This paper seeks to examine the experiences of Vietnam POWs, both those held in the
jungles of South Vietnam and those in the Hanoi prison camps of North Vietnam based
on POW narratives consisting of memoirs, autobiographies, and interviews. Early POW
history depicts great differences between the two groups of POWs, giving the impression
that Pilot POWS, who comprised the majority of prisoners in Hanoi camps, acted more
honorably while interned in comparison to enlisted army POWS, who spent the majority
of their captivity in the jungles of South Vietnam. This paper demonstrates the
similarities in their experiences through these narrative sources and how certain myths
regarding their varying performances solidified
Former San Pedro POW recalls captivity with John McCain (John Fer)
Isolated, they tapped on walls to communicate with each other in the beginning. Later, with a little more freedom granted, they played bridge together, shared some of the rotating Sunday chaplain duties and encouraged each other with the recitations from movies, books and poetry. The memories, now half a century
