On September 9, 1965, Navy Cmdr. James Bond Stockdale was flying his A-4 Skyhawk on a mission over North Vietnam, just days after the Gulf of Tonkin incident, when his plane took fire and hurtled down. Forced to eject with seconds to spare, he landed with severe injuries: his left leg bent sideways by 60 degrees and his kneecap smashed; his left shoulder dislocated, rendering his arm useless; his back, he thought, likely was broken.
Life Lessons From Retired Colonel John Clark
Earlier this year I traveled with 14 students from my AP Human Geography and International Law classes to Atlanta, to attend a luncheon and lecture hosted by the Atlanta Council on International Relations where we had the chance to hear from Vietnam War veteran Colonel John Clark, USAF (Ret.), an American hero.
