Strengths of the Gut[1] The story of Barry Bridger, an American POW in Hanoi Hilton
Some will say that your character is best defined when you are faced with horrific conditions in the crucible of adversity. There are not many more adverse situations that I know of than to be a prisoner of war, captured by the North Vietnamese, during America’s involvement in the Vietnam war in the 1960’s – 70’s. Such was the case for U.S. Air Force Captain Barry Bridger, who at the time was the 43rd Tactical Fighter Squadron F-4 Phantom aircraft commander with the 497th Fighter Squadron. Bridger was shot down and captured on January 23, 1967, during a combat mission, and was imprisoned for 2,232 days in the “Hanoi Hilton” camp in North Vietnam.
If you are a prisoner of war, especially in the Hanoi Hilton, you will face some type of torture nearly every day. As Staff Sgt. Nick Wilson, Air Combat Command Public Affairs wrote in the Air Combat Command magazine published in September 21, 2016, he quoted Barry’s recollection of what he had to endure during his time in the Hanoi Hilton.
“When they took you to the interrogation center, they would basically say to you, ‘You need to cooperate with us or go to the torture chamber. Which do you prefer?” Bridger explained. “Now it’s interesting to me that out of 500 POWs, they all said, ‘We’ll take the torture chamber.’”[2]
When the captors weren’t being tortured, they were each isolated in concrete cells.
“The most difficult part, without any doubt, was listening to my fellow Americans scream in agony because we [could not save] them from the torture they were having to endure,” Bridger said. “The number one torture tactic they had, among many others, was to put your arms behind your back and place them in manacles.”
Manacles are metal shackles used for fastening someone’s hands or ankles.
“They would run a nylon strap from your wrists to between your shoulders, and pull your shoulders out of the sockets, ripping out the tendons,” Bridger explained. “Then it would take nine months to be able to pick your hand back up to your nose again.”
The Vietnamese captors used the torture chambers on Bridger and his comrades as part of an effort to destroy their cultural bonds, heritage and loyalty to the United States. They wanted their U.S. prisoners to help them convert the entire group of Americans against their own country, Bridger said.
“They tried to get us to become anti-war [by] saying that our government had lied to us about things,” Bridger said. “They wanted us to get on the [prison’s] radio system and demoralize the other Americans that were in the system that weren’t having any part of it.”
If any of us were to endure such brutal pressure of the Hanoi Hilton, we can only ask ourselves what we would have done under similar circumstances. Said another way, how much of this “strength of the guy” do we really have if were we in similar circumstances? In an interview my co-author and I had with Barry Bridger, we asked him this question and his response says much about character and the values that define our character. He said your behavior “would have been predetermined by the values you brought to the fight. You are what you value. You will take out what you brought in. If you therefore enter into a period of great tribulation focused on yourself, you are very likely to come out even more self-centered. On the other hand, if you enter into a period of great travail, focused on ideas that are more meaningful, more lasting, ultimately more human, then you are very likely to come out with a deeper, more profound commitment to these enduring life principles”.[3]
One of Bridger’s fellow POW’s in the Hanoi Hilton was former Senator John McCain. McCain broke his arm when he ejected from his plane, and the systematic program of torture, which included being flogged by as many as 1,000 times with rubber hoses, broke his arm again. POW’s would also have to sit or crouch in uncomfortable positions for hours, deprived of food and sleep for days. One POW had to sit on a stool for three days without falling asleep, or he would have been beaten.[4]
You have to wonder what strength of spirit would enable one to endure such torture and adversity? In our interview with Bridger, we asked him what his definition of character was and what role did that play while enduring a seemingly never-ending life of brutal torture with the dimming hope of ever to see your loved ones again. Barry’s response was illuminating. “Character is the courage to do the right thing at the right time for the right reasons and is determined by what you value about life, about living, about being. Your deeply held beliefs, therefore, define who you are and how you are likely to behave”[5].
Barry credits his character for enabling him to endure this crucible for over 6 years. “(T)he depravity and evil of our existence ravaged our minds and bodies; but the values of a good heart, the strength of our spirit were empowered by each selfless act to rally around those in greater need than ourselves. It was a point of honor, therefore, to remain in the torture chamber as long as possible to deny its use for a fellow POW. In other words, our value system was on auto pilot. It compelled us to act and thereby to survive”.[6]
Barry received numerous awards and medals for his experience and service to our Nation. One was the Silver Star, which is the third highest award for valor that one could receive – the highest being the Medal of Honor. It is worth reading his Silver Star citation, as it illustrates what he endured while recognizing his character strength of “devotion to duty” to enable him to persevere under such conditions.
“This officer distinguished himself by gallantry and intrepidity in action in connection with military operations against an opposing armed force while a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam. Ignoring international agreements on treatment of prisoners of war, the enemy resorted to mental and physical cruelties to obtain information, confessions and propaganda materials. This American resisted their demands by calling upon his deepest inner strengths in a manner which reflected his devotion to duty and great credit upon himself and the United States Air Force”.[7]
I had the opportunity to visit the Hanoi Hilton in 2019, more than forty-five years after Bridger was released and reunited with his family. Looking at the conditions these American prisoners lived under gives a renewed respect and admiration for their grit, courage, and character. “It is said that the true test of one’s character occurs not when things are going well in life, but when the worst happens and often when it is least expected. Bridger demonstrated true strength of the gut in persevering through repeated torture, disillusionment, and inhumane living conditions when hope was forlorn. Yet through all of this he remained loyal to his nation, his family, his colleagues, and himself, refusing to compromise the values he was raised with, and the values he was taught in service to his country.”[8]
Let me conclude Barry Bridger’s story with a quote he said on his return to the United States after over 6 years as a POW all in the Hanoi Hilton. His simple statement summarizes not only his character but credits his honorable behavior in the 6-year crucible of a Hanoi Hilton North Viet Nam prisoner of war camp. “Now I've come home with the satisfaction of knowing I served with honor.”[9]
[1] From Dr. Mike Mathews and LTG(R) Bob Caslen’s book, “The Character Edge – Leading and Winning with Integrity”, Chapter 2, “Strength of the Gut”, St. Martin Press, 2020.
[2] This and the following three quotes are from Staff Sgt. Nick Wilson’s interview with Barry Bridger, Air Combat Command Public Affairs, written in the Air Combat Command magazine published in September 21, 2016
[3] Dr. Mike Matthew and LTG(R) Robert Caslen phone interview with Barry Bridger in preparation for their book, “The Character Edge-Leading and Winning with Integrity”, St Martin Press, 2012.
[4] Tu-Uyen Tran, The Grand Forks Herald; “Former POW talks torture at UND”, April 29, 2009
[5] Interview Ibid.
[6] Interview Ibid.
[7] Veteran Tributes; P.O. Box 3012; Gulfport, MS 39505; www.veterantributes.org
[8] The Character Edge – Leading and Winning with Integrity, p.273
[9] Interview, Ibid