The amazing thing about Mr Dukes is he suffered more as a POW than on the battlefield, only weighing 109 lbs. and nearly 6' tall when released. Walking skeleton. We see movies of American POWs in nice buildings with cots, but it was nothing like that at all. Thank you for your brave service sir, your never say die attitude, and for sharing your great story with us.

@steveoconnor7069

Жыл бұрын

One of my uncles fought in a tank destroyer unit and during the Battle of the Bulge he was captured and nearly died from starvation and abuse at the hands of the guards. He was lucky to have survived.

My father was a prisoner of war for six months. He never talked about it. I found out when I stumbled across his Army papers. He won two bronze stars and a silver star. He never said a word.

@andyotto2572

Жыл бұрын

Another great, silent man of valor.

@joycecogdill9797

Жыл бұрын

I took care of a veteran in the 80s ( rn in nursing home) and he told me about being on the Burma road- luckily I mentioned how I admired him for that. She had never heard of this!!! He then had a chance to tell her. He died soon after so I was privileged to have been there for that door to open❤. God bless your dad.

Man,this guy went thru the ringer.GOD BLESS HIS SOUL.Thanks for giving him the opportunity to tell his story.

Sadly, this guy is a thing of the past. He is full of honor and hard work, ethics and caring. Today I listen to college kids talk about 'micro aggressions' War is a human tragedy and should be stopped but since we are considered a true renewable resource that is not likely to happen.

I love this man, to hell and back. I could listen to him tell stories all day long

Charley passed at 98 and will be buried on June 20, 2021.

This guy is a great story teller. The dark side of going from college to combat to POW to a tough readjustment.

My dad was one of the lucky guys in World War II. He did not enlist, he got drafted.He was 27yrs old, married and had a child my older brother . He ended up being a cook, A Master Sergeant Cook, with all the trimmings. He did not get shipped overseas because every time his company was shipped out he was AWOL, my dad was a rogue. Anyways he had a good job he would come home on leave with a jeep that he got from the officers because he fed their crap and dice games well with food. My mother always got fresh milk steak eggs etc. etc., when all these things were rationed. it wasn't too bad for her &I my older Brothers and sister, I was born in 1946. Conversely my mother's Brother, my uncle, was shipped over seas and fought in north Africa and Europe. He was one of the first men to land or Normandy beach, he came in on a rubber raft and set up beacons for the landing troops to come in. He was wounded three times, escaped from the hospital twice to get back to his unit and the third time they put him on a boat and shipped him back to the United States so he wouldn't do that anymore. He actually was the most decorated man in the state of Ohio and he was shell schocked because of the war, I remember at a ball game one time he ducked under the seats when somebody set off a fire cracker, that was in the 1960s. He was a wonderful man and a great shot, he often took me hunting, but he drank quite a bit, probably because of the war. In the end World War II was a bitch from one story, my dad to another story, my uncle. Peace be with them they were great men ! This is the first time I've told anyone about this

@emmanuelzepernick7209

5 жыл бұрын

John Spears: My grandfather was a tank gunner in WW2..He was in North Africa, Italy and France were he died.. He is buried there. My great uncle ( grandfather's brother) was also in the war but he was a pilot. He survived and the little I know about his experiences was when I was @ 12 yrs old. I never asked many questions about nor about my grandfather whom I never met, but watching some videos of WW2 with my family I have been able to see them both when they were young. My great uncle died in 2001..Today I feel sorry I never asked him much about his experiences. I just know that my grandfather died in Omaha beach and my great uncle was wounded and crashed once but he landed in Yugoslavia and the guerrilla helped him get out of the country into England with other soldiers that were also trying to get away from the Nazi's, many pilots also got lost when they ran out of gas and had to hide from the Nazi's.. I think that my great uncle was helped by Tito (Josif Gross or something like that)..He became the president of Yugoslavia after the war. My great uncle told me that while in hiding from the Nazi's he used to play cards (black Jack) with Tito and other and he was trained on how to hide things in his body and stay warm during the cold. by the guerrilla. I feel bad I never got into details about my great uncle experiences and I now watch videos of a war . My great uncle told me that he was part of " Operation Titanic" when he was sent to Russia.. But I don't know about what he did there nor what that operation was about....

