Tales from the Corps

Hosted by Michael Francis

Business Entrepreneurship Society Culture Personal Journals HistoryInterviews guests

Website RSS feed

Episodes

Latest episode

Aug 2024

Language

About the show

Welcome to Tales from the Corps! Join Marine Mike Francis as he shares his stories from their time in the United States Marine Corps. The podcast includes weekly guests, ranging from fellow Marines to veteran professionals and athletes. If you're a fan of war stories, libo antics, and combat deployment tales, 'Tales from the Corps' is the perfect podcast. Tune in on platforms like Apple and Spotify, leave a 5-star rating, and join this journey through their experiences. Contact Michael Francis: TikTok: @michaelfrancissbx IG: @michaelfrancisadvisor Email: michaelfrancisma@gmail.com

Listen to episodes

42 recent

September 3, 2026Episode 11 hr 23 min

Jon Parshall | 1945: Japan — Did We Need to Drop the Bombs?

Send us Fan Mail Did the United States have to drop the atomic bombs on Japan to end World War II? Renowned WWII historian Jon Parshall , co-host of The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast and author of the upcoming 1942: The Crux of War , joins Tales From The Corps for an in-depth conversation about one of the most debated questions of the Pacific War. Jon examines the decision to use the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki , Japan's willingness and ability to continue fighting, alternatives to dropping the bombs, the role of Emperor Hirohito, and what an invasion or prolonged blockade of Japan could have meant. But the human cost wasn't limited to Americans and Japanese. The war was still killing enormous numbers of people throughout China, Vietnam, Java, and the rest of Asia . Jon explains why every additional month of war mattered—and why understanding the decision requires looking far beyond the two atomic bombings themselves. We also discuss Japan's leadership, surrender, the fate of the Emperor, Soviet entry into the war, the morality of wartime decision-making, and the consequences American servicemen could have faced had the Pacific War continued. This isn't about reducing history to “the bombs were right” or “the bombs were wrong.” It's about understanding the choices available in 1945, their consequences, and the people who would have paid the price. 🎙️ Featuring Jon Parshall — The Unauthorized History of the Pacific War Podcast https://www.youtube.com/@UnauthorizedHistoryPacificWar 📖 1942: The Crux of War — Order at 1942book.com TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

August 13, 2024Episode 431 hr 20 min

Justin Cramer | Marine JTAC — From Iraq & Afghanistan to Former Action Guys

Send us Fan Mail Marine veteran Justin Cramer joins Tales From The Corps to talk about coordinating airstrikes in Iraq and Afghanistan, serving as a JTAC evaluator, and the experiences that eventually led him to create the Former Action Guys Podcast. Justin takes us inside the world of Marine fire support and Joint Terminal Attack Controllers, sharing lessons from his deployments, the responsibility of coordinating close air support in combat, and what he learned serving alongside Marines at war. We also explore the transition home, entrepreneurship, podcasting, and Justin's work preserving the stories and experiences of veterans through Former Action Guys . Contact Justin Kramer: YouTube: @formeractionguys Website: https://www.jcramergraphics.com IG: formeractionguys TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

July 30, 2024Episode 421 hr 23 min

Scott Gibson of HBO's The Pacific | WWII Veterans Don Graves & Allan Chatwin

Send us Fan Mail Actor Scott Gibson, who appeared in HBO's The Pacific , joins Tales From The Corps to honor and preserve the stories of World War II veterans Don Graves and Allan Chatwin. Gibson joins Mike Francis and Neal Fauver following a special gathering in Fredericksburg, Texas, where Graves and Chatwin shared firsthand memories of their service during World War II. In this conversation, we reflect on their experiences, the responsibility of preserving veterans' stories before they're lost, and the unique connection between the veterans who lived this history and the actors and storytellers who have helped bring the WWII generation's experiences to the screen. We also explore the intersection of Hollywood and military history , what it means to spend time with the men whose generation inspired productions like The Pacific , and why recording these firsthand accounts matters for future generations. Featuring: 🎬 Scott Gibson — Actor, HBO's The Pacific Support WWII veteran trips and documentary preservation through Beyond the Call: www.WWIIBeyondTheCall.com TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

