Major Sven Olsen’s final assignment with the National Guard, Operation Safe Skies, involved bringing F16 fighter jets to Ukraine for EuroCup 2012, the country's first international event as a new sovereign state after separating from Russia. Strained U.S.-Russia relations and Russia's objection to Ukraine's independence fueled intense efforts to prevent the U.S. from delivering the jets. This emotional story comes full circle when Russia invades Ukraine, with Major Olsen’s wife’s family caught in the crosshairs.
Up Next in Patriot Plates Season 2
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S2E7-Joe Abodeely
Colonel Joe Abodeely, part of the 1st Cavalry Division in Vietnam, was among 15,000 troops dropped by helicopter on the outskirts of Khe Sanh to fight two North Vietnamese regiments. The Marines at Khe Sanh were pinned down, with the enemy sniping soldiers and cutting off supply lines to gain con...
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S2E8-Sam Baker
From the beaches of Okinawa to a top-secret B29 mission over the Atlantic, Captain Samuel Baker shares his remarkable story of service. After serving in WWII and landing at Okinawa, he had the opportunity to work for what is now known as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)....
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S2E9-Frank Palamara
WWII Veteran Ensign Frank Palamara joins the crew of the U.S.S. Little Rock and is in charge of catapulting planes off the back of the cruiser. On their first mission out at sea, they cross the equator, and Ensign Palamara has to go through a time-honored hazing tradition for all sailors who cros...
