Need help Vietnam POW story

[Mom-o 10]

Our troop is hosting Fall Camporee (with a lot of help) and we wanted to use an old story (my husband told me about) as a lead-in to a short Flag Retirement Ceremony during the bonfire.

 

He heard this story told at Camp Napawan in Wisconsin on a Webelos Weekend in Summer 2000.

 

Does anyone know this story? Something about a POW in Vietnam who kept making small American flags out of anything he could find. He would hold it up and show the other American POW's (he might have been in a cage) to boost their morale. The North Vietnamese would keep "catching" him, take away his homemade flag and would beat and/or torture him. Once returned to his cell or cage, he would start all over again, making a new flag. One flag could take him months to make.

 

Not sure, but I think he didn't survive, but one of the other POW's did and came home and told the story.

 

If anyone knows the origin, or where we might find it in print, we would appreciate it. This is my first post. Been a Scout leader since our 15 yr old was a Tiger. Now have 3 sons in the Troop.

 

 

[Crew21_Adv 25]

Mom-o

 

Greetings!

 

The story is true and became more public in 1988. It was taken from a speech that John McCain gave before the 1988 Republican National Convention.

 

Also recently on Veterans Day 2003 on the Senate floor.

http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/C?r108:./temp/~r108LJZago

 

Mike Christian

http://www.cfa-inc.org/flag_stories/stories4.htm

 

A couple of more books written by and about Vietnam POWs were I'm No Hero by Charles Plumb and Beyond Survival by Gerald Coffee.

 

http://www.charlieplumb.com/

http://www.captaincoffee.com/

 

 

Regarding your Camporee, Most Fall Camporees occur in October November time frame. It would be great if the youth could learn the significance of Veteran's Day. It is a federal holiday, and usually a work and school holiday.

 

The sigificance of 9-11 is recently known of course, but the Freedom Walk is on its second year. The large Freedom Walk is moving along the National Mall to the Pentagon, but it is being modeled in many other cities.

 

However, just after 9-11 is POW/MIA Day, which is Friday the 15th of September. There should be memorial ceremonies held at many military bases, and city memorials.

 

Finally, we should always remember the many sacrifices of both the fallen and living Veterans. A few years ago, our District Scout Camping Chair took from a Cub Scout theme of the month "Hometown Heroes". All of the competition events were named after a local hero. (i.e. Sgt Smith Fire Bucket Brigade, Cpt Jones Cracker-Whistle Relay) Each competition site had a picture of a local hero, and their personal award citation and short bio read by the event station staffer.

 

In mid day, the local metropolitan SWAT team and polices dogs demonstrated for the scouts.

 

Finally our evening campfire was a blast with all the usual skits and songs, it was dedicated to a Medal of Honor Recipient within the state. To calm the Scouts at the end of the evening, the campfire "Camp Commissioners Minute" was closed with a personal story from a visiting MOH recipient in the local area.

 

Good luck with the Camporee!

 

Scouting Forever and Venture On!

Crew21 Adv

[Mom-o 10]

Thank you, Crew21_Adv!

 

Our leaders were amazed at how quickly we got an answer- in just a few hours! We looked everywhere else, until I decided to register with Scouter.com and see if other Scouters would know.

 

Our Scoutmaster is a wonderful storyteller, so I know it will be very moving at the Camporee bonfire, and a nice segue into the flag retirement ceremony.

 

Thanks for your suggestions. Some great ideas to think about.