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.”
Homecoming or Rude Awakening? (Jose Luna)
Soon after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973, the United States prepared for Operation Homecoming. Five hundred and ninety-one American prisoners of war returned home from Vietnam during the two-month process. Previously, during the war, 129 pows “escaped from,evaded, or were released by their captors,” including
