Have you ever met a former POW?
- Thread starter 12Nole
- Start date
How were they captured & how long were they captive? Any stories you can share?
A buddy growing up went to the Air Force academy and is now a pilot. He told me how he went through a training where he had to play the role of being shot down and had to avoid capture by his instructors. They found him and beat the crap out of him to make the training as realistic as possible.
That’s all I got. Can’t imagine being in that situation. I’m sure it’s a memory any POW would like to forget and not talk about.
Shot down leaving a bombing run out of Vietnam. He jokes that he has one more take off than landing or his favorite is "it is always a good day if there is a door knob on the inside". To a man these guys are amazing how adjusted they are. They stayed sane by teaching each other classes they knew stuff about. There have been plays and books about him; they are getting ready to release a film about his wife who passed a couple of years ago. She was a beast who raised hell about the lack of info on the POWs. The most famous picture of Paul is on the cover of time life where he is shooting the bird while sitting on a concrete bench where it says "clean and neat" above him. Funny thing is time life photo shopped his bird finger out but didn't tell Phyllis his wife so she calls the Navy rep and says they chopped off his fingers. Time life photo shopped it so the NV government wouldn't know the message he sent.
I could give you story after story; for starters goggle Paul Galanti and Phyllis Galanti
I could give you story after story; for starters goggle Paul Galanti and Phyllis Galanti
Yes. One, a former member of church, was a POW in WWII and held by the Japanese. Some of his stories were something else.
I have hung out Porter and Marty a bunch of times. Really cool people. Read the link for a crazy story. Summarizing Navy thought he was dead; but the NV released an enlisted guy who memorized everyone's name in the POW camp and shazam he is back from the dead. Put the head stone his mother made for him in his back yard.
The modesty of these guys is amazing. Every time I see them they are so thankful for my service. I am like dude I have done a few tours overseas; you spent 5, 6, 7 years getting your butt kicked everyday. Some of the guys met my last team and wouldn't let us pay for a thing.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.war.pow-mia/fyRp1f863t4
The modesty of these guys is amazing. Every time I see them they are so thankful for my service. I am like dude I have done a few tours overseas; you spent 5, 6, 7 years getting your butt kicked everyday. Some of the guys met my last team and wouldn't let us pay for a thing.
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/alt.war.pow-mia/fyRp1f863t4
Everyone I knew was shot down.
My flight commander in pilot training was a POW for about 8 years.
My DCO in Holland was a POW for over 8 years. He showed up at the squadron in the De Tomaso Pantera that his hometown Ford dealer gave him.
Larry Carrigan was in that squadron too. We must have had 6 former POWs in that squadron.
One guy came back from Laos. Only 9 guys came back from Laos!
Had few at American also. Jerry Driscoll was a 727 Captain at AA.
My flight commander in pilot training was a POW for about 8 years.
My DCO in Holland was a POW for over 8 years. He showed up at the squadron in the De Tomaso Pantera that his hometown Ford dealer gave him.
Larry Carrigan was in that squadron too. We must have had 6 former POWs in that squadron.
One guy came back from Laos. Only 9 guys came back from Laos!
Had few at American also. Jerry Driscoll was a 727 Captain at AA.
My Father’s Korean War wingman and friend got shot down in Vietnam and was a prisoner for over seven years. His name was Robinson “Robbie” Risner. When I was a kid at Nellis AFB General Riser would come to our house about once a week for dinner. I remember him being one tough hombre. He was very religious but his mental toughness was superhuman. He wrote a book about his POW experience called The Passing of the Night. There is a statue of him at the Airforce Academy.
I met him once at MacDill. My brother's squadron bar was named after him.
One of the POWs designed and built a house in his mind while being held. Then after he was released, he came home and built that house for real.
I've personally never met one but my dad was the last person to talk to Everett Alvarez before he launched from their carrier during the Gulf of Tonkin. He was a part of my dad's squadron.
I am sure I have met some of your friends. The last full reunion I went to was a joint Son Tay Raiders and POW reunion. That was breath taking.
62Nole
Seminole Insider
I have never had the privilege. My wife (that I got out of the FSU circus) was born at Ft. Bragg, N.C. in 1943.
Her dad was a Major in the army and went into some POW camps at the end of WWII. He would not talk about it at all.
The price so many paid was beyond belief. Thanks to all.
Her dad was a Major in the army and went into some POW camps at the end of WWII. He would not talk about it at all.
The price so many paid was beyond belief. Thanks to all.
Little known fact during WWII the POW's taken in the European theater were put on trains as the Germans moved equipment etc. around. It took a while for the US and allies to find this out. Eventually we changed our bombing tactics because it was very likely we bombed trains with POW's on them.
Patton's SIL was taken POW and Patton did an unauthorized raid to try and rescue him.
Patton's SIL was taken POW and Patton did an unauthorized raid to try and rescue him.
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