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But McCain, for one, still came to terms with his time at the horrific Hanoi Hilton. Edward, Air Force, Harrison, N. Y., Quincy, Mass., captured Oct. 1965. [29], Of the 13 prisons used to incarcerate POWs, five were located in Hanoi, and the remainder were situated outside the city.[31]. [10]:79 No matter the opinion of the public, the media became infatuated with the men returned in Operation Homecoming who were bombarded with questions concerning life in the VC and PAVN prison camps. While the raid failed to free any POWs and was considered a significant intelligence failure, it had several positive implications for American prisoners. American POWs in North Vietnam were released in early 1973 as part of Operation Homecoming, the result of diplomatic negotiations concluding U.S. military involvement in Vietnam. If you get note, scratch balls as you are coming back.. Joseph E., Navy, Washington, D.C., caplured in Spring 1972. The mission included 54 C-141 flights between Feb. 12 and April 4, 1973, returning 591 POWs to American soil. [15], In the end, North Vietnamese torture was sufficiently brutal and prolonged that nearly every American POW so subjected made a statement of some kind at some time. Jobs People Learning Dismiss Dismiss. [18], Regarding treatment at Ha L and other prisons, the North Vietnamese countered by stating that prisoners were treated well and in accordance with the Geneva Conventions. James M., Navy, Lemoore, Calif. HIGDON, Lieut. During a routine torture session with the hook, the Vietnamese tied a prisoners hands and feet, then bound his hands to his ankles sometimes behind the back, sometimes in front. The pilots called it, sarcastically, the . The list that the North Vietnamese turned over to American officials in Paris today named 27 American civilians as prisoners of the Vietcong, and listed seven other Americans as having died in captivity. Hoa Lo Prison Museum - "The Hanoi Hilton" - Vietnam Travel To preserve these articles as they originally appeared, The Times does not alter, edit or update them. Anabell Motley on LinkedIn: After visiting the Ha L Prison ("Hanoi NICHOLS, Lieut. He was transferred to a medical facility and woke up in a room filthy with mosquitoes and rats. Knives and forks were not provided. [7] During periods of protracted isolation the tap code facilitated elaborate mental projects to keep the prisoners' sanity. ESTES, Comdr. "People & Events: The Hanoi March", PBS American Experience. The deal would come to be known as Operation Homecoming and began with three C-141 transports landing in Hanoi on February 12, 1973 to bring the first released prisoners home. [28], "Hanoi Hilton" redirects here. Whitesides was killed, and Thompson was taken prisoner; he would ultimately spend just short of nine years in captivity, making him the longest-held POW in American history. . [22], Despite several escape attempts, no U.S. POW successfully escaped from a North Vietnamese prison, although James N. Rowe successfully escaped from North Vietnamese captivity. They drew strength from one another, secretly communicating via notes scratched with sooty matches on toilet paper, subtle hand gestures, or code tapped out on their cell walls. Before the American prisoners gave the prison its now-infamous name, the Hanoi Hilton was a French colonial prison called La Maison Centrale. On January 27, 1973, Henry Kissinger (then assistant to President Richard Nixon for national security affairs) agreed to a ceasefire with representatives of North Vietnam that provided for the withdrawal of American military forces from South Vietnam. The Vietnam War - known in Vietnam as the Resistance War Against America - lasted from November 1, 1955, until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975. [21] This created the "Camp Unity" communal living area at Ha L, which greatly reduced the isolation of the POWs and improved their morale.[14][21]. - Camera bags Cmdr, Read Id., Navy, Old Greenwich, Conn. WILBER, Lieut. Significant numbers of Americans were also captured during Operation Linebacker between May and October 1972 and Operation Linebacker II in December 1972, also known as the "Christmas Bombings". It was located near Hanoi's French Quarter. The Hanoi Hilton (film) - Wikipedia Comdr. Doug Hegdahl - Wikipedia The rest became a museum called the Ha L Prison Memorial. [12] Nevertheless, the POWs obsessed over what they had done, and would years after their release still be haunted by the "confessions" or other statements they had made. In addition to memoirs, the U.S. POW experience in Vietnam was the subject of two in-depth accounts by authors and historians, John G. Hubbell's P.O.W. : A Definitive History of the American Prisoner-of-War Experience in Vietnam, 19641973 (published 