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It’s the Depression and twenty-three-year-old-Dorothy Still is desperate for a job. She joins the US Navy as a nurse, and by 1941, she’s given a dream posting at an American base in the Philippines. Dorothy lives in a beautiful location, with easy work, and a thriving night life. But after the Japanese attack Pearl Harbor, the Philippines becomes Japan’s next target. Dorothy and eleven other Navy nurses find themselves in an active war zone, with a conquering army bearing down. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After Japan invades the Philippines, the twelve Navy nurses find themselves imprisoned at a military hospital turned P.O.W. camp. They make the best of it, continuing to tend to their patients, confident that the American military will quickly defeat Japan and liberate them. But as the weeks drag into months, with no rescue in sight, the nurses are transferred to another camp. They soon discover that their new home is led by a sadistic commandant who likes nothing more than to make his prisoners miserable.   Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Desperate to get away from the sadistic commandant in charge of their P.O.W. camp, the twelve Navy nurses, who call themselves the Twelve Anchors, agree to transfer to a new camp. It’s called Los Baños and it’s located deep in the jungle, 40 miles outside of Manilla. But when the nurses arrive, they realize this new camp has no medical supplies, not enough beds for prisoners to sleep on, not even running water. The nurses soon wonder if they made a grave mistake. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Conditions at the Los Baños camp are deteriorating. More and more prisoners have been transferred there, leading to overcrowding, and rations have been cut to under 1,000 calories per day. Prisoners are resorting to desperate acts to survive as they’re pushed to the physical and psychological brink. The nurses are also malnourished and struggling to care for their fellow prisoners. But the tide of the war has finally turned and an ambitious U.S. Army paratrooper named Henry Muller is developing a plan to liberate the camp. But first Muller has to get buy-in from his superiors for his risky plan. And if he doesn’t act fast, it may be too late to save anyone. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

The rations at the Los Baños P.O.W. camp are now down to just 400 calories per day. Every day, the nurses tend to patients who die from starvation. They don’t know how much longer they can hold on. Unbeknownst to them, Lieutenant Colonel Henry Muller of the U.S. Army launches his plan to liberate the camp. But it’s complex and dangerous, with many moving pieces. It’s very likely it could fail, leading to the death of his soldiers and the prisoners of Los Baños. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app.

On the evening of July 27, 1985, a group of friends decided to ignore gathering storm clouds and warnings as they climbed to the top of Yosemite’s famous Half Dome. Climbers Adrian Esteban and Tom Rice reached the summit first, soon joined by three others as a thunderstorm raged. They decided to shelter in a small cave-like enclosure — a decision that would prove deadly.  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the hikers slowly regain consciousness, they realize the worst has happened: they’ve been struck by lightning. By chance, a pair of EMTs finds their way to the summit in time to help. But they soon realize that if they don’t get the men off Half Dome and airlifted to a hospital fast, they won’t make it till morning.  Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In 2012, Chris Lemons had a bright future ahead, with a fiancee and a good job fixing oil infrastructure on the ocean floor. One night in September, he went to work on a pipe about 300 feet beneath the North Sea. But, an accident left him alone and cut off from his lifeline – with only a small emergency supply of oxygen. On this episode of In Their Own Words, Chris shares the story of surviving for about half an hour with nothing to breathe. Links: chrislemons.co.uk exploreyourdepths.com Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

The residents of Haines, Alaska are used to living alongside bears. The region surrounding their small town has one of the densest bear populations in the world. But as climate change curtails the bears’ natural food sources, encounters between bears and humans are becoming more common, putting everyone on edge.   Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

After Bart Pieciul is mauled by a bear in the Alaska wilderness, his friends have to use all of their outdoor knowledge to keep him alive. The three men are stranded in the mountains for hours, waiting for a Coast Guard helicopter to airlift Bart to the nearest hospital. As the temperature drops, they’re desperate to prevent their friend from succumbing to blood loss and hypothermia. And they have no idea if the bear that attacked him will return. Audible subscribers can listen to all episodes of Against the Odds ad-free right now. Join Audible today by downloading the Audible app. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In the 1800s millions of people moved to the American midwest, drawn by promises of cheap, fertile land. But they were caught unprepared in January 1888, when a cold front swept down from Canada and caused a brutal blizzard that left thousands of schoolchildren stranded in drafty, uninsulated schoolhouses. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

On January 12th, 1888, residents of the Dakota Territory and Nebraska woke to an unseasonably warm day. Farmers took advantage of the mild weather to tend to chores and children headed off to school in light jackets. But longtime residents like Sioux tribe member Charley Stabler recognized signs that a major blizzard was coming. As the storm hit, schoolteachers faced agonizing decisions over how to keep their students safe.  Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

As the blizzard raged, its winds blew up to 60 miles per hour. Those caught out in the storm faced white-out conditions. With few landmarks on the flat prairie, even residents who knew the area well found themselves disoriented. Children like Walter Allen and Lena Woebbecke became lost in the furious storm, desperately trying to make it to safety. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

By the morning of January 13th, 1888, the blizzard had passed, and a frantic search for survivors began. Farmer Johann Albrecht looked for his missing son, and Wilhelm Woebbecke hunted for his foster daughter Lena. Every search party knew they were racing against time to find survivors before they succumbed to hypothermia.  See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Early settlers to the Midwest were accustomed to harsh winters, but the blizzard that hit the Great Plains on January 12th, 1888 caught thousands of pioneer families off guard. The storm was especially brutal for children trying to find their way home from rural schoolhouses. Author David Laskin joins host Mike Corey to talk about how he pieced together the stories of the blizzard, and how the event lives on in the memory of their descendants. Laskin is the award-winning author of The Children’s Blizzard, and The Family. Be the first to know about Wondery’s newest podcasts, curated recommendations, and more! Sign up now at https://wondery.fm/wonderynewsletter Listen to Against The Odds on the Wondery App or wherever you get your podcasts. Experience all episodes ad-free and be the first to binge the newest season. Unlock exclusive early access by joining Wondery+ in the Wondery App, Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Start your free trial today by visiting http://wondery.com/links/against-the-odds/ now. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.