STOCKDALE, JAMES BOND
Name: James Bond Stockdale
Rank/Branch: O5/US Navy, pilot
Unit: CAG 16, USS ORISKANY (CVA 34)
Date of Birth: 23 December 1923
Home City of Record: Abingdon IL
Date of Loss: 09 September 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 193400N 1065800E (WG839635)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: A4E
Missions: 175+
Other Personnel in Incident: (none missing)
Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 May 1990 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated by the P.O.W.
NETWORK April 1997.
REMARKS: 730212 RELSD BY DRV
SYNOPSIS: By midsummer 1964 events were taking place in the Gulf of Tonkin
that would lead to the first clash between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces.
In late July the destroyer USS MADDOX, on patrol in the gulf gathering
intelligence, had become the object of communist attention. For two
consecutive days, 31 July-1 August, the MADDOX cruised unencumbered along a
predesignated route off the North Vietnamese coast. In the early morning
hours of 2 August, however, it was learned from intelligence sources of a
possible attack against the destroyer.
The attack by three North Vietnamese P-4 torpedo boats (PT boats)
materialized just after 4:00 p.m. on August 2. The MADDOX fired off three
warning volleys, then opened fire. Four F-8 Crusaders led by Commander James
B. Stockdale from the aircraft carrier USS TICONDEROGA, also took part in
the skirmish. The result of the twenty-minute affair saw one gunboat sunk
and another crippled. The MADDOX, ordered out of the gulf after the incident
concluded, was hit by one 14.5mm shell.
A day later the MADDOX, accompanied by the destroyer USS C. TURNER JOY,
received instructions to reenter the gulf and resume patrol. The USS
CONSTELLATION, on a Hong Kong port visit was ordered to join the TICONDEROGA
stationed at the mouth of the gulf in the South China Sea. The two
destroyers cruised without incident on August 3 and in the daylight hours of
August 4 moved to the middle of the gulf. Parallel to the movements of the
C. TURNER JOY and MADDOX, South Vietnamese gunboats launched attacks on
several North Vietnamese radar installations. The North Vietnamese believed
the U.S. destroyers were connected with these strikes.
At 8:41 p.m. on August 4 both destroyers reportedly picked up
fast-approaching contacts on their radars. Navy documents show the ships
changed course to avoid the unknown vessels, but the contacts continued
intermittently. At 10:39 p.m. when the MADDOX and C. TURNER JOY radars
indicated one enemy vessel had closed to within seven thousand yards, the C.
TURNER JOY was ordered to open fire and the MADDOX soon followed. For the
next several hours, the destroyers, covered by the TICONDEROGA's and the
CONSTELLATION's aircraft, reportedly evaded torpedoes and fired on their
attackers.
Historians have debated, and will continue to do so, whether the destroyers
were actually ever attacked. Most of the pilots flying that night spotted
nothing. Stockdale, who would later earn the Medal of Honor, stated that a
gunboat attack did not occur. The skipper of the TICONDEROGA's Attack
Squadron 56, Commander Wesley L. McDonald, said he "didn't see anything that
night except the MADDOX and the TURNER JOY."
President Lyndon B. Johnson reacted at once to the supposed attacks on the
MADDOX, ordering retaliatory strikes on strategic points in North Vietnam.
Even as the President spoke to the nation, aircraft from the CONSTELLATION
and TICONDEROGA were airborne and heading for four major PT-boat bases along
the North Vietnamese coast. The area of coverage ranged from a small base at
Quang Khe 50 miles north of the demarcation line between North and South
Vietnam, to the large base at Hon Gai in the north.
On August 5, 1964, Stockdale led a flight of sixteen aircraft from the
TICONDEROGA on the Vinh petroleum storage complex at 1:30 p.m. in response
to the presidential directive to destroy gunboats and supporting facilities
in North Vietnam which the President indicated were used in the attack on
the MADDOX. The results saw 90 percent of the storage facility at Vinh go up
in flames.
Meanwhile, other coordinated attacks were made by aircraft from the
CONSTELLATION on nearby Ben Thuy Naval Base, Quang Khe, Hon Me Island and
Hon Gai's inner harbor. Skyraiders, Skyhawks and F8s bombed and rocketed the
four areas, destroying or damaging an estimated twenty-five PT-boats, more
than half of the North Vietnamese force.
Air wing command was usually placed in the hands of an individual who had
completed a tour as squadron commander of an attack or fighter unit. The CAG
was typically a better than average pilot with a solid record of
performance, and more than likely he was a pretty fair politician. By
another definition, he'd survived in a profession unforgiving of error.
On his second Vietnam tour, CDR James B. Stockdale was the commander of Air
Wing 16 onboard the USS ORISKANY. He had led the successful strike off the
TICONDEROGA against the petroleum storage facility at Vinh on August 4,
1964. On one mission, he had the canopy blown off his aircraft and had to
ditch in the Gulf of Tonkin where he was rescued. Then on September 9, 1965
flying an A4E Skyhawk, he led another strike mission over North Vietnam.
A major strike had been scheduled against the Thanh Hoa ("Dragon Jaw")
bridge, and the weather was so critical there was a question whether to
launch. Finally the decision was to launch. Halfway through, weather
reconnaissance reported the weather in the target area was zero, and
Stockdale had no choice but to send the aircraft on secondary targets.
Stockdale and his wingman, CDR Wynn Foster, circled the Gulf of Tonkin while
another strike element departed to look for a SAM site at their secondary
target. Had anything been found, Wynn and Stockdale were to join them.
After fifteen minutes or so, the other group came up empty. The group made
the decision to hit a secondary target, a railroad facility near the city of
Thanh Hoa.
CDR Stockdale's aircraft was hit by flak and he ejected, landing in a
village. His wingman saw the parachute go down, but could not see what was
happening to Stockdale on the ground. On a low pass, Foster saw that the
villagers were brutally beating Stockdale. There was nothing he could do.
The village was an unauthorized target. Throughout the rest of the war,
Foster carried the guilt of being unable to do something to help CDR
Stockdale.
James Stockdale was captured by the Vietnamese and taken to Hanoi, where he
spent the next seven and one-half years as a prisoner of war. He had briefed
his pilots during the period he was CAG on the ORISKANY that the Code of
Conduct would apply to anyone captured. There had been some dispute about
the validity of the Code in Vietnam, an undeclared war.
American POWs who had flown with Stockdale had no doubt as to what was
expected of them as prisoners. The knowledge, however, was a two-edged
sword--on one hand, the captives were glad to understand the guidelines. On
the other, when they "broke" (which inevitable they did), immense guilt and
shame ensued. Eventually, as they communicated with one another, everyone
understood that they had only to do their best.
It was not possible to resist utterly and survive. A few who cooperated with
the enemy "above and beyond" what was considered appropriate, received
special treatment from their guards in return. These men were despised by
other POWs who were doing their best to adhere to the Code of Conduct. Upon
his return, Jim Stockdale accused two POWs of mutiny. Official charges were
never brought against these men, or any others similarly accused.
During his captivity, Stockdale was considered to be a troublemaker by the
Vietnamese. As a senior officer, Stockdale developed a policy of behavior
for the POWs called "BACK US." The policy provided guidance on such things
as propaganda broadcasts, bowing to guards, and unity, thwarting the
"obedience" the Vietnamese tried to extract from the American POWs. The POWs
were shuffled from one camp to another, many times based on "unsatisfactory"
behavior; many were held long periods in solitary confinement; many were
tortured in "interrogation" sessions.
In early 1969, one of the POWs became ill and was in great pain at a camp
known as Alcatraz, located some ten blocks from the famed Hoa Lo (Hanoi
Hilton). The man was receiving no medical care, and fellow prisoners put the
pressure on. What ensued might be called a prison riot. The efforts did
bring a doctor to the ill POW's cell, although the doctor did nothing to
ease his pain. The next morning, Stockdale organized a forty-eight hour fast
to demand medical attention for the ailing officer. The next evening each
prisoner was interrogated and on the morning of January 27, Stockdale was
taken away to another prison center.
Finally, on February 12, 1973, Jim Stockdale was released from prisoner of
war camps and sent home. In all, 591 Americans were released.