1976) and Stuart Rochester and Frederick Kiley's Honor Bound: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 19611973 (published 1999). Leonard C., Navy, Bemardson, Mass. WASHINGTON, Jan. 27The State Department tonight released the list of American civilians acknowledged by North Vietnam as having been captured in South Vietnam during the Vietnam war. From February 12 to April 4, there were 54 C-141 missions flying out of Hanoi, bringing the former POWs home. Attracted by the smells and screams, rats and cockroaches scurried over their weak bodies. Despite the endless torture, the American soldiers stayed strong the only way they knew how: camaraderie. The plane used in the transportation of the first group of prisoners of war, a C-141 commonly known as the Hanoi Taxi (Air Force Serial Number 66-0177), has been altered several times since February 12, 1973, to include its conversion (fuselage extension) from a C-141A to a C-141B. For the 1987 film, see, (later Navy Rear Admiral Robert H. Shumaker). The United States, in Paris, provided a list of 26,000 Communist prisoners held by South Vietnam in exchange. He was posthumously advanced to the rank of brigadier general effective March 27, 2018, as directed by the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act. In the 2000s, the Vietnamese government has held the position that claims that prisoners were tortured during the war are fabricated, but that Vietnam wants to move past the issue as part of establishing better relations with the U.S.[35] Bi Tn, a North Vietnamese Army colonel-later turned dissident and exile, who believed that the cause behind the war had been just but that the country's political system had lost its way after reunification,[36] maintained in 2000 that no torture had occurred in the POW camps. Duluth, Minn. WOODS, Lieut. [6][7], Following the defeat at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu and the 1954 Geneva Accords the French left Hanoi and the prison came under the authority of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. The prison was built by the French in 1896, with the French name Maison Centrale. Walking Tour of Hoa Lo Prison, Vietnam's Hanoi Hilton - TripSavvy - Service animals Finally, they set him in a full-body cast, then cut the ligaments and cartilage from his knee. U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War - Wikipedia They were finally free to put their enemies behind its bars, and American soldiers became their prime targets. Anyone can read what you share. The POWs held at the Hanoi Hilton were to deny early release because the communist government of North Vietnam could possibly use this tactic as propaganda or as a . Fifty-six commandos landed by helicopter and assaulted the prison, but the prisoners had been moved some months earlier and none were rescued. WASHINGTON, Jan. 27 (AP) Following are names of United States servicemen on a prisonerofwar list provided today by the North Vietnamese, It was compiled from Defense Department releases and reports of families who received confirmation their men were on the list from Pentagon officials. Permitted Items: Leo T., Navy, Palo Alto, Calif. PURRINGTON, Lieut. In the Hanoi Hilton, POWs were treated poorly, beaten and . Overall, the POWs were warmly received as if to atone for the collective American guilt for having ignored and protested the majority of soldiers who had served in the conflict and already returned home. [2] It was intended to hold Vietnamese prisoners, particularly political prisoners agitating for independence who were often subject to torture and execution. It was first built in the late 1890s by Vietnam's French colonizers as a central prison (Maison Centrale) for Vietnamese criminals. The ropes were tightened to the point that you couldnt breathe. WHEAT, Lieut. Many former prisoners of war have suffered the hell of torture. [3] A 1913 renovation expanded its capacity from 460 inmates to 600. en-route to Hanoi. Robert H. Navy Wilmington, Del., and Montclair, N. J., captured August, 1965. [11] Rather, it was to break the will of the prisoners, both individually and as a group. Congratulations, men, we just left North Vietnam,' former POW David Gray recalled his pilot saying. Leonard R., Jr., Malic esstot named in previous public lists. Correspondingly, Richard Nixon and his administration began to focus on salvaging his presidency. In the 2000s, the Vietnamese government has had the position that claims that prisoners were tortured at Ha L and other sites during the war are fabricated, but that Vietnam wants to move past the issue as part of establishing better relations with the U.S.