This is a superbly written biography about an American patriot and hero. Tortured beyond his ability to resist (as were many POWs), Richard A. Stratton was singled out for exploitation by the North Vietnamese, and paraded as a well-treated prisoner in multiple press conferences. Stratton retained the ability to embarrass his captors, earning for them the reputation for brainwashing and torture, long before their actions became apparent to the civilized world. His fellow POWs, wife, sister, and other family members and friends helped deliver that message to the rest of us as the war dragged on. Anyone who lived through those times, or who is interested in the real history of the war between the US and North Vietnam, should read this book, if for no other reason than to learn the details through Scott Blakey’s unique summary.
First Heroes: The POWs Left Behind in Vietnam
The result of five years of research, First Heroes untangles an intricate web of information and ultimately concludes that the prisoners of war that were held captive in Southeast Asia were forgotten or ignored by their own country. Author Rod Colvin crisscrossed the country interviewing military and government officials, veterans, returned POWs,
