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Re: Thieves Dishonor Hero

From: POW-MIA InterNetwork

Date: January 08, 2003

"Thieves Dishonor Hero
By JON SOLES Of The Record Staff

James Strickland’s life was rarely easy after he left the family farm in Harnett County for Vietnam in 1967.
The former Prisoner of War died of liver failure Friday. Since his death, his vacant home has been broken into twice and over $1,000 of appliances stolen.

Mr. Strickland, who was 55, died Jan. 2. Since his death, thieves broke into his home twice.

They stole a microwave, television, VCR and satellite. The thieves even stole groceries and bags of chocolate candy was consumed with only the empty bag left behind on the coffee table. But the worst insult was the theft of his fishing tackle box and a new fishing rod, his brother, Glenn Strickland said.

“That was sort of personal. He had been out to Wal-Mart and he picked it (fishing rod) out himself,” Glenn said. “He loved to go fishing.”

Glenn lives beside his brother’s house on N.C. 82 just south of Erwin. He said the thieves were probably unsavory people formerly acquainted with his brother who knew of his belongings. The Harnett County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the break-ins.

Glenn said he is hurt that someone would steal his brother’s belongings even after their death. But the break-ins have been the least of the Strickland family’s worries. Just nine days before James’ death, his father died of heart failure on Christmas Eve. James was admitted to Good Hope Hospital in Erwin on Christmas Day. James’ liver had finally given out, Glenn said.

“When we carried him to the hospital on Christmas Day, the liver had basically shut down and stopped functioning,” Glenn said. “Basically they told us there was not a lot of hope for James.”


With Siblings When He Died

Just days after his father’s funeral, James died with his brother and sister, Margie Gregory, by his side.  “I had my hands on him when he took his last breath,” Glenn said. “He wasn’t by himself.”

Though the death of two family members only four days apart has been difficult for the Strickland family, Glenn said he has found comfort knowing father and son are in Heaven now. James had accepted Jesus Christ as his savior days before his death and John Strickland, who sang Gospel music and played guitar for 60 years, was a Christian as well, Glenn said.

“To die on Christmas Eve and wake up in the arms of the Lord on Christmas Day is not too bad,” Glenn said with a smile.

Drafted At 19
James was buried yesterday with full military honors. Glenn called his brother a hero for his service in Vietnam. At the age of 19, James was drafted into the Army in the summe
r of 1967 while he was working at a textile plant in Smithfield.

He trained at Fort Polk, La., before he shipped out to Vietnam.

In January 1968, just weeks after his arrival in Vietnam, James was in a unit of about 75 to 80 men on a mission to find survivors from an American helicopter that was shot down near some rice paddies. The men were ambushed at a tree line which soon turned into a slaughter.

All But Strickland Killed

The Viet Cong managed to kill all but one soldier in the unit, and James Strickland was that lone survivor. Glenn Strickland said his brother told him he picked up the guns from his dead companions and continued fighting until he ran out of ammunition. When he ran out of ammo, James played dead until prodding from a bayonet forced him up.

James was taken to a prison work camp in the mountains where his job was to haul food to wounded American soldiers. After 22 months in captivity, James and two other American soldiers were released by the Viet Cong for propaganda purposes. James arrived back at Fort Bragg and was reunited with his family on Nov. 12, 1969.
In a Nov. 13, 1969, article in The Daily Record, James said of his captors “they treated me great” and “I have nothing against them.”

Later, James provided key testimony in the case of the only American soldier found guilty of collaborating with the enemy. James testified against Robert Garwood, a U.S. Marine who guarded helped guard American prisoners for the Viet Cong.

Glenn Strickland said his brother was never the same after coming home from Vietnam — a plight shared by many Vietnam veterans.

Never Recovered


“When he came back, he was never quite able to deal with reality,” Glenn said.

James always drank heavily, and in 2000 was admitted to the hospital where his esophagus bled so much that doctors gave him 16 units of blood. With his liver functioning at only about 10 percent, doctors told him he would soon die if he did not give up the bottle.

“He was his own man, you couldn’t tell him anything,” Glenn said. “He said ‘I’m going to drink until the day I die.’”
James made it almost three years before his liver gave out. James was preceded in death by his wife, Barbara Coats Strickland, in 2001.   Glenn has adopted his brother’s “baby,” a Dachshund dog named ‘Booger T. Strickland.’

Booger seems to have adjusted well to his new home, playing with toys on the living room floor and climbing into his new master’s lap for affection.

Glenn said the good memories and the legacy of his big brother’s service to his country are bright points that is making it easier to cope with his brother’s death.