This is an iHeart Podcast. Hey, what's up? It's Mario Lopez. Back to schools, an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated. A vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit.
Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions. Stay connected.
Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down. Unlock elite gaming tech at lenovo.com.
Dominate every match with next-level speed, seamless streaming, and performance that won't quit so you can push your gameplay beyond performance with Intel Core Ultra processors for the next era of gaming. Upgrade to smooth, high-quality streaming with Intel Wi-Fi 6E and maximize game performance with enhanced overclocking. Win the tech search. Power up at Lenovo.com. Yeah.
Yeah. I'm Scott Hansen, host of NFL Red Zone. Lowe's knows Sundays are for football. That's why we're here to help you get your next DIY project done, even when the clock isn't on your side. Whether that's a new Filtrate filter or Bosch and Cobalt power tools, Lowe's has everything you need to feel like the MVP of DIY.
So get it done and earn your Sunday. Shop now in store and online. Lowe's, official partner of the NFL. Toe Ina. We all know that water is life.
An average American household consumes over 300 gallons daily. 40% of Navajo families residing on a reservation the size of West Virginia struggle to survive on less than 10 gallons of water per day. Yearly St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School delivers over 1.5 million gallons of clean water to these families. You can help support St.
Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. Sunday Scaries are officially cancelled. Abercrombie's new Sunday Sets collection is taking their place. made from their iconic soft day of fabric. These matching sets will give you that cozy Sunday feeling every day of the week.
But we can't forget the OG, the ANF Essentials Collection. Specifically, their viral essential popover hoodie that just came out in tons of new colors and prints. Permission to start living in sweats. Shop Abercrombie in the app, online, and in stores. This is Lee Habib, and this is Our American Stories.
And we tell stories about everything here on this show, from the arts to sports. and from business to history and everything in between, including your story, send them. to ouramericanstories.com Our next one is brought to us with permission. From the Veterans History Project at the Atlanta History Center. The Veterans History Project provides unedited first-person interviews from men and women who've served our great country.
Today we'll be hearing from Oliver Halley. who will share with us a bit about his experiences in the United States Navy During the Vietnam War, We will also be hearing about the unearthed family secret. that would forever change his life. Here is Oliver. I grew up in a small family.
My mother and father were only children, so I had no aunts, no uncles, no cousins. I had two brothers. My older brother who died in 2009, he was two years older, and my younger brother, who's almost two years younger than I am. He still lives in New York. Um and his family emigrated from Nazi Germany in nineteen thirty five or so.
And my mother was born in Brooklyn, but her father was born and raised in Germany and came here as a young man. and my mother's mother was born in Brooklyn as well. And we moved to Brooklyn when I was a baby, so I have no memory of where I was born whatsoever. My first memories begin in Brooklyn, and then we moved to Staten Island when I was seven, and that's where I grew up. Taube.
My Father. And mother built a legend around our family. Again, I knew that my father and his family had moved from, emigrated from Nazi Germany, but they built a legend around that. And the legend had to do with that his father, my grandfather, who I didn't know, he was killed in a car accident in 1939. I did know that.
And he was a prominent surgeon in New York. And the legend was that they resisted the Third Reich. My father was in an underground movement, and it was all very. Romantic. And that was the story that uh I grew up with.
But Uh when I was growing up, Everybody went in the military. That was just the way it was. A lot of people don't know that the draft began in June of 1940. And it didn't end until, I think, roughly nineteen seventy five.
So even during the peacetime between the Korean War and Vietnam, uh people were being drafted. In my high school, you know, People either volunteered or went into the military, and it was acceptable. Nobody even thought about avoiding it. If they didn't want to join, They were drafted and they didn't complain. That's just the way it was.
And I grew up in that environment that post-World War II. Used to see a lot of veterans from World War II during parades. It was always a big deal and it was i It's just what you did. That it was your turn to step up when it came time.
So there was never any doubt in my mind I would go into service and growing up in New York and seeing the ships in New York Harbor and Um I was attracted to the Navy. It just it was just there was never any doubt that's where I wanted to go. Yeah. So my friend Kenny, I don't remember where, but somewhere he heard about swift boats. And I said, what's a swift boat?
