{"podcast":{"title":"Veterans Radio","slug":"veterans-radio-568580","podcast_index_feed_id":568580,"rss_url":"https://media.rss.com/veterans-radio/feed.xml","website_url":"https://www.veteransradio.org/","image_url":"https://media.rss.com/veterans-radio/podcast_cover.jpg","author":"Veterans Radio America","episode_count":674,"summary":"Our mission is to see that the world appreciates what extraordinary things ordinary people have done to gain and preserve our freedom.","last_synced_at":"2026-07-28T02:17:57.026187+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/veterans-radio-568580"},"episode":{"title":"Valor in Vietnam & The “Flat Top King”","slug":"valor-in-vietnam-the-flat-top-king","published_at":"2026-07-13T13:00:00+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/veterans-radio-568580/valor-in-vietnam-the-flat-top-king","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/veterans-radio-568580","url":"https://rss.com/podcasts/veterans-radio/2984681","audio_url":"https://content.rss.com/episodes/261248/2984681/veterans-radio/2026_07_13_11_40_09_96cbad86-dc2d-4969-9877-1fca298216a7.mp3","summary":"This week, host Jim Fausone brings together two remarkable veterans whose stories highlight courage, service, and life after the military. First, Medal of Honor recipient Donald E. Ballard reflects on his service as a Navy corpsman in Vietnam, the actions that earned him the nation’s highest military decoration, and the lifelong impact of combat. Then, Navy veteran Neal Williams—better known as “The Flat Top King” —shares how his experience as a Navy cook inspired a successful second career as a YouTube creator celebrating military food, history, and culture. IN THIS EPISODE YOU’LL DISCOVER ✓ The extraordinary acts of courage that earned Don Ballard the Medal of Honor ✓ What it was like serving as a Navy corpsman alongside Marines in Vietnam ✓ How military service can shape unexpected opportunities after leaving the uniform ✓ How Neal Williams built a loyal online following by sharing Navy culinary traditions and military stories Donald E. Ballard Medal of Honor Recipient - U.S. Navy Medal of Honor recipient and retired U.S. Army National Guard Colonel who first served as a U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman attached to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines during the Vietnam War. On May 16, 1968, while treating wounded Marines under heavy enemy fire in Quang Tri Province, Ballard selflessly threw himself onto an enemy grenade to shield his fellow servicemembers. When the grenade failed to detonate, he immediately resumed treating the wounded, actions that earned him the Medal of Honor. Following his Navy service, Ballard continued serving for three decades in the Kansas Army National Guard, retiring as a Colonel. Today, he remains an active advocate for veterans, sharing his story of courage, leadership, and service with audiences across the country. Neal Williams Creator/Host - Th…","meta_description":"This week, host Jim Fausone brings together two remarkable veterans whose stories highlight courage, service, and life after the military. First, Medal of…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3417,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/veterans-radio-568580/episodes/valor-in-vietnam-the-flat-top-king/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/veterans-radio-568580/valor-in-vietnam-the-flat-top-king.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}