Our American Stories

The Medal of Honor Recipient Who Crashed His Plane On Purpose To Get To His Downed Wingman

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Navy commissioned a destroyer on April 1, 2017, and named it after a man who deliberately crash-landed a ...

How a Group of Daring Bootleggers Created NASCAR

19 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, long before NASCAR’s rampant commercialism lurks a not so distant history that has been carefully hidden fr...

Belinda Mulrooney: The Richest, Toughest Woman of the Klondike Gold Rush

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, no woman figured more prominently on the Yukon and Alaskan frontiers than Belinda Mulrooney. She gained inter...

A Black Man (Jesse Owens) and a Nazi: A Friendship Forged in Competition & Courage

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story of United States Olympic legend Jesse Owens' and Nazi long jumper Luz Long’s friendship demonstra...

A 12-Year-Old Girl's Eight-Hour Car Chase to Get Elvis' Photo at a Gas Station

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, a listener from Colorado tells her remarkable Elvis story about the time she met the King not once but twice...

From Soviet Spy to American Cold War Hero: The Whittaker Chambers Story:

18 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the book Witness: A True Story of Soviet Spies in America and the Trial That Captivated the Nation is one of ...

The Big Four and the Transcontinental Railroad

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of the men known as “The Big Four,” who incorporated the Central Pacific Railroad and h...

Abigail Adams and Her 7-Year-Old Son John Quincy Witnessed First-hand The Battle of Bunker Hill: 100 Bible Verses That Made America

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, if you want to know about the history of America, it is imperative that you know the role that the Bible play...

How Pat Boone Became Famous

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, many know that Elvis grew up singing in his church choir - and he would lead the charts with hit songs throug...

The Story of a Mother Who Destroys the Perfect Mom Mythology

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, popular social media influencer and mother Tiffany Jenkins talks about her secret to being a mother....(hint:...

One of America's Great CEO's Tells The Story of Why Bureaucracy Size Matters

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Mike Leven was President and Chief Operating Officer of Las Vegas Sands Corp. One of the great hoteliers of a...

Ben Franklin: Chess Can Make You A Better Person?

15 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Franklin has the distinction of many "firsts":  He invented the lightning rod, the Franklin stove, bifoc...

Pilot Dies, Passenger Lands Plane—with His Family on Board

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, experience the true story behind the movie "On a Wing and a Prayer" - When Doug White, his modicum of flying ...

Coach “Bear” Bryant, and the Packers, Transformed My Life

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here’s Rich Wingo with the story of how his time under the legendary Alabama coach refashioned his characte...

The Con Man Who Was Pardoned By Both Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our next story is about a con man who was so good that he got both the Union and the Confederate presidents t...

The Remarkable Life of Abe's Son, Robert Todd Lincoln—Lost In His Father’s Shadow

14 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, The History Guy remembers the 16th President’s son, Robert Todd Lincoln. Because of his father, Abraham Lin...

A Brief History of Toilet Paper

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, everything you've ever wanted to know, and more, about toilet paper. Here's The History Guy with the story. S...

Hollywood Goes To War: Wild Bill Wellman

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, here to tell another Hollywood Goes to War story is Roger McGrath. McGrath is the author of Gunfighters, High...

Remembering the Gold Star Father Whose Story Inspired the Hit Country Song "I Drive Your Truck"

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Paul Monti was able to keep - and drive - a meaningful memorial of his son Jared, who was killed in action de...

“Son of a Gun & Steal My Thunder” and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...

An Empty Nester Helps a Lonely Lost Senior in a Nursing Home Find His Purpose

13 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this story comes to us from Paul (a.k.a. the "empty nester"), a listener from Minneapolis, MN. Support the sh...

Last Men Out of Vietnam: Evacuating Saigon

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in a thrilling, moment-by-moment narrative based on a wealth of recently declassified documents and in-depth ...

"In a Nutshell" & "In the Doghouse" and the Wonderful Origins of Everyday Expressions

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Andrew Thompson shares another slice of his guide to understanding the baffling mini-mysteries of the English...

The Story of the Real Saint Patrick

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, buried beneath the St. Patrick’s Day symbols of shamrocks, leprechauns, and green beer, lies the story of a...