And He described it as best he could, and I said, I'm going to volunteer for that. I said, Well, you know what? I'll volunteer with you. I know we arrived in Vietnam on September 27th. 1969, and when we got off the plane, you see all these sandbags, and we landed in Cameron Bay.
Cameron Bay was one of the Swift Boat bases and it was the headquarters for Coastal Squadron I. And then from there we were going to be farmed out to one of five coastal divisions. And um I remember seeing the sandbags and seeing, you know, you you say, Wow, we d we're definitely in a war zone when you saw that and you saw everybody in fatigues and you had army there and navy and Air Force and they said, Whoa, now this is the real deal So that was my impression.
So on Uh Christmas Eve day, De December the twenty fourth. I think it was a C one thirty flew us down to Catlo and the boats were already there. And we were happy.
So we get there. And I remember w we were sleeping that night in Cat Low in uh some barracks. And I remember the next morning uh just I guess it was before the um you know, the truce went into the Christmas truce went into effect. But it was my first introduction to a B fifty two bombing somewhere in the area. I don't know exactly where, but I mean, it was incredible.
I I couldn't believe How the ground would shake, and you know, and it's like, whoa, I mean, you know. I hadn't experienced that in Da Nang. In Da Nang Uh we worked in Da Nang. Marines operated out of ICOR where we were. That's it.
And we did work some with the US Marines up in Ikor, along the Koordai River. This particular day Again, I don't remember why, but we were transporting Korean Marines. these rocks It's a Hoyan. I don't remember why. All I know is somebody was given an audit, pick these rocks up.
Take him to Hoyan a few miles up the river.
So there was a sergeant And probably, you know, maybe ten or twelve of these Korean Marines. and we had on board We had searched a couple of sandpans in the river, and I remember. vaguely I remember that we took several women prisoners because they didn't have paperwork and they may have had some contraband, no weapons, but they may have had contraband. I I I don't remember why and it's not particularly important. All I remember is we took him on board, And handcuffed them because they had done something, and we were going to turn them over to Navy intelligence in Hawaiian.
So we had these Korean Marines on board, too. And these were young Vietnamese women. And I was in the pilot house where I, that's where I normally stayed. When we were moving, I'm in a pilot house. And you've been listening to Oliver Halley recount his early days right up.
to his enlistment and volunteer enlistment. in the Vietnam War. He volunteered for swift boat duty in September of 1969, and everything changed. We'll hear more. of Oliver's story here.
on our American stories. Lee Habib here, the host of Our American Stories. Every day on this show, we're bringing inspiring stories from across this great country. Stories from our big cities and small towns. But we truly can't do this show without you.
Our stories are free to listen to, but they're not free to make. If you love what you hear, go to ouramericanstories.com and click the donate button. Give a little, give a lot. Go to ouramericanstories.com and give. Time for a sofa upgrade?
Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices, with sofas starting at $699. Anibay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off.
Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus, our pet-friendly stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years. Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns.
Shop now at washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change. certain restrictions may apply. Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez.
Back to schools, an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions.
Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign. In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down.
Unlock elite gaming tech at lenovo.com. Dominate every match with next-level speed, seamless streaming, and performance that won't quit so you can push your gameplay beyond performance with Intel Core Ultra processors for the next era of gaming. Upgrade to smooth, high-quality streaming with Intel Wi-Fi 6E and maximize game performance with enhanced overclocking. Win the tech search. Power up at lenovo.com.
Yeah. Novel. Toe Ina. We all know that water is life. An average American household consumes over 300 gallons daily.
40% of Navajo families residing on a reservation the size of West Virginia struggle to survive on less than 10 gallons of water per day. Yearly St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School delivers over 1.5 million gallons of clean water to these families. You can help support St. Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org.
