There were a few things that kept Lt. Col. William “Bill” Schwertfeger company in the 13 months he was held as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Duty. Honor. Country. “We took an oath to serve and defend the Constitution of the United States, and that was against all enemies foreign and domestic,” Schwertfeger said. “And that still holds true today for the youngest pup walking through the door. That was the core to how we all survived. Then came leadership. We maintained the military organization … and although the North Vietnamese were very intent on destroying that line of leadership through torture, the next officer in line always stood up on down the line.”
Positive outlook aided time as POW in Vietnam for former POW (Gordon Nakagawa)
Smiles come easily and often to Gordon Nakagawa — worthy of note when talking about a man whose childhood was interrupted by a stay in a Japanese internment camp, and whose distinguished 32-year military career included time as a POW in the Hanoi Hilton, North Vietnam”s infamous prison. “The one