[24] Tran Trong Duyet, a jailer at Ha L beginning in 1968 and its commandant for the last three years of the war, maintained in 2008 that no prisoners were tortured. The museum is an excellent propaganda establishment with very little connection with the actual events that took place inside those walls.. Our tapping ceased to be just an exchange of letters and words; it became conversation, recalled former POW James Stockton. Conditions were appalling. RIVERS, Capt. Giles R Navy, Albany, Ga., Sanford, Fla. PENN, Lieut. American POW soldiers inside their jail cell at the Hanoi Hilton prior to their release. David Hume Kennerly/Getty ImagesAmerican POW soldiers inside their jail cell at the Hanoi Hilton prior to their release. The name Hoa Lo refers to a potter's kiln, but loosely translated it means "hell's hole" or "fiery furnace." This military structure was ultimately recognized by the North Vietnamese and endured until the prisoners' release in 1973. A portion of the original Hanoi Hilton prison has been transported and built in the museum. dell, Marines, Newport, N. C. MILLER, Lieut. They cut my flight suit off of me when I was taken into the prison, McCain said. James Eldon, Air Force, Forest Grove, Oregon, date of capture unknown. HARDMAN, Comdr. The Alcatraz Gang was a group of eleven POWs who were held separately because of their particular resistance to their captors. In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. The "Hanoi Hilton" and Other Prisons > National Museum of the United . HALYBURTON, Lieut. Hao Lo Prison - a walking experience of suffering past BATLEY, Lieut. At the end of the war, these soldiers were finally freed from their own personal hell, many of them including the late Arizona Senator John McCain going on to become prominent politicians and public figures. Extradition of North Vietnamese officials who had violated the Geneva Convention, which they had always insisted officially did not bind them because their nation had never signed it, was not a condition of the U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam and ultimate abandonment of the South Vietnamese government. This would go on for hours, sometimes even days on end.. David J Navy, San Diego, Calif. RUSSELL, Comdr, Kay, Navy, San Diego, captured in May, 1967. His right knee and arms were broken in the crash, but he was denied medical care until the North Vietnamese government discovered that his father was a U.S. Navy admiral. Only one room in the back is dedicated to American POWs, though it doesnt make any reference to torture there are even videos detailing the kind treatment of the prisoners alongside photos of Americans playing sports on the prison grounds. John McCains alleged flight suit and parachute, on the display at the former Hanoi Hilton. [11] Such POW statements would be viewed as a propaganda victory in the battle to sway world and U.S. domestic opinion against the U.S. war effort. [8] Thereafter the prison served as an education center for revolutionary doctrine and activity, and it was kept around after the French left to mark its historical significance to the North Vietnamese. Navy Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr. spent over eight years as a POW, making him the longest resident of the Hanoi Hilton and the second longest held POW in American history. McCain spent five and a half years at the Hanoi Hilton, a time that he documented in his 1999 book Faith of My Fathers. McCain was subjected to rope bindings and beatings during his time as a POW. The prisoners returned included future politicians Senator John McCain of Arizona, vice-presidential candidate James Stockdale, and Representative Sam Johnson of Texas. Whats more, the museum displays a flight suit and parachute labeled as belonging to McCain, from when he was shot down over Hanoi except theyre fake. [14] Now he says when he hears Marie Osmond . Locations of POW camps in North Vietnam . tured March 1966. Here, in a small structure. [27], Only part of the prison exists today as a museum. On February 12, 1973, the first of 591 U.S. prisoners began to be repatriated, and return flights continued until late March. John L. Borling, USAF pilot, POW for 6 12 years, retired major general. Thomas R., Navy, not named in previous lists. The name Ha L, commonly translated as "fiery furnace" or even "Hell's hole",[1] also means "stove". Porter A., Navy, Tucker, Ga., captured 1965. (U.S. Air Force photo). This is a digitized version of an article from The Timess print archive, before the start of online publication in 1996. He had led aerial attacks from the carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident. It was introduced in June 1965 by four POWs held in the Ha L ("Hanoi Hilton") prison: Captain Carlyle "Smitty" Harris, Lieutenant Phillip Butler, Lieutenant Robert Peel, and Lieutenant Commander Robert Shumaker. Usaf/Getty ImagesJohn McCain, leads a column of POWs released from the Hanoi Hilton, awaiting transportation