I'm NFL Linebacker TJ Watt, and this is my personal best. YPB by Abercrombie is the active wear I'm always wearing. That's why I reached out to co-design their latest drop. I worked with designers to create high-performance activewear that holds up to my toughest workouts. Shop YPB by Abercrombie in store, online, and in the app.
because your personal best is greater than anything. And we continue with Our American Stories and Oliver Halley's story. Let's return where we last left off.
So I'm up in Palest one of my uh Yeah. Um crew members came up to me and said, mister Halley said, We got a problem He said um These Korean Marines, they want to rape these women. I said, What what? He said, Yeah, he said they're eyeing him over and they're pointing and they're making motions and all this. I said, Whoa.
So I went back aft and I Went up to the sergeant, he was the senior petty officer, not petty officer, senior ranking guy. enlisted guy, there was no officer. I'm trying to speak to him in English. I say, You know, I'm pointing to say you, uh women, you no touch, no touch, you know. And you know, no English, no English, no, no, no.
No touch, no touch. And The other guys, the other enlistment, I can see they're getting angry now. They're getting there and the sergeant is trying to, you know, even though he didn't speak English, he he he understood what I was trying to say.
Now he's getting confrontational.
So I told Like Crew M, as I said, um Put the weapons on him. Put them on them. And It was tense. It was very tense. They were determined they were going to have their way, and I was determined they weren't.
And we made it to Hoyan as soon as we and I told the sergeant, I said, you know You you touch women. I said Your captain. He cocked out you. Kakadai, your captain, he cocked a kept saying that, you know, cockadai you. And um So, anyway, we got to Hoyen, and as soon as we got there, I uh reported.
These the you know, the sergeant and his troops to you know the our intelligence people and they Yeah. Reported wherever it went. I have no idea what happened after that, but fortunately, these women. you know, we're not assaulted and I I it would have been impossible to let that have happened. It's just some things you just can't do.
You know, I mean, that's not our American values. It really isn't. I mean, even at that age I understood that much. That's that's not who we are as Americans. We don't do that.
And uh Now to segue into something A little bit amusing. Um I'm back down again in coastal division eleven. you know, down here in the Gulf of Thailand and the Pacific Ocean area. And my camera Lieutenant Commander Bill Martin. He called me in.
I was at Wherever I was, he called me into headquarters immediately.
So I go back, I had no idea what was going on, and he says, he hands me a teletype. And I read this teletype, and my heart sank, and it. As best I recall, I wish I had a copy of it. It says something like this. From Commander in Chief Pacific Two.
You know, command of Coastal Squadron 1, Coastal Division 11, boom, boom. Subject of presidential interest. I remember those words, of presidential interest. And I'm paraphrasing here, and it goes on to say as follows Um Ruth Halley Gorman, the mother of Lieutenant J.G. Oliver G.
Halley. Staten Island, New York, has written to the President of the United States, Richard M. Nixon. that her son is not getting his mail, And um The President has ordered an immediate inquiry to determine why he isn't getting his mail. And uh And I was flawed because I had never complained to my mother I wasn't getting my mail.
That didn't happen. I never said a word that I wasn't getting my mail. Nothing. I was getting my mail. It wasn't a problem.
I'm speechless and embarrassed. I mean, this thing went out to the entire Seventh Fleet, this communication. of presidential interest.
So The Commodore was very sympathetic and he said, Well, we have to respond to this immediately. When he suggests, I said, Well, Commodore, I'm getting my mail. I mean, I don't know where my mother's coming from. I mean, I can't pick up a phone or call her and ask her what's going on.
So I remember we we responded that uh I had been in transit and had been moving around and uh apparently the mail hadn't kept up, but uh there was no problem. Be assured that there is no problem, everything's fine and uh Uh It's okay.
So when I got home. I have a copy somewhere in a box, I know that, of a letter from a general in the Pentagon. How that works, you know, since I'm in the Navy, but who knows. But anyway, I remember it was a general in the Pentagon who had Rate my mother that on behalf of the president or something like that, they were looking into why I wasn't getting my mail. Like I say, it was a very embarrassing thing to me, but and I and I asked my mother when I got home almost a year later, I said, Why did you do that?
