Jocko Podcast 37 w/ Vietnam Vet Navy SEAL Roger Hayden | War Stories 

My husband did 3 tours in Vietnam, Marine . He talks about helicopter tactics they developed. He’s 69 and still a badass.

I dreamed of becoming a SEAL since i was in 2nd grade now 31. At 17 I signed up with the NAVY DEP program and took the summer to train with a little bitty SEAL. 5'6" 160 MAX with fire red hair. This man was an ANIMAL! I was so honored to have him motivating me. His whole aura caused me to feel this sense of immortality. I started having aches in my feet. Doctors stated they were starting to deform. Some sort of defect that caused my toes to start spreading. Doctors told me i wouldn't walk by the age of 20 without surgery. That crushed me. I decided to have the reconstructive surgery on both feet at the same time to speed everything up. After 6mo of only upper body workouts i looked like an idiot lol. I went back to training and quickly started feeling that spark again! I'd love to tell you the rest of the story but that's a lot to type. Flashing to today...I did join the Military for 6yrs and deployed to Tikrit Iraq 2010-11. Thanks if you read it. :)

heroes never think they're heroes. that's part of being a hero.

I could sit for hours on end listening to the old heads war stories. My grandfather Richard 'Red' Morgan (r.i.p) used to sit us all down as kids and tell us war stories, man I miss those times so much. Thank you Mr. Hayden, Mr. Jocko, Mr. Echo. God Speed

Vietnam Vets are hardcore. 🇺🇸👊👍

"You know what I mean?" No sir, I'am a pussy listening to this at home lol. Much respect from Canada.

My uncle was a riverine. He did two tours in Vietnam. It makes me shed a tear listening to a seal talk the way he is about the riverboat guys. He ended with two Purple Hearts and lots of lost friends. He ended up needing transplants from agent orange and in 2012 went out when he wanted to. Never forget the bravery of these warriors.

Being Australian I love to hear legends like these guys talk about our troops in reverent tones.

“Did you know [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted], [redacted]?” “Oh yeah great guys!”

I had the honor of working with Roger in Dong Tam Vietnam. As a Seawolf pilot we supported his platoon led by J J Fletcher. I have photo of myself and Roger when we visited a village to gather intel because I was fluent in French.

The only time in the whole interview that Jocko shifts in his chair is when his idol Roger calls the Australian SASR the best he’s ever seen. Don’t be nervous Jocko. Hearing a SEAL legend call a foreign SOF LRRP that aren’t SEALs the best is good for the soul. Regards from Down Under.

There’s something heartwarming about seeing how Roger starts having fun talking at about the 15-20 min mark. 😭

40:10 high praise for my countryman right there. We’re lucky to have yanks as our allies. 🍺 cheers from Australia boys

My old man was a river rat in Vietnam 63-70 3 tours he was born at the naval academy in 43. Now resting at Arlington miss you pop's God Bless our Veterans.

My great uncle. Vance Bowers. Apart of one of the first UDT teams in Vietnam went into Saigon through the sewers with 12 men and only 2 came back. Him being one of them. The most badass man I've ever known. A world war 2 vet. A Korean vet. And a Vietnam vet.

saw a Joe Rogan episode with Jocko ...decided to come by and subscribe

TOTAL RESPECT. They literally went through Hell. Thank YOU BOTH for you service. My Dad got a Purple Heart over there....... 1rst Air Cav. Carried an M79 grenade launcher. Won't talk about what happened when he got hurt. Has shrapnel in over 60% of his body, STILL TO THIS DAY!!!! but still works his ass off everyday, Even though he's retired. Anybody that went through that should be given total respect, and again thank you for your service.

I love how Jocko usually has guys drinking out of water bottles, YETI cups, and energy drinks and this guy is so old school he drinks out of mason jar, Thanks for your service guys.

Someone needs to make a movie about this man.

