SOUTHWICK, CHARLES EVERETT

Name: Charles Everett Southwick
Rank/Branch: O4/United States Navy, pilot
Unit: VF 114
Date of Birth: 06 October 1931
Home City of Record: Fairbanks AK
Date of Loss: 14 May 1967
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 194700 North 1055000 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B
Missions:
Other Personnel in Incident: David Rollins, Returnee

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.

REMARKS: 730304 RELEASED BY DRV

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).
UPDATE - 09/95 by the P.O.W. NETWORK, Skidmore, MO

CHARLES E. SOUTHWICK
Commander - United States Navy
Shot Down: May 14, 1967
Released: March 4, 1973

I was born in Fairbanks, Alaska on 6 October 1931, settled in Seattle,
Washington in 1944, where I attended Renton Junior-Senior High School and
the University of Washington. I completed the Naval Aviation Cadet Program,
receiving my commission and wings on 13 April 1955. I served in fighter
squadrons from 1955 to 1964 flying FJ-3 Furies and F-8 Crusaders. From 1964
to 1966, I experienced my first taste of "desk" duty in the Bureau of Naval
Personnel. I returned to the cockpit in October 1966 flying the F-4B and was
shot down and captured on 14 May 1967 during a mission against the Than Hoa
(of Ham Rong) bridge.

I am thoroughly convinced of two things: First, I was able to endure nearly
six years of communist imprisonment because of the simple fact that I was
raised as an American, with all the experience and training inherent to life
in this great country. Second, I was released from captivity as a direct
result of the overwhelming involvement and support of the American people in
our behalf (a fact that made our conditions tolerable from late 1969 on) and
as a direct result of the integrity and intestinal fortitude of our
President, Richard M. Nixon. I will never be able to adequately repay the
American people or our President.

December 1996
Charles Southwick retired from the United States Navy as a Captain. He lives
in California.

---

Use your Browser's BACK function to return to the PREVIOUS page

---