Vietnam Special Forces to Secret Service | Mike Drop Episode 230

Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Society & Culture, Documentary, Politics, News

4.9 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 10 March 2025

⏱️ 220 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

As the youngest Special Forces Captain in Vietnam, Bill 'Hawk' Albracht faced overwhelming odds at Firebase Kate, leading a daring escape after five brutal days under siege. His incredible leadership and courage in the jungle are legendary, and his story is immortalized in his memoir, "Abandoned in Hell: The Fight for Vietnam's Firebase Kate." After his time in combat, Bill served 25 years as a U.S. Secret Service Agent, protecting multiple U.S. Presidents and navigating the high-stakes world of national security. In this episode, we dive deep into the intense battle at Firebase Kate and the brutal realities of jungle warfare, Bill's transition from Green Beret to the Secret Service and first-hand stories of protecting U.S. Presidents. Don’t miss this incredible conversation about survival, leadership, and service. Like + Subscribe to the Mike Drop Podcast to Support the Show & Guests at http://youtube.com/@MikeRitland?sub_confirmation=1 Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop #VietnamWar #SpecialForces #FirebaseKate #SecretService #MilitaryHistory ---------- Support Captain Bill 'Hawk' Albracht - Get Your Copy of Bill's Book 'Abandoned in Hell: The Fight For Vietnam's Firebase Kate' at https://www.amazon.com/Abandoned-Hell-Fight-Vietnams-Firebase/dp/0451468090 Website - https://www.captain-hawk.com/ ---------- Sponsors: C. Crane When the internet goes dark, radio still works! Order Your C. Crane CC Skywave SSB 2 today when you call C. Crane's U.S. based Customer Service at 800-522-8863 or visit https://ccrane.com/drop and use code DROP at checkout for 10% off orders over $75! ---------- BUBS Naturals The BUBS namesake derives from Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty, who was heroically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around the passionate and adventure seeking life that Glen lived. BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life. Our mission is simple. FEEL GREAT. DO GOOD. 10% always goes back to charity, helping military men and women transition back into civilian life. Go to https://www.bubsnaturals.com/mike and use code MIKE for 20% off your order. ---------- TEAM DOG FOOD, TREATS & SUPPLEMENTS Be Your Dog’s Hero: Veteran-owned by a former Navy SEAL and Special Operations K9 Trainer, Team Dog provides a complete diet of science-backed premium dog food, treats, and supplements to optimize your dog’s health, forged from rigorous standards and real-world expertise. https://www.teamdog.shop TEAM DOG ONLINE TRAINING Mike Ritland – a former Navy SEAL & Special Operations K9 trainer – shares his simple and effective dog training program to build trust and control with your dog. Based on Mike’s bestselling book “Team Dog, Train the Navy SEAL Way”, join tens of thousands of families that successfully trained their way to a better dog. https://www.teamdog.pet SHOP ALL THE MIKE RITLAND BRANDS Get all your Mike Ritland branded gear - Mike Drop | Trikos | Team Dog https://shop.mikeritland.com Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:26.5	cumulus. Exclusions apply. See site for details. What was that like when you first got there,
0:33.0	smelling everything, seeing everything, you've been wanting to go there for several years now.
0:36.7	You find yourself boots on the ground, what's going through your head.
0:39.3	So 28 October,
0:41.3	1969, at about 3 p.m., I arrive on Firebase Cape.
0:45.3	1130, Hall Hell Pro Clues.
0:48.3	Wow.
0:49.3	I'm up, boots on, which never came off again.
0:52.3	And there's no ambient light.
0:57.1	It's as dark as you could ever possibly think it could be dark.
0:59.5	And then boom, boom, boom, boom, bang, bang.
1:01.5	And I'm up there, and here they come.
1:06.1	And I can actually see them coming down off that hill in a dead run.
1:11.6	It rained, fired, steel, and we took a lot of casualties.
1:16.8	So they had about five to six thousand minutes, and we had about 150.
1:19.5	Wow.
1:20.2	I said, all right, gentlemen, we have three options.
	...

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