@johnm7656

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing your story. And thank you for your father's service and the sacrifice all of those he loved. I am a huge military history buff . Never served and I regret it. I felt a calling after 9/11 but had 3 young boys and a wife that needed me too. Tough choice for me and I chose the latter. I still feel like I let them and my country down. Peace be with you my friend.

@damianosraftopoulos8365

5 жыл бұрын

every time the company was shipping out, your father was AWOL? during war? and he wasn't court martialled? no prison? no discharge? no way

@ddjsta

2 жыл бұрын

They were brave men , I know your proud , I am.

@jasonnichols7813

Жыл бұрын

Thank you for sharing that....I'm also from ohio.....the Army must of pulled men from everywhere during the war...and them guys went threw pure hell much thanks .R.I.P to your father

You don't want to miss a single word of this story. Pushed to beyond the limits that most could take, but still kept going. This interview only had time to look at the surface of this story, can only imagine what all of it would be like. Thank you Mr. Dukes for doing what you did, and then sharing it with others.

Thank you so much for recording this

With tears in my eyes, God Bless You HONORABLE SIR! You did indeed SAVE THE WORLD!

Incredible story. Thank you Mr. Dukes for your courage and will to survive. Whoever left a "thumbs down" to this man's story should suffer the way he did. Miscreants...

What a story of pure survival. I can't imagine what a 22 year old would do today if faced with such circumstances. God Bless Charles.

I have nothing but utmost respect for ww1 and ww11 vets and the service they provided. I swear their will never be a generation as tough, If their is any kind of people I look up to it them vets. Thank you dearly for service and the losses you took to be able to feed our mouths, you boys deserve more respect.

Mr Dukes shows resilience, determination and true grit. His story is very interesting and I would like to say thank you for sharing it. Who on earth could give any of these Veterans stories a thumbs down?

@RickL_was_here

Жыл бұрын

Cowards, that's who. This guy deserves far better than what he recieved.

My life is a stroll in the park thanks to those who served.

@burtthebeast4239

3 жыл бұрын

Wow, well put.......

@davidmarley80

3 жыл бұрын

you prolly dont care but if you're stoned like me during the covid times then you can watch all of the latest movies and series on InstaFlixxer. Been streaming with my girlfriend for the last few weeks xD

@jacedash8956

3 жыл бұрын

@David Marley Yea, have been using instaflixxer for months myself =)

Magnificent interview. This bloke is incredible. What a champ.

Thank you for your service!! What an amazing story!!

Amazing story. Truly. I listen to it again. My Dad served in the 95th Infantry Division for four years..."The Iron Men of Metz." There's a reason for that title if you wanted to look it up. Reading a book on personal accounts, they too spoke of being moved on packed railroad cars that only had standing room. Even after Metz they had to go on and on fighting.

Thank you very much for sharing your horrific experiences. More importantly your strength, will to survive, heart and public service, I don’t know what else I can say except that purchased your book on Amazon and strongly recommended that this KZread presentation be viewed. I am saddened that our veterans pass away, they have earned the rest and peace...

What a hero. My deepest respect for him. Thank you Charles.

This is on e humble American hero, thanks for sharing your story and serving your country, I have my freedom because of men like you!

I wish you would have let him talk longer. He is full of information and its a miracle he survived. He has earned the rught for a second interview if he is still alive.

Truely impressive story ... I was revited for the entire time

When Dukes recieved his CIB and was told he'd been through hell little did he know the hell that still awaited him. RESPECT. Thanks for sharing that story.

This is one of the best ww2 stories I've ever heard.

The disrespect shown for our World War II veterans(all vetrans really) today is disgusting! These were some of the last true heroes- because Generations like mine have no respect especially for what these brave men went through... We need to remind the world that people in comic books and movies aren't the real heroes. REAL heroes are people like this and they are constantly being disrespected and forgotten today. Pray for our future because if we forget our past we'll be doomed to fail.

