In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
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In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
In this emotional and eye-opening episode, Nick Letendre sits down with Nicole, a Marine Corps mom, educator, and fierce advocate, to honor the life of her son, Sergeant Colin Arslanbas—a Recon Marine who died during a preventable training accident in North Carolina.Colin was more than a Marine. He was a husband, a big brother, a soon-to-be dad, and the kind of guy who made people laugh even in the most serious moments. Nicole shares his story—from childhood memories to leadership failures that led to his death. This episode is not just about grief—it’s about truth, accountability, and a mother’s unshakable love.From broken equipment to ignored safety protocols, Nicole exposes the systemic issues that contributed to her son’s death and raises the uncomfortable but necessary questions about how we train our elite forces. It’s a heartbreaking, raw, and courageous conversation that will stay with you long after it ends.Due to production limitations, this episode lacks our usual intro/outro—but your support can help us fix that. If this story moved you, share it. Say Colin’s name. And don’t let silence be the final word.To Colin. You deserved better.🔗 Support us at GoldStarStoriesUSA.com or donate directly at BuyMeACoffee.com/GoldStarStories
Gold Star Stories
In this episode of Gold Star Stories, we share the life and sacrifice of Corporal Thomas Steven Hickman, a young soldier from Loogootee, Indiana, who served with courage and heart during the Vietnam War. Told through the voice of his younger brother Scott Hickman, this story reflects the love, loss, and resilience of a family forever changed by war.As time passes, stories like Steve’s risk being forgotten — but through Gold Star Stories, we’re making sure their names remain spoken and their legacies live on.⚠️ AI & Visual DisclaimerWhile this episode focuses on the audio story, accompanying visuals shared online include AI-assisted recreations used to enhance storytelling.Some scenes may not be historically or visually accurate. With limited surviving photos and resources, these recreations help illustrate moments that would otherwise be lost to time.Gold Star Stories operates on limited means, often working with only a few affordable AI generations and restored family photos to tell each story.With your support, the quality of these episodes and documentaries can grow exponentially — helping us restore real images, capture new interviews, and preserve even more voices from America’s Gold Star Families.🎖️ Support the mission:Visit GoldStarStoriesUSA.comYour tax-deductible donation through Veterans Collaborative helps us record, restore, and remember.Say their name. Remember their story. Honor their sacrifice.#GoldStarStories #Vietnam #GoldStarFamily #SayTheirNames #Veterans #Legacy #DocumentaryPodcast
