September 2020 Newletter
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Freedom’s Voice The Monthly Newsletter of the Military History Center 112 N. Main ST Broken Arrow, OK 74012 http://www.okmhc.org/ “Promoting Patriotism through the Preservation of Military History” Volume 7, Number 9 September 2020 United States Armed Services Days of Observance There are several Days of Observance in the month of Sep- tember. We believe the most significant are Victory over Ja- pan (VJ) Day on September 2, POW/MIA Recognition Day on September 18 and Air Force Birthday on September 18. Military History Center Benefit Golf Tournament Battle Creek Golf Club Broken Arrow, OK Friday, October 16 Registrations are now available. Four Person Team - $350.00 Includes lunch Hole sponsorship includes a sign placed at a hole. Hole sponsor - $200.00 Hole sponsor and team - $450.00 The MHC Salutes World War II Veterans For more information about registrations, sponsorships or donations, contact JeanE Bailie at 918-794-2712 or BG Tom Mancino at 918-794-2712 or 918-277-2486. World War II Victory Ribbon The Vietnam War’s Forgotten POW reenlistment officer with Headquarters XVIII Airborne Corps at Fort Bragg from September 1961 to September 1962, and then as a staff officer with 1st Special Forces, also at Fort Bragg, from September 1962 to December 1963. Captain Thompson was sent went to Vietnam in December 1963 for a six-month tour. He is reported to have said that prior to his deployment, he had never heard of the place. That’s highly unlikely, as Special Forc- es personnel had been in Vietnam for more than a year prior to his deployment. In any case, Thompson’s planned six-month Vietnam tour turned into a nine-year ordeal. Thompson was held by the Viet Cong at various locations in South Vietnamese and Laotian jungles and mountains. His back injury incapacitated him for several months. As soon as he re- covered sufficiently to sit and walk, the Viet Cong began tortur- ing him to force a propaganda statement that he was being well treated. Thompson succumbed to the torture and signed the document in August. In the meantime, the Viet Cong made no announcement of his capture. In 1967, they delivered him LTC Floyd James “Jim” Thompson – 1973 to the North Vietnamese, who took him to Hanoi, but kept him isolated from other prisoners. From the time of his capture, When most people, who know anything about the subject, Thompson did not speak to another American for five years. At are asked, who was the longest held POW of the Vietnam War, some point, he was placed with Lew Myer, a civilian Naval em- they will invariably respond that it was LTJG Everett Alvarez, Jr. ployee. The two made an escape that lasted only two days They would be wrong. It was, in fact, CPT Floyd James “Jim” before they were recaptured. This may have been when Thompson, but few people have ever heard of him. Thompson was confined in solitary confinement for two years. On March 26, 1964, four and a half months before Alvarez Believing her husband was dead, Alyce Thompson moved to was shot down, CPT Thompson was a passenger in an L-19/01 Massachusetts to live with a retired Army soldier. When she Bird Dog observation plane flown by CPT Richard L. Whitesides. was notified that her husband was alive, she asked that his They were shot down by enemy small arms fire about twenty- name be withheld from the list of confirmed POWs. When the five miles from Thompson's Special Forces Camp near Quang POW/MIA organization contacted her asking permission to cre- Tri, South Vietnam. Thompson survived the crash with burns, a ate a POW/MIA bracelet in his memory, she refused. Alyce was bullet wound across his cheek and a broken back. He was concerned with protecting the privacy of her children and was quickly captured by Viet Cong. Whitesides was killed in the overwhelmed by the circumstances of her life. She later said crash. Subsequent aerial search and ground patrols failed to that she was not proud of all she had done. find any trace of the aircraft. Thompson was finally transferred to the Hanoi Hilton on A casualty officer went to Thompson’s home in the United January 28, 1973, as the Vietnamese were consolidating the States on March 27 to inform his wife, Alyce, that her husband POWS for exchange. When the POWs were released in Opera- was missing in action. Alyce was well along with her fourth tion Homecoming beginning on February 12, Alvarez was the pregnancy, and the shock of the news sent her into labor. She first POW off the first plane at Clark Air Force Base and was gave birth to a son that evening. universally hailed as the longest held