Jocko & Echo PLEASE PLEASE,PLEASE, bring more ex-NAVY and current NAVY SEALS...The war stories brings me gousebumbs all the time...Great way to finish my day...Watched till the last second and i always will...Much love and respect from far Greece and a blue belt...Staying awake so i can watch the podcast..In Greece, it's 3:30am when the pod is up... #RespecttheVets #RespectTheGreatMaster #Osss

I love the way that his swearing fits naturally with his patterns of speech. Just fits easy.

Was waiting for a Vietnam vet episode, everything and more then what I expected. Great way to start my workday man.

“The cobras came in and hosed it down real good!” Lol

Couldn't stop listening to this man's story. Thank you Jocko for having Mr. Hayden on

Listen to Roger Hayden telling stories reminds me so much of listening to my Dad telling Vietnam stories when he was still alive. He was a US Marine who did three tours from 64-68. He took a bullet in the stomach in 68 and Agent Orange got him in the end.

Thank you so much for this interview. Did my heart good to hear this wonderful humble man. My Daddy was in Vietnam, now deceased. I wish I would have asked him more.

I'm kind of addicted to this podcast, I need more memory in my phone to continue downloading episodes. Keep up the great work guys!

Thanks Jocko for having this warrior on. Respect,as always!

These old-timers are so cool to talk too. Such interesting conversations.

Roger Hayden is one big tough frogman and a man among men. Thank you for your service. Jocko/Echo - thank you for sharing a few stories from this hero to the world.

This is a Vet that I am honored to be a Navy Vet with. My uncle was a riverboat guy use to tell me some wild stories. Thanks for sharing. Awesome person!!

That was a great interview guys, looking forward to part Two. Take care and be safe.

Thank you gentlemen for making my life happy and free.

I absolutely love how this great man relaxes through the interview. Such a Fantastic interview. Thank you!

I'm amazed at the quality this podcast keeps putting out.

It was an honor for me to watch this and listen to these men speak I wish I could meet them in person. Thank you both for your service and what you've done for this country.

This was interview GOLD! Loved it. Thank you Jocko for bringing Mr. Hayden on the podcast.

Another great podcast, i love how humble all the guests are considering the hell they all went through! I thank you all for your service, keep up the good work!

Much respect guys!! My first time watching or listening to this podcast and I think I picked a good one. Thanks for sharing and god bless!!

Thank you for letting us meet someone we never would have gotten to meet otherwise. It's men like Roger that put it all on the line for freedom. He is a real HERO, ALL GUTS AND CARING ABOUT HIS BROTHERS NOT LOOKING FOR REWARDS OR MEDALS, HE DESERVES ALL OF IT.

Dude seriously, how could you dislike this podcast? Like what makes someone hit the dislike button? I work a merchandising job and I have a long drive to work, so finding this podcast has been an actual gift. Got my discipline equals freedom banner coming in the mail!👍

I am continuously intrigued by Vietnam Vet's recap of events.

Great interview Jocko, guys like Roger are the true national treasures.

Thank you for letting these men tell their stories.

Great episode!!! Thanks Jocko and Echo!!

Thanks for your service. I have a few friends in the Australian SAS I enjoyed Rogers stories about them

Thank you for sharing Roger Hayden Jocko and EchoCharles

Can't thank you guys enough for your service. Really great listening to these great men talk about their work

