My father paid a tremendous mental price for his captivity. It was long before we identified PTSD. I'm thankful he lived until he was 65. Winner of the Purple Heart, he died in 1990.
I am so sorry for your loss, but grateful for his service.
My Dad was in the Coast Guard and he passed away in 2008.
I have a picture of him and some buddies with debri from a German sub. It was the last German Sub that was sunk off Point Judith Light. His ship participated in that.
He talked about his experiences some in the final years, and gave me his medals shortly before he died. One of his nurses was retired Coast Guard, so every time he was in the hospital, I’d get to hear a bit more about things.
My father was a POW in the Stalag at Moosburg. Looking back! I see lots of little signs it had a deep impact on him. He couldn’t stand to be hungry and would wake up in the night to make a sandwich. He couldn’t sleep in a room with a closed door, even in the hospital. Near the end, he could only be fed intravenously and it’s the only time I saw him cry because he wanted food so badly.
He was with the 36th ID at Monte Cassino and the Rapido River and was a proud honorary Texan because of his service with the T-Patchers.
My husband lost his uncle on the USS Gilligan, he was a gunner at his gun when a Kamikaze pilot slammed into the ship. His Purple Heart circulates around the family members, not sure who is in possession of it now.
RIP, Dad of yours.
America was blessed to have him, as well. Thanks be to God.