‘Political Basketball’: The Strange Tale Of Captured US POW’s, 1968 (Terry Kramer)

Weeks after arriving in Vietnam in 1968, Korean War veteran Sergeant First Class Floyd Wilmoth- who enlisted in the US Army in 1953- stepped aboard the river vessel LCU1577 ‘Sunset Strip’. Days later, Wilmouth and his crew were unwittingly embroiled in an international incident between Cambodia and the United States.

The following is from selected extracts from a very long 2001 interview between Wilmouth and Wesley Michael. The order that the events were relayed have been changed for clarity, but the words are all Mr. Wilmoth’s own.

“I was assigned to the 5th Heavy Boat Company in Vung Tau. Upon arriving in Vung Tau, I was assigned to the Landing Craft Utility [LCU] 1577 Sunset Strip which was on a supply run to Saigon. I was in my company area for approximately five days before the vessel came in.

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