Sixty years ago, on September 9, 1965, 40-year-old Commander James Bond Stockdale was flying an A-4 Skyhawk over North Vietnam as a naval aviator during the Vietnam War. His plane was hit by intense anti-aircraft fire, suddenly engulfing it in flames and causing a complete loss of hydraulic control.
Stockdale ejected from the aircraft, breaking a bone in his back as he landed in a small village. Almost immediately, he was beaten by a hostile mob and then captured by North Vietnamese forces. He became the highest-ranking naval officer held as a prisoner of war and was taken to Hoa Lo Prison, famously known as the Hanoi Hilton.
During more than seven years of captivity, Stockdale endured relentless physical torture, including beatings, whippings, near-asphyxiation, four years in solitary confinement in total darkness, and two years in heavy leg irons. Despite this, he led resistance efforts among American POWs, organizing secret communications, boosting morale, and refusing to cooperate with enemy propaganda.
When forced to make confessions, Stockdale deliberately inflicted near-fatal wounds on himself to avoid being exploited for propaganda purposes. His indomitable spirit persuaded his captors to lessen the torture on all prisoners.
Upon his release in 1973, Stockdale’s extraordinary heroism and leadership were honored with the Medal of Honor, awarded in 1976. He survived this ordeal and lived until July 5, 2005, passing away at age 81.
Stockdale remains one of the most highly decorated naval officers in U.S. history, remembered for his resilience, leadership, and courage under the harshest conditions.