Our American Stories

On this episode of Our American Stories, after WWII airman Danny Wilson fell overseas, his body was buried in France alongside thousands of American soldiers. But that wasn’t the end of his story. His niece, Joy Neal Kidney, shares the little-known journey of how her uncle was buried three different times, from a foreign graveyard in Europe to his final resting place in Iowa. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, The Colt revolver became one of the most iconic weapons in American history, earning nicknames such as "the Peacemaker" and "the Equalizer." But who was Samuel Colt, and how did he build something so enduring? His journey stretched from humble beginnings to industrial triumph, leaving behind a legacy that outlived him and came to define the Wild West. Our own Greg Hengler shares the story. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Angelo Ruffino rows through the canals of Southern California, singing his original music to passengers and perfecting a tradition that goes back hundreds of years. But he’s more than a romantic oarsman. He’s a racer, a performer, and a champion for gondola culture, hoping one day to bring it to the Olympic stage. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dana Mitch grew up knowing pieces of her family's Holocaust story, but they never quite felt like her own. That changed when she visited Buchenwald, one of the largest concentration camps on German soil. Walking through its grounds brought the past into sharper focus and helped her connect with the history she had always known from a distance. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Our American Stories listener and regular contributor from South Carolina, Dennis Peterson, shares the story of working with his dad in bricklaying—and how, despite thriftiness being mostly a positive trait, it sometimes led to unexpected consequences on the job. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Stephen Ambrose was one of America’s leading biographers and historians. He passed away in 2002, but his epic storytelling can now be heard here on Our American Stories, thanks to the efforts of those who manage his estate. Our next segment features his account of the weapons used in World War II, this time focusing on poison gas and the various modes of transportation. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Mars became one of the most powerful private companies in America, it was a struggling family candy shop. Frank Mars had failed time and time again before his son, Forrest, stepped in with a bold vision and zero interest in playing by industry rules. With names like M&M’s, Snickers, and Pedigree under its belt, Mars would go on to quietly outgrow Hershey, Kellogg’s, and even McDonald’s. Simon Whistler from Today I Found Out and The BrainFood Show tells the story of a father and son, an empire built on chocolate, and the cutthroat decisions that made it a global giant. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, Louisiana is unlike any other state in the U.S., and there’s a reason for that. From the Louisiana Purchase and its Napoleonic legal roots to the deep influence of Cajun and Creole culture, this state has a story worth savoring. Nate Gallagher explores the people, food, language, and law that shaped America’s 18th state — the Pelican State. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, before Neil Armstrong ever took that famous first step, the Apollo program was a long shot fueled by ambition, sacrifice, and belief in the American spirit. Space historian Steve Kates, known to many as Dr. Sky, takes us behind the scenes of America’s race to the Moon, sharing the near misses, quiet heroics, and moments the world never saw. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of Our American Stories, what if everything you needed to know about the world could fit on a bookshelf just five feet wide? Harvard President Charles W. Eliot believed it could. In an era when few had access to higher education, Eliot championed the Harvard Classics, a set of books designed to give anyone a world-class education from their own home. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate) Support the show: https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.