A small antidote to #OccupyWallStreet, reminding us of America’s real treasures

A friend (he knows who he is) emailed me the following information.  It speaks of a past generation of heroes, but I look at today’s military, and know that our youth offers better than the decadent, drugged-out, hypersexualized wretches on Wall Street:

Hanoi Hilton, Room 7 Roster : An interesting piece of military history

In late 2000, CdrAirGroup (CAG) Jim Stockdale, Room 7 Senior Ranking Officer (SRO), asked his old friend, By Fuller, to provide a list of the roommates of Room 7, Hanoi Hilton as of Christmas 1970. The roommates of this room were extraordinary, both at the time of incarceration, and then – later in freedom.

Navy 18 Captains–Brady, Coskey, Crayton, Daniels, Doremus, Fellowes, Franke, Gillespie, James, Jenkins, McCain, Moore , Mulligan, Rivers, Rutledge,Schoeffel, Stratton, & Tanner.

2 Became U.S. Congressmen ( Johnson , Texas ; McCain , Arizona ).

2 Became U.S. Senators ( Denton , Alabama ; McCain , Arizona ).

1 Was a Vice Presidential candidate (Stockdale).

1 Was a Presidential candidate (McCain).

2 Received the Medal of Honor (Stockdale, Day). Day resumed his career as a lawyer.

3 Received the Navy Cross ( Denton , Coker, Fuller). 3 of the 4 POWs to receive this award were from this room. Red McDaniel was the 4th POW to receive the award.

4 Made escapes. All were recaptured, all were tortured. (Dramesi, Coker, McKnight, Day).

2 Were jet aces from the Korea War (Risner: 9 kills in F-86; Kasler: 6 kills in F-86).

1 First pilot to fly over Russia in U-2 spy aircraft (Stockman).

1 Was shot down 4-15-1944 in Germany . POW until April 1945.. 26th mission in P-47 (Ligon).

1 Shot down 3 German planes during WW II. Flying British aircraft(Guarino). Flew 156 missions in Sicily , India , China and Indo-China.

1 Flew 62 missions in Korea War. Got credit for 1 kill, 1 damaged, 1 probable kill against Mig 15s (Johnson).

7 Received the Air Force Cross (Kasler–3 awards; Risner–2 awards; Dramesi: 2 awards, Day, Kirk, Guarino and McKnight each received one award).

4 Were Navy Test Pilots (Stockdale, Lawrence, Gillespie, & Franke).1 Flew with the Thunderbirds (Johnson)

11 Were USNA graduates (Brady ’51, Denton ’47, Fellowes ’56, Fuller ’51, Gillespie ’51, Lawrence ’51, McCain ’58, Rivers ‘ 52, Schoeffel ’54, Shumaker ’56, & Stockdale ’47).

2 Were Landing Signal Officers (LSOs); (Stockdale, Tanner).

1 Escaped the B-52 community and got into combat flying the F-105G (Larson).

1 Has a daughter who is an astronaut, gone into space three times (789 hours).

She is presently in training as a crewmember of the International Space Station. ( Lawrence )

1 Was a Navy Air Wing Commander (CAG): (Stockdale, (COMAIRGRU 16).

1 Commanded a Navy Carrier, USS America. Later became Battle Group Commander CARGRU 4 Commander (Fuller).

10 Were Squadron Commanders when shot down Schoeffel (VA-83), (Coskey (VA-85), Day (TBD), Denton (VA-75),

Franke, Fuller (VA-76), Gillespie, Jenkins (VA-163), Lawrence (VF-143), Ligon (11th TRS) and Larson (469thTFS).

5 Were Squadron Executive Officers (Daniels, Moore, Mulligan, Rutledge,& Brady). They were shot down before

they could make squadron Commander.

10 Authored books:
a. Day: Return With Honor.
b. Denton : When Hell Was In Session.
c. Dramesi: Code of Honor.
d. Guarino: A POW’s Story: 2801 Days in Hanoi
e. Johnson: Captive Warriors: A Vietnam POW’s Story.
f. McCain: Faith of My Fathers.
g. Mulligan: The Hanoi Commitment.
h. Risner: The Passing of the Night.
i. Rutledge: In the Presence of Mine Enemies.
j. Stockdale: Courage Under Fire; In Love and War; A Vietnam Experience;Thoughts of a Philosophical Fighter Pilot.

4 Became Presidents/Commandants / Superintendents of institutions of higher learning:

(Stockdale: President of the Citidel and President of the Naval War College ; Lawrence : Superintendent of the USNA; Shumaker:

Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School ; and; Denton :Commandant of Armed Forces Staff College ).

2 Built their own airplanes: (Jenkins: Long EZ; Shumaker: Glassair). Pollard is currently flying sail planes.

1 Was the first active duty Naval Aviator to fly Mach II (Lawrence).

1 Was first Naval Aviator to land on an aircraft carrier in 0/0 fog with a newly developed Aircraft Carrier Landing System (Gillespie). Yes, it was an emergency low fuel state!

2 Naval Aviators were in the final selection groups (before shootdown) for the Mercury Astronaut Program (Lawrence, Shumaker).

Many of the members of Room 7 either served during wars prior to Vietnam , or who saw combat in theatres other than Vietnam

Magnificent men, whether in a cockpit, in a cell, or at a desk. Provided to show that, regardless of the circumstances, some are never defeated, only temporarily delayed.

It is to my great shame that, back in 1992, I joined the media in sneering at Admiral Stockdale, who was, truly, a great American. In my defense, there was no serious internet in those days to act as a counterweight to the MSM’s desperate push to get Clinton in the White House. Nowadays, the public’s only excuse for ignorance, as 2008 proves, is that the public doesn’t want to know the truth.