The Day a Soviet Nuclear Attack Submarine Rammed an American Aircraft Carrier

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, in 1984, during a period of Cold War tension, a Soviet submarine collided with a United States aircraft carri...

The Story of How George Strait's "Love Without End, Amen" Came to Be

12 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Songwriter Aaron Barker tells the story of a life altering event in his life as a father that birthed one of ...

The Tragedy of Friendship in the Vietnam War

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Camelo Venegaz was the kind of guy you could talk to about anything. In Vietnam combat, his serving in this r...

An Aussie Discovers American Wings

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Australian Colin Bettles tells the story of discovering the buffalo wing in America. Support the show (https:...

The Woman Who Saved The Lewis and Clark Expedition

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Dedra Birzer of Hillsdale College tells the story of Sacagawea, the woman who saved the Lewis and Clark E...

Louisiana and Beyond: The Story of America Series [Ep. 18]

11 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Thomas Jefferson took huge steps toward the American life and frame of mind built since his time. One of thes...

My Conversations With Two Fraternity Brothers Before They Died

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Arizona Diamondbacks owner Ken Kendrick tells the story of two college friendships that would impact him for ...

The Story of a Bathroom Drug Deal Interrupted by Jesus

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells a success story of profoundly helping a man who was going astray. The call could not...

Reconnecting With My Absent Father Who Was Presumed Dead

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, meet Ron Brown, a man who grew up in a rough area of Chicago, was practically abandoned by his father, and wo...

America Prepares For the Largest Land Invasion in History at Normandy (with Stephen Ambrose)

08 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the late, great Stephen Ambrose tells the WWII story of the lead-up to Operation Overlord—the largest land ...

Superman Versus the Ku Klux Klan

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, hear how an undercover agent infiltrated the KKK, and with the help of Superman, exposed them to the world. S...

How the Tow Truck Came to Be

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, commitment to serve others better is a hallmark of American life. Add a sensible new design, honest pricing, ...

The Old Upright Piano

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Joy Neal Kidney shares the story of her old upright piano that was passed down to her from her mother. Suppor...

A Lost Boy and the Hippie Jesus Revolution: Greg Laurie's Story

07 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Pastor Greg Laurie tells the story of his life. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)S...

Sabin Howard on the National WWI Monument

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, World War I was not about hellish artillery blasts and machine-gun barrages - or even deception and disease. ...

Danielle Mickelson: Suing to Sell Soup

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Danielle Mickelson's business was expanding until administrative rules forced her to put her dreams on hold. ...

The Spies That Saved The World (w/ Stephen Ambrose)

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, counterespionage - it's what's for winners! Defeating the Nazi menace would take more than strength and tacti...

16, Addicted, Pregnant: My Motherhood Story

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, drug culture - the kind where your parent is a dealer - wrecked Teri Neal's life. Hear how her son inspired a...

How the Supreme Court Became Supreme: The Story of America Series [Ep. 17]

06 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when the Constitution was written, it didn't specify the exact role of the Supreme Court. It took a few undel...

I Found Out I was Adopted At 30!

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Skip Reeves tells the story of how he came to find out he was adopted years after the fact. Support the show ...

Like A Mosquito In The Rain: The Unsinkable USS Plunkett

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Story of the USS Plunkett at Salerno. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories.com/donate)See omn...

Iowa's Long-Lost NBA Team Who Beat the Celtics

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Harwood of Waterloo/Cedar Falls' KXEL 1540, author of Ball Hawks: The Arrival and Departure of the NBA in...

A Black Cowboy is the Inspiration for the Lone Ranger?

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Lone Ranger, with his cry of “Hi-Ho Silver!” has become an American institution ranking with Paul Bun...

An Army Moves On Its Stomach... And Lots of Coffee

05 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Richard Muniz tells a story that one of his friends told him: A coffee incident that took place on the USS En...

Zero Victim: One Black Man's Story of Transformation

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, author James Ward (Zero Victim: Overcoming Injustice With a New Attitude) describes the pivotal moment in thi...

My Life After Firefighting

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, James, a retired fire captain, shares his story of firefighting and the emotions that come along with it. Sup...

Alana's Birth Was Beautiful - Except That She Didn't Take Her First Breath

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Samantha Durante Banerjee knew that her stillbirth would be a nightmare, but she didn't expect feeling joy, t...

