THE POW card....Just a short story of a guy I knew...

Years ago I lived in WA State & on a volunteer day I had made, I spent a day driving an older vet around to appointments, the Commissary at Ft Lewis and the PX. Upon meeting the man in a question, I could tell he was in pain, and quite incapable of doing much driving, although he could walk with a cane, he had a wheelchair in his house, in a small house with his wife of some 40 years. He was Filipino, and I mention that because that has a lot to do with this story.

While I can't go into great detail, I will tell you some of what he went through.

He was taken as something actually "less" than a POW when Corregidor fell. In the eyes of the Japanese of the time, he was considered considerably lower than Americans of the time, he had fought for them, therefore, he was some form of "traitor" as opposed to being a "mere" POW. He survived the Bataan Death March, the internment camps and a stint as a slave laborer for the Japanese. He was tortured, beaten regularly and starving when the war finally ended. MacArthur had "promised Filipino's at the time US citizenship if they fought w/him, at the end of the war, he was denied citizenship, but joined the US Army.

He was sent to Korea, during that conflict, and was captured by the North Koreans while at a listening post about halfway through the war. Again, abused, tortured and nearly starved, he survived to the end of the war and was repatriated.

By this time he made up the rank structure to Staff Sergeant, and decided to finish out his 20 and retire w/a decent check, go to work somewhere and just face whatever came. What came was Vietnam, and in 1967 he was captured once again, this time by the NVA.

Once again, he was tortured, abused and forced into labor digging tunnels for the NVA/VC. He escaped during the monsoon season of 1970; worked his way South and made it American lines after 3 grueling weeks, and was taken for interogation by the local Commander, who, after keeping him locked up for 3 days while checking out his credibility, released him and he was put on a plane back to the US, where he spent about a year various military hospitals, treated, and finally retired after having 26 years in the US Army at the rank of Sergeant Major.

He did not discuss much of his ordeals that day, but his wife told me a few things he generally didn't speak about. His entire family was killed in the Philippines during a raid, he lost his parents 2 sisters and 3 brothers. HE had received numerous awards over the years, and the small case that was on a shelf showed 27 medals and awards, the highest of which was the Distinguished Service Cross, a Silver Star, and 7 Bronze Stars, 3 of which had the "V" device for valor. The case sat on a shelf far from anywhere of "prominence", but it was noticeable, more like a knick-knack type of thing, not an over the mantelpiece place of honor. He wanted it that way, he wanted to "forget", but knowing he couldn't, his wife convinced him to keep his case where he could see it, because it would help him recall some of the "better" times of his service.

I am bringing you this abridged version because when I hear the word "hero", especially around McCain, (whose service I respect), I think of men and women that have done things that have never been spoken of, never known to the public and rarely noticed. There are people out there that deserve the title hero, far more than the GOP presumptive nominee. They don't usually run for office, they don't bandy on about their service, what they've done or what they went through. They quietly live their lives with memories that would terrify an average person. They never used their hero "status" as a wege...they were heroes because they did what they had to do at the time, most of which was never noticed except to a very few.

This man, who has probably passed on years ago, never asked for anything for his service, never lauded his "status", he was a true American Hero.

This man clearly had the strength of 10.

currency of today's market. But many Americans of the same generation and the one before did far more heroic things in terms of sacrificing for fellow soldiers in the heat of battle. Most are unsung heroes. McCain has a full blown publicity machine trumpeting his POW experience which rubs lots of vets the wrong way. A POW was just that--a POW, and he had very little control over his actions which were dictated by his captors. Other soldiers made life endangering decisions to protect their buddies by laying down their lives. They are, in my opinion, real heroes and the battlefield cemeteries are full of them.

I've known far too many of those who've gone before me.

And I thank them all, and I realize and empathize w/the families who have made such a great sacrifice.

Sad and courageous and inspiring.

