De Oppresso Liber: How a Beret Became a Legend”

In 1953, a small group of Army officers started wearing an unauthorized piece of headgear in defiance of their own chain of command — and it eventually became one of the most recognized symbols in military history. This episode traces the Green Beret from its unlikely roots in WWII resistance fighting through JFK’s pivotal endorsement, and examines why elite units around the world have adopted the same emerald crown. It’s a story about identity, defiance, and what happens when a symbol outgrows the men who first wore it.