Episode One embedded below…
In Episode 2 of Reconnaissance Man, we follow James "Jim" Steele through two of the defining crises of the 1960s: the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Dominican Civil War. These were moments that pushed the world to the brink of nuclear conflict and reshaped America's role in the Western Hemisphere, all while helping forge the future of Marine reconnaissance.
During the Cuban Missile Crisis, a young Lieutenant Steele refused to accept secondhand information. Driven by curiosity and a determination to understand the situation for himself, he undertook an unauthorized journey to Guantanamo Bay, where he witnessed firsthand the reality of America's preparations during one of the most dangerous moments in modern history. It was a decision that could have ended his career before it truly began.
Just a few years later, Steele found himself in the Dominican Republic as the United States launched Operation Power Pack. Serving as both a reconnaissance Marine and an aerial observer, he helped locate enemy positions, direct fires, and support U.S. and allied forces during a conflict that remains largely forgotten despite its significance during the Cold War.
Beyond the combat, Episode 2 also explores Steele's evolving perspective on leadership, poverty, and the human cost of conflict. His reflections reveal a Marine who was equally driven by service and curiosity, constantly questioning how military power could be used in pursuit of something greater.
Reconnaissance Man is more than the story of one Marine. It is the story of reconnaissance itself, told through the career of one of its pioneers.
In this episode:
The Cuban Missile Crisis from a Marine's perspective
James Steele's unauthorized mission to Guantanamo Bay
The reality of Cold War military readiness
The Dominican Civil War and Operation Power Pack
Aerial reconnaissance and directing fires in combat
Leadership lessons forged during the Cold War
The evolution of Marine reconnaissance
If you enjoyed Episode 1 (embedded below), Episode 2 expands the story into some of the Cold War's most consequential events and continues the remarkable career of one of Marine Recon's early pioneers.
Created by investigative journalist Ashly McGlone in collaboration with the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation (MRF), and visually brought to life by Combat Story, Reconnaissance Man is a nine-part limited series following Steele’s extraordinary 30-year military career through Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond.
🎙️ Guest — James Lyle Steele
James Lyle Steele is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel whose 30-year career carried him through Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond. A member of the original generation of Marine reconnaissance men, Steele’s story offers a rare firsthand look at war, survival, and service across decades of American military history.
Ashly McGlone is an investigative journalist and the creator of Reconnaissance Man. As Steele’s granddaughter, she pairs reporting, narration, and historical context with family connection to bring his extraordinary story to life with depth and care.
Reconnaissance Man | Vietnam Before the War
Before Vietnam became the war America remembers, James Lyle Steele was already in it.
He was part of the original generation of Marine reconnaissance men, operating at the leading edge of a conflict that was still taking shape and already turning brutal. Poisoned bamboo. Booby traps. Hidden tunnels. Ambushes. Helicopter assaults. Men blown apart. The kind of war that did not care how prepared you thought you were.
This episode is not a broad history of Vietnam. It is a firsthand account from a man who saw the war before most Americans even understood it had begun. Steele takes you into the uncertainty, the ingenuity of the enemy, and the constant reality that one wrong step could be your last.
Created by investigative journalist Ashly McGlone in collaboration with the Marine Reconnaissance Foundation (MRF), and visually brought to life by Combat Story, Reconnaissance Man is a nine-part limited series following Steele’s extraordinary 30-year military career through Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond.
🎙️ Guest — James Lyle Steele
James Lyle Steele is a retired U.S. Marine Corps Lieutenant Colonel whose 30-year career carried him through Vietnam, the Cold War, and beyond. A member of the original generation of Marine reconnaissance men, Steele’s story offers a rare firsthand look at war, survival, and service across decades of American military history.
Ashly McGlone is an investigative journalist and the creator of Reconnaissance Man. As Steele’s granddaughter, she pairs reporting, narration, and historical context with family connection to bring his extraordinary story to life with depth and care.