July 16, 2024Episode 411 hr 44 min

LtCol Mitch “Taco” Bell | Marine Corps Stories from Iraq, Afghanistan & Boot Camp

Send us Fan Mail Retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel Mitch “Taco” Bell joins Mike Francis and Neal Fauver for an unfiltered session of Marine Corps stories spanning boot camp, Iraq, Afghanistan, barracks life, and the transition back home. Originally recorded as a crossover with Tall Tales with Taco , this conversation brings three Marines together to swap the kind of stories that rarely make it into official histories—from ridiculous boot camp nicknames and barracks pranks to memories of deployments and the challenges veterans face after leaving the military. Mike, Neal, and Taco trade stories about Marine Corps culture, combat deployments, camaraderie, the VA, and the dark humor that follows Marines long after the uniform comes off. Some stories preserve history. Others survive because they're too damn funny to forget. Featuring: 🎙️ LtCol Mitch “Taco” Bell, USMC (Ret.) — Tall Tales with Taco 🎥YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@talltaleswithtacobell TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

July 9, 2024Episode 401 hr 6 min

Matt Harper | Marine Scout Sniper — Business & Life After the Corps

Send us Fan Mail Marine Scout Sniper veteran Matt Harper joins Tales From The Corps to talk about growing up in a family of Marines, his time in the Corps, sobriety, entrepreneurship, and building a new life after military service. Matt shares stories from his Marine Corps experience, the camaraderie and humor that came with it, and the challenges of transitioning from the structure and brotherhood of the military into civilian life. The conversation also explores sobriety, early business failures, financial literacy, and Matt's eventual success in the finance industry. Matt discusses the lessons he learned from setbacks, how those experiences changed his relationship with business and money, and why he now works to help others improve their financial futures. From the mindset of a Marine Scout Sniper to entrepreneurship and rebuilding after failure, Matt's story is about carrying the lessons of the Corps forward while figuring out what comes next. Featuring: 🎙️ Matt Harper — Marine Scout Sniper Veteran, Entrepreneur & Finance Professional TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

July 2, 2024Episode 3957 min

Tracie Hunter | Emmy-Winning Filmmaker Preserving WWII Veterans' Stories

Send us Fan Mail Emmy-winning filmmaker and Beyond the Call founder Tracie Hunter joins Tales From The Corps to discuss her mission to document, preserve, and share the firsthand stories of World War II veterans before they're lost to history. Growing up in an Army family, Tracie developed a connection to military service that eventually led her behind the camera. Through Beyond the Call , she has traveled to capture veterans' experiences, preserve their memories, and ensure their voices remain available to future generations. Tracie shares what she's learned from sitting down with members of the WWII generation, the relationships she's formed with veterans along the way, and the responsibility that comes with documenting someone's wartime experiences in their own words. We also discuss the human stories behind military history, the importance of preserving firsthand testimony, and why these accounts become even more valuable as the number of surviving World War II veterans continues to decline. Featuring: 🎥 Tracie Hunter — Emmy-Winning Filmmaker & Founder, Beyond the Call Support WWII veteran trips and documentary preservation through Beyond the Call: WWIIBeyondTheCall.com Contact Tracie Hunter: Email: wwiibeyondthecall@gmail.com TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

June 25, 2024Episode 381 hr 13 min

Robert Eunice & Bart Lewis | Marine Corps Pranks, Barracks Stories & Mayhem

Send us Fan Mail Marine veterans Robert Eunice and Bart Lewis join Tales From The Corps for an hour of Marine Corps pranks, barracks stories, bad decisions, and the kind of chaos that somehow becomes funnier the longer you've been out. Robert returns to the show alongside Bart to trade stories from their time in the Marines—from practical jokes and prank calls to pizza deliveries gone horribly wrong and canteen cups containing things that definitely weren't water. This episode is less about battles and military history and more about the other side of serving: the friendships, boredom, ridiculous ideas, dark humor, and unforgettable characters that make up everyday Marine Corps life. Some memories come from combat. Others come from looking at your buddy and asking, “Who the hell thought this was a good idea?” Featuring: 🎙️ Robert Eunice — Marine Corps Combat Veteran 🎙️ Bart Lewis — Marine Corps Combat Veteran TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

