P.O.W.: A Definitive History of the American Prisoner-of-War Experience in Vietnam, 1964-1973 (Paperback)

~ John Hubbell (Author)
Key Phrases: dirty bird, torture cuffs, hell cuffs, United States, North Vietnam, Dum Dum (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"With the first page the book explodes...a story of fortitude and patriotism to inspire generations of Americans to come." -- Philadelphia Evening Bulletin

Product Description

"With the first page the book explodes...a story of fortitude and patriotism to inspire generations of Americans to come."

—Philadelphia Evening Bulletin

"It's to our experience as Blackstone is to the law."

—Col. George E. "Bud" Day, USAF (Ret.), attorney, former POW and Medal of Honor winner

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Product Details

• Paperback: 660 pages
• Publisher: iUniverse, Inc (October 24, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0595138888
• ISBN-13: 978-0595138883
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 1.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2.5 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #915,884 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A monumental account of POW captivity......., June 2, 2003

By	Kyle Tolle (Phoenix, Arizona USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Researched over a 9 year time span using information gleaned from hundreds of interviews from Vietnam war POW's, this extensive saga of captivity is truly outstanding in its depth.

John G. Hubbell not only relates the stories of high profile POW's from North Vietnam, he explores the many aspects and rigors faced by U.S. servicemen in the brutal Southern Vietnamese prison camps. In helping the reader to truly understand the entire experience, this being a cautionary note to everyone, torture methods suffered by our U.S. servicemen are described very graphically throughout the text and may be difficult to read about at times.

Included in the superbly written and well researched narrative are maps of the various prison compounds, photographs of POW's and their captors, and the entire list of repatriated servicemen at Operation Homecoming in 1973.

"P.O.W. - A definitive history of the American Prisoner of War Experience, 1964-1973" is a very comprehensive and powerful study that makes for a lasting, memorable, and emotional reading experience. Upon recommending this book to everyone with interests in POW captivity, I would also like to suggest the brilliant and epic work "Honor Bound - American Prisoners of War in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973".

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An Invaluable Rersource, April 20, 2005

By	A reader - See all my reviews

As a POW researcher, I would have been lost without Hubbel having gone before me to pave the way. This book continues to be a resource for me, a one of a kind history that says it all. I recommend it to anyone who wants to understand what the 566 POWs who were repatriated to the US in 1973 endured. The books by and about individuals give their person accounts, but Hubbel offers an objective analysis and global persecptive.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Learn about moral courage practiced by the most vulnerable, April 12, 2005

By	J. E. STOLL "je__1" (Stafford, VA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: P.O.W.: A Definitive History of the American Prisoner-Of-War Experience in Vietnam, 1964-1973 (Hardcover)

I regretted loaning my Readers Digest Press hardcopy of this book and never seeing it return. I had to wait years for the re-publication of this marvelous book.

This book is the quintessential book on the POW experience in North Vietnam, and I have read many of them. The atrocities committed by the North Vietnamese captors were barbaric, horrific, and inhuman. The POWs mostly Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force pilots and crewmen were left with no guidance other than their consciences, their moral compass, their pride of service, their patriotism and an outmoded "Code of Conduct" to fight back against unspeakable tortures designed to win over and break the "American Enemy" and score political propaganda points. For these prisoners, the war was not over when they were shot down. A new and completely unexperienced war commenced upon their capture, a cold, calculating battle to exploit those most vulnerable in the Vietnam War in order to exact concessions from the United States of America.

Against the background of these torturous events, North Vietnam's enablers from the U.S. and international anti-war activists cravenly cooperated with North Vietnamese officials to further undermine the courageous efforts of our POWs who endured barbaric handling to not betray their country's honor.

Not all POWs held up to the rigors of the "Code of Conduct" as well as the greatest majority. However, fortunately not having walked in their shoes, I cannot judge their behavior. The activities of the most stalwart POWs as well as those who were less so are chronicled it this very readable and very moving book. These were the true "heroes" of the Vietnam War. They have never received due honor and recognition. This book attempts to do so in a very meaningful way. If you read ANY book on the Vietnam experience, this must be the one.