The actual story of Prisoners of War (POWs) left behind in previous wars is quite documented but became obscured by hoax POW pictures, small time scams, and other diversions. This is the story of those POWs left behind in Laos and Vietnam, drawn on facts from government published reports and official testimony from high-level figures such as former U.S. Defense Secretary and CIA Director James Schlesinger who testified under oath that POWs remained behind in 1973 at the end of the Vietnam War. For example, Colonel David Hrdlicka was shot down over Laos in 1965, and it was not known he was a POW until his pictures appeared as a POW in a Soviet newspaper. The Laos government never acknowledged his status and he remains behind to this day.
Col James L. Lamar USAF (Ret) – Guest Speaker 2/3/2012
Col James L. Lamar flew over 200 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam. He was also a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Col Lamar was well received by cadets as he talked about both his missions and life as a prisoner of war.