The Story of Captain Kangaroo

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, on October 3, 1955, a television program debuted that would eventually produce nearly 9,000 shows over a span...

50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy—The Plow, Barbed Wire, and Google Search

04 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Harford, author of the bestselling book 50 Inventions That Shaped the Modern Economy, shares the storie...

She Was Attacked For Running the Boston Marathon?

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Kathrine Switzer was the first woman to officially run the Boston Marathon, in 1967. As a result she suffered...

James Madison: Founding Father and Lawgiver

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, President of Hillsdale College, Dr. Larry Arnn, tells the story of our fourth president, James Madison. Suppo...

The American Surgeon Who Escaped the Viet Cong

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Hoat Hoang's childhood in South Vietnam was filled with family and fun times... Until the North Vietnamese co...

The Penguin Who Wears Shoes

01 Mar 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this elderly penguin named Enrique lives at the St. Louis Zoo. After being diagnosed with arthritis in his fe...

The Teen CEO of the Candy that Cleans Your Teeth

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, she was the youngest person ever to be featured on the cover of Entrepreneur magazine. Alina Morse, CEO of Zo...

Giving Out Pizza From a Second Story Apartment Raises Over $30,000

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ben Berman, a 2nd-year grad student in Philadelphia, made the most of his time while staying at home during a...

How Patrick Henry Saved America From Its First Civil War

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, George Washington led America's army to independence. He needed help to avoid leading it into our first civil...

The Most Divided Election in American History—The Story of America Series [Ep. 16]

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, like today, our nation has always been divided. Bill McClay, author of Land of Hope, tells the story of a n...

How B.B. King's Guitar "Lucille" Got Her Name

29 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Neil Young has "Old Black", Willie Nelson plays "Trigger", and Elvis worked with "The Dove", but perhaps the ...

Las Vegas Must See: The Neon Museum

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, executive director of the Neon Museum, Aaron Berger, shares some of the history of Las Vegas and the iconic s...

John Ford: The Greatest Director of All Time Quits Hollywood To Fight In World War II

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Ford was Hollywood’s greatest director (Rio Grande and The Searchers, for example). As WWII began, the...

Winston Churchill: He Hated War, But He Was Great At It

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Larry P. Arnn, President of Hillsdale College, tells the story of how Winston Churchill, despite hating w...

The Harvard Country Boys Who Shaped America

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, this is the story of how two country boys rose to the highest heights of Harvard Yard, yet their lives would ...

The Winner Who Always Finished Last

28 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Saje Hellstern was the fastest on his cross-country team and always finished in the top. After a tumor was fo...

He Went to Work at Ford for Lee Iacocca... and Got More Than He Bargained For

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tim Leuliette began his career at Ford Motor Company under the leadership of Lee Iacocca and Henry Ford II. H...

Winston Churchill on Education and What It Means for All of Us

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Larry Arnn, President of Hillsdale College and a Churchill scholar, tells the story of Winston Churchill ...

The Church Where They Preach in Five Different Languages

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Josh and Lauren Manning needed to make a grand change in life...and they found the opportunity to do so at a ...

How the NFL Went From Bush-League to Bigtime

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, professional football began on the factory clock and bank loans, and the first teams were bought for hundreds...

The Confederate Mystery Ship

27 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Confederates didn't have the industrial might to build their own ships. As a result, cash crops proved ki...

My 48 Hours with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, while working for Dick Cavett, Steve Stoliar met not one but two of Hollywood’s greatest dance legends. Sup...

My Family Spent 4 Months Playing Battleship in a Cornfield

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the story itself is the stuff of legends...a sunken steamboat, buried treasure, and the drive of a group of A...

The Fateful Night During WWII Cecil Wax Met God

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Marilyn Jensen tells the harrowing story of when her father went on a supply run amidst a German bombing. Sup...

Adolph Coors: The German Immigrant Who Brought Us Banquet Beer

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Coors Banquet is really good...no, really good, and its story began with a German immigrant living in a Color...

Her Career is a Tribute to Her Great Uncle, A D-Day Hero

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Heather McPherson, Curator of History at the South Carolina Military Museum. In fact, it’s the reason she’...

