Vietnam POW Resources
Welcome to the Resources page of Beyond Survival—your growing gateway to the remarkable story, legacy, and lessons of America’s POWs held in North Vietnam. Here you will find current features and future additions including PODCASTS, blogs, historical facts, educational links, recommended books, videos, interviews, movies, and powerful stories of faith, courage, and resilience.
This page will continue to expand with announcements of upcoming events, special tributes, speaking engagements, new media releases, and opportunities to learn, engage, and help preserve this extraordinary chapter of American history.
Vietnamwarpows.com
Most current facts, names, dates, books, videos, and more about vietnam POWs
(compiled by Capt. Mike McGrath, 6-year POW/NAM-POW Historian)
Vietnam POW Videos/Audios
Life in Prison in their words
• Captain Jerry Coffee:
My Story
• Everett Alvarez:
Legends of Air Power
• John McCain:
The horrors he endured as a POW
• Captain Jerry Coffee:
Beyond Survival Keynote
• President and Mrs. Nixon:
Host the POWs at the White House
• CBS Sunday Morning with Jane Pauley 2023:
50th anniversary of Vietnam POWs return
Faith in Prison
“They were stripped of everything—except their faith. And it was enough.”
The 23rd Psalm comforted the POW’s as did other Holy Scriptures they had memorized.
The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. He maketh me lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside still waters. He restoreth my soul; He guides me in the paths of righteousness. For His name’s sake. Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me. Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou anointed my head with oil; My cup runneth over. Surely goodness and loving kindness will follow me all the days of my life, And I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.
Communication – Life saving in Hoa Lo Prison
2 taps – 2 taps/1 tap – 2 taps
G.B = God Bless
2 taps – 2 taps/1 tap – 2 taps
1 tap – 1 tap
G.B.A = God Bless America
POWs in North Vietnam were not allowed to Communicate with each other so we used the centuries old “prisoners code” tap code. It was derived from five rows of letters each, deleting the “K” because a “C” could usually be used when a “K” was called for.
We communicated the individual letters by tapping first the row then the column representing a particular letter. We share poetry and other information by using variations of this tap code matrix.
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