Vietnam POW shares lessons in resiliency & leadership (Leon Ellis)

It was Nov. 7, 1967 and U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Leon Ellis was co-piloting an F-4C Phantom over North Vietnam when his aircraft was suddenly hit by enemy fire. It exploded into pieces and was quickly tumbling to the ground.

He managed to eject safely, but found himself parachuting into the same enemy territory he was attacking – not a good situation. He was almost immediately surrounded by North Vietnamese soldiers and captured.

Other Publications You Might Be Interested In

Ex POW’s Mull Lessons (Raymond Vissotzky)

When the agony ended and everyone had told his story of horror, did anything come out of the tragedy that could be a lesson to others? That is the question being studied by a team of ex-prisoners of war, led by Col. Raymond W. Vissotzky, at the Survival School at

Read More »

Faith, Re-birth ofFreedom, and Pride (Ralph Browning)

I was stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines in February 1973. I was fortunate to be able towitness the return of the POW’s as they were brought to Clark Air Base from Hanoi after release fromvarious camps across the country.There were seven dates in February and March 1973

Read More »

POW Reunited with Family (Michael Kerr)

Travis AFB, Calif: USAF Capt. Michael S. Kerr embraces his children, Michele (L) and Rick, who holds US flag, as his wife Jerri wipes tears of joy from her eyes. The reunion was at planeside here 3/7, as Capt. Kerr, of Seqium, Wash., and 19 other POWs returned. Kerr was

Read More »