FReeper Canteen ~ Col James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe ~ 24 April 09

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World | The Canteen Crew

[Kathy in Alaska]

~ Col James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe ~

Colonel "Nick" Rowe graduated from West Point in 1960 and made the Army his career. When his country became engaged in Vietnam, he served there as a Special Forces Officer (Green Beret) and was captured by enemy forces on October 29, 1963. He struggled against the depravity of the prison camps, never giving up hope, until finally on December 31, 1968 he escaped his captors and made his way back to allied lines.

He had once written, "So look up ahead at times to come, despair is not for us. We have a world and more to see, while this remains behind." This is enscribed on his gravestone and is a fitting memorial for yet another American Hero who left us entirely too soon.

More from the Arlington National Cemetery Website

Canteen Mission Statement

Showing support and boosting the morale of
our military and our allies military
and family members of the above.
Honoring those who have served before.

Rowe was assigned as Executive Officer of Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group, a 12-man "A-team" in Vietnam in 1963. Located at Tan Phu in An Xuyen Province, A-23 organized and advised a Civilian Irregular Defense Group camp in the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam. On October 29, 1963, after only three short months in the Republic of Vietnam, then-Lieutenant Rowe was captured by Viet Cong elements along with Captain Humberto "Rocky" R. Versace and Sgt. Daniel L. Pitzer. Separated from his comrades, Lt. Rowe spent 62 months in captivity with only brief encounters with fellow American POWs. He escaped from his Vietnamese captors on December 31, 1968. Rowe had been promoted to Major (United States) during his captivity. He authored the book, Five Years to Freedom, an account of his years as a prisoner of war.

A must read....Five Years To Freedom!

Colonel O-6, U.S. Army

U.S. Military Academy 1956-1960
U.S. Army 1960-1974, 1981-1989
Cold War 1960-1974, 1981-1989 (KIA)
Vietnam War 1963-1968 (POW, Escapee)

Nick Rowe was born on February 8, 1938, in McAllen, Texas. He entered the U.S. Military Academy at West Point in June 1956 and graduated with a commission as a 2LT of Artillery on June 8, 1960. Rowe was assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, from August 1960 to May 1961, and during this time he completed Airborne School, Ranger School, and the Artillery Officer Basic Course.

Lt Rowe next served with the 7th Special Forces Group and then the 5th Special Forces Group (SFG) of 1st Special Forces at Fort Bragg from May 1961 to July 1963. During this time he completed Language School at the Presidio of Monterey, California.

Rowe went on TDY with the 5th SFG to the Republic of Vietnam in July 1963, and was captured and taken as a Prisoner of War by the Viet Cong on October 29, 1963. After spending 1,891 days in captivity, Maj Rowe escaped on December 31, 1968, and made his way to friendly forces. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and then served as an instructor with the Army Field Artillery School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, from June 1969 to September 1970.

Col Rowe returned to active duty on March 12, 1981, and served as Chief of the Survival Evasion Resistance and Escape (SERE) School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, until May 1985, when he was made Commander of the First Special Warfare Training Battalion at the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center, also at Fort Bragg.

In May 1988 Col Rowe was assigned as the Chief of the Army Division of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group in the Philippines. He was assassinated by Communist guerrilas in Quezon City, a suburb of Manila, on April 21, 1989. Nick Rowe was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on May 2, 1989.

More about Nick Rowe and his Silver Star citation

Colonel Rowe is buried in Section 48 lot 2165-A of
Arlington National Cemetery.

Amazing Grace

Please remember that The Canteen is here to support
and entertain our troops and veterans and their families,
and is family friendly.

Thanks, mohresearcher, for reminding us of this hero.

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top 3 (or 4)....saganite bags the bronze!!

[MS.BEHAVIN]

How about dat?
;0)

[mylife]

Any man who asks his more of his fellow man than he himself is willing to do will fall short as a leader

[Kathy in Alaska]

Look at all those kids....the future of Iraq. Thanks, Sand.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Kate Smith ~ God Bless America

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Nana Hope, for today's Pledge. Thanks to you, AfghanMan and Penguin Girl, for your parts in helping keep all of us free and safe.

[donnab]

Tonight I come to you all to ask for your prayers for my son and his wife who are both in the Air Force.

My son was deployed yesterday. His wife will be leaving very shortly for Afghanistan. They have honored us with the trust of taking care of their little girl who is almost 2 while they are away (we dont get to see her often enough, so we are loving every minute). They both should be gone only a few months.

We are very proud of them both and they are very good at what they do.
Please keep them in your prayers.

[AnnGora]

I’m so happy to see this. Nick Rowe has always been a hero of mine.

[AZamericonnie]

Supporting our Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen
at more than 1,000 places across the U. S. and around the world.

~Tribute to Our Troops~

[Kathy in Alaska]

Ballad of The Green Beret

[mylife]

Amen

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, ms b...((HUGS))...hope you had a good day. It is trying to rain here.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

Prayers lifted for them both!
Please thank them for me the next time you talk to them?
Bless you all!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, sagaite. You are in 3rd.

[GRANGER]

I was in a staff meeting in the Pentagon in 1989 when Nick Rowe’s death was announced. Everyone bowed their heads for a moment of silence. When we looked up, tears were streaming on everyone’s face. He was a living legend. He added honor to our service.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

*HUG*
Good evening Ma!
A pretty good day thanks!
They did try to call me into work, but I didn’t call them back!
LOL
Mr B and I had a nice fire outside and cooked some hot dogs on sticks..
Hey My!
Ever notice how good food cooked outside is?
Even something as simple as hot dogs!
LOL

[Kathy in Alaska]

Welcome to the Canteen, ansel12....the book sure sounds like a good one. Thanks for the recommendation.

[mylife]

I noticed. I have a soft spot for hobo pies ☺

[GRANGER]

Going like 60.

[MS.BEHAVIN]

We gotta try dat when you come up!
I don’t have the gizmos for makin’ ‘em.
They sell those at LLBeans, ya think?