I said, I was getting my mail. Why did you do that? And all I remember her saying is, You weren't getting your mail.
Okay. Um So I do have uh s you know, uh something that is very critical to who I am and Back in the nineteen thirties Um my maternal grandparents had a correspondence with a woman in Australia named Esther Buck. Esterbach was a teacher. In Australia. And she communicated or wr wrote letters, I should say.
They they corresponded only by mail, and we're all of the same roughly the same age. You remember back then in the seventies, I'm talking about sixties and seventies, You had the that paper, you bought it at the post office, I think they call it fly paper, because it was so light, and you would write a letter and then you would fold it. Remember that you would fold it over. And Put a stamp on it, but it was so light and you'd send it by airmail because it was cheaper. Back then, if you remember, there were airmail rates versus first class, whereas today there's no distinction.
So This correspondence, my grandfather, my mother's father, and her mother, they were both educators, as was my mother. in New York. And they had this correspondence they got through the Parker Penn Company. It was just one of those professional things and and over the years they got to know each other only by mail. They had never spoken.
So When my grandfather became too sick, my mother picked up the correspondence, so we're talking probably about the late 1940s, early 1950s.
So my mother be wrote to Estebuk and they corresponded, you know, maybe once a month, once every couple of months. And I remember Miss Buck, that's what I called her. She would send us little trinkets for Christmas, that kind of thing. But again they never spoke. All of this was by mail.
all these years.
So now I'm in Vietnam. And it was arranged that I would Meet Miss Buck on R and R. And I was lucky, I got two RRs. First one was in June of 1970, I went to Hong Kong, and then the second one, the Commodore was really generous about that. went to Sydney.
So my mother arranged by mail The maid made her.
So I was pretty excited too. This is a big deal. And the way it was going to work is I was going to meet her At her home and then my mother was going to call while I was there.
Now again, we're all of the same age. These young people have no idea. But when you called internationally back then, you had to call the overseas operator. Remember that? You call it, maybe you don't, because if you never made an international call, it wasn't very common, it was expensive, but you call the international operator.
And you'd say I'd like the place it's called Sydney, Australia. And the international operator would tell you that it might be an hour, it might be two, it might be three, depending on the traffic, before they could get a line.
So the plan was hopefully it would all fall into place while I was there, my mother would be calling in. The date was September 8, 1970. And I I've written a book, but it pertains to this business I have, this speaking business. And I have a chapter in the book called called life changing versus life shaping. uh experiences September 8th, 1970.
Changed my life forever. Forever. And you're listening to Oliver Halley. And again, we want to thank the Veterans History Project at the Atlanta History Center for this story. And we're going to find out what happened.
On that day, When we come back, More of Oliver Halley's story here. on our American stories. Time for a sofa upgrade? Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices, with sofas starting at $699. Anibay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly.
Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out. Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus, our pet-friendly stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years.
Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washable sofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
Hey, what's up, it's Marla Lopez! Back to school! It's an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor.
Check in. Ask questions. Stay connected. Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov/slash blue campaign.
In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down. Unlock elite gaming tech at limovo.com. Dominate every match with next-level speed, seamless streaming, and performance that won't quit so you can push your gameplay beyond performance with Intel Core Ultra processors for the next era of gaming. Upgrade to smooth, high-quality streaming with Intel Wi-Fi 6E and maximize game performance with enhanced overclocking.
Win the tech search. Power up at lenovo.com. Yeah. No love. Toe Ina.
We all know that water is life. An average American household consumes over 300 gallons daily. 40% of Navajo families residing on a reservation the size of West Virginia struggle to survive on less than 10 gallons of water per day. Yearly St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School delivers over 1.5 million gallons of clean water to these families.
You can help support St. Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. Sunday Scaries are officially cancelled. Abercrombie's new Sunday Sets collection is taking their place. made from their iconic soft day of fabric.
