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]

Good morning/afternoon/evening/night Troops, wherever you are.

Thank you for doing your part to help keep all of us free and safe.

Coffee is always on........

How about a donut?

Cookies?

Veggies?

Sandwich?

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning fellow cubevillians!

[Kathy in Alaska]

God bless and keep safe our troops worldwide.

Good night.

Statler Brothers ~ How Great Thou Art

[Pusterfuss]

Good morning Kathy. (59)

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Morning, Kathy. How's it going?

A very pleasant good morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT

[Arrowhead1952]

Good morning to everyone at the Canteen.
AC is out at work, and it is getting uncomfortable in the offices.

[Mrs.O'Strategery]

I was hoping the Freeper Canteen could help me! I'm looking for some funny military pictures or cartoons to print out and send to my husband who is in bct right now. He really needs to have his spirits lifted. Or if anyone has any other suggestions I would be grateful!

Thanks for the help!

[DarthDilbert]

COL Rowe was a great man who is dearly missed. Hard to believe it’s been twenty years ago.

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning! :)
Just popping in to wish you a wonderful weekend!!

Off to rake, cut and mow. ;)

HUGS

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Morning Mrs.O’Strategery

Thank Your Husband for me for his service! Thank you for your service as Military Wife. :)

I’ll help if I can. Give me some time to look into picture/folders. :)

Have a great day!

[Mrs.O'Strategery]

Thank you for looking! I’ve been sending him sports articles and pictures. His commander’s letter suggested sending cartoons. I’m just at a loss as to what is funny myself right now! :) He was in such poor spirits the last time we talked. I know that’s probably the norm for the first few weeks of bct.

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Have a great weekend. Don’t work yourself too hard.:-D

[unique]

[GodBlessUSA]

It can be a really difficult time. When my son was in boot camp for the Coast Guard, I remember a point he seemed so down. We couldn't speak or send anything for the longest time too. The first call we had from him, was a surprise call and he got the answering machine. You know I was so upset. He sounded so sad. Graduation from Boot Camp makes up for this big time. :)

For my son the beginning to the mid point was the worse part.

I'm looking and I'll send you a Freepmail later.

[GodBlessUSA]

I hope hubby doesn’t want to kill me later. I just took down a tree. LOL!! ;) I really did. Not too big. It looks so much better and the other plants there will thrive now.

[GodBlessUSA]

Good Afternoon Unique :)

[GodBlessUSA]

Hi Ma
TGIF :)
HUGS

[blackie]

Thanks Kathy!

{{HUGS}}

[HiJinx]

as well as eating gluten free

As I started to read about the girls, that thought crossed my mind. I have a 'niece' (6-yo) who actually has the disease and reacts markedly to gluten. I'm glad to read that your granddaughters are reacting well to treatment. B-12 supplement, eh? Worth knowing...