Navy Sailor's Unlikely Path to Vietnam POW Heroism
Douglas Brent Hegdahl, a young Navy sailor, fell overboard from the USS Canberra during the Vietnam War and was captured by the Viet Cong. As a POW at the infamous Hanoi Hilton, he pretended to be unintelligent, allowing him to gather and memorize critical information, including the names of 254 fellow POWs. His efforts helped reclassify 63 service members from MIA to POW, providing solace to families and valuable intelligence to the military. Hegdahl's story of resilience and ingenuity is detailed in a new biography by Marc Leepson.