These matching sets will give you that cozy Sunday feeling every day of the week. But we can't forget the OG, the ANF Essentials Collection. Specifically, their viral essential popover hoodie that just came out in tons of new colors and prints. Permission to start living in sweats. Shop Abercrombie in the app, online, and in stores.
And we continue with Our American Stories and Oliver Halley's story. Let's pick up where we last left off. September 8th, 1970. Changed my life forever. Forever.
I don't know why I'm getting emotional, but I think about it. I told you earlier in this interview. in the beginning that my mother and father were only children, I had no relatives, and and on my father's side in particular a lot of mysteries that I never knew the answers to. My father Had committed suicide. On mar on May the 9th, 1966, I was in college.
I was twenty years old. I was a junior in college at the time. And in that book that I wrote, I put in there that, you know, he just couldn't outrun the demons that had chased him from the Third Reich. And he as I said earlier, he had built up this legend. He was in this German underground movement and they got into street fights and all of that.
Well, it turned out that's all true. That part is all true. What never made sense to me as I got older was why would a wealthy family because my father came from uh a wealthy family. He was an only child. His father was a very prominent surgeon.
And I didn't know until I sent you the story from New York Times. I didn't know until this year, until this year. February of this year. that he had actually been a uh physician for Kaiser Wilhelm and Czar Nicholas of Russia. I didn't know that until this year from the New York T and Sue has seen the story in the New York Times, 1939 when he was killed in a car accident.
So anyway He had committed suicide four years earlier. And I'm sitting with Miss Buck. And she she had never married. She was a woman probably in her seventies at the time. And she was so excited to see me.
I mean, oh, she was just. Fluttering here and fluttering there. I'm so excited to finally meet somebody from the Halley family after all these years. This is, oh, so happy. Finally, you know, this is wonderful.
And I can't wait for your mother to call, you know, I just so looking forward to that. And then she said as follows He said And I don't remember her exact words. I was too stunned, and so I'm. close, but uh This these are not the exact words. I just don't remember what they were.
I wish I did, but I don't. She said something like this Did your mother ever reconciled with her father, for marrying outside the faith. And I looked at Miss Buck, and I said, 'Miss Buck, I don't understand your question. My mother and father, you know, were Protestants. Um I don't know what you mean by marrying outside the faith.
And she said, no, no, no, no, no. She said, your mother was Jewish, she married your father, but I said, my mother's not Jewish. said of course she is And and she's My head at that moment exploded. You know how you get shocking news? Whatever the really shocking news, that's what happened to me.
It was like that. 'Cause I had experienced anti Semitism growing up. I I grew up a Methodist. But I experienced a lot of anti-Semitism. I don't kid anybody, you know, that I don't know I look Jewish, okay?
I mean, there is a stereotype, and I'm one of them. My head exploded. I couldn't believe what I was hearing.
So She saw the look on my face and she stopped short. She says, Oh my God, I hope I didn't say anything I shouldn't have said. And I said, No. I said, I'm glad you did. But she didn't say another word.
Well My mother called in. and we all had a very nice chat, didn't bring any of us up. And Miss Buck was so excited to finally talk to my mother. And I uh Left Vietnam I think September twenty third.
So it was a couple of weeks or so later. And Got to San Francisco. And I out-processed from active duty. to the reserves it took I think five days. I was uh Treasure Island, you know, about an hour a day, uh, you know, did administrative stuff in a cut you loose.
So at the end of the week, I flew from San Francisco to New York. A friend of mine picked me up. And I went to my mother's house till I could find a place to live a couple of weeks later. And I'm unpacking my sea bag. And this has really been weighing on my mind.
And as I'm unpacking my sea bag, I said to my mother, Why didn't you tell us we were Jewish? And she said, What? Where did you get that nonsense from? Those are her words. And I said, Miss Buck told me.
And my mother, very uncharacteristically, She was very polished, very educated. Very uncharacteristically she said, Miss Buck is a liar. I shouldn't talk that way. I said no. I said Miss Buck uh told the truth.
And very uncharacteristically, my mother completely broke down. I mean, really broke down crying. And she said, Please don't tell your brothers. And I said I have to.
