Former POW looks back, offers advice for future

  • Published
  • By Sarah Olaciregui
  • 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  Retired Lt. Col. Barry Bridger, a survivor of Vietnam's "Hanoi Hilton" prison camp, took a look at the past and offered advice for the future to young Airmen during Heritage of Freedom last Friday.

Colonel Bridger spoke about the torture he endured for six years as a prisoner of war. On Jan. 23, 1967, then-Lieutenant Bridger was shot down over Son Tay, North Vietnam, by a surface-to-air missile. He was subsequently captured by the North Vietnamese and imprisoned.

But he said he was able to get through those tortuous times and stay strong because of the American values instilled in him. He emphasized that these were the same values passed down for generations from the United States' founding fathers.

"Liberty is a God-given, natural right for all mankind," said Colonel Bridger as he took the floor.

He went on to talk about some of the struggles he endured.

"I walked into Hanoi with these values of our ancestors," he said. "They could destroy our body and mind, but not our heart. They couldn't touch our values."

He remarked that today's wars are especially difficult, confusing and dangerous because it's hard to know who the enemy is when it comes to terrorism. He encouraged the military members in attendance to remain courageous because the struggles they face will require the upmost courage.

Colonel Bridger walked the audience through the different phases of the Vietnam War and treatment of prisoners - from systematic abuse and torture to a re-education effort and eventually release. He spoke of the North Vietnamese efforts to isolate and demoralize the troops.

"The more pressure they put on us, the better we performed," he said. "They could not break our will."

While describing different tactics his captors used and how various personnel coped, Colonel Bridger used a quote from Admiral James Stockdale, another POW and military strategist, saying, "Integrity is your moral compass."

He also urged young Airmen not to waste their talents because they never know when their skills will be valuable in trials and tribulations.

"There were times when we were bored," said Colonel Bridger, "so we talked about everything from home construction to thermodynamics. I didn't know a lot about thermodynamics before, but I do now."

Although American values helped the colonel and his fellow prisoners endure the harsh treatment, it was laughter that helped the most.

"Americans have an incredible sense of humor," he said. "And many times the North Vietnamese guards didn't get our jokes."

By the end of his internment, the North Vietnamese had eased up on the torture and isolation, and the POWs had developed into a highly efficient military body. They knew that they would be released soon.

"The lessons we learned in Vietnam were not new," he said, "But every generation has something they must overcome."

Before opening the floor for questions, he closed by saying, "Your generation is earning our freedom all over again and fighting for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness."