Dearest Suzie

About Dearest Suzie

Welcome to Dearest Suzie, a podcast and photo series that brings to life the personal letters, diary entries, and photographs of U.S. Army helicopter pilot William “Bill” Lowie during his service in the Vietnam War. In this introductory episode, host Alexander Lowie—Bill’s grandson and an anthropologist—sets the stage for a journey through family history and wartime memories. With the 60th anniversary of the Vietnam War approaching, Alexander will share Bill’s experiences in a unique “on this day in history” format, pairing each diary entry or letter with a corresponding photograph. These materials offer a deeply personal glimpse into the war, with over 100 letters to his wife, Susan (“Suzie”), and more than 500 photos captured during his deployment. More than just a historical archive, Dearest Suzie is about discovery, reflection, and connection. Whether you’re interested in military history, personal stories, or exploring your own family’s past, this podcast encourages you to listen, learn, and share your own stories. Join us as we uncover Bill’s memories, one letter at a time.

Publisher

Alexander Lowie

Category

education · history · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

Yes

First episode

1 Oct 2024

Latest episode

31 Aug 2025

Latest episodes

138 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   31 Aug 2025

   All Episodes, August 1965

   In this episode of Dearest Suzie, we reach the final stretch of Popi’s tour. August 1965 was a month of counting days, packing bags, and fighting nerves. Stationed in Da Nang, Popi spent most of the month in limbo, flying only a handful of missions while waiting on official word of his return home. His letters are full of restlessness, doubt, and fatigue, but also humor, tenderness, and hope. He checks on Suzie, gives instructions for back pay and savings bonds, and dreams aloud about being a husband and father again. Popi's voice shifts this month. His tone softens. The war becomes more memory than menace, and his words begin to reach not just across the Pacific, but into the future. At one point, he tells Suzie he’ll probably never be able to explain what it was like in Vietnam. In a way, that’s what the letters have done for him, and for all of us. This episode marks the final entry in his year of writing from Vietnam. Additionally, I write my own letters, reflecting on my time working on this project and my visit to see Popi, at the Florida National Cemetery. I end the show with my own letter to Suzie, better known as Mema. Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ (https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/) X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod (https://x.com/DearestSuziePod) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast (https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast) 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com) — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #LettersHome #DaNang1965 #InheritTheStories #HelicopterPilot #VietnamLetters #MilitaryHistory #FamilyHistory #DearestSuzie #MemoryAndMyth #FinalTour #ComingHome #August1965 #CountdownToHome

2. 

   26 Aug 2025

   Episode 122: Dearest Suzie Finale

   In this episode of Dearest Suzie, I write not just about Popi’s time in Vietnam, but about everything that’s come after. Sixty years after his letters home, I’m the same age he was in 1965 and I took the time to write him a letter of my own, describing my experiences working on this show. This isn’t a scripted history lesson or a dramatic retelling, it’s a conversation across time. I share what life’s been like since he passed, how much he’s missed, what I’ve learned from his words, and what it meant to help his voice live on through this podcast. Alongside that, I reflect on the meaning of legacy, family, and memory. I visit Popi’s grave at Florida National Cemetery, explore some newly uncovered VHS tapes from the 1980s, and speak directly to Mema, whose voice and resilience shaped every part of this story. This episode marks the end of Dearest Suzie, but it’s not a goodbye. It’s a "Thank You." For listening, for remembering, and for keeping the love alive. Thank you for allowing me to inherit this story. What’s Covered: A letter to Popi, 60 years after his own Visiting Florida National Cemetery The meaning behind coins on military graves Unearthed VHS tapes and old family footage A letter to Mema, and her fight against cancer Reflections on war, legacy, faith, and family 📷 Featured Photo: A photo of Mema and Popi decades ago, dressed for a military ball. 🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, please consider sharing the show with a friend or loved one. Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ (https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/) X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod (https://x.com/DearestSuziePod) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast (https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast) 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com) — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #LettersHome #FamilyHistory #OralHistory #InheritTheStories #FloridaNationalCemetery #MilitaryGraves #Legacy #Veterans #VietnamPodcast #Cardinals #MemoryAndMyth #DearestSuzie #Mema #Popi

3. 

   20 Aug 2025

   Episode 121: Undated | Looking to the Sky

   In this episode of Dearest Suzie, Popi writes an undated letter from Vietnam. Charlie, his mischievous monkey, has finally been locked up after stealing candy from a care package. His cage now sits just outside Popi’s hootch, becoming a regular attraction on base. But even this lighthearted story carries weight, about control, comfort, and how we try to make chaos manageable. The letter shifts unexpectedly when Popi recounts a serious cyclo accident that left his friend, Burke Badgett, unconscious and badly injured. The crash wasn’t war-related, just a freak moment—and yet it rattled Popi deeply. He thought Burke might be dead. This episode explores the unexpected dangers and quiet loneliness of war. Not every scare comes from battle. Some come from chance. Some from distance. And some from the aching quiet after looking at photos of the people you love. Popi ends this letter not with drama, but with honesty, missing home so much it hurts, learning just how deep his love for Suzie and the boys has grown over the last eight years. What’s Covered: Charlie’s candy theft and new cage placement The unplanned violence of a cyclo accident in town Burke Badgett’s injuries and Popi’s fear he had died The emotional weight of distance and memory How writing letters became a lifeline through loneliness 📷 Featured Photo: Charlie the monkey, perched confidently atop a helicopter, staring into the distance. Popi captured the moment, a symbol of mischief, companionship, and forward-looking hope, two copilots, both looking to the sky. 🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe! Follow Dearest Suzie on social media: YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1GwqPyO061k0iaQRKwfjoQ) Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/ (https://www.instagram.com/dearestsuziepodcast/) X: https://x.com/DearestSuziePod (https://x.com/DearestSuziePod) TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast (https://www.tiktok.com/@dearestsuziepodcast) 📧 Have a story to share or want to reach out? Email me at dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com (mailto:dearestsuziepodcast@gmail.com) — I’d love to hear from you! VietnamWar #HueyHelicopter #CharlieTheMonkey #MilitaryHistory #WarLetters #InheritTheStories #FamilyHistory #OralHistory #LookingToTheSky

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

125,150

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

1 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 75 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

99

Social presence

90

YouTube

82

Engagement

0

Contact Dearest Suzie

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.