to Gia Lam Airport. Comdr. He was the first living recipient of the medal.Risner became an ace in the Korean War and commanded a squadron of F-105 Thunderchiefs in the first missions of Operation Rolling Thunder in 1965. Robert E., Navy, Ohio, and Lemoore, Calif., captured May, 1972. The Hanoi Hilton is a 1987 Vietnam War film which focuses on the experiences of American prisoners of war who were held in the infamous Hoa Lo Prison in Hanoi during the 1960s and 1970s and the story is told from their perspectives. [14] These names were chosen because many pilots had trained at Nellis Air Force Base, located in proximity to Las Vegas. As a prisoner of war in the "Hanoi Hilton", navy pilot John McCain was known as uncompromising, frank and an avid reader who fiercely debated the war with his Vietnamese jailers. list of hanoi hilton prisonersearthquake today in germany. By May 1973, the Watergate scandal dominated the front page of most newspapers causing the American public's interest to wane in any story related to the war in Vietnam. Mr. Sieverts said that Hanoi, when turning over its list in Paris, said it was complete, but the United States informed North Vietnamese officials that we reserve the right to study it and raise questions.. Kenneth H., Navy, home town unknown, captured. On November 21, 1970, U.S. Special Forces launched Operation Ivory Coast in an attempt to rescue 61 POWs believed to be held at the Sn Ty prison camp 23 miles (37km) west of Hanoi. These details are revealed in famous accounts by McCain (Faith of My Fathers), Denton, Alvarez, Day, Risner, Stockdale and dozens of others. [23][24], The post-raid consolidation brought many prisoners who had spent years in isolation into large cells holding roughly 70 men each. DAVIES, Capt. As, George Everette "Bud" Day (24 February 1925 27 July 2013) was a United States Air Force officer, aviator, and veteran of World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War. John B Navy, Lemoore, Calif. METZGER, Lieut. After President Lyndon Johnson initiated a bombing pause in 1968, the number of new captures dropped significantly, only to pick up again after his successor, President Richard Nixon, resumed bombing in 1969. All visitors may be screened with a metal detector upon entry. Camp Faith. After reading about the gruesome conditions that awaited American POWs in the Hanoi Hilton, read about the Gulf of Tonkin incident, which first sparked the Vietnam War. McCain spent five and a half years at the Hanoi Hilton, a time that he documented in his 1999 book "Faith of My Fathers." McCain was subjected to rope bindings and beatings during his time as a POW. He did it so he would not forget where the camps were. The American soldier followed his instructions, and even managed to leave his own note, identifying himself as Air Force Capt. The first phase required the initial reception of prisoners at three release sites: POWs held by the Viet Cong (VC) were to be flown by helicopter to Saigon, POWs held by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) were released in Hanoi and the three POWs held in China were to be freed in Hong Kong. Daniel White, Ron Emmond, Jennifer Eveland (2011). FREEAdmission & Parking, Prison locations in North Vietnam. [8], U.S. prisoners of war in North Vietnam were subjected to extreme torture and malnutrition during their captivity. Washington, D.C. Email powered by MailChimp (Privacy Policy & Terms of Use), American POW in a staged photograph showing clean, spacious accommodations, 1969, Vietnamese Cigarettes given to Prisoner of War, Prisoner of War Tin Cup with Lacing on Handle, Metal North Vietnamese Army Issue Spoon for POWs, African American History Curatorial Collective, Buffalo Soldiers, Geronimo, and Wounded Knee. Elation, sadness, humor, sarcasm, excitement, depressionall came through.. After an early release, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 fellow POWs, as well as reveal the conditions of the prisoner-of . (U.S. Air Force), Shortly after the war, ex-POW Mike McGrath annotated this detailed map of Hanoi to show the location of prisons. John McCain was captured in 1967 at a lake in Hanoi after his Navy warplane was been downed by the North Vietnamese. This was one of many ways POWs figured out how to communicate. "[18], After making statements, the POWs would admit to each other what had happened, lest shame or guilt consume them or make them more vulnerable to additional North Vietnamese pressure. Tortured in notorious 'Hanoi Hilton,' 11 GIs were unbreakable HENDERSON, Capt. [2] By 1954 it held more than 2000 people;[1] with its inmates held in subhuman conditions,[3] it had become a symbol of colonialist exploitation and of the bitterness of the Vietnamese towards the French. AFP/Getty ImagesJohn McCain was captured in 1967 at a lake