Since the war ended, nearly 10,000 reports relating to Americans missing,
prisoner or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia have been received by the U.S.
Government. Many authorities who have examined this largely classified
information are convinced that hundreds of Americans are still held captive
today. These reports are the source of serious distress to many returned
American prisoners. They had a code that no one could honorably return
unless all of the prisoners returned. Not only that code of honor, but the
honor of our country is at stake as long as even one man remains unjustly
held. It's time we brought our men home.
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).
JAMES BOND STOCKDALE
Captain - United States Navy
Shot Down: September 9, 1965
Released: February 12, 1973
Captain Stockdale was born in Abingdon, Illinois in 1923. He was prominent
in scholarship, music, and athletics as high school student and at Knox and
Monmouth Colleges. In 1943 he entered the Naval Academy and graduated in
1946. After a three year tour on destroyers he began his flight training.
After squadron and test pilot tours he spent two years at Stanford
University where he earned a Masters of Arts degree in International
Relations.
After commanding VF 51 in Southeast Aisa, in 1965 he assumed command of
Carrier Air Wing 16 aboard the USS Oriskany. On September 9 he was shot down
on a combat mission over Vietnam. Now at home, still in the Navy and with
the rank of Rear Admiral, he resides with his wife, Sybil. They have four
sons: James, 23; Sidney, 20; Stanford, 14; and Taylor, 12.
PERSONAL STATEMENT: Ten years ago I toured the Old Yuma Territorial Prison
with my two eldest sons, ages 12 and 8. Their boyish reactions to the filthy
cells used for solitary confinement were predictable. A blend of wonderment
and horror crossed their faces as they peered in at the leg irons in the
tiny, windowless concrete boxes. I assured the boys that the days of old
Western desperadoes, as well as jails like these were gone forever.
Little did I know within a few years I would find myself in an old
French-built isolated cell block in Hanoi. This jail we called Alcatraz. I
was one of eleven Americans living in tiny windowless boxes (complete with
leg irons) finding out first hand the capabilities of the human spirit in
such a situation. Pedantic arguments of international politics were wasted
on us. We had a war to fight and were committed to fighting it from lonely
concrete boxes. Our very fiber and sinew were the only weapons at our
disposal. Each man's values from his own private sources, provided the
strength enabling him to maintain his sense of purpose and dedication. They
placed unity above self. Self indulgence was a luxury that could not be
afforded.
Each member of our "Alcatraz gang" fought his war well from a filthy cell.
All but one of us, Ron Storz, came home alive. Ron was a tiger to the end.
For us he will always remain a symbol of courage, fidelity, and dedication.
December 1996
James Stockdale retired from the United States Navy as a Vice Admiral. He
and his wife Sybil reside in California.
Medal of Honor
STOCKDALE, JAMES E.
Rank and organization: Rear Admiral (then Captain), U.S. Navy.
Place and date: Hoa Lo prison, Hanoi, North Vietnam, 4 September 1969.
Entered service at: Abingdon, Ill.
Born: 23 December 1923, Abingdon, Ill.
Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and
beyond the call of duty while senior naval officer in the Prisoner of War
camps North Vietnam. Recognized by his captors as the leader of the
Prisoners of War resistance to interrogation and in their refusal to
participate in propaganda exploitation, Rear Adm. Stockdale was singled out
for interrogation and attendant torture after he was detected in a covert
communications attempt. Sensing the start of another purge, and aware that
his earlier efforts at self disfiguration to dissuade his captors from
exploiting him for propaganda purposes had resulted in cruel and agonizing
punishment, Rear Adm. Stockdale resolved to make himself a symbol of
resistance regardless of personaI sacrifice.
He deliberately inflicted a near-mortal wound to his person in order to
convince his captors of his willingness to give up his life rather than
capitulate. He was subsequently discovered and revived by the North
Vietnamese who, convinced of his indomitable spirit, abated in their
employment of excessive harassment and torture toward all of the Prisoners
of War. By his heroic action, at great peril to himself, he earned the
everlasting gratitude of his fellow prisoners and of his country. Rear Adm.
Stockdale's valiant leadership and extraordinary courage in a hostile
environment sustain and enhance the finest traditions of the U.S. Naval
Service.
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