Col. Floyd J. Thompson.
Col. Floyd J. Thompson, who endured nearly nine years of torture, disease and starvation in Vietnam as the longest-held prisoner of war in American history, has died. He was 69.
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Who was the longest prisoner held captive in Vietnam?
Floyd James Thompson
He was the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War.
| Floyd James Thompson | |
|---|---|
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Who served the longest in Vietnam?
Apparently the longest-serving American in the Vietnam War was Robert Lewis Howard, who started his first tour in 1965 with the 101st Airborne Division, and went on to serve with the Special Forces and Military Assistance Command Vietnam/Studies and Observation Group (MACV/SOG), doing a record five tours of duty and
When was the last POW found in Vietnam?
Often cited as the last verified American POW from the Vietnam War, Garwood was taken to North Vietnam in 1969, and reportedly was released in 1973 along with the other U.S. POWs as part of the Paris Peace Accords. However, he did not return to the United States until March 22, 1979.
Who was the highest ranking POW in Vietnam?
Colonel Purcell
Colonel Purcell was the highest ranking Army officer captured during the Vietnam War. He spent more than five years in captivity, mostly in solitary confinement.
How many POWs died in Vietnam?
During the longest war in American history, the Vietnam War, 766 Americans are known to have been prisoners of war. Of this number, 114 died during captivity. Unlike previous wars, the length of time as a POW was extensive for many, with some being imprisoned for more than seven years.
Are there still POWs in Vietnam 2021?
MISSING AND UNACCOUNTED-FOR FROM THE VIETNAM WAR: The number missing (POW/MIA) and unaccounted-for (KIA/BNR) from the Vietnam War is still 1,584.Charvet, 26, killed during the Vietnam War, but unrecovered at the time, was accounted for March 1, 2021.
Who is the most decorated soldier in Vietnam?
He earned 38 military decorations during his career, and has been called the most decorated U.S. soldier of the Vietnam War.
| Jorge Otero Barreto | |
|---|---|
| Years of service | 1959–1970 |
| Rank | Sergeant First Class |
| Unit | 101st Airborne 25th Infantry 82nd Airborne 173rd Airborne Brigade Combat Team |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War ( WIA ) |
Who is the most decorated soldier?
Audie Murphy
Who Was Audie Murphy? Audie Murphy eventually became the most decorated U.S. soldier in World War II. Though he was around 20 years old at the end of the war, he had killed 240 German soldiers, had been wounded three times and had earned 33 awards and medals. After the war, he appeared in more than 40 films.
What unit saw the most combat in Vietnam?
Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War.
Did any US soldiers stay in Vietnam?
Fighting resumed and South Vietnam eventually surrendered to the forces of North Vietnam in April 1975. Approximately 2,700,000 American men and women served in Vietnam. It was the first war in which the US failed to meet its objectives.
How many Vietnam veterans are still missing?
Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War
| Vietnam | Total | |
|---|---|---|
| Original Missing | 1,973 | 2,646 |
| Repatriated and Identified | 729 | 1,062[1] |
| Remaining Missing | 1,244 | 1,584 |
Are there any POWs right now?
According to the Pentagon’s Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, there are currently 83,204 unaccounted for U.S. personnel, including 73,547 from World War II, 7,883 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, 1,642 from the Vietnam War, and six from Iraq and other recent conflicts, including three Defense
Who was the highest-ranking POW?
Jonathan Wainwright, nicknamed “skinny,” graduated from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Class of Class of 1906. General Wainwright was the highest-ranking American POW of World War II, and is often remembered as the last of the fighting generals.
What rank was Stockdale when he was POW?
Vice admiral
Stockdale was the most senior naval officer held captive in Hanoi, North Vietnam. He had led aerial attacks from the carrier USS Ticonderoga (CVA-14) during the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident.
| James Stockdale | |
|---|---|
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1943–1979 |
| Rank | Vice admiral |
How many times was Stockdale tortured?
Tortured 15 times, he was forced to wear vise-like heavy leg irons for two years, and spent four of the seven years in solitary confinement, in total darkness. Though his captors held his body prisoner, their relentless attempts to break his spirit never succeeded.
How long were American POWs in Vietnam?
nine years
Floyd Thompson, USA Special Forces, POW for nearly nine years, and the longest held prisoner of war in American history.
Who was the first POW in Vietnam?
Everett Alvarez Jr.
Alvarez was the first U.S. pilot to be shot down and detained during the Vietnam War and spent over eight years in captivity, making him the second longest-held U.S. POW, after U.S. Army Colonel Floyd James Thompson.
| Everett Alvarez Jr. | |
|---|---|
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
What was the cutoff height for tunnel rats in the Vietnam War?
5 ft 5 in
Tunnel rats were generally men of smaller stature (165 cm (5 ft 5 in) and under), who were able to maneuver more comfortably in the narrow tunnels.
How long did the Vietnam conflict last?
The war, considered a Cold War-era proxy war by some, lasted almost 20 years, with direct U.S. involvement ending in 1973, and included the Laotian Civil War and the Cambodian Civil War, which ended with all three countries becoming communist states in 1975.
How many names are on the Vietnam Memorial wall?
The two 200-feet-long walls contain more than 58,000 names. The names are listed in chronological order by date of their casualty and begin and end at the origin point, or center, of the memorial where the two walls meet. Having the names begin and end at the center is meant to form a circle – a completion to the war.