But a hero, just the same. McCain is now officially in danger of squandering his best asset, and only real rationale for running for President, by using his POW story as a shield, a prop, an excuse, a pander device, etc. Sad.

day, the rain, etc. When we parted, I looked at him and said, "Sir, i would have been proud to have served with you, but I'm not sure I would have really WANTED to". We both had a good laugh, the first of the day...:)

that man, for that is surely what you have done. In this small way, you have let him live again, if only for a few moments, with the dignity and respect he deserves. His life was beautiful, courageous, sad and glorious.

Thank you so very, very much for reminding us of what true heroism is. And thank you for sharing the story of this man's life. In this way he lives on, through you, to touch all of us.

through 3 times.

He was a quiet man most of the day, we just spoke in generalities most of the time. It was easy to pick up things up though, when we drove on base, he smiled, then looked sad almost at the same time...the memories were returning, both good and bad. Sometimes, we are left best alone with some memories, so if he didn't bring them up, I wasn't going to pry.

I can say though, that as soon as I saw him that morning, I had to respect the man, I could read a lot in that face, dignity was first and foremost, humility was the second thing. This man had one hell of a life.

wide. There are so many lessons we can all take to heart from this. And how strong he must have been to be able to live with those memories. My God, how strong he must have been to have been willing to risk capture again and again. This is what patriotism is. Our foolish attempts at it, with our flag decals and yellow ribbon magnets, are so very inadequate to say the least.

For us here, that's probably why we don't tend toward those superficial things. His story proves just how right we are. And it should humble all of us.

I'm kicking this again so more people can read it.

MacArthur had promised, he was not awarded citizenship for quite a few years.

MacArthur used the "citizenship" thing as a ploy to get Filipinos to come together as a "Defense Force", he had no authority to grant citizenship to anyone. So for years, this man served this nation as a "2nd class" individual in the Army.

One of the things he mentioned was the proudest day of his life, was the day he became a citizen.

well told. Thanks.

It's unfortunate that the word Hero has been so devalued
that it could be applied to an academically challenged fortunate son
and piss poor pilot who earned his "living" dropping bombs in an
immoral war.

I always thought a hero was someone who risked their life,
without regard for their own safety, to save others.

are out there.

Firemen, cops, EMT's, people who work extra jobs to ensure they have food on the table and a roof over their heads, people who stop abuse when they see it...people who try what appears to the impossible, fighting for the rights of others.

Most, usually, go unnoticed unless there is a catastrophe.

Yes, the word hero is overused, I like to see these people as citizens doing the best for their communities, but some rise above the rest, and there lies true heroism.

of his record, his ill handling by everyone, his record which he never got to put forward, the only other POW to run for the top ticket. There is no comparison, but what there is shows the utterly shameful standards society lets the GOP and its complicit goons apply to anyone other than their own horrible candidates.

beating his face with a chair to disfigure himself so they could not use him in a propaganda film.

And for the record, w/Stockdale, it was HIS standing order that there would be no early releases, which takes out the McCain Admiral's "pressure". If he would have accepted early release, he would have been in violation of a direct order, a court martial offense.

...undermining and abusing his fellow veterans/citizens. Yes, whatever a hero is, he's much more of one than McCain.

an old vet here.

I too respect McCain's service, however...

My family history in the military conflicts goes back to at least the War of 1812, and possibly the Revolution, (can't be sure about that one).

Point is though, none of us who have served have gone to the lengths that the GOP has to put up a guy who went AWOL from the TX ANG and a POW "hero" as thier ideal candidates from a military standpoint.

Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Carter all served in WWII; as near as I can figure, Johnson, Nixon and Carter never made much of a deal about it; w/Eisenhower, his status alone made it difficult if not impossible to avoid using his military credentials. Kennedy, used it enough to make a point and a dent in the election.

What is being done today, as w/the bush campaigns IMO, actually demeans those who have defended this nation, whether in war or peace.

As an aside, Johnson left his House seat to serve; Nixon gave up his family tradition of non-violence; Carter became a nuclear engineer, taking a 4 year course in less than 2 and was one of 12 that actually passed, the rest were rifted out. Carter is no idiot like the RW likes to portray him.