Today is 6 June 2025; the 81st anniversary of the Normandy Invasion. Code named Overlord, it was faced with all kinds of security headaches. One general let slip the date the invasion was to take place. He was sent home after being busted down in rank to Lt. Col. A London newspaper printed several of the codewords as answers in their weekly crossword puzzle. However, through careful misdirection, the Allied High Command convinced Hitler that the invasion would come hundreds of miles away from the beaches of Normandy. So let’s look at what unfolded over 80 years ago.

Several years ago, there was a Nicholas Cage movie out about a group of men who had a dramatic impact on the course of the Pacific Theater during the second World War. Unfortunately, Windtalkers, focused on Nicholas Cage’s character, rather than on the actual heroes, the Navajo Code Talkers who deserved to be the central point of the film. Today, I will discuss some of the heroes of the Pacific Theater—the real “Code Talkers.”

In today’s episode, we’re diving into one of those stories…and to be honest, it sounds like it’s straight out of a Pixar movie—but as I said… it is real. Picture this: World War II, chaos everywhere, soldiers fighting for their lives, and in the middle of it all… a bear. Not just any bear, but a bear with a military rank, a paycheck, and a taste for beer and cigarettes. This is the story of Wojtek, the Syrian brown bear who became a soldier in the Polish Army. Hang onto your hats, because this one’s wild.