June 18, 2024Episode 3754 min

Anthony Perez | Peleliu Then & Now — Exploring a WWII Pacific Battlefield

Send us Fan Mail Traveler and filmmaker Anthony Perez joins Tales From The Corps to explore Peleliu—one of the Pacific War's most brutal and often overlooked battlefields—and what remains there today. Anthony's Peleliu: Then and Now project caught our attention through its exploration of the island's World War II history. He shares what it was like to visit Peleliu, walk the ground where Marines and soldiers fought in 1944, and document a battlefield where the scars of war remain part of the landscape. The conversation explores the Battle of Peleliu, battlefield preservation, Pacific Island history, and the power of seeing historic locations as they exist today. Anthony also discusses his travels throughout the Pacific and his approach to documenting the people, cultures, and history he encounters along the way. Beyond Peleliu, we discuss Anthony's experiences across the Pacific—including his time in American Samoa and travels to places such as Niihau—and how travel can create a deeper connection to history than photographs and maps alone can provide. Featuring: 🎥 Anthony Perez — Traveler, Filmmaker & Creator of A Perez Voyages Explore Anthony's work: 📸IG: @aperezvoyages 🎥YouTube: A Perez Voyages ▶️ Peleliu: Then and Now TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

June 11, 2024Episode 361 hr 15 min

James Badge Dale | Portraying Robert Leckie & Getting HBO's The Pacific Right

Send us Fan Mail Actor James Badge Dale joins Tales From The Corps to discuss portraying Marine and author Robert Leckie in HBO's The Pacific and the responsibility of bringing the experiences of World War II Marines to the screen. James takes us behind the role of Robert Leckie , whose wartime memoir Helmet for My Pillow became one of the primary sources behind The Pacific . He reflects on the preparation, physical transformation, and emotional weight involved in portraying a real Marine whose experiences in the Pacific War were anything but fictional. The conversation explores the relationship between Hollywood and military history , the importance of authenticity when portraying veterans, and the connection actors can develop with the real people and stories behind their characters. James also shares memories from the production, the humor and unexpected moments that happened along the way, and what the experience taught him about the Marines whose stories The Pacific sought to preserve. At its core, this conversation is about something central to Tales From The Corps: when you're entrusted with someone's story, getting it right matters. Featuring: 🎬 James Badge Dale — Actor, Robert Leckie in HBO's The Pacific TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com

June 4, 2024Episode 351 hr 11 min

Zac “Doc” Frantz | Navy Corpsman — Serving with Marine Infantry

Send us Fan Mail Navy Corpsman Zac “Doc” Frantz joins Tales From The Corps to talk about serving alongside Marines, the bond between Corpsmen and the infantry, and what it means to earn the trust of the Marines who simply know you as “Doc.” Zac takes us inside the path of becoming a Navy Corpsman and the different assignments that can shape a Corpsman's career, including the distinction between serving “green side” with the Marine Corps and “blue side” with the Navy. The conversation explores the unique relationship between Navy Corpsmen and Marines , adapting to life with an infantry unit, and the responsibility that comes with being the person Marines depend on when someone is injured or a medical emergency unfolds. We also trade stories about Lima Company 3/6 , reunions, barracks life, and the difference between the chaos everyone remembers from active duty and getting the same group back together years later. Zac shares the serious moments alongside the humor, camaraderie, and memories that made his time with the Marines unforgettable. This episode was recorded around the Navy Hospital Corps birthday , honoring the Corpsmen who have served alongside Marines across generations. Featuring: ⚕️ Zac “Doc” Frantz — U.S. Navy Corpsman Veteran Support service members, veterans, and military families through Semper Fi & America's Fund: Semper Fi & America's Fund TALES FROM THE CORPS Real stories. Unfiltered conversations. Veterans, families, historians, and the people preserving their legacy. 🎥 YouTube: Tales From The Corps Podcast 🎵 TikTok: @tales.from.the.corps 📸 Instagram: @talesfromthecorps 🪖 Virtual Barracks: VirtualBarracks.com 💬 Discord: Join the Virtual Barracks 📧 Business Inquiries: TalesFromTheCorpsPodcast@gmail.com