Henry Clay Conner recounts his harrowing escape from Japanese forces in the Philippines and subsequent 34-month survival in the jungle during WWII while battling tropical diseases and navigating complex political alliances.

• Escape from Bataan on April 9, 1942, as Japanese forces broke through American and Filipino defenses
• Climbing treacherous mountains and drinking contaminated water while suffering from malaria, dengue fever, and dysentery
• Finding shelter among supportive Filipino families who risked execution to hide American soldiers
• Close encounter with the communist Huk guerrillas who put Clay on "trial" before his daring escape with fellow Americans
• Evading a 300-strong Japanese force hunting them with a price on their heads
• Living among the Negrito people in remote jungle areas and adopting Filipino clothing and identity
• Learning Tagalog and other Filipino dialects to survive while navigating the complex political dynamics of occupation

If you enjoyed this episode of my grandfather's war story, join us for the next installment, where we'll continue exploring his remarkable journey of survival.

Jeff Mosley shares his 28-year journey as a Chick-fil-A operator, revealing how his path from ministry to marketplace leadership created a culture of care that transforms lives far beyond the restaurant industry.

• Transitioning from 15 years in ministry to finding purpose in business through Chick-fil-A
• Starting at a low-volume mall location and not writing a profit check for three years
• Managing teams of 100-120 employees across two locations with remarkably low turnover
• Creating benefits beyond paychecks: college tuition programs, financial literacy, and personal development
• Viewing fellow operators as partners rather than competitors through an abundance mindset
• Navigating COVID challenges with innovation while experiencing 28% business growth
• Learning from Truett Cathy's legacy and principles that built Chick-fil-A into America's third-largest restaurant company
• Empowering team members and fostering alignment with purpose as key leadership strategies
• Developing youth through mentorship and helping them find their calling
• Building leadership pipelines that have launched seven team members into becoming operators

"I tell you what, I can do it alone, but why would I want to? There's just something so powerful about engaging with others... When we're aligned as a market, my goodness, there's nothing we can't do together."

Henry Clay Conner, Jr. shares his extraordinary WWII experience from joining the 27th Bomb Group as a communications officer to becoming a guerrilla leader in the Japanese-occupied Philippines. His candid account reveals how unprepared American forces were for the reality of war in the Pacific and the cultural misunderstandings that led to tragedy.

• Born in Indianapolis on August 31, 1918 and graduated from Duke University in 1940
• Joined the Army Air Force in January 1941 with minimal training in communications
• Assigned to the 27th Bomb Group, the first complete bomb group sent overseas in US military history
• Stationed in the Philippines when Japanese forces attacked just hours after Pearl Harbor
• Received no cultural orientation about Japanese attitudes toward prisoners of war
• Heard President Roosevelt describe American forces in Bataan as "expendable"
• Chose to escape rather than surrender when Bataan fell on April 9, 1942
• Survived for 34 months behind enemy lines, leading guerrilla forces with Filipino support
• Witnessed firsthand how Japanese occupation forces mistreated Filipino civilians
• Credits Filipino loyalty and support for his survival throughout the occupation