Sergeant First Class Diane Cole Phipps
From Operation Insight by The Mid America Veterans Museum
April 26, 2026 · 2h 8m · Season 5 · Episode 9
About this episode
The episode features Sergeant First Class Diane Cole Phipps discussing her military service and the importance of preserving veterans' stories.
Join us on Operation Insight as we host Sergeant First Class Diane Cole Phipps of the U.S. Army! In this episode, SFC Diane Cole Phipps takes us on a journey through family, service, and a career that sat at the intersection of history and humanity. Born and raised in St. Louis with a Southern family legacy, Diane’s story begins amid motorcycles, hard work, and a household where the rules were clear: you earned what you received. She grew up watching a self-taught mechanic father provide for a big family and a determined mother who demanded discipline and achievement. That upbringing shaped Diane’s grit, her respect for duty, and her unflinching work ethic. In 1974, at just seventeen years old, Diane began working at the National Personnel Records Center—only a year after the catastrophic fire that destroyed millions of military files. Diane’s reverence for the files she handled transformed into a mission: these weren’t just folders, they were people. As she sifted through charred, waterlogged, and missing records, Diane became a “special searcher,” conducting what she calls detective work to reunite veterans and families with the stories locked in their files. Her careful hands…
People in this episode
Guest: Diane Cole Phipps
Topics covered
- military service
- family legacy
- historical records
- veterans
- personal stories
Keywords
- Diane Cole Phipps
- U.S. Army
- military history
- veterans
- National Personnel Records Center
- Vietnam Veterans Memorial
- family legacy
- historical records
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Army
Places: St. Louis
More episodes of Operation Insight
- Captain Paul & First Lieutenant Sue McCool · June 7, 2026 · 1h 45m
- Chief Warrant Officer Nick & Petty Officer Third Class Carrie Schwartzkopf · June 7, 2026 · 2h 33m
- LifeWaters · May 31, 2026 · 1h 52m
- Team River Runner St. Louis · May 31, 2026 · 1h 16m
- Memorial Day 2026 w/Gold Star Father Mark Schmitz · May 25, 2026 · 1h 49m
- Airman First Class Art Minor · May 24, 2026 · 1h 45m
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Operation Insight podcast page.