ADKINS, CLODEON
Deceased 10/97
Name: Clodean Adkins
Rank/Branch: Civilian
Unit: PA & E CO
Date of Birth: 21 April 1915
Home City of Record:
Date of Loss: 01 February 1968
Country of Loss: South Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 163300 North 1073800 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: Ground
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 1020
Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or more of the following: raw
data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with POW/MIA
families, published sources, interviews and CACCF = Combined Action
Combat Casualty File.
REMARKS: 730305 RELEASED BY PRG
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret), Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor
P.O.W. Publications, 10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original publication (including date and
spelling errors).
CLODEN ADKINS
Civilian
Retired Major - United States Army
Captured: February 1, 1968
Released: March 5, 1973
In early 1967 I departed the U. S. for Vietnam after signing a
contract as Chief of Supply for an engineering company supporting the U. S.
Army elements in South Vietnam. During 1967 I was stationed in Qui Nhon and
Da Nang areas. The latter part of January 1968, because of critical
logistics problems at the company's Phu Bai installation, I moved to this
area temporarily.
The morning of 31 January 1968, at approximately 2:30 A. M.,
the combined forces of the Viet Cong (Yi Phong) regional forces (local
sympathizers) and the Democratic Republic of North Vietnam regular forces,
attacked Hue city. I was living in a prime target area near the Division
Commander of the ARVN forces and Ihe Hue Chief of Police and was immediately
pinned down and was captured about dusk the evening of the 31st of January
1968.
Four other American civilians and I were moved out of Hue the
night of 31 January 1968, marched 17 hours by devious routes, and arrived at
a prisoners' assembly camp at approximately noon, l February 1968. We were
held at this point until 19 February 1968. During this period many
prisoners, American and South Vietnamese, were brought to this camp. The
Vietnamese were moved out to other camps about once each week. On the l9th
of February they decided to move the Americans north to Hanoi. At this time
there were 25 Americans, including two women, and one Philippino. Five
Americans were left at this camp because of wounds and injuries. While at
this camp our diet consisted of two small bowls of rice daily.
This group of 21 prisoners, plus guards, moved through the
mountains and jungle by devious routes for seven days. We arrived at a
military command post northwest of the Hue area where a high ranking
Vietnamese Army Officer, who was apparently in charge of military operations
in the Hue area, told us we were prisoners of the Democratic Republic of
North Vietnam. The following morning, just prior to our departure north, he
separated the two women from our group. We proceeded north on the 26th of
February over the Ho Chi Minh Trail through Laos on foot. On the 16th of
March, while encamped on a ridge line, we were attacked two days in a row by
Air Force fighter bombers. This day they hit the target, killing and
wounding many North Vietnamese troops, also one American was killed and four
others wounded or injured. On the 17th we buried our companions and carried
one of our party out of the mountains and entrucked for ten days. Our diet
during this period was two rice balls daily. We carried eleven bags of rice
consisting of 21 kilos each for our food supply. We arrived at a detention
camp in the Quan Binh province just south of the 20th parallel the night of
21 March. This was an initial interrogation, identification, and
indoctrination point. Food was better here.
The prison was converted rice sheds, rice thatched roofs, cells
constructed inside, very little ventilation, extremely hot throughout the
day and into the night. We remained here until 3 July 1968. There were both
civilians and military prisoners here but kept separately. The night of 3
July the civilians were moved out, walking northeast. During this period we
were stoned by North Vietnamese civilians when we passed through villages
and towns. The third day we entrucked and rode for sixteen hours
continuously. Early in the morning of 7 July we arrived at an old French
monastery 10 kilometers north of Hanoi, that had been converted into a
political prison. Here interrogation continued. First, I was with another
prisoner in a cell meant for one person. Then I was moved for a short period
to a larger cell with three other prisoners. Then, because I had refused to
give any information other than my name, grade and reason for being in
South Vietnam, they moved me into isolation; something they had been
threatening to do since I had arrived in this camp. In January 1971 they
moved me and another prisoner to what they called a community cell with
three other prisoners, where we remained until June 1971. The general diet
there was a bowl of watery vegetables and rice twice daily. I refused to eat
rice and was given bread. No further attempts were made to obtain
information from me once they moved me into solitary.
On 22 June 1971 thirteen prisoners and myself were moved approximately 50
miles southwest of Hanoi to the NAM Ha province. This prison consisted of
one building, two rooms with platforms to sleep on, one room to eat in, one
a combination toilet and washing room. The prison was surrounded by a 20
foot high rock wall with one entrance gate. The prison guards were lax at
this prison as we were allowed outside in the prison courtyard for a period
in the morning and afternoon until 1 October 1971. At this time two other
prisoners and I escaped over the wall. This attempt to escape was
unsuccessful since we could not get clear of the dense jungle which
surrounded the prison. Security was very tight and treatment harsher after
this for a period of a year. When private talks were started in October 1972
treatment and food improved, even to allowing prisoners outside again under
close supervision.
On 28 January 1973 all prisoners of this camp were moved to the
Heartbreak Hotel section of the Hanoi Hilton. Later we were shifted to the
Las Vegas section. I was released to American authorities with the second
contingent on S March 1973 and returned to the United States on 8 March
1973.
As a result of my 61 months imprisonment and treatment by the
Communists, my lungs as a result of T. B. and my eyesight as a result of
prolonged malnutrition are seriously impaired.
Cloden Adkins and his wife Margaret reside in California. He retired at the
rank of Major from the United States Army prior to his capture.
09/25/97 Cloden Adkins was killed in a automobile accident near his
home in California.
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