@counciousstream

Жыл бұрын

I have known dozens of WW2 veterans including family and am not aware of any of them being shown anything but respect for their service. Same thing for Korean Veterans, especially combat vets. Unfortunately our Vietnam Veterans have had a harder time of it. Then again I can say that there has been a shift in the US with regard to our sense of history. Decades of destructive partisan politics and unrestricted misinformation across social and entertainment media (formerly called news) has created mis-trust in everything including our history. Charges of "fake news" by leaders along with propagation of deliberate misinformation and conspiracy theories has done more destroy trust and confidence than any foreign enemy could have. Younger generations have learned that comic book heroes are as real as anything else that they have been taught by their parents, peers, and by the curse of social media. If we want to change it then we have to be willing to address the causes not lament the effect.

@neuroticnastrothomas189

Жыл бұрын

I bet they never thought that the country they were fighting for would be a global warmonger force not unlike the people they were fighting.

@briandonovan7368

Жыл бұрын

Agreed fck blm!

@basamortua8791

Жыл бұрын

You have no idea what the hell you’re talking about, there’s no rampant disrespect for WWII veterans, the disrespect comes from the VA and the republicans that vote against policies like the burn pit bill. Get out of here with your nonsense.

@Hunter_Nebid

6 ай бұрын

​@@neuroticnastrothomas189.... Or that their grandkids would be ungrateful, uneducated, screaming brats who don't deserve to live here!

A wonderful human being. Thank you

What the...??? An American soldier fought the Germans single handed & survived!!! Then the Russians for months!!! Then the American Army!!! Then the European civilization!!! Good gawd!!! Bless this soldier!!!

What an incredible story everyone should read this ! Thank you Charles Dukes

If any generation could live forever and spread knowledge to the world it would be this one.

This man was a great hero thank you for this interview

Thank you sir for serving .

Fascinating story! It's a damn shame the way the US Army and Navy treated him, To be shackled and chained by the US Army after spending time as a POW and then having to escape Russian captivity to find his way back to the American lines. The outrage that man must have felt. Who wouldn't loose their mind? Going AWOL was the smartest and most effective psychological treatment he wouldn't have received anywhere else. Bless his soul.

@JefferyAshmore

8 ай бұрын

Thank God he got away from Russians many did not.

great interview!

Thank you for sharing the incredibly hard details to recount. It is hard for me a soft boy born in the 50’s whom has never been in the service to imagine the conditions of combat/ captivity. It is because of these great men that we can be safe and soft, all over the world.

I feel very proud of all veterans of WW2. My grandfather and great uncle both participated in the war and my great uncle told me that all veterans of WW2 were men who really love the country and that most of them enlisted voluntarily after Japan bombed Pearl Harbor. My great uncle told me that we all should feel proud of all WW2 veterans for they were just young kids when they left and many never returned. He always felt guilty he survived the war and told me that he did not know how he survived the war. My great uncle died in 2001.

My heart breaks everyday knowing these great heroes are passing. The Greatest Generation.❤ 🇺🇸

Amazing story! Thank you.

I so appreciate your story. First class man.

Thank you Sir, God bless you all...

What an amazing life story. Just ordered the book .

What a good man!!!! Another example of the greatest generation

I'm very interested in your story thank you for sharing it

This man went through hell, and was able to adapt to this hell, and that's what peacetime people call crazy. But, it's a miracle he maintained enough to adapt back to civilization, and live with people and marry, while having to live with the haunting memories. Thank you, Charles Dukes for your service. You are a better man than me. @4:40 - High altitude- I remember getting off the airplane in Colorado Springs and reporting to Fort Carson. If I walked across the street, I was winded. After a few days, it got more normal. I don't know how the lungs adapt to high altitude, but they do. I do not know how athletes fly to Denver, which is about as high in altitude, and exert themselves in that rarefied air. I think training at 5,000 feet is an advantage, and visiting 5,000 feet is a disadvantage.

im 11 years old and watched the video to the end i wish he came to my school

@babyboomer2670

6 жыл бұрын

Jake Holt why do you have to state your age? I am actually interest to why, because i cant think of a reason too.

