Welcome to Beyond the Call, where history, leadership, and heroism come alive. Today’s episode explores the remarkable story of Private Joe Gandara, a paratrooper of the 507th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, whose actions on June 9, 1944, in the French village of Amfreville, embody courage in its purest form. Under intense enemy fire that pinned his unit for hours, Gandara rose and advanced alone across open ground, destroying three German machine-gun positions before being fatally wounded. His decision to act saved lives and changed the course of that fight.

This episode is narrated directly from the full article, preserving every detail of Gandara’s story. For more military history and in-depth profiles of extraordinary service members, visit Trackpads.com.