in Hanoi after his Navy warplane was been downed by the North Vietnamese. Jeremiah Denton later said, They beat you with fists and fan belts. Groth, Wade L. USA last know alive (DoD April 1991 list) Gunn, Alan W. USA last known alive (DoD April 1991 list) Hamilton, John S. USAF believed to have successfully got out of his aircraft and was alive on the ground. Weapons are not permitted including pocket knives and firearms, to include conceal carry and other dangerous weapons. In North Vietnam alone, more than a dozen prisons were scattered in and around the capital city of Hanoi. Paul Gordon, Marines, Newton, Mass. Roger G., Navy, not in previous public lists. RATZLAFF, Lieut. [12], Beginning in early 1967, a new area of the prison was opened for incoming American POWs;[13] it was dubbed "Little Vegas", and its individual buildings and areas were named after Las Vegas Strip landmarks, such as "Golden Nugget", "Thunderbird", "Stardust", "Riviera", and the "Desert Inn". Most of the museum is dedicated to the buildings time as the Maison Centrale, the colonial French prison, with cells on display that once held Vietnamese revolutionaries. Prisoners of War during the Vietnam War, National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, the resumed bombing of North Vietnam starting in April 1972, "Vets, Flyers discuss ideology, time in POW camps", "John Dramesi's unflattering memories of his fellow POW John McCain", "Unshakable Will to Survive Sustained P. O. W.'s Over the Years", "Joseph Kernan, Vietnam P.O.W. Prisoners were variously isolated, starved, beaten, tortured, and paraded in anti-American propaganda. Members of the United States armed forces were held as prisoners of war (POWs) in significant numbers during the Vietnam War from 1964 to 1973. Revisiting Hanoi, where John McCain was shot down and held as a POW Even when the North Vietnamese offered McCain an early release hoping to use him as a propaganda tool McCain refused as an act of solidarity with his fellow prisoners. Hoa Lo Prison, more popularly known as the "Hanoi Hilton", is a museum near the French Quarter of Hanoi, Vietnam. Albert R., Navy, San Diego, captured Spring 1972. They eventually decided on using the tap code something that couldnt be understood by North Vietnamese forces. By 1954, when the French were ousted from the area, more than 2,000 men were housed within its walls, living in squalid conditions. Prisoners were variously isolated, starved, beaten, tortured, and paraded in anti-American propaganda. Meanwhile, Paul was taken prisoner, tortured, placed in solitary confinement in what became known as the "Hanoi Hilton" and fed a diet that was later determined to be about 700 calories a day, which caused him to drop to about 100 pounds. They were also viciously beaten and forced to stand on stools for days on end. McCLEARY, Lieut. Alvarez has since been the recipient of the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, two Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Heart Medals and the Lone Sailor Award. SCHOEFFEL, Comdr. It was originally deliberated to hold Vietnamese . They even used this code to tell jokes a kick on the wall meant a laugh. James Stockdale, fearing that he might reveal details of the Gulf of Tonkin incident if tortured, attempted suicide, but survived; he never revealed this information to the enemy. TimesMachine is an exclusive benefit for home delivery and digital subscribers. (U.S. Air Force photo), DAYTON, Ohio - Recreated POW cells in the Return with Honor: American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia exhibit in the Southeast Asia War Gallery at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force. - Diaper bags ddd hoa lo prison historic site hell on earth background: in the last decades of the 19 th century, hanoi had dramatically transformed the situation due to the November 27, 2021. American POWs gave them nicknames: Alcatraz, Briarpatch, Dirty Bird, the Hanoi Hilton, the Zoo. The most notorious POW camp was Hoa Lo Prison, known to Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton." The name Hoa Lo refers to a potter's kiln, but loosely translated it means "hell's hole" or "fiery furnace." Hoa Lo's 20-foot walls, topped with barbed wire and broken glass, made escape nearly impossible. [37] Tin stated that there were "a few physical hits like a slap across the face, or threats, in order to obtain the specific confessions," and that the worst that especially resistant prisoners such as Stockdale and Jeremiah Denton encountered was being confined to small cells. For those locked inside the Hanoi Hilton, this meant years of daily torture and abuse. If you have not read Bill Gately on LinkedIn: The Hanoi Hilton POW Exhibit at the American Heritage Museum At that point, lie, do, or say whatever you must do to survive. Kittinger served as a fighter pilot during the Vietnam War, and he achieved an aerial kill of a North Vietnamese MiG-21 jet fighter and was later, James Robinson "Robbie" Risner (January 16, 1925 October 22, 2013) was a general and a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force. Some of the repatriated soldiers, including Borling and John McCain, did not retire from the military, but instead decided to further their careers in the armed forces.