@benom286

6 жыл бұрын

I'm guessing its because the newer generation wouldn't bother to learn about ww2

@benom286

6 жыл бұрын

make that any other war

What a amazing story God bless RIP thank you

Thanks from my ❤

AMAZING MAN!!!

"Salvation Army was free" donate to the Salvation Army not the Red Cross..

@scottfreeman727

5 жыл бұрын

user user Great uncle stout came back from WWI completely shaved because of the lice with a hate for the red cross who would NOT come near the trenches and an undying LOVE for the Salvation Army who brought coffee donuts cigarettes to the trenches-i believe that this is the Stout that lived by himself in the woods-to this day i share this story with the bell ringers-GOD BLESS THE SALVATION ARMY and those who serve those who serve those who serve!

@lowercase21

3 жыл бұрын

Look up what the red cross really does to donated clothes, theres a video on youtube that follows the donated clothes all the way to Africa where they are sold for profit! They actually make money off of really nice clothes and it really hurts African clothing/weaving factories its cold blooded and heart breaking.

@bearsmith3655

3 жыл бұрын

To the day my Grandfather died he would only donate the the Salvation Army. He was an Engineer in WW2 and always told me about the Red Cross charging GI’s for donuts. Salvation Army gave them away free.

@lowercase21

3 жыл бұрын

@@bearsmith3655 God bless your Grandfather he's a hero! And I love the salvation army my dad use to work for them he was a pick up driver for about 7 years. we were pretty poor back then so I would have to eat breakfast and dinner there sometimes.

@bearsmith3655

3 жыл бұрын

@@lowercase21 - Thanks so much for the kind words. Thank you for sharing this story- very interesting.

Absolutely an incredible story - Hollywood oughta take note of this man and make a movie ~

Bless you sir and thanks for saving the free world ! !❤❤❤❤❤❤❤

Thank you

Years ago I was in a waiting room and an older gentleman and I struck up a conversation. He was old enough to be my grandfather. We exchanged small talk and he started to talk about his service in WW2. We spoke for 30 mins or more and he shared his unrelenting grief of 65 years with me while I listened. The man was in tears and his hands shook as he talked about his service and the men he had left behind. This man was the co-pilot of a B-17 in the Eighth Army Air Corp. I remember the story as if it were told yesterday however there is no way that I can relate it with the emotion that he did. He didn't speak about pride and victory he spoke of terror and anguish. The terror of mission after mission and of returning to base against all odds many times barely able to have escaped death while his fellow airmen were killed and maimed. He survived without a scratch on his body but terrible wounds to his heart and mind. As I was comforting and assuring him that he served his country and his men with honor his wife walked in, he abruptly stopped talking, his demeanor changed and he quickly composed himself. Books and movies can not convey what combat veterans and the medical staff that supported them went through on an emotional level. I cannot even begin to comprehend what Mr. Dukes went through and his ability to overcome such devastating physical and psychological trauma.

@counciousstream

Жыл бұрын

If anyone is interested Mr. Dukes' book is available on Amazon.

My uncles and grandpa were apart of the first marine division on D-Day pacific.

Could have asked questions for hours to this hero.

Fantastic fellow! What else can one say.

I live in urbana ill. This is one amazing man. And there is many many more like him

This is an incredible story

Charles Dukes passed on June 15, 2021

Its sad how someone like Mr. Dukes, who paid such a terrible price, slipped through the cracks of the story of WWII. It is one we should all honor and remember. No one knows their fate when serving their country. He did his duty and persevered in a world of insanity. God bless this man.

As former navy wish I could hug this guy 81 to 85 real USA went hand to hand wow says I just got nicked GOD bless him will go to heaven saved me from bigger hell THANK U SIR

This guy went to the same university where I live by. That's so cool.

G0D bless you and I will pray for your complete healing (mental & physical). U.S. Army Vet. 82nd Abn.Div., Non-combat , 2 yr. Draftee, Feb1968 thru Jan1970. E4 A.Munguia.

9:00 I nearly fell off my chair at that cough goddamnit

Wonderful to know such great men exist! God bless you.