Well As the years went by, I would try and talk to my mother about this. She Shut it down. She'd act like I wasn't even in the room. If I want to change the subject, she'd look up and talk about it. She wouldn't talk about it.
absolutely refused.
So I never learned anything from my mother. Nothing. and she and my father had destroyed a lot of documents.
So, over the years, it would take me too long to tell, and it doesn't fit in with the Vietnam part of the story, so I'll just kind of. synopsize it real quickly. I learned a lot on my own. Um through reading books And then when the internet came into being, learned a little bit, And so the bottom line is this. My grandfather on my father's side was Jewish, for sure, 100%.
I have the records to support that. He was Jewish. And my maternal And my m my paternal Grandmother. Was a Lutheran. My father was raised a Lutheran.
So, in the Jewish faith, you know, the bloodline carries on the mother's side, not the father's side.
So even though My father was half Jewish. He's i he wouldn't be recognized as Jewish by Jewish people. Um So that that comment about did your mother ever reconcile with her father, in effect my mother married outside the faith. even though my father was half Jewish. And you've been listening to Oliver Halley and what a story he's telling.
And this is just a side story. But these side stories, while they inform so much about all of our lives, September eighth, the day that changed his life for ever. And, my goodness, why didn't you tell us we were Jewish? What an identity crisis. for this young man.
Also, He was learning that everything he ever thought was true, because he always thought he was Jewish. He looked Jewish. Where did you get that nonsense? the mom said. And my goodness She then said Miss Buck is a liar, and he knew then he knew for sure.
that it was true. And then the reality set in and his mom well, she just broke down. and she just started to cry, revealing her human side, but never came clean. Never told the real story. And by the way, we learn that again and again here on our American stories, particularly the World War II generation.
So many of them just wouldn't come clean. about what happened. Maybe it was so horrible they couldn't process it. Who knows what the reasons are? When we come back more of Oliver Halley's story.
And it's a beauty here on our American stories. Time for a sofa upgrade? Visit washable sofas.com and discover Anibay, where designer style meets budget-friendly prices, with sofas starting at $699. AniBay brings you the ultimate in furniture innovation with a modular design that allows you to rearrange your space effortlessly. Perfect for both small and large spaces, Anibay is the only machine-washable sofa inside and out.
Say goodbye to stains and messes with liquid and stain-resistant fabrics that make cleaning easy. Liquid simply slides. Right off. Designed for custom comfort, our high-resilience foam lets you choose between a sink-in feel or a supportive memory foam blend. Plus, our pet-friendly, stain-resistant fabrics ensure your sofa stays beautiful for years.
Don't compromise quality for price. Visit washable sofas.com to upgrade your living space today with no risk returns and a 30-day money-back guarantee. Get up to 60% off plus free shipping and free returns. Shop now at washablesofas.com. Offers are subject to change and certain restrictions may apply.
Hey, what's up? It's Marla Lopez. Back to school. It's an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated. A vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit.
Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect. Everyday moments can become opportunities for someone with bad intentions, whether you're a parent, teacher, coach, or neighbor. Check in. Ask questions. Stay connected.
Blue Campaign is a national awareness initiative that provides resources to help recognize suspected instances of human trafficking. Learn the signs and how to report at dhs.gov slash blue campaign. In the heat of battle, your squad relies on you. Don't let them down. Unlock elite gaming tech at lenovo.com.
Dominate every match with next-level speed, seamless streaming, and performance that won't quit so you can push your gameplay beyond performance with Intel Core Ultra processors for the next era of gaming. Upgrade to smooth, high-quality streaming with Intel Wi-Fi 6E and maximize game performance with enhanced overclocking. Win the tech search. Power up at lenovo.com. Yeah.
Yeah. Toe Ina. We all know that water is life. An average American household consumes over 300 gallons daily. 40% of Navajo families residing on a reservation the size of West Virginia struggle to survive on less than 10 gallons of water per day.
