He was one of my Instructors at SERE School ... could still recite names and ID numbers of every Prisoner
He stayed after Graduation and would speak with anyone about anything ... last one out of the Classroom.
He was instrumental in the entire SERE School Program.
TT
Back to Lurk
Here’s another story I’ve heard about him..perhaps you can tell me if it’s true: during his “sweeping and skipping” (and truck disabling) excursions around the compound, Hegdahl would occasionally “duck” as if an imaginary bat or bird was swooping down on him, if he saw one of the guards watching.
That bit of behavior helped reinforce the notion (among the North Vietnamese) that Hegdahl was of no value and possibly mentally ill. Most of the guards believed that mental illness was contagious, so they gave him a wide berth. That allowed him to gather more information, which he provided after being released.
Hegdahl is a legend in the SERE community and among those of us who went through the various training programs. It’s a shame that, even today, his story is almost unknown among the ranks of former POWs and those affiliated with SERE training.
I saw him at SERE as well. He was not one of my class instructors, but he did recite the names for us. That was in July, 1983