True American hero and patriot. God bless him and all those who fought.

What an incredible memory.

We all one day be badasses but we will never be Charles Dukes level of badass!

I wish i was 10% as strong as this man what a true hero.

Bless you brother,, ive had the same thing since Vietnam..

God bless this man.

Charlie Dukes had one Heck of a RUN passing away in 2017 at the Ripe Age of 98 . Charlie had more Balls than 99.9 percent of all men today . Thank You for you servixe and RIP 🙏

You had a wild time of bad things happen ing to you but thanks for your surface. My dad was navy served on the phaon arb 3 he wouldn't talk about what happened or what he saw he had his problems after he came back. He was the only kid in his neighborhood that came home

These WW2 memories are important.

Did I understand correctly, where he said as many as 20k Russian P.O.W.'s were American that never came back ?

@bearsmith3655

3 жыл бұрын

Russians took 20K American POW’s sent to Russia after capture by Russian Army.

Not to be disrespectful of this man for his service but he spins a good yarn

Infantry does suffer terrible casualties. It's the same to this day. Welcome home, and thank you.

War is a nasty business. This brother is a survivor.😢

Truly the Greatest generation.

He mentioned his sergeant was still alive in this video, did anyone go back and interview him?

The most important factor is Charles Dukes perspective on situations. Notice how he said how he would walk home from work. 31:20 Its spiritual reckoning

God bless our veterans !❤

What a spirfire! The kind of guy that would give you the shirt off his back if you needed it or rip your head off if you needed it. What resilience! The human mind can adapt.

Seems like if you are locked in a prisoner of war camp, the first thing you that should happen when you get out they should give you months of back pay and accumulated leave. He should never have had to go AWOL.

When he said kids aren’t as interested today, man I wish he could’ve met me or I could’ve had him come into my class

Mr.Dukes made a slight error.Upon recovering from being blown from the russian tank the second chap he named was from my regiment The 15th/19th The Kings Royal Hussars. God bless you Mr.Dukes.Merebimur

What a man.

poor kid with his tongue frozen to the metal in the train could have been saved with something as simple as wetting your finger with your tongue and putting the wetness on his tongue and it detaches from the metal without ripping it. Then it wouldnt have swollen up.

Man ...wtf ...pure hell for them p.o.ws terrible they can never be thanked enough

You casually dropped your last bomb... We left 20,000 Americans to the Russians?

I have listened to about 4 of his interviews that I've managed to find on KZread the details seem to change with each interview I'm not saying it didn't happen... but in one story it's a Russian tank with a blonde female another time it's a Polish tank etc

This dude should be in history books. That’s true about American soldiers going to Russia.

@JefferyAshmore

8 ай бұрын

Yes and never got them back, boris yeltsen admitted that he had usa prisoners from ww2, Korea, Vietnam. Our politicians told him he was mistaken instead of getting them back. Ronald Regan and George Bush may they rot with the devil.

Soft times have produced soft men. Hard times are definitely coming and real men like this will be seen as the necessity that they truly are again.

Thumbs down? Thumbs down?! Should have to register to comment at all......

His story, should be a movie, it's like forest Gump 😁, for F sake, he's a prisoner of war for the Germans, prisoner of war for the Russians and dam he was a prisoner short lived for the Americans, this hero can't get a break,

Fascinating, loved hearing him. The Hitler Youth really must have been miserable little bastards, every vet that talks about their interactions with them has a story about something crappy they did.

Name of BOOK?? Dammit

@baronedipiemonte3990

Жыл бұрын

The title is "Good Morning, but the nightmares never end" . This is my second attempt to leave this. yt deleted it

I need the book

Said the German’s were looking to capture his division because they used “Timberwolf” uniforms as spies in the Battle of the Bulge. Also fits with the German solder who pulled him aside and told him in perfect English that he was born in the USA - since we know they Germans used those people to wear US Uniforms in the Battle of the Bulge. It probably also explains why the Germans sent them to a special POW camp. They didn’t want it to get out that these guys uniforms were taken. Couldn’t find his book on Amazon.