Posted on 09/24/2004 6:03:22 PM PDT by Land of the Irish
(AgapePress) - A retired Air Force pilot who spent nearly eight years in a North Vietnamese POW camp says his faith in God helped him through his long ordeal.
Col. Smitty Harris was shot down in April 1965 and became the sixth American prisoner of war of the Vietnam conflict. The Tupelo, Mississippi, resident remained a prisoner of the North Vietnamese until February 1973. Harris says communication with fellow POWs -- many of whom were placed in solitary confinement -- was a key to survival.
Smitty Harris (Compliments of StolenHonor.com) "It helped create good morale," Harris recalls. "There's just no end to the value of that communication."
How did they communicate? "I had learned a tap code and shared it with the other POWs -- and it was used throughout the rest of the time we were there," he says.
The former POW says using that tap code, the POWs were able to encourage each other about things that were important. "It started out with a belief in God, a belief in our country, a belief in our countrymen, a belief in our military associates, [and] finally [a belief in] our families and good friends back stateside," he says.
The esprit de corps among the prisoners, he adds, included a belief in following the chain of command as well, something Harris says they were able to establish as well through their communications processes.
Harris is one of 17 former POWs appearing in a new video titled Stolen Honor: Wounds That Never Heal, which investigates how John Kerry's anti-war activities prolonged their incarceration in Vietnam. (See related article)
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Here's the related article:
http://headlines.agapepress.org/archive/9/172004g.asp
I don't know if you have had a chance but there are clips of the video Stolen Honor on the web. They are soooo powerful. I mean, all of the men on it were POW's, for years! I cannot imagine what they went through. I'll try to find the link and post it.
Well duh for me, that was easy.
www.stolenhonor.com
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Yeah, the MOH recipient, Bud Day. All were quiet and soft spoken. I was in awe of them every minute.
Pinging the
If you are current or former USAF or just an Air Force Groupie, FReepmail me to be added to this ping list.
Goodbye faithful wife, goodbye children.
Thanks for the ping CholeraJoe.
Thanks for the correct links guys. Aren't their stories just amazing? They are so brave. They give me chills. And to think they are willing to bring it all up again to set the record straight.
I wish McCain would be more visible, although, I have heard that Bush is pulling slightly ahead in AZ...
My dad knew Ted Guy very well. Ted filed charges against McCain for collaboration but it was swept under the rug, I heard the story from his lips and it should never die, even though Ted has passed away.
Eight years. How on earth do you get that back? I sure do respect those fine men for their sacrifice.
OMG, I know spooner, i've met mcnish and i've known bud since 1980....do you think we may know each other???? small world!
my best friend lived across sthe street from McCain in Alexandria....and he was still catting around....
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