Yearly St. Bonaventure Indian Mission and School delivers over 1.5 million gallons of clean water to these families. You can help support St. Bonaventure's water delivery program by going to stbonaventuremission.org. I'm NFL Linebacker TJ Watt, and this is my personal best.
YPB by Abercrombie is the active wear I'm always wearing. That's why I reached out to co-design their latest drop. I worked with designers to create high-performance activewear that holds up to my toughest workouts. Shop YPD by Abercrombie in-store, online, and in the app. because your personal best is greater than anything.
And we continue here with our American Stories. Let's continue. with Oliver Halley.
So Um My my father and his mother were estranged. I don't know why. To this day that's a secret that'll go to the grave. I will never know the answer to that. It kills me not to know, but but I'll never know.
I do not know. My father would write her letters. She lived in Queens when we lived on Staten Island. My father would write her letters and I still see this in my mind's eye. They would come back unopened and there would be a stamp you know, this kind of stamp on the envelope.
And it would be of a Hand pointing this like this, and it would say return to sender refused with check mark refused. And she died in February 1959. But I never met her. and dogs to this day I don't know why they were strange, have no idea.
So That day changed my life forever. When you find out there's more to your past, and it's very different than you were brought up to believe. Um That has a profound effect.
So that's a life-changing experience, life-shaping. Yeah. was my time in the Navy. And certainly in Vietnam. I went over to Vietnam, I was 23 years old as an officer in charge of a swift boat.
I came home, I was 24. And to have that kind of responsibility at that young age. If that won't shape you, nothing will. Uh after Vietnam. Um I spent a year Trying to get into law school, but working this odd job I had when I was in high school just to mock time.
I got into law school. I began in August of 1971 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. And I went through law school knowing that my career plan was to become an FBI agent. There was never any doubt that's what I wanted to do. I had formed that plan years earlier when I knew I wasn't going to be chief of naval operations, and I figured that out in high school, by the way.
In high school.
So My career in the FBI, you have two tracks. You know, the investigative side, and then you can choose to go into management. It's not like the military, you know, it's mandatory promotions here. You know, people choose in the FBI if they want to go into management. And I had no interest in it.
After having The experience that I had in the Navy, particularly in Vietnam, I figured nothing could rival that. Nothing. Nothing. Not even close. And then, and I love the FBI.
My career, I had 28 years, it was a free ticket to a show. I loved it, but to be kind. The best leadership I saw was in the Navy. I started late in life with children. I'm married to Molly Johnson Halley.
She's from Charleston, South Carolina. I met her in New York. She was an FBI agent as well, and she was chief division counsel for the FBI office in Atlanta for most of her career, but we met in New York. And I was just short of 41 when my oldest daughter, Caitlin, was born. just short of forty two when my second daughter, Victoria, was born.
They're Irish twins. They're twelve days short of a year apart. And then my son is in his fourth year of medical school at Emory. And this is only a coincidence, it was not planned this way, but my son Tyla. is following in the footsteps of his grandfather, who was an ear-nose throat surgeon.
Um and that's coincidence, he didn't do it for that reason. He didn't even really know about it until recently, so. Uh I'd like to close with this. Um One of the things that my father did when we lived in Brooklyn And I was a young boy and I remember so vividly On a lot of weekends, he would go into Manhattan and he was a volunteer for church world service. In church world service, even to this day I think, sponsors immigrants.
And my father went down there And you can picture this. These ships coming in from Europe. with thousands Refugees Coming to New York. You had organizations like Church World Service. Sponsor these people.
People who had nowhere to go. Hello, Holmes. Lost families That had a very profound effect on me. If you read the words, and I know you have. Avama Lazarus On the Statue of Liberty You're poor, you're wretched, you're teeming masses, however.
And my father and his family Before I was born obviously coming to New York. Can you only imagine what they thought when they saw the Statue of Liberty?
So he volunteered his time. To help refugees and one of them. came to live with us for several years. Sergei Shilhakov. He was a Russian.
He'd been a veterinarian and the Russian army and Russian cavalry. I don't remember whether he was captured or what happened, but either way, he ended up. in a refugee camp. in Europe after the war. He was on one of these ships.
