My wife Mary and I were in Pensacola, Florida to attend a Navy graduation for my niece Anna recently. She was stationed on the Pensacola Naval Air Station. After the graduation we had the opportunity to view the Blue Angels rehearsal and take in the National Naval Air Museum on post.
One of the exhibits there was entitled “Return With Honor – Vietnam – POW Exhibit” and it featured a local Vietnam War hero from Seward.
First of all, I believe everyone should have to see this powerful exhibit. My niece was headed to SERE (Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape) which is training for aircrew members that are captured, and it employed many of the lessons from the Vietnam War. Once you see the treatment of the Prisoners of War (POW), you will have a greater appreciation to the sacrifices that servicemembers make for this country.
Many of these brutal cases from the Hanoi Hilton have been documented, but a person needs to see what that looks like in full detail. The exhibit was very well done. A tribute to many such as Seward native Captain (USN) Wendell Rivers.
Rivers was flying his A-4 Skyhawk from the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) on Sunday, Sept. 19, 1965, when he was shot down over enemy territory during the Vietnam War. He was held in the infamous Hanoi Hilton until Feb. 12, 1973. His story was shown in the display entitled “Hanoi Hilton POWs,” an interactive exhibit.
Next to the display was a case full of the POW bracelets that were created to adopt a POW and show support during the war. Outside on the courtyard was a bronze sculpture of an aviator and his family at the tarmac welcoming him home. Rivers passed away on May 9, 2009, and is buried in the north cemetery in Seward.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day is the third Thursday in September.
I was so honored to meet families of these brave heroes while at the Nebraska National Guard Museum. I hope people get a chance to see this exhibit as it makes its way across the United States.
