what was it like being a pow in vietnam
what was it like being a pow in vietnam
It was not invented in response to 9/11. Theres an old Air Force saying that you should never bail out over an Fairly straightforward, right? Commemorated thereafter in Vietnam as "Reunification Day," the reunification of the country also resulted in the renaming of Saigon to Ho Chi Minh City. Im thinking, Im going to die. Top is behind me telling me to switch to auto and fire. He was over Hanoi, Vietnam, on Oct. 25, 1967. If they think these methods work, theyre woefully misinformed. He shares stories from his experience as a prisoner of war and what it taught him about himself and others. He still drives it today. The key point is that every human being has a breaking point, whether he is the chief operational planner for Al Qaida, a U.S. Navy fighter pilot, a future candidate for president of the United States or just some poor foot soldier who was unlucky enough to get captured. Just $5 a month. In a Wall Street Journal /NBC News poll taken in 1991, 69 percent of the American people believed that U.S. POWs were still being held in Indochina, and 52 percent had concluded that the government was derelict in not securing their release. Every POW gets a casualty assistance officer whose job it is to let the family know when they hear something anything about their son, Harker said. The POWs returned after the Paris Peace Accords arrived from captivity under North Vietnam, the NLF, and other militant groups. The planes the Pentagon fixed for us did have guns fitted to them, but the guns success rate was about 50 percent. By 1967, however, his fortunes had changed. As one clear indicator of the long-term and devastating impact of colonialism, in Vietnama state that had existed for centuries before the French invasionbefore French colonial rule, a majority of the population was literate. Today, the mistreatment of American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the Vietnam War. The recollection of arrival is still fresh even 53 years later. But it isnt quite that simple. Senator John McCain knows from firsthand experience what it is like to be a POW, and to endure prolonged brutal torture in violation of every norm of international law and every basic standard of decent human behavior. Enemy shots caught our right engine on fire, and as the plane was going down, we ejected just before the aircraft crashed. That meant our plane was defenseless. Under the George H. W. Bush administration, the Senate convened a Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs chaired by Vietnam veteran John Kerry to investigate whether or not American prisoners were left behind in Southeast Asia. Some of my friends, however, were not so lucky. Naval Academy A last and perhaps desperate attempt to materially and psychologically damage the North Vietnamese people through "shock and awe" tactics, Operation Linebacker resulted in the deaths of at least 1,600 Vietnamese civilians in densely populated regions. In December 2005, 33 retired professional intelligence experts and interrogators also signed a similar letter to McCain. Unfortunately, all too many of those people have no real-world intelligence experience or have never spent a single day of their lives in uniform. I decided to comply with the order, but took considerable artistic license in the process. In October of 1972 the Vietnamese allowed prisoners to be outside together for the first time since they arrived, and it looked like the war might be over. Members of the Army's Old Guard carry the casket U.S. Army Cpl. Lock Sign up for our bi-weekly newsletter. Commander Denny Moore endured seven and a half years in eight different North Vietnam prisons As such, the North Vietnamese released the POWs they still held. With the end of the war and the release of the POWs, many decided to tell their stories about life as a prisoner in Vietnam. Perhaps the worst of the North's prisons, this facility was built to house POWs the North Vietnamese wanted to isolate. The prison was as close to a dungeon as any prison in the North. Naval Academy midshipmen to talk about their ordeal a half-century ago. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. These talks would eventually lead to the Paris Peace Accords in 1973even as Kissinger was directly involved with escalations of the war. A trail that was used to ferry both supplies and soldiers to South Vietnam, the Ho Chi Minh Trail snaked through the mountains and jungles of neighboring Cambodia and Laos. There was no news from home, and the enemy worked hard to make us feel alone and forgotten. Many experts swear that it does. Martin Luther King Jr. On Oct. 21, 100,000 protesters gathered at the Lincoln Memorial, with 30,000 continuing the march and protesting at the Pentagon. 312-374-9333 Human passion like Bridge over the River Kwai. distribution partner, email us at That group included Naval aviators Jerry Denton and Jim Stockdale, the highest-ranking officer in the prison, who taught me the tap code on the prison walls so we could communicate to each other and other POWs. They got me, he said. The majority of those on both lists are Vietnam veterans, and several of them have written for or been interviewed by Vietnam Magazine over the years. The symbol of the POW/MIA movement is the POW/MIA flag, the brainchild of Mary Hoff, whose husband, Navy Lt. Cmdr. Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.net. WebPOW Prisons in North Vietnam. Browse the selection of POW related content below. Last year, a prominent hysteria-monger on talk radio insisted that torture works, as proved conclusively by John McCains own admission that under relentless and brutal interrogation he finally broke and divulged more than his name, rank, service number and date of birth, as specified by the U.S. Armed Forces Code of Conduct. In April 1970, Jerry also personally ordered and led a camp hunger strike, which was successful in obtaining my release from solitary confinement. Knowing your privacy rights and keeping your personal information safe is paramount. John McCain spent 5 years in captivity as a POW in North Vietnam. Accordingly, they were imprisoned, tried and executed under what passed for due process of law in South Vietnam in the early 1960s. All of our American POWs are on their way home. At the time, 1,303 Americans were still unaccounted for. There wasnt a place to grow food, so most of our calories came from manioc, Harker said. A USIP Fact Sheet. This may seem strange, given that there are prisoners in every war. After only five weeks, the North Vietnamese army made widespread and rapid gains, quickly advancing to Saigon and encircling the city. They kept him alive until a collecting party recovered all three of them, and then he and the two Americans were evacuated to a field aid station, side by side in the same ambulance. The mission was simple: neutralize an enemy anti-aircraft gun and then eliminate a truck park they used for supply delivery with two loads of napalm. As a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, I could recall nothing from military survival training that explained the use of a meat hook suspended from the ceiling. MIA stands for missing in action, a term used to refer to members of the armed forces who have not returned from military service and whose whereabouts are unknown. Harker and his company were on patrol when they broke contact with the enemy in a creek bed. In a memo to the secretary of war, Davis wrote, No modern state, which is a party to international law, can sanction, either expressly or by a silence which imports consent, a resort to torture with a view to obtain confessions, as an incident to its military operations.. Declassified documents have subsequently indicated that the Johnson Administration lied about the events precipitating the passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolutionnamely, that a second and more coordinated attack on both the Maddox and the Turner Joy had not actually occurred. The SAMs (surface-to-air missiles) shot down a bunch of planes on the third night, after they figured out the flight patterns, and one night they pulled up a deuce and a half and told us to crawl in the back. A similar discrepancy arises with Vietnam POWs. I do not feel like a hero, and I do not call myself oneI reserve that title for my fellow veterans who fought and paid the ultimate sacrifice with their lives. When the draft notice came, Harkers father, an electrical engineer took the news hard. In the mountains the men had to forage for food, mostly the manioc root, also known as kasava root. My life has been a real blessing since then, and the staff at the VA hospital, what they do is marvelous, and I appreciate each one of them. them are Veterans themselves. RT @MaxAzadi: A Ukrainian POW freed from Russian captivity being given an apple to eat after months of torture and starvation. A similar mechanism is in operation today. Eventually we were moved to Alcatraz, a special prison located in a courtyard behind the North Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, along with eight other diehard POWs. If not a hero, I am, however, a proud American veteran. He was a military guy who had fought in Laos as a 17-year old in the early 1960s, and he looked out for us. But if they put a blindfold on you and all you can hear is round being chambered thats different too. WebYet the POWs of Vietnam seem to occupy a special place in the narrative and legacy of the war. American troops were using a form of waterboarding on captive Filipino insurgents as early as 1900. A lock ( At the same time, they portrayed their care for prisoners as benevolent despite their stated belief that American prisoners did not deserve good care, hoping to win international support. Before I could get his .45, he stabs me in the side with his bayonet. In November 2018, it became mandatory to fly the flag at select federal sites year-round including the White House and memorials like the Vietnam Veterans Memorial and WWII Memorial. As he says, Its still so rewarding once you recover someone and return them to the family.. North Vietnam and the NLF suffered massive casualties from the offensive, with an estimated 60,000 dead. B-52s bombed all night long after talks broke down. My parents found out that a couple of those who were released were at Fort Jackson, and so they went there and got onto base and met with them and heard from them that I was alive. Comments like those of Donald Trump, or any other American, suggesting that veterans like Senator John McCain or any other of America's honorable POWs are less brave for having been captured are not only misguidedthey are ungrateful and nave. Jerry, Jim and I fought back against the North Vietnamese any way we could. Vietnam War veteran Bob Kakuk helped lead the fight to have government buildings fly the flag of prisoners of war and missing in action. WebThe greatest war film every made. Yet the POWs of Vietnam seem to occupy a special place in the narrative and legacy of the war. But he was capturedin a manner of speakingby two American GIs who were also badly hit, but less severely wounded than he was. But just how good is the information? A crushing defeat of French forces by the Viet Minh occurred in the lead-up to peace negotiations in Geneva. and more. But theyd have a guy with a lantern and theyre asking for information about your unit, its size, and I just kept repeating. That February, Operation Homecoming aired on American television showing the release of American POWs from North Vietnamese prison camps. When you have a rifle and youre in front of the enemy, its different. SHARE VIETNAM VETS RECALL THEIR HOMECOMINGS -- OFTEN PAINFULLY. By Deseret News. American GIs dont treat prisoners that way. The court-martial board acquitted Glenn, but the Judge Advocate General of the Army, Maj. Gen. George B. Davis, registered a fierce dissenting legal opinion of the verdict. The first American POW