Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW's Story (Texas A & M University Military History Series 23) [Hardcover]

Sam Johnson (Author), Jan Winebrenner (Author), Rod Keitz (Illustrator)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Among prisoner of war memoirs, which all remind us of the brutality of war and the staggering toll it takes on the individual, Vietnam POW accounts are especially powerful reminders of what the ordinary soldier is sometimes forced to endure. Johnson, presently a Congressman from Texas, was an Air Force pilot shot down over North Vietnam in 1966. He spent the next seven years of his life in brutally inhumane conditions that tested his strength and will to survive in ways he never believed possible. His personal struggle, assisted by the love and compassion of his fellow POWs, forms the heart and soul of the book. Captive Warriors is as fine a work as James and Sybil Stockdale's In Love and War ( LJ 8/84) and Chained Eagle ( LJ 11/1/89) by Everett Alvarez Jr. and Anthony S. Pitch. Recommended for Vietnam collections.
- John R. Vallely, Siena Coll. Lib., Loudonville, N.Y.
Copyright 1992 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"In Sam Johnson, patriotism, smarts, guts and humor are combined. The best actor to play his roll in a movie would be Jimmy Stewart at age 40. His book about Alcatraz will provide major insights on the Vietnam experience."--Sen. Jeremiah A. Denton, Rear Admiral USN (Ret.)

(Sen. Jeremiah A. Denton, Rear Admiral USN (Ret.) )

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 310 pages
• Publisher: Texas A&M University Press; 1st edition (April 1, 1992)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0890964963
• ISBN-13: 978-0890964965
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.3 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #977,981 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > History > Military > Prisoners of War

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, hard-hitting story, but ..., July 11, 2000

By 

Mark Fordham (Virginia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW's Story (Texas A & M University Military History Series 23) (Hardcover)

QUICK REVIEW: With such an intense story, you wish the merely average writing could measure up to the events it records. But the writing is the only thing that holds this book back. You will find yourself stunned at both the horrific treatment of the POW's and at the POW's strength to overcome it. This is an eye-opening book worth reading.

FULL REVIEW: Sam Johnson gives a first hand account of what it was like to be a POW in North Vietnam. He gives a lot of details which gives the reader a full picture of the conditions and events that happened inside the prison. We follow his story through seven years of imprisonment but, unlike other POW stories, the events do not get monotonous with the same thing happening the same way all the time. Instead the account gets the readers attention and holds it through the entire book. He describes the activities of the prison with enough feeling and fear for the reader to feel his pain and determination to survive. The story is related to us from one agonizing event to another with the amazing strength of the prisoners' resolve to persevere throughout. At times the writing gets too involved in the political events surrounding the war, or else strays off to other personal stories, but generally the story still pushes through with enough interest. It is written with the desire to "tell the story" more than it is to impress the reader with the style of writing. Despite those few setbacks the book is hard-hitting and worth reading, especially for anyone interested in POW stories.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent and well-written, December 2, 2000

By 

"houstonst" (Dallas, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW's Story (Texas A & M University Military History Series 23) (Hardcover)

While I would never claim to understand what Sam Johnson went through, I can't imagine a book doing a better job of expressing what it's like to be a POW than this one did. The description of his experiences was detailed without being tedious, and the book was both disturbing and uplifing -- disturbing due to the brutality of Johnson's captors, but uplifting because of his faith and optimism.

I've also read "Faith Of My Fathers", but I enjoyed "Captive Warriors" quite a bit more. In my opinion, FOMF wasn't as effective at describing the POW experience, and while I don't intend to diminish what McCain went through, it seems apparent that his treatment was nowhere near as harsh as Johnson's.

A previous reviewer implied that the references to Johnson's faith in God were numerous to the point of being excessive, but I didn't find that to be the case at all. I don't recall the point having been made more than a few times, and certainly not in a gratuitous manner.

My only complaint about this book is that it didn't contain more information about Johnson's life after the war. He is continuing to serve his country, currently as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. After reading this biography, I'm hoping that he will consider pursuing a higher office, and maybe then he'll have enough material for a second book.

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars inspirational story of horrifying times, October 13, 1999

By 

Joel Pechauer (Dallas, Texas) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW's Story (Texas A & M University Military History Series 23) (Hardcover)

When Sam Johnson was shot down over Vietnam, he was badly injured in the bailout. He survived years of solitary confinement and extreme torture with his body broken yet his resolve firm. His story of his faith in God, his fellow prisoners, and the Code of Conduct is remarkable. We Americans owe Mr. Johnson and the other courageous POW's our undying gratitude.