"The Final Flight of Captain Forrester"
Storytelling CATEGORY — SHOWCASE silver award
Texas Monthly
Josh Alvarez, Mark Warren, Brian Standefer, Patrick Michels, Ella Kopeikin
05/23/2025
The Final Flight of Captain Forrester is a five-part podcast series that explores the uniquely painful journey experienced by veteran families whose loved ones never come home. The story centers on Ron Forrester, a Marine captain who went missing in 1972 during the Vietnam War, and his daughter, Karoni, who never gave up looking for him. Through interviews with Karoni, other family members, and a vast network of volunteers dedicated to filling gaps left by the U.S. Department of Defense, the podcast explores just how far a family will go to find answers—and just how long they must wait for resolution.
Host Josh Alvarez spent a year reporting this story, traveling to Utah; Hawaii; Washington, D.C.; and Vietnam for answers. While the series artfully explores the experiences of many family members of soldiers missing in action, it also thoughtfully reflects on the legacy of the Vietnam War from both sides of the conflict. Recognized for two Signal Awards in the categories of History and Music & Score, the production brings the journey to life with historical recordings, an original soundtrack, and field interviews that transport the listener to intimate scenes—from the back seat in a caravan at Ron Forrester’s funeral to the living room of a veteran in the Vietnamese village of An Thủy.
We are submitting the first and fourth episodes for consideration, which demonstrate the ambitious reporting scope of the production: the experts consulted, the distance traveled, the time invested, and the perspectives considered to tell the full story.
LINK to main content online
Links to online episodes:
Submitted by Josh Alvarez.