We welcome Naval officer, diplomat, strategist and author Tom Duffy for a conversation about a largely forgotten Cold War–era naval campaign: Operation Earnest Will.

During the final years of the Iran–Iraq War, the Persian Gulf became the scene of a dangerous maritime struggle known as the “Tanker War.” Iran and Iraq attacked oil tankers to cripple each other’s economies and pressure international shipping. In response, the United States launched Operation Earnest Will—the largest naval convoy operation since World War II—escorting Kuwaiti oil tankers through hostile waters and confronting Iranian threats at sea.

The mission began when Kuwaiti tankers were re-flagged under the U.S. flag so they could legally sail under American naval protection. U.S. warships then escorted the tankers through the Gulf while surveillance aircraft, helicopters, and special operations forces hunted for mines and small-boat attackers.

The danger became clear immediately. On the very first escort mission, the reflagged tanker Bridgeton struck an Iranian mine in the Gulf—an early reminder that even a powerful navy could not fully control the narrow and volatile waters of the Persian Gulf. Over the next fourteen months, dozens of U.S. warships rotated through the region while Navy SEALs, special operations aviators, and patrol boat crews conducted night operations to stop Iranian mining and harassment of shipping.

In his book Tanker War in the Gulf, Duffy draws on his experience as a U.S. Navy officer who participated in the operation and later as a Foreign Service officer stationed across the Middle East. He reconstructs the tense months when American warships escorted vulnerable tankers through minefields, missile threats, and political uncertainty—while trying to prevent a regional war from spiraling into a superpower confrontation.

The story includes dramatic moments such as the USS Stark incident, the shadow presence of Soviet naval forces monitoring U.S. movements, and retaliatory clashes between U.S. and Iranian forces that nearly escalated into a wider war.

Though often overlooked in American military history, Operation Earnest Will marked the first sustained U.S. military confrontation with Iran—a precursor to tensions that continue today. The operation also offers timely lessons about limited warfare, maritime security, and the strategic importance of protecting global energy routes—issues that echo in today’s crises in the Red Sea and across the wider Middle East.

Duffy will also reflect on his unusual career path—from naval officer to U.S. diplomat—including postings in Bogotá during the Pablo Escobar era, Saudi Arabia during the early al-Qaeda bombings, and Baghdad during the turbulent early years of the Iraq War. His stories offer a rare view of how military operations, diplomacy, and global politics intersect in real time.

Join us for a fascinating discussion about a little-known naval campaign that still shapes how the United States uses sea power today—and hear firsthand how history, strategy, and lived experience come together in one remarkable career.

VBC Greatest Generation Live invites children, grandchildren, siblings, and other family members of World War II veterans to join us for a special Open Conversation about the war’s lasting impact on families.

Many of us grew up with a parent, grandparent, brother, sister, aunt, uncle, or other relative who served during World War II. Some shared their stories freely. Others rarely spoke about their experiences. Yet whether we heard detailed accounts or only fragments and hints, the war often left a lasting imprint on family life.

During this conversation, we’ll share family stories and memories while exploring larger questions: How did World War II shape your family? What lessons, values, attitudes, or traditions were passed down from those who lived through it? How has knowing someone who served influenced your understanding of the war, history, patriotism, sacrifice, or military service? What was gained—and what may have been lost—as the generation that experienced the war firsthand has passed from the scene?

We also welcome reflections from younger generations who inherited stories, photographs, letters, artifacts, and family lore. How do these personal connections affect the way you see World War II today? How do they differ from the way the war is understood by those with no direct family connection to it?

Join us for an evening of remembrance, reflection, and conversation as we explore not only what World War II meant to those who fought and served, but what it continues to mean to the families who carry their stories forward.

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for an open and wide-ranging virtual conversation about the military experience, past and present. We believe every veteran has a story to tell and wisdom to share.

This event is a chance to listen, learn, and connect with others who understand the unique bonds and challenges of military service. If you have something on your mind—whether a personal memory, a question, or a topic you think deserves attention—we encourage you to bring it to the conversation. Veterans are also invited to email Shaun Hall at shaun@veteransbreakfastclub.org with any specific topics or issues they’d like to discuss.

The Veterans Breakfast Club’s mission is to create communities of listening around veterans and their stories, and our Open Conversations are one of the most dynamic ways we do that. These sessions are often wide-ranging, emotional, funny, and thought-provoking, providing a welcoming space where everyone’s voice is valued.

This event is free and open to all. To join the conversation live on Zoom, please use this link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/6402618738.

Or tune in on Facebook or YouTube at 7:00pm ET. Whether you have something to share or simply want to listen and learn, we welcome you to be part of the conversation!

During the Vietnam War, amid the chaos of Saigon in 1968, a young American actor made an unusual decision. Rather than serve in the U.S. military, 24-year-old Pittsburgh native Richard Hughes traveled to Vietnam on his own, determined to find some way to help civilians caught in the conflict.

What he encountered were homeless street children—boys who survived by shining shoes for American GIs, sleeping in parks and alleys, and regularly being swept up by police. The Vietnamese called them bụi đời—“dust of life.” Hughes rented a modest apartment on Pham Ngu Lao Street and began offering the boys a place to sleep, shower, and eat. What started with eleven children soon grew into something far larger.

Over the next eight years, the Shoeshine Boys Project evolved into a Vietnamese-run network of homes in Saigon and Da Nang that provided shelter, schooling, and job training for hundreds of homeless children. By the end of the war in 1975, the project included eight homes, two farms, and a technical training center serving roughly 300 children at a time. Between 1968 and 1976, an estimated 1,500–2,000 boys and girls passed through the program.

The effort was remarkable not only for its scale but for its spirit. Hughes worked closely with Vietnamese students, teachers, and community leaders who ultimately took charge of the homes and helped return many children to their families and villages. Despite the upheaval of war and its aftermath, the project became one of the few successful Vietnamese-managed, foreign-funded humanitarian initiatives of the era.

Hughes remained in Vietnam for more than a year after the fall of Saigon, finally leaving in August 1976—likely among the last Americans to depart. In the decades since, he has continued to advocate for Vietnamese friends and colleagues, including a successful campaign in the 1990s to secure the release of two former project associates imprisoned in Vietnam. He has also remained involved in efforts to address the lingering human consequences of the war, including work related to Agent Orange.

Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for a special conversation with Dick Hughes as he reflects on the Shoeshine Boys Project, the children and Vietnamese colleagues who made it possible, and the complicated legacy of the Vietnam War. His story offers a rare civilian perspective from inside wartime Saigon—and a reminder that even in the midst of conflict, acts of compassion and solidarity can take root in unexpected ways.

As always, we welcome questions and reflections from veterans and others who served in or remember the Vietnam era.