[6]. Robinson Risner and James Stockdale, two senior officers who were the de facto leaders of the POWs, were held in solitary for three and four years, respectively. 's Are Made Public by U.S. https://www.nytimes.com/1973/01/28/archives/hanoi-lists-of-pows-are-made-public-by-us-2-diplomats-listed.html, Bernard Gwertzman Special to The New York Times. A handful of U.S. civilians were also held captive during the war. [19] The North Vietnamese also maintained that their prisons were no worse than prisons for POWs and political prisoners in South Vietnam, such as the one on Cn Sn Island. Douglas Brent Hegdahl III (born September 3, 1946) is a former United States Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class (E-5) who was held as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. Among those acknowledged as prisoners in South Vietnam were Michael D. Ebge, Norman T. Brookens, and Richard W. Utecht, who worked for the Agency for International Development and were captured during the Tet offensive of 1968. [24] However, eyewitness accounts by American servicemen present a different account of their captivity. But we did the best we could. DANIELS, Cmdr. March 29, 1973. Wikimedia CommonsThe Hanoi Hilton in 1970. The culture of the POWs held at the infamous Hanoi Hilton prison was on full display with the story that would come to be known as the "Kissinger Twenty". Render, James U. Rollins, Thomas Rushton, Richard H. S auliudin g, Laurence J. Stark, Floyd J. Thompson, Richard W. Utecht, Richard G. Waldhaus, Eugene A. Weaver, and Charles E. Willis. John McCain, leads a column of POWs released from the Hanoi Hilton, awaiting transportation to Gia Lam Airport. Occasionally the digitization process introduces transcription errors or other problems; we are continuing to work to improve these archived versions. List of Famous Prisoners at the Hanoi Hilton ranked by fame and popularity. After visiting the Ha L Prison ("Hanoi Hilton") in Vietnam just last month, it is truly awe-inspiring to see the challenges these men had to overcome. [14], Beginning in October 1969, the torture regime suddenly abated to a great extent, and life for the prisoners became less severe and generally more tolerable. Edward D., Navy, Lemoore, Calif. EVERETT, Lieut, (jg.) From 1961 to 1973, the North Vietnamese and Vietcong held hundreds of Americans captive in North Vietnam, and in Cambodia, China, Laos, and South Vietnam. As a subscriber, you have 10 gift articles to give each month. Cmdr. [7], Overall, Operation Homecoming did little to satisfy the American public's need for closure on the war in Vietnam. BALDOCK, Lieut. David A., Navy, St. Simons Island, Ga. GAITHER, Lieut, Comdr. The most notorious POW camp was Hoa Lo Prison, known to Americans as the "Hanoi Hilton." He flew a combined 163 combat, The Most Influential Contemporary Americans, Every Person Who Has Hosted 'Saturday Night Live', The Best People Who Hosted SNL In The '00s. WIDEMAN, Lieut. The POWs held at the Hanoi Hilton were to deny early release because the communist government of North Vietnam could possibly use this tactic as propaganda or as a reward for military intelligence. As many as 114 American POWs died in captivity during the Vietnam War, many within the unforgiving walls of the Hanoi Hotel. The march soon deteriorated into near riot conditions, with North Vietnamese civilians beating the POWs along the 2 miles (3.2km) route and their guards largely unable to restrain the attacks. LEWIS, Lieut. Senator John McCain tops our list. Allen C., Navy, Virginia Beach, Va. CHRISTIAN, Cmdr., Michael D., Na Virginia Beach, Va. COSKEY, Cmdr., Kenneth L., Navy, Virginia Beach, Ve. The first flight of 40 U.S. prisoners of war left Hanoi in a C-141A, which later became known as the "Hanoi Taxi" and is now in a museum. [26] Other parts have been converted into a commercial complex retaining the original French colonial walls. Hoa Lo Prison, after all, is a place best known in the West as one of the prisons where American pilots who had been shot down and captured were kept as prisoners of war (although, technically, the North Vietnamese did not regard the pilots as "prisoners of war" in a legal sense). Ron Storz. Bob Shumaker noticed a fellow inmate regularly dumping his slop bucket outside. This, of course, earned him additional torture. LESESNE, Lieut.