And what I remember is As he was coming off the ship and people being processed, my father, I remember the story saying, you know, he's one of mine. He came with him and He lived with us for several years and then for health reasons he moved to Miami, but we stayed in touch and I last saw him when I was in the Navy. Uh our ship was in Fort Lauderdale. And I called him and I spent the night with him. A wonderful man.
Wonderful man, he loved this country. Yeah. He lost everything in the war, he lost his family, everything. I think of my father and all of that and You say, How can you not give back? You know, I I could you know do that.
This country gave my father and his family A home when they were evicted from Ness. Was the Vietnam War one of those wars like World War II? that uh you know you're fighting to defend your country uh Uh I I can't say that it was and I won't. But but that's not the point. The point was that military service.
was something that came to be expected, and People of my generation, not everybody, obviously, we had a lot of people who didn't share my view, but a lot did. you know, we we did our time. We came back from Vietnam. Um People say, Well, you know, do people spit on you or anything? No.
No, I never had that. Nobody cared. When I got back nobody cared. You were a Vietnam veteran, so what? In law school, in my class, we probably had 10 or 15 Vietnam veterans.
You know, we would talk case. We were probably, you know, we weren't all close friends, but we got along very well. We could at least, if there's anything about the war that was still going on, we could talk about it. We even talk about it with other people. They didn't care.
It was irrelevant. It meant it was just. They couldn't relate to it. It was only when Ronald Reagan um dedicated the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier to the Vietnam Miss him. And I watched it on T V live.
Oh my god, that was powerful. And Ronald Reagan made it okay to be a Vietnam veteran. That was the first. It was okay, then I could wear a T shirt, you know, Vietnam veteran. I never did before that, never.
I didn't talk about it. I didn't talk about it because, you know, oh, I can't talk about it. I have bad memories. Oh, I have PTS. No, nothing to do with that.
Nobody cared. Nobody cared. But that yeah, that was it.
So I went on with my life. And life is good. My FBI career was fantastic. It was a free ticket to a show. I traveled all over the world toward the end of you know, with the FBI.
And um I I was very lucky in my in my life. I really was lucky. Probably I got a few lucky breaks along the way. Didn't have to, but I did. And I'm grateful for them, and I've got some plans in my head for what I'm going to do about Paying It Forward.
And we're looking forward to hearing more from Oliver. What a storyteller, what a life lived. And again, a special thanks. the folks. at the Veterans History Project.
at the Atlanta History Center. And again, we're always looking. for stories like this from you. our listeners. And my goodness, what a life well lived after serving in Vietnam.
Serving in the FBI for 28 years, a free ticket to the show. He said. Late in life to children like me. 41 when he had his daughter Caitlin. 42, Victoria Tyler.
who is in medical school carrying on a family tradition. But that story of him greeting refugees, I know that one because my immigrant grandparents made me do the same thing. I love what he said about Sergei. He was a wonderful man. He loved his country.
He had lost everything in the war. Everything. He also said, Oliver, the country gave my father and his father a home.
So true. Oliver Halley's Story Here. on our American stories. Hey, it's Bobby from the Bobby Bones Show. I had an incredible time at this year's iHeartRadio Music Festival and even got the chance to hang out with Diplo and Bailey Zimmerman while I was there.
How did Ashes come together, Diplo? I pulled up real quick. He was about to leave on tour. You're about to jump in your tour bus, and we had like three hours. It was really cool.
He literally just like randomly showed up to my house. I'm like, oh, hey, Diplo, what are you doing? He's like, I have a song that I want to show you. And I was like, okay. You can listen to the full episode out now wherever you get your podcast.
And big shout out to my friends at Hyundai for making this possible. Had a blast, cruising around the festival weekend in the all-new Palisade Hybrid. Hey, what's up, it's Marla Lopez? Back to schools, an exciting time, but it can also be overwhelming, and kids may feel isolated, a vulnerability that human traffickers can exploit. Human trafficking doesn't always look like what you expect.
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