Who was the highest ranking POW?
Jonathan Wainwright, nicknamed “skinny,” graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of Class of 1906. General Wainwright was the highest-ranking American POW of World War II, and is often remembered as the last of the fighting generals.
Who was the longest held POW in Vietnam?
Floyd James Thompson
He was the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War….
| Floyd James Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | 7th Special Forces Group |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Are there still any POWs in Vietnam?
As of 2015, more than 1,600 of those were still “unaccounted-for.” The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) of the U.S. Department of Defense lists 687 U.S. POWs as having returned alive from the Vietnam War. North Vietnam acknowledged that 55 American servicemen and 7 civilians died in captivity.
Was MacArthur a good general?
Fifty years after his death, it’s not unusual to hear people rank Douglas MacArthur among America’s worst generals—alongside Benedict Arnold and William Westmoreland. His critics say he was insubordinate and arrogant, callous in dealing with dissent, his Korean War command studded with mistakes.
Did General Wainwright get the Medal of Honor?
Wainwright was a recipient of the Medal of Honor for his courageous leadership during the fall of the Philippines….Jonathan M. Wainwright (general)
| Jonathan M. Wainwright | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 23, 1883 Walla Walla, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | September 2, 1953 (aged 70) San Antonio, Texas, U.S. |
| Place of burial | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States |
Who served the most tours in Vietnam?
He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War….
| Jorge Otero Barreto | |
|---|---|
| Years of service | 1959–1970 |
| Rank | Sergeant First Class |
| Unit | 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team |
What president was a prisoner of war?
| John McCain | |
|---|---|
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1958–1981 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War ( POW ) Operation Rolling Thunder ( WIA ) |
Did the Japanese eat PoWs?
According to the testimony of a surviving Pakistani corporal — who was captured in Singapore and housed as a prisoner of war in Papua New Guinea — Japanese soldiers on the island killed and ate about one prisoner per day over the course of 100 days. At this place, the Japanese again started selecting prisoners to eat.
Did Viet Cong make prisoners fight?
In the 2000s, the Vietnamese government has held the position that claims that prisoners were tortured during the war are fabricated, but that Vietnam wants to move past the issue as part of establishing better relations with the U.S. Bùi Tín, a North Vietnamese Army colonel-later turned dissident and exile, who …
Who was the first POW in the Vietnam War?
Navy Lieut. Junior Grade Everett Alvarez, Jr., shot down on August 5, 1964, was the first pilot to be captured. Air Force Col. John Flynn was the highest-ranking POW. John McCain (centre) surrounded by Hanoi residents in Truc Bach Lake after his plane was shot down during the Vietnam War, Oct. 26, 1967.
How many American POWs died in North Vietnam?
North Vietnam acknowledged that 55 American servicemen and 7 civilians died in captivity. During the war, POWs in Hanoi prisons endeavoured to maintain a registry of captive Americans; they concluded that at least 766 POWs entered the system.
Who was the longest held POW in American history?
Whitesides was killed, and Thompson was taken prisoner; he would ultimately spend just short of nine years in captivity, making him the longest-held POW in American history.
When did Ben Purcell become a POW in Vietnam?
Purcell was captured in Vietnam in early 1968 and spent more than five years as a POW in Laos. After his return to the United States, Purcell continued serving until his retirement in 1980.