100 Bible Verses that Changed America: John Eliot, The Missionary Who Learned America's Native Tongue

26 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, John Eliot translated the Bible into the language of a people who were there before the state: the Massachuse...

Jack Marucci Created a Baseball Bat For His Son in His Backyard—Now He Runs The Biggest Bat Company in America

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, what started as a singular wood bat for his son led to the most popular and respected bat company in our coun...

Virginia Hall: The True Story of America's Greatest Female Spy

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, meet the woman the Gestapo once considered "the most dangerous of all Allied spies." Judy Pearson tells the t...

The First Catholic Speaker of the House Who Bridged the Divide Between Protestant and Catholic Americans

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor Jeff Bloodworth tells the story of John McCormack. Support the show (https://www.ouramericanstories...

The Best Lawyer In a One-Lawyer Town

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Bill Bryk knows when to start a case on behalf of others... and has learned when to rest. Support the show (h...

Where Do Your Family Photos Go After a Tornado? Everywhere. Here's The Man Whose Mission is to Return Them

23 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, where would our photos go if our house were to be hit by a tornado? The answer is everywhere. But for Thad Be...

The Woman Who Buried the Veterans Others Didn't

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, when Lanae Strovers was given the job of figuring out what to do with unclaimed urns at the funeral home she ...

The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn: More Americans Died in the Revolutionary War on this British Prison Ship Than in Combat

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Robert P. Watson, author of The Ghost Ship of Brooklyn, tells this untold story of the American Revolution....

The Untold Stories of Dr. Seuss's "The Lorax" and "The Grinch"

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dr. Seuss was raised as a Lutheran and had a strong religious background. His books often included strong mor...

The Redemptive Story of an Ex-Addict-Turned Creator of World's Hottest Pepper (Carolina Reaper & Pepper X)

22 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ed Currie is an American chili pepper breeder who is the founder and president of the PuckerButt Pepper Compa...

My Encounter with God... While Piloting a Chopper in Vietnam

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Dick Erickson, a Marine helicopter pilot who served in Vietnam, tells the story of the time he lost contact w...

The Civil War General Who Took His Dates to See His Severed Leg at the Smithsonian Museum

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Gettysburg National Park Service Ranger Matt Atkinson tells the story of the Civil War general who created th...

A Family Lived in the New York Public Library?

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, our audience loved Kristin O'Donnell Tubb’s wonderful story from her historical fiction book John Lincoln ...

The Story of the Mason-Dixon Line: The Colonial-Era Border Battle That Defined the Civil War

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Mason-Dixon Line defined the American house divided between antislavery and pro-slavery. Yet this border ...

"Sit Down. What Do You Want to Know?": My Dad Never Spoke of His WWII Combat Until I Asked Him

21 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom McManus and his dad had a sit-down talk during Tom's Jacksonville Jaguars training camp. The gridiron gri...

The Short, Happy Life of Abraham Lincoln: His Final Days

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the Civil War was over, the city of Washington was in celebration and President Lincoln's life was about to t...

How Smallpox Created Canada by Destroying Washington’s Army

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Canada is an independent nation—and not part of the United States—most likely, because of smallpox. Here ...

George Washington: The Man Who Refused to be King and Stunned the World

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, "The Greatest Man in the World." That's what King George said George Washington would be if he resigned his m...

The Constitution's First Test—Washington's First Term: The Story of America [Ep. 14]

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, the new Constitution was an experiment—a unplayed sheet of music— and we wouldn't know what it would look...

Lincoln's Greatest Speech Americans Have Never Heard: Cooper Union

20 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Vince Benedetto, founder of Bold Gold Media Group, tells the story of the Cooper Union address-the greatest s...

Ruger Firearms: The Story of a Great American Company

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Ruger is the biggest gun manufacturer in the U.S., and it’s not by accident. Here to tell this story is Log...

The Shocking Story Behind the Diamond Engagement Ring

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Tom Zoellner purchased a diamond engagement ring and proposed. His girlfriend said, "yes" and then suddenly w...

The Story "Of Beards and Men" and How They Define Masculinity in Culture

19 Feb 2024

Contributed by Lukas

On this episode of Our American Stories, Professor Christopher Oldstone-Moore makes the case that today’s bearded renaissance is part of a centuries...