News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: Ex-POW Speaks Out

Date: July 03, 1998

Former POW Presents His Case

TO: Senator Bob Smith

SUBJECT: S. J. Res.47

I am a former Prisoner of War who was captured in Laos on 22 March 1968. I have there after unusual distinction of being the first American military man, kept alive and transferred to Hanoi. Ernie Brace was the first civilian captured and arrived in Hanoi in the fall of 1968. I was interned in a camp, nicknamed "Plantation" by the inmates, of which I was the commander from June 1968 until early December 1969 with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

I would like to stress that all of us capture in Laos, and there were 10 in number, were captured by regular North Vietnam regular forces. For the most part, we Laos captives were kept separate from other captives. At one time I believed that the only reason the ten of us were kept alive was because we were captured by NVA (North Vietnamese regular Army). In recent years, after study of many documents relating to the war, I changed my mind and now feel that I and the other 9 were transferred to Hanoi because the Communists realized they had better have some Laos captives to release if and when the war ever ended. An interesting side note to this was that the North Vietnamese interrogators repeatedly told me that I could not have been captured in Laos because North Vietnam had no troops in Laos.

From my first interrogation in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, the Vietnamese interrogators repeatedly tried to convince me that I was captured in South Vietnam. I continually denied this and insisted that I was captured in Laos.

During my forced march from southern Laos to Hanoi, my journey took me up the Ho Chi Minh trail. I traveled the entire length of the trail until we reached North Vietnam. I was heavily guarded at all times by NVA troops and stopped in numerous villages and caves where North Vietnamese Army personnel were in large numbers. Not once did I observe troops that I could categorize as belonging to the Pathet Lao.

There is no doubt in my mind, that North Vietnam not only controlled Laos, but ruled it with an iron hand. It was readily apparent, when we would enter a Laotian village, that my guards were in complete control of all the village inhabitants.

Toward the end of 1969, I gradually pretended to agree with my captors that I was captured in South Vietnam and finally agreed that they were right. (A study of my crash site coordinates will reveal that this was impossible, unless I was blown by hurricane force winds from 12,000 feet a distance of many, many miles.) This resulted in my transfer to a prison containing only Laos, South Vietnam and Cambodian captives-an ungodly place-where conditions were similar to those of North Vietnam captives in the 65-66-67 time period, except worse--in short atrocious.

During my journey North I observed many communications lines running along the trail. At each stopping point I was expected. When I arrived in Vinh, North Vietnam, I was expected. When I arrived in Hanoi, I was expected. It is my opinion that because of the extensive communications in Laos, that North Vietnam knew exactly what was occurring in Laos on an hourly to daily basis.

Because North Vietnam controlled Laos during the war I am certain that they know far more than has been released to date about the 600 plus soles lost in Laos.

All POWs that I have talked to state that the North Vietnamese kept detailed records on each prisoner, including subjects covered in each interrogation. We refer to these as "The Blue Book" and sometimes "The White Book." To my knowledge the Vietnamese deny any existence of such records.

I feel strongly that Vietnam has extensive knowledge of each and every person captured during the war. Vietnam knows that to release such information about the "care and feeding" of we "criminals" would prove disastrous to their political ambitions. If the USA had access to these records I would say the vast majority of those still listed as MIA and those Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered would be solved overnight. Therefore I am totally against granting Vietnam any kind of recognition that would enhance their objectives while Mothers, Fathers, Wives, Sons, Daughters and concerned citizens wonder why their Johnny does not come marching home or at least be interned in a place of Honor such as Arlington National Cemetery. They will remain heart broken until Hanoi releases all records of captive soldiers during the Second Indochina War.

Any further attempts by the United States to provide expanded trade programs to the Communist government of Vietnam, only drives another nail into the coffin of the thousands of unaccounted for American, Canadians and Australian MIA's

Theodore W. Guy
Col. USAF (Ret)
Former POW
tedguy@lakeozarks.net