Australian infantry units operated in the for sustained operation most of the time. This was to keep NVA and VC on the defensive and prevent them closing on allied bases. So they would be in the field at night and sometimes do night ambushes but would rarely moved at night. They were not well equipped for that. Australian soldiers did months of jungle training in Canungra, Queensland, as units before deploying to Vietnam. The AATV, Australian Army Training Team deployed with Vietnamese of Montagnard's for training and combat operations which were real force multipliers. The AATV won 4 Victoria crosses, 2 posthumously. They were often deployed to remote bases and often worked with US units running South Vietnamese forces. The SAS usually operated in long range missions, usually 4 men. They were mainly seeking intelligence. They could be deployed for weeks in the jungle. When a mission was completed they often laid an ambush before extraction. The SAS used stealth operations most of the time and moved very slowly. They avoided movement on tracks. They were trained to work at night. But usually they slept at night, in turns. They were very stealthy units. They could find NVA/VC bases and call in B-52s or other aircraft for bombing. They were the outer screen for allied bases. The regular ambushes put a number of NVA/VC units on the defensive. Sometimes RAR infantry units could deploy on offensive operations based on SAS intelligence to find likely targets. So Australians often spent nights in the jungle. Australian infantry used stealth and avoided tracks but not to the degree of the SAS. Stealthy operations also made NVA/VC very cautious and hampered their operations. Usually setting up ambushes at night. At one point over 7 000 Australians were deployed to Vietnam. 521 Australians died. 2 SAS. Australians had the advantage of jungle training in units before deployments. This included night operations training. Night time ambushes at night were common but movement at night was usually avoided. At the peak of operations Australians operated in many areas while leaving other units to protect the Phuoc Tuy province which was their area of operations. North of Saigon. During the 1968 Tet offensive Australian units deployed west of Saigon to block the enemy movements. This was some of the heaviest fighting that Australians did. This included Centurion tanks they proved vital in destroying VC bunker systems. Saving huge casualties of infantry. In New Guinea during WW2 the Australians used M3 Stuart tanks that played a major role in the battles of Buna and Gona where US and Australian units suffered heavy losses. But the Stuart tanks experience lead to Australian units using heavier tanks in jungle conditions. Mainly Matilda tanks modified for jungle operations. Australian Operations in South East Asia during WW2,and later operations in Malaya during the emergency prepared the Australian army for jungle warfare in Vietnam. Including operations with other Commonwealth forces including the British SAS. Australian operations in Iraq and Afghanistan lead to many soldiers having PTSD type symptoms. Suicides killed more Australians than the actual operations. The Australian, New Zealand and British SAS continued to use stealth tactics in Afghanistan with deep operations in hostile areas. The tittle for AATV was used for training Afghani and Iraqi soldiers. Australian army units also supported US airborne operations in New Guinea, Korea and Vietnam. Such as the US 173 Airborne. The first combined operation with US, British and US forces was the small but significant combined arms battle of Hamel, in France, $ July 1918. By this time of the war the Australians were very experienced and capable. The supporting US infantry was vital in supported depleted Australian infantry. The British supported the operation which included British manned tanks. The small battle was planned to last 90 minutes but all objectives were captured in 93 minutes. This battle was a clear example of how successful combined operation could capture German defences. The Australian General Monash commanded the operation and was highly decorated and knighted Order of the Bath. This may have been the first US operation supported by tanks. But Black US units were deployed earlier with French forces by then and may worked with French tanks in combat.

Notice how he described his childhood. Helped his dad who was a carpenter, helped break in horses and worked his grandparents farm. That stuff builds character and work ethic. Another reason why I hate to see kids spend their childhood playing video games and posting on Facebook. It matters.

Thank you, gentlemen. You men are a credit to yourselves, your families, and your country. Honor and respect to you all.

This is hands down the best interviews I have ever seen! EVER! Jacko, thanks brother for putting this guy on. Keep up the good work! Watching heroes like this just makes me so grateful to all of you guys who give so much to make this nation what it is. I can't even express how thankful I am that guys like you exist. God Bless you all!

How Jocko speaks, demands respect and for people to listen to him. I'm in awe. His mind set is out of this world. And Roger is a real life hero! Thank y'all for your service!

THANK YOU MEN FOR EVERYTHING YOU HAVE DONE TO KEEP US FREE!

What an amazing man . I could listen to him for hours.

Thank you for having this hero on your show. We Americans have lots of gratitude for all who served..especially this particular group of men. Blessings. s/.

one of the things I enjoyed the most with this video was the casual unconscious light swearing...real people talking real talk. the light hearted remembrance of serious times...the no BS casual conversation...BF Egypt 🤣🤣...I've not heard that in years lol...I could listen to these guys for a long time

This might have been one of the quickest hours that passed by in my life. Great stories. Thank you so much for sharing Mr. Hayden and thank you for your service, leadership and sacrifice.

Appreciate your service men. You guys pay a heavy price for people like me, even those of you that live. I’ll always be grateful.

