered to protect the civilian population there as best we could, and we did. We did a phenomenal job." On May 11, Strahle was riding in an assault amphibious vehicle second or third in line in a convoy. The AAVs, which were fully tracked amphibious landing vehicles, had no windows, so a ceiling hatch was opened to allow three or four Marines to stand on a bench with their heads and chests outside the hatch to improve observation of the surrounding area. Strahle was standing in the open hatch when an improvised explosive device "blew up right under my feet," he said. The blast killed six of the 16 or 17 on board and threw Strahle into the air. He landed face first in a ditch and began to bandage his injured stomach after failing to find his missing gun. The unit's Navy corpsmen, "who were asked to do a lot with very little, ... hands down, they saved my life," he said. With chest, leg and intestinal injuries, Strahle was put on an Army Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter 20 minutes after the explosion. He underwent surgeries in Germany before being transferred to the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, where his family was waiting for him. On Aug. 3, 2005, 14 men with Lima were killed by a roadside bomb. The effect of that incident, Strahle said, "rang all the way up to military generals and the president." The Marines' AAVs had no protection from explosions beneath the vehicle, he said, but the already-developed MRAP (mine-resistant ambush-protected) vehicles did. The military expanded its use of MRAPs and began to rely more on helicopters to move troops between cities, despite the higher costs, he said. "Fourteen guys had to pass to just to kind of put an exclamation point on the problem," he said. Upon Lima's return to Columbus in October 2005, the unit received an enthusiastic welcome. Thousands of residents lined Hamilton Road, waving rain-dampened signs and cheering as Lima's motorcade traveled from what was then Port Columbus International Airport to Rickenbacker International Airport. Strahle said he received a communitywide welcome home when he returned to Bryan. He had a coaching job and later worked at JPMorgan Chase & Co. but soon realized he was drinking too much. Miller debuted her Eyes of Freedom exhibit -- life-size portraits of Lima's fallen -- in 2008 at the Ohio Statehouse. In 2011, Strahle asked her if the portraits could be displayed at a Pickerington fundraiser honoring Derga. Previously, the exhibit was on display for several months at a time, each at a different site. With Strahle's involvement after the Pickerington event, the Eyes of Freedom became a traveling display that since has made nearly 300 stops around the U.S. The display has a healing effect on all veterans, he said, including those from the Vietnam War. "The Silent Battle" sculpture depicts the postservice struggles of veterans and honors those lost to suicide, he said. Otherwise, "they're not treated the same way. They're not memorialized the same way," he said. Strahle, who retired from the Marines in 2007, said veterans who are struggling to adjust to civilian life should reach out to other veterans for support. "As soon as I got involved with Eyes of Freedom, it just kind of made it better," he said. Strahle's decorations include the Purple Heart, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary and Service Medals and the Armed Services Reserve Medal. This podcast was hosted and produced by Scott Hummel, ThisWeek Community News assistant managing editor, digital. This profile was written by Paul Comstock.

We look at the dithering that occurred in the British Malaya Command. We look at Operation Matador and how centralised control lead to delays and an inability to execute on an offensive defence that was planned. How do you think a Combat Team assault would go against a prepared Divisional defensive position?  We find out as we look at the Battle of Jitra. The application of manouevre requires: Combat Arms Teams Orchestration Focus all actions on the Centre of Gravity. How does all of this relate to the Japanese conduct of their offensive. We look at the Japanese driving charge and how it harnessed offensive action.  At the tactical level, this looks like the filleting attack whereby tanks fight through the defensive positions on the road and push through into the rear of the defense. The driving charge along with poor British training and decision making enabled Yamashita to attack with a 1:3 numerical inferiority and win.  The strategic and tactical operational tempo created an OODA loop that was much tighter than that of the British. The defence of Jitra was unprepared for the Japanese assault.  How long did they have to prepare their defences?  We look at the Saeki Detachment, their training, their tactics and their success at Jitra.  The Japanese win the Battle of Jitra and win 3 months of ammunition and 300 trucks.  75% of the Indian casualties are taken as prisoners of war.  Jitra saw 500 troops against 14,000 troops. The British are able to defend successfully at the Battle of Kampar, only withdrawing after being forced to withdraw when the Japanese are able to threaten their Main Supply Route. We look at Slim River, where the Allies had 500 KIA and 3,200 POW, and Japanese suffered 17 KIA and  60 wounded.  It was described as reckless and gallant determiniation. LT COL Stewart admitted the position of BDE HQ was not very good and he should have used the artillery in an anti-tank roll, but he had never taken part in an exercise with an anti tank component.  He was surprised at the use of tanks on a road and at night.      

The long war in Iraq may finally be coming to an end. Our War Stories team was there when it started, and has chronicled how it has been fought ever since. This compelling episode of War Stories was compiled during six lengthy embeds with U.S. forces in the land between the rivers. You are there with the Marines of the 3/2 in "Operation Matador" as they go hunting for terrorists along "rat lines" near the Syrian border. You'll meet Iraqi commandos and security forces and hear in their own words how they perceive the War on Terror. Go inside joint raids in the city of Ramadi where tips from local citizens contributed to the seizures of weapon caches and terrorist propaganda. And we pay tribute to those Marines who made the ultimate sacrifice in Operation Matador so that others may live free.

