Gary Sigler recalls six years of captivity, torture in Hanoi Hilton
U.S. Air Force captain Gary Sigler recounted the story of his near-death and survival through captivity in the Hanoi Hilton.
U.S. Air Force captain Gary Sigler recounted the story of his near-death and survival through captivity in the Hanoi Hilton.
Inspiring stories of heroism and gripping tales of captivity of four Vietnam Medal of Honor recipients and four former Vietnam Prisoners of War. Each recalled their experiences and answered questions at the National Infantry Foundation’s “Vietnam: Valor and Sacrifice” symposium. The symposium was part of the dedication of the new Vietnam Memorial Plaza, featuring the Dignity Memorial® Vietnam Wall at the National Infantry Museum.
Commander George Coker was one of the “Alcatraz 11,” a group considered by the North Vietnamese to be the resistance leadership, even though he was a junior officer. The Alcatraz 11 were moved from Hao Lo to a separate facility “Alcatraz” in 1967. Among them were Jim Stockdale and Bob Shumaker. Like Shumaker, Coker was a key communications link in the command structure at Hao Lo and the other Hanoi prisons. He also has the
Shot down on a secret mission during the Vietnam War, Major George “Bud” Day was captured and resisted severe torture as a POW in the “Hanoi Hilton” from 1967 to 1973. Three years after his release, on March 6, 1976, Day was presented with the Medal of Honor along with fellow POW Admiral James Stockdale.
“I thought perhaps I was going to die,” McCain told ABC’s Sam Donaldson in a 1999 interview when describing being captured and tortured by the Vietcong.