Preserving The Oral HistorIES of Combat Veterans
8:05 | Wayne Waddell describes the circumstances in Thailand & Vietnam that led to his capture by the Chinese Liberation Army.
Keywords : captured Vietnam chinese army Chinese Liberation Army Prisoner Of War (POW) plane plane crash gunsight Chogi pole shot down Mao Zedong
Wayne Waddell recounts his early life and the circumstances that led to his joining the Air Force.
Wayne Waddell recalls his first encounters flying in Vietnam and getting acquainted with taking many missions.
Wayne Waddell recounts some of the conditions he had to go through in the prison camps and the time that he was recorded by East German filmmakers and later identified by his family so that they knew he was a POW.
Wayne Waddell tells of the comrade he shared a prison cell with and the relationship that is formed in close quarters like that and the small things that happen that keep your spirits up.
Wayne Waddell remembers one of the tactics that his Vietnamese captors used to extract information from them and the extreme toll it took on some of the soldiers.
Wayne Waddell details the communication process that they had in the camp and the various things they could utilize to keep themselves sane.
Wayne Waddell remembers the conditions in the Hanoi Hilton and the little things that made it possible for them to keep their spirits up while imprisoned and the circumstances that brought them home.
Wayne Waddell speaks to the nature of the relationship between the American prisoners and the Viet guards.
Wayne Waddell remembers the "Dog Patch", an area where they spent a portion of their time imprisoned.
Wayne Waddell remembers the plane ride home to the States after all the years in the prison camp and all the adjustments he had to make in returning home.
Wayne Waddell remembers all the things that changed in the States over the 6 years he was gone.
Wayne Waddell remembers his Air Force career after his time in the prison camp.
Wayne Waddell remembers a few of his captors that he forged a small relationship with and wishes to reconnect with after his time in the camp.
Wayne Waddell gives his advice for future generations as they try to navigate future global conflicts.
