POW FAQ’s
OVERVIEW / GENERAL INFORMATION
Yes, the the official web site of the Prisoners of War (POW) from the Vietnam War era is available here: https://nam-pows.org/
More information about the CURRENT STATUS of the 662 POWs returned alive from the Vietnam War can be found here: Status – 2024
A fantastic resource is: Veteran Tributes – Prisoners of War
This site contains tributes to U.S. Military Personnel and United States Citizens that were held as Prisoners of War by an enemy of the United States from all wars back to the American Revolutionary War, and also any later U.S. Military Personnel that were held prisoner before the United States was formed.
Yes, please see for a comprehensive list: Museum displays which honor the POWs and depict their captivity experiences
Yes, 5 ships have been named after former Vietnam War POW’s. For more information, please see: US Navy Ships Named for Vietnam POW’s
GENERAL VIETNAM WAR STATISTICS
Please see for more information: Official Campaigns of the War in Vietnam
Yes, please see Introductory Facts about American POWs in Vietnam
See for more information about: Vietnam Warriors – Statistical Profiles
For more information, see: Aircraft losses in combat in the Vietnam War
A total of 10 B-52s went down inside the borders of North Vietnam.
- 61 total crewmembers.
- 32 survivors became POWs and were released at the end of the war. Keggan died in captivity.
- 28 of the downed 61 warriors perished.
- 16 other B52’s went down outside of North Vietnam.
- 9 were due to SAM missile hits over Hanoi.
- 7 were “operational losses,” which occurred while B52s were enroute to combat areas in Vietnam.
- 9 B52’s made it to “feet wet” but subsequently crashed or were scrapped.
See B52 Losses for more information
For more information, please see: US Navy & US Marine Corps Aircraft Losses during the Vietnam War 1962-73
Yes, please see the following website: https://www.vietnamairlosses.com
NAS Lemoore, CA, for more information – please see: Navy Light Attack losses during the Vietnam War
POW STATISTICS
See the following for more information: Breakdown of POW’s By Rank
A summary of medals that NAM-POWs have received, from the Purple Heart up to the Medal of Honor.
Medal of Honor-8
Service Crosses (Total All Branches)-42
Air Force Cross-28
Distinguished Service Cross-4
Navy Cross-10
Defense Distinguished Service Medal-4
Distinguished Service Medal (Total All Branches)-39
Air Force Distinguished Service Medal-25
Army Distinguished Service Medal-2
Navy Distinguished Service Medal-13
Silver Star-593
Defense Superior Service Medal-35
Legion of Merit-558 (About half with V’s-Navy and Marine folks)
Distinguished Flying Cross-719
Airman/Navy-Marine Corps/Soldier’s Medal (Total All Branches)-10
Airman’s Medal-3
Navy and Marine Corps Medal-3
Soldier’s Medal-4
Bronze Star Medal-958 (Most with V’s)
Purple Heart-1,249
The full list of recipients with breakdown by award can be found here: Medals Awarded to Vietnam POW’s
U.S. Naval Academy: 39
U.S. Military Academy: 9
U.S. Air Force Academy: 33
For details about each graduate, please see: Service academy graduates POWs in Vietnam.
U.S. Naval Academy: 144
U.S. Military Academy: 337
U.S. Air Force Academy: 151
For a detailed list, please see: Service Academy Graduates who were killed during the Vietnam War
WW II – 28
Korea – 42
Cuban Missile Crisis – 3
Desert Storm – 9
Urgent Fury (Grenada) – 1
Iraq War – 2
For the full list, click here
16 POW’s had scored at least 1 aerial kill.
Total number of enemy aircraft shot down by Vietnam POWs: 40 plus 2 probable’s
For complete details, please see: How many Vietnam POW’s scored aerial kills in any war?
CAPTURED / CAPTIVITY / MIA / KIA
- 495 pilots and aircrew were shot down and captured in NVN.
- 28 aircrew died due to torture or lack of medical treatment.
- One enlisted sailor was captured in international waters and held with the pilots.
- No Army or Marine ground troops were killed or captured in NVN.
For full list of names, link here: Pilots and Aircrew shot down in Vietnam + Deaths in Captivity
Official number of U.S. individuals listed as unaccounted for in Laos: 604 (Servicemen: 578, Civilians: 26).
U.S. individuals repatriated from Laos: 26 (Servicemen: 15, Civilians: 11)
Foreign Nationals missing in Laos: (unknown). Foreign Nationals returned: 6
Military (Laos) remains which have been repatriated and identified: 12
Civilians (Laos) whose remains have been repatriated and identified: 3
For more information about POW’s captured in Laos, please see: POW’s captured in Laos
Yes, seven pilots were captured by Chinese forces near their border with NVN. Two were held in China, five were taken to Hanoi.
For a list of the pilots, click here: Pilots Captured and/or held in China.
See this document for more information about Escapes and attempted escapes from Vietnam: Escapes
Click here to see the full list of POW’s who died in captivity.
Details include: Name, Service, Rank at Capture, Aircraft, Unit, PMSEA Country, NVN, Missing Date & More…
The complete list of civilian prisoners held during the Vietnam conflict can be found here: Civilian Prisoners.
The complete list of civilian prisoners held during the Vietnam conflict can be found here: Civilian/Foreign Nationals
For details, please see: Breakdown of MIA’s by Service for the Vietnam War?
The complete list of AWOL/COLLABORATORS/DESERTERS (Not considered POWs)
during the Vietnam conflict can be found here: AWOL/COLLABORATORS/DESERTERS
Yes, please see for mor information: Women killed or held in captivity during the Vietnam War.
Yes, please see: Helicopter POW’s during the Vietnam War.
There were 14 POW camps in North Vietnam. Please see the following for more information about each one: POW Camps in North Vietnam
POST RELEASE INFORMATION
Yes. A total of 25 were promoted
4 Star – 1
3 Star – 5
2 Star – 6
1 Star – 13
For a complete list of POW’s promoted to flag rank after release from captivity, see: POW’s promoted to flag rank.
Yes, please see for information: NAM-POWs who served as Ambassadors and Attachés
Please see: NAM-POWs who earned academic distinction degrees in law, medicine, etc. at the doctorate level for more information.
Yes, please see: World Records Held by former Vietnam POW’s.
Yes, please see for more information: Notable Achievements of NAM-POWs
Yes, three U.S. Air Force enlisted men held as Prisoners of War in the prisons of Hanoi, 1965-1973 were given battlefield commissions. For more information, please see Battlefield Commissions after the the War