By Elizabeth Gresosky
Podcaster and veteran Shawn Ryan, who has aired extremely popular interviews with figures like Fr. Chad Ripperger and Cardinal Raymond Burke, welcomed the last living Marine Raider from World War II onto his program recently.
The episode features 101-year old Sergeant Frank S. Wright who enlisted in the military at just 16 years old following the attack on Pearl Harbor. After initially being rejected due to low weight and age, his aunt helped him fill out a delayed birth certificate, and he stuffed five pounds of bananas into his shirt to make weight.
According to Ryan’s biography of the Marine, Wright “served with the 4th Marine Raiders and fought in major Pacific campaigns including Guadalcanal, New Georgia, Guam, and Iwo Jima, where he was wounded in combat.”
“He later served as a Marine Corps drill instructor and was promoted to Sergeant in 2025 in recognition of his lifelong service and commitment to the Marine Corps.”
Wright was wounded multiple times in combat and was awarded a Purple Heart along with many other medals and honors. His 74-year marriage resulted in many children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Here’s the OFFICIAL PREVIEW with my next guest, 101-year-old WWII Marine Raider Frank Wright. Honored to hear his story firsthand. Frank Wright is a World War II Marine veteran who enlisted at just 16 following the attack on Pearl Harbor and went on to serve with the 4th Marine Raider Battalion, one of the Marine Corps’ earliest special operations units. Wright recounts training under President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s son, James Roosevelt, and fighting across the Pacific, from Guadalcanal to Iwo Jima. From surviving a bayonet attack to witnessing the horrors of combat, Wright shares the brutal realities of war, the lives lost, and the memories that have stayed with him for more than 80 years. “When Roosevelt came in contact with the 4th Marine Raiders, the first word he said, kill. That’s what I want you to remember. Kill. We were taught to kill. We’re not here to defend anything else but kill. And he says, and I’ll train you to make sure that you do that. Run down and throw hand grenades into the windows and kill everything that was in there. God, that was terrible.”
— Shawn Ryan (@ShawnRyan762) October 13, 2026
“Most importantly,” said Ryan as he introduced Wright to the audience, “you’re a Christian.”
Wright has also authored the books Battles of the Pacific: World War II: My Personal War Causing PTSD and Iwo Jima: My Twelve Days in Hell – A Memoir.
When Ryan closed the interview, he asked Wright if he had a message for any Marines seeking help.
“Seek help,” Wright said. “Ask someone…tell someone and let them know what you feel and how you feel.”
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