REALLY COOL interview. Thanks so much!

By far one of my favorite podcasts, so much knowledge from such a wise, salt of the earth dude. I would love to sit and talk to this frogman for hours. Much respect, thank you sir.

Wish this was longer. Great podcast

This is incredible. Thank you for sharing his story!

Thank you for the great stories, the lessons, the morals and values passed down from warrior to warrior. This is a great show with truely inspirational people. Semper Fi!

Great podcast. I hope Roger is on again. Thank you

5 years later and I still watch this over and over again. The honor of these people is a unbelievable thing. I feel like I have been given something that I didn't earn for just listening to them. God bless you Sir Mr Hayden.

Thank you guys for serving, and as a civilian I do appreciate this show and the stories y'all share. Cheers

This is so great that Jocko is talking to these war heros and documenting their stories.

Cried thinking about that 1 man firing that .30 staying in the fight on his own. Even as a Former Marine I couldn’t imagine what these men went through in Vietnam.

Thanks Jocko get some more guys like Roger on what a great listen💪🏼

Mercy the knowledge I learned during this podcast was unreal. Thanks to all who have gone before us defending freedom.

Jocko, I really appreciate the amount of preparation that you put into each interview.

Great interview..., Rodger, you made Jocko giggle in happiness (a lot) during the interview. Who does that? You apparently. We all 'out here' bathed in your presence as well...thanks so much. Hope to listen to you again soon on this podcast.

Outstanding. Sea stories from Nam Marines fueled my fire as a young Marine back in the day. Semper Fi

Awesome podcast! Thank you for your service!

Awesome interview.this is a must have again guest.

The sheer volume of testosterone in that room changed weather patterns above the building.

Love how Roger Hayden refers to himself as, "one of the boys." Humble hero

I rode bareback! God bless Roger and all of our Nam vets! They never got the recognition they deserved! Thanks Jocko for giving these guys a voice...your amazing! Awesome!

Roger Hayden, outstanding. Last two podcasts stepped the game up. A conversation with Billy Waugh would make an incredible episode.

What an American bad ass 🇺🇸 !!! GOD BLESS YOU Roger , Such a great interview. He grew up just over the mountain ...kick ass

"There's nothing better than the platoon life" ... god damn Jocko 💪🏼

Jocko I love how you put a breakdown of the topics with the time in the description..But I listened to the whole podcast.

Exceptional as always. Thank you guys

High praise for the Aussie SAS

Love your work Roger Hayden! Thank You for your actions which are that of a hero to me. Would love more wisdom of your fun hard times!!!! Thank You Jocko and Echo may never have gotten those great stories. Bring him back is my vote.

two heavies! Grateful for this! Thanks Jocko.

thank you jocko for having mr hayden on. really liked his stories.

Absolute unsung heroes. These are the men who truly advance the cause of democracy and freedom. To hear a man such as SEAL Hayden is THE essential window into the truth and horrors of the Vietnam war. This glimpse into his experiences is an honor. Thank you SEAL Willink.

Reminds me of the old saying dont mistake nice for weak, amazing man.

I have so much respect and love for these guys...just a different breed and so cool...thank you Sir!

I sleep peacefully every night. Thank you Jocko and Roger et al

Excellent! Thank you fellas. Jon Lindsay BMCS/CWO USN (Ret)1965-87

A great interview, the Aussie sas had 500 kills and only lost one bloke, the way the American vets were treated was a disgrace, thank God it's way better now, any man whose taken the queen's shilling deserves our respect and gratitude.

Good stuff it's so cool to hear an old Viet Nam veteran warrior tell those stories, thanks Roger and Jocko for your service keep moving down range!!

Fantastic! Thanks for the one of the greatest interviews❗️

Great talk, thank you Mr Hayden!

Im a British Veteran, im not a Hero, I walked in the footsteps of Heroes like these two. Absolute Respect!!

ABSOLUTLEY FABULOUS PODCAST! Thanks for sharing Mr. Haydens' stories. All the respect in the world to the vets.

Guys you do an amazing job, greetings from Spain, keep up the good work