POW. Thompson had Floyd James Thompson was born July 8, 1933, in Bergen- been a POW for 3,278 days – ten days short of nine years – but field, New Jersey. He graduated from Bergenfield High School it was a month later before he was released and was able to in 1951. He was drafted into the Army on June 14, 1956. In the reunite with Alyce and his children at Valley Forge Army Hospi- beginning, he was an unhappy and sometimes rebellious sol- tal in Pennsylvania. It was a joyful reunion, but only his oldest dier, but decided during basic training at Fort Dix, New Jersey, daughter had any memory of him. It was the first time he had that he actually liked the Army and decided to make a career of seen his son. it. After basic training, he was accepted for Officer Candidate Thompson had been promoted to Lieutenant Colonel be- nd School. After receiving his 2 Lieutenant’s commission, Thomp- fore repatriation and later to Colonel, but his joyful return was son served stateside and a one-year tour in Korea. short-lived. He suffered from the effects of his imprisonment, When Thompson returned from Korea, he was stationed at what today would be diagnosed as PTSD. He was by now Fort Bragg, North Carolina. Special Forces people apparently aware of what Alyce had done, and they were unable to recon- liked what they saw in him. They recruited him into the Army cile. Neither was he able to establish a relationship with his Special Forces – Green Berets. After completing his Special children. Alyce divorced him in 1975. Thompson remarried, but Forces training, Thompson completed ranger school and para- it lasted less than two years. He suffered from depression, fell trooper school. After completion of those schools, he served as into alcoholism and ended up in Walter Reed Army Medical an instructor at the Infantry School at Fort Benning, Georgia, Center. After several years of therapy and regular sessions from August 1958 to June 1960. His next assignment was as a with Alcoholics Anonymous, Thompson's life began a turn for th platoon leader in the 34 Infantry Regiment, stationed in South the better. He suffered a mild heart attack in January 1981. A Korea from June 1960 to July 1961. Thompson then served as a few weeks later, a severe stroke left him unable to read, write ther negotiations followed. Overland evacuation west to Brit- or speak effectively. COL Thompson retired from the Army in ish lines was rejected as impractical for several reasons. 1981 and relocated to Key West, Florida. Only his POW hero GEN Eisenhower, fed-up with the impasse, ordered Eighth status had kept the Army from forcing his retirement earlier. Air Force to evacuate the prisoners immediately. The com- The Army held a retirement ceremony for him at the Penta- mander of Eighth Air Force designated 1st Combat Wing to exe- gon on January 28, 1982. He received the Distinguished Service cute the mission, called Operation REVIVAL. The Wing included Medal in recognition of his twenty-five years of service as an the 91st, 381st and 398th bomb groups. On May 11, Eighth Air Army officer. Because of his recent stroke, Thompson had diffi- Force secured Russian permission to use nearby Barth airport culty speaking. A close friend read his retirement speech. for evacuation on the 12th and 13th, within a specific time block Thompson had begun receiving awards for his military ser- of hours. A corridor for travel over Russian occupied territory vice back in 1974. He was awarded a Silver Star for his escape. was designated. The evacuation plan was first to take the hos- He also received a Legion of Merit, recognizing his nine years of pital cases and the sick and next the British airmen, who for the captivity, also a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Air Medal. most part, had been in captivity longer than the Americans, President Ronald Reagan held a ceremony at the White dating back to 1940. The prisoners were marched in barracks House on June 24, 1988, to honor POWs from World War I, groups to the airport to avoid clogging the highway and loading World War II, Korea and Vietnam. Two representatives were area. The first B-17 arrived at Barth on the 12th. BG William picked from each war to receive the Prisoner of War Medal. Gross, commander of 1st Combat Wing, was on board. He was Thompson and Everett Alvarez were chosen to represent POWs followed by a C-46 with officers from Eisenhower’s staff. Two from Vietnam. Thompson never forgave the military for their more B-17s arrived with communication equipment and per- treatment of him during Operation Homecoming and its delib- sonnel to establish links with Eighth Air Force.