was captured in 1964, but most airmen were captured as part of OperationRolling Thunderfrom 1965 to 1968, with around 800 airmen being captured at this time. A staunch Catholic nationalist, Ngo Dinh Diem's rule over South Vietnam gave rise to violent religious oppression, including the deadly suppression of protesting Buddhist monks. HANOI, Vietnam American prisoners of war locked up for years in North Vietnam knew the drill. Over the years, rumors about men left behind and discrepancies in the number of missing vs. the number of returned outraged MIA familiesas did reports of the mishandling and misidentification of American remains. After a blatant breaking of the Paris Peace Accords by the North Vietnamese, President Ford declared that the U.S. would commit no further resources or troops to Vietnam. Theres a guy with a rifle telling me to get up. In 1979, Congress declared that the third Friday in September would be National POW/MIA Recognition Day. WebFind many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2008 POW MIA Help Bring Them Home 1-1/4" Button Pin Pinback Prisoners Of War S4 at the best online prices at eBay! He eventually signed a confession written by his captives in the stilted comic-opera language of Communist rhetoric, admitting to black crimes and other vague generalities. Harker would spend his last three months as a prisoner at the Hanoi Hilton. We came together really well in that respect., During the Vietnam War only one American doctor was ever taken prisoner. By February 7, 2020, this number had been reduced a little further, to 1,587. That was a lesson I learned myself during the war in Vietnam. But if you see something that doesn't look right, click here to contact us! Two Americans of the 13-man detachment were killed and a number woundedmarking the first U.S. deaths in the Vietnam War. The guards of Trung Son didnt physically abuse their prisoners. They served our country faithfully and with all their heart. The U.S. agreed to withdraw all of its troops and dismantle American bases in exchange for the release all U.S. prisoners of war held by the North Vietnamese. Intended initially to defoliate vegetation and expose hidden trails used by the NLF, between 1962-1971 the U.S. would dump approximately 19 million gallons of defoliating herbicides over an area constituting 10%-20% of Vietnam's landmass. I didnt think about the possibility of being killed. Since July 3, 1863, there have been many calls for Confederate flags to be returned to their home states, and in particular, for the 28th Virginia Infantry Regiment flag return to Virginia. Flipboard. These chemicals are now understood to increase the likelihood of a whole host of life-threatening illnesses. The staff judge advocates at MACV headquarters quickly realized that if American GIs were going to have any chance whatsoever of surviving their captivity, the Saigon government had to be convinced to change its policy and start giving POW status to captured VC and treating them in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. Marking a turning point in the U.S. Marines' primary mission from one of defense toward aggressive action, 5,500 U.S. Marines conducted an assault on the 1st NLF Regiment. It wasnt until 1969, when three prisoners were released that they knew I was alive. Soon after, Linebacker II started. I mean, we won: The Century-Long Battle Over This Confederate Flag, Revisiting the Small but Important Riots between Brandy Station and Gettysburg. Every war has prisoners, yet Vietnam stands out as unique in the American psyche. It was there that we spent 42 months in solitary confinement, with our legs either shackled in cuffs or put in leg stocks at the bottom of our bedslittle more than cement slabs. From Maryland, Harker went to Valley Forge in Pennsylvania where he went through medical treatment and rehabilitation, and he was reunited with his family. China supplied primarily infrastructural support, sending engineering troops to build defense infrastructure. Seeing the conflict primarily through a Cold War lens, President John F. Kennedy authorized covert operations in South Vietnam intended to prevent a Communist takeover in the region. Author Robert F. ONeill reconsiders three overlooked 1863 cavalry clashes. Davids story is so impressive to even survive the starvation and torture. Many of Gene Smith. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm The last of the American POWs returned from Vietnam to the United States in 1973. On Feb. 1, 1971 there were a dozen men still alive in the mountains and they were taken in groups of six to begin their march north up the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Torture brought each man to his breaking point, and many prisoners were forced to write confessions or sign statements under atrocious coercion. Myself (a Brookville High School graduate) along with thousands of people and the Brookville High School Band were there to cheer David on his return home. By that time there are a bunch of rifles pointing at me. And it damages our credibility around the world. I have served with General Soyster. A private airline flew me and my father back and the local TV station had sent a reporter who interviewed me all the way back. By HORST FAAS August 26, 2018. When victory in Korea did not materialize, access to these burial sites didnt, either. They are heroes. Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. From 1969 onward the U.S. would pull out over 100,000 troops from Vietnam every year, a process of gradual shifting of responsibility to the South Vietnam government known as Vietnamization. We were under a 1-to-1 prisoner-to-guard ratio, and the guards would trade manioc and so we would put baskets on our backs and go back and forth over miles of mountain trails carrying 70-80 pounds of root. Whether that information is accurate or relevant is something almost impossible to determine at the time, and in the long run it almost always turns out to be bogus. Visit USA.gov, This will take you to the MyHealtheVet website, This will take you to the Suicide Prevention website, This will take you to the VA Find a Form page, This will take you to the VA Publications page, Same mission, new I-DEA: VA supports inclusion, diversity, equity, and access, Talk data to me: Know your privacy rights and keep your personal info safe, Call TTY if you In this May 25, 1973, file photo, U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. John McCain is greeted by President Richard Nixon, left, in Washington, after McCain's release from a prisoner of war camp in North Vietnam. In an attempt by Congress to limit presidential power over the Vietnam War effort, the repeal of the Tonkin Resolution passed in the Senate 81-10. However, post-war France was vehement in its aims to reestablish a French empire, with Charles de Gaulle proclaiming that if the U.S. did not back France in its reconquest of Vietnam, they might ally themselves with Soviet Russians. 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, Library (Members Only) They wouldnt let him practice medicine, Harker said of Kushner. The reality of the situation was quite apparent, however. On a human level, the war was disastrousan estimated 2 million Vietnamese civilians were killed, and over 1 million Vietnamese soldiers lost their lives. I hold the deep conviction that our country should respect the service of all our faithful troops and veterans. Life in Vietnam under French colonial rule was brutal, with Vietnamese people granted few civil liberties and subjected to constant exploitation. California's road to recovery runs through D.C. Republicans, Why New Jerseys ventilator guidelines may favor younger, whiter patients, Rhode Island ends specific restrictions on New Yorkers by making them national. The Annapolis, Maryland, academy hosted this event. So, when they let everyone out, and then gave us reading material, they knew it was over. This form of protest would continue for much of 1963, and the impact it had on the Diem government gave it the label "the Buddhist Crisis.". After basic and advanced infantry training, Harker was approached and offered an opportunity to go to Officer Candidate School. My dad was really upset. I think of all the love behind it every time I drive it.. That includes defending my fellow service members and POWs and ensuring they receive the support they needboth when they serve and when they return safely home. A newspaper clipping shows when David Harker returned home. Intended to combat the growth of communism in the country, President Nixon attempted to keep the existence of these raids secret from Congress and the American public, but word got out and resulted in widespread protests. And as with McCain, their understanding of armed human conflict is deeply rooted in their personal experiences in the war in Southeast Asia. My father-in-laws question is still hanging there, and I still dont have an answer for him. The stories were usually very specific. Museum Its about our values and our standards. Stacker believes in making the worlds data more accessible through The planes we were flying, F-4 Phantom IIs, were really Navy aircraft designed for fleet defense. At what point do the compromises to our most cherished ideals as a nation start to corrupt our institutions and corrode them from within? The Johnson Administration used this and a supposed conflict the following day to ensure passage of the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, which provided President Johnson with the legal power to wage all-out war in Southeast Asia. The Vietnam War lasted from 1964-1973the longest war in American history until it was overtaken by the one in Afghanistanand servicemen typically did one-year tours of duty. Those who disagree are often all too ready to dismiss those who do as the usual suspects: bleeding-heart liberals who have never served their country in harms way and dont have the faintest idea what war is really all about. The North Vietnamese would release prisoners at various times throughout the late 1960s as negotiations continued with the United States. So in many ways this debate is nothing new to anyone who knows a little history. I Spent Seven Years as a Vietnam POW. Of the many precipitating events that followed, few were as pivotal as the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in setting the stage for the outbreak of the Vietnam War. Phisayavong has found that with the passage of time, locals are more willing to help in recovery efforts: I feel that now when I go to missions, people openly cooperateThe first time, villagers did not fully cooperate. Congressman Sam Johnson. WebA Vietnam POW spent nearly seven years in captivity. I share this sentiment. The North Vietnamese unloaded on the unit and killed two men. Thats what made it so hard to answer his question. This operation marked the beginning of the use of chemical warfare by the U.S. in Vietnam, known most infamously as Agent Orange. The signing of the Paris Peace Accords marked the end of U.S. involvement in Vietnam, with all troops to be withdrawn in 60 days. God Bless and keep driving that Corvette!! But as American involvement in the war grew, U.S. advisers started getting captured. Part of the North's guerrilla and revolutionary warfare strategy, the trail would remain an important and continually growing pathway from North to South, though it often took more than one month to traverse. I was 35 years old, a husband and father of three small children. For years, recovery efforts in Southeast Asia were hampered by lack of resources, governments wary of letting Americans back in and locals who remember the conflict all too well, says Sompatana Tommy Phisayavong, a research analyst at the Department of Defense who works with teams recovering remains from the C.I.A.s Secret War in Laos. It was an early success for U.S. military forces in the Vietnam Warwith 614 NLF troops killed, 45 U.S. Marines killed, and 203 wounded.
