One Reason We Do This
Most TAH readers have heard about the POW held second-longest in Southeast Asia – CDR Everett Alvarez Jr., US Navy. He was taken prisoner on 5 August 1964, and was released on 12 Februray 1973. He was held POW for over 8 1/2 years.
And yes – you did read that correctly. CDR Alvarez was not the US POW held longest by our enemies in Southeast Asia.
That individual was COL Floyd James Thompson, 7th Special Forces Group, US Army. Thompson was captured well before CDR Alvarez – on 26 March 1964 in South Vietnam. He was not released until 15 March 1973 – over a month after CDR Alvarez. In total, he was held captive for 8 years 355 days – 10 days short of 9 years. He was the longest-held US POW in any conflict in US history.
Frankly, I don’t think I’d heard of Thompson myself – until the other day. I ran across an article that mentioned him.
The article can be found here, on pages 16-18; it’s in Adobe PDF. It covers – briefly – each man’s captivity and post-Vietnam life. Books have also been written about both men.
Fair warning: especially regarding Thompson, the article is somewhat depressing. Both men were abused horribly in captivity, and much of Thompson’s post-Vietnam life was not pleasant. If you’re having a bad day, you might want to defer reading the linked article until another time.
Any time someone asks, “Why do we care about false [POW/Purple Heart/other military claims]?”, I wish I could take about 50 copies of this article, roll them into a hard, tight roll – and whack them hard a few times across the mouth with that roll. Then I’d like to stuff a copy in their mouth and tell them: “Read this, asshole. That’s who they’re stealing from when they make false claims about being a military ‘hero’. That’s why it matters. That’s why we care.”
Today, CDR Everett Alvarez Jr. is still with us. Regrettably, COL Floyd James Thompson passed away 16 July 2002 – aged 69 years and 8 days – at his home in Key West, Florida. May he rest in peace.
Category: Historical, We Remember
Well said Hondo, couldn’t have said it better.
Thank you Hondo. I had not read of Col Thompson before either. Shame on me. I need to read more of these men and others help captive in wars we fought. Thanks for the article. This is why I hold Purple Heart Recipients in such high regard.
If you made 50 copies, and I make 50 copies, and a few others do the same, and so on and so forth – maybe we could solve this problem once and for all. OK, OK, I know, it won’t really work, but the effort would be so satisfying.
OWB: An article-club gauntlet, eh? Hmmm . . . .
Yeah, I like that idea. (smile)
OK, I’m in. (Was thinking of separate locations around the country happening more or less concurrently, but your way works, too.)
I read the wiki and other articles on him the other day after the “incredibly stupid one” article … very depressing and sad.
He was clearly a shell of a man and tortured soul … it bothers me that WE as a Nation could not have done more to help …
He endured a lifetime of pain and sorrow. It is a shame he was not better known.
“Five years to Freedom”, the story of Nick Rowe-founder of the SERE school-is also worth reading if you want to understand what life was like for prisoners of the Vietnamese. His story is ultimately inspiring though you have to get through a lot of teeth-grinding fury at the way he was treated first. Those who try to claim the respect that these men unwillingly earned are pretty low-http://www.amazon.com/Five-Years-Freedom-Story-Vietnam/dp/0345314603
One book that covers his story is “Honor Bound” American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia 1961-1973. Written by Stuart Rochester and Fred Kiley. Very comprehensive coverage of all the POW’s during that time. I was an Ensign when the Homecomings took place and those times are burned into my memory. Boy, was I proud to be part of the Navy at that time!
Another sad read is the story of Ernie Brace, held POW in Vietnam for more than 7 years and the longest-held civilian POW. It comes down to the human suffering. Liars safe in fort livingroom steal honor by claiming a degree of suffering they never felt, making a mockery of the real deal.