I remember watching Brian Stann fight in the UFC, thinking it was so cool to see a Marine in the octagon. Now, I think its even cooler to see a decorated Veteran taking a leadership position that allows him to influence the lives of so many other Veterans and spouses. Brian is the CEO of Hire Heroes USA. They do amazing work with Veterans looking for employment and career advancements. They proudly claim more than 50% success rate for all users that register on their website. That's amazing considering how many visitors come to the site "just to check it out." Hire Heroes USA is positively affecting our economy and the Veteran community with the services they offer. Brian even offers his opinion on the upcoming Mayweather/McGregor fight. About Brian: Brian Stann is President and Chief Executive Officer of Hire Heroes USA, a decorated Marine, and a nationally recognized analyst for the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).A Naval Academy football player and graduate, he served two deployments with 3rd Battalion 2nd Marines in support of Operation IRAQI FREEDOM and was awarded the Silver Star, the nation’s third highest award for valor, for his actions near the Al-Romana Bridge during Operation MATADOR in May 2005. Stann took over as President and CEO of Hire Heroes USA, which is headquartered in Alpharetta, Ga., in 2008 and has grown the nonprofit organization to a total of seven offices across the country. Under his leadership, Hire Heroes USA has built a national reputation of excellence and is recognized as a best-in-class veteran service organization by the USO, Call of Duty Endowment and the George W. Bush Institute. Covered in Episode 42: Medal of Honor citation for James C. McCloughan Interview with Marine Veteran Brian   Why he decided to join the Marines Examples of great leadership while he was in His decision to transition. His MMA career Hire Heroes USA mission and impact Mistakes Veterans make with resumes and job hunting Mayweather vs McGregor Veterans Employment and Transitioning Services provided by Department of Labor #VeteranOfTheDay Army Veteran John "Wolf" Wagner

Happy Friday: Today we will focus on the ENLIST Act (H.R. 60), a bill that failed in 2014 is again under consideration,  “ENLIST” is an acronym for “Encourage New Legalized Immigrants to Start Training.”   Under this bill, illegal aliens would be entitled to enlist in any of our five branches of the U.S. Military and in exchange for their service would be granted lawful immigrant status.  This bill may be well-intentioned but would undermine national security and public safety.  I wrote about my concerns in my June 13th FrontPage Magazine article: WHEN “COMPASSION” ENDANGERS NATIONAL SECURITY: The landmines of illegal aliens entering military service. On June 14th the DHS issued a press release, Operation Matador nets 39 MS-13 arrests in last 30 days. We will consider these important gang-busting operations. Please read my articles and be a part of my “Bucket Brigade of Truth” and forward their links to as many folks as you can and tell your friends and neighbors about my program- and mywebsite, remember Democracy is not a “Spectator Sport!”

Brian Stann joins Jim and Matt to preview UFC on Fox: Holm vs. Shevchenko, and discuss Jon Jones, Brian's final fight against Wanderlei Silva, and his experiences during Operation Matador. Later, Women's Bantamweight Champion Amanda Nunes calls in to talk about her victory over Miesha Tate at UFC 200, a potential fight against Ronda Rousey, and a lot more. Check it out.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. As part of his Project Hero series, Bruce posted the following story aboutCpl. Mark Camp, "Cpl. Mark Camp, 25, received the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest award for gallantry in battle, during a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio. Camp was wounded in early May during an intense campaign with Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. The company, fighting insurgents in western Iraq as part of Operation Matador, lost 23 soldiers. The former Maine resident and son of a Westbrook car dealer told The Columbus Dispatch newspaper that he was positioned at the top hatch of an amphibious assault vehicle while on patrol when a roadside bomb launched the vehicle into the air and sent shrapnel flying. The explosion burned Camp’s hands and face, but he still attempted to rescue one of his comrades trapped inside the vehicle after the blast, the newspaper reported. He continued his rescue effort despite another explosion that knocked him out of the vehicle and set his hands on fire again." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.

Bruce McQuain from QandO joined us for another edition of Someone You Should Know. As part of his Project Hero series, Bruce posted the following story aboutCpl. Mark Camp, "Cpl. Mark Camp, 25, received the Silver Star, the military’s third-highest award for gallantry in battle, during a ceremony in Columbus, Ohio. Camp was wounded in early May during an intense campaign with Lima Company of the 3rd Battalion, 25th Marines. The company, fighting insurgents in western Iraq as part of Operation Matador, lost 23 soldiers. The former Maine resident and son of a Westbrook car dealer told The Columbus Dispatch newspaper that he was positioned at the top hatch of an amphibious assault vehicle while on patrol when a roadside bomb launched the vehicle into the air and sent shrapnel flying. The explosion burned Camp’s hands and face, but he still attempted to rescue one of his comrades trapped inside the vehicle after the blast, the newspaper reported. He continued his rescue effort despite another explosion that knocked him out of the vehicle and set his hands on fire again." The Someone You Should Know radio collaboration began as an extension of Matt Burden’s series at Blackfive. Thanks to Matt, Bruce is now on board and we are lucky to have him as part of the show. All of our interviews are also available for download at iTunes and Podcast Alley via the Pundit Review Radio Podcast. What is Pundit Review Radio? Pundit Review Radio is where the old media meets the new. Each week Kevin and Gregg give voice to the work of the most influential leaders in the new media/citizen journalist revolution. Called “groundbreaking” by Talkers Magazine, this unique show brings the best of the blogs to your radio every Sunday evening from 7-10 pm EST on AM680 WRKO, Boston’s Talk Station.