Vietnam War P.O.W. Returns to Garden City

 In early December, Vietnam War P.O.W., Capt. Richard Stratton (Ret.), visited Garden City Middle School to share his experiences with a group of eighth graders. Stratton and his family previously lived in Garden City while serving in the Navy, and his three children attended school here. Capt. Stratton commented to the students that his “family was always treated very well by the residents in this community.”

Stratton was held at the Hoa Lo prison in Hanoi (otherwise known as the “Hanoi Hilton”) beginning Jan. 5, 1967 after his plane went down in North Vietnam. He was held prisoner along with other American POWs until their release in 1973. Upon his release, he continued his service with the Navy and retired after 31 years of duty. He went on to work as a clinical social worker and helped post traumatic stress disorder victims, and drug and alcohol addicts.

Reflecting on his nearly seven years as a P.O.W., he said he was not bitter, but only regretted not being with his family and watching his children grow.

Stratton shared his experiences in the prison, such as the inhumane treatment he and his fellow POWs received and the torture they had to endure. His focus, however, was on the tight bonds that he and his fellow prisoners made while in captivity. They created a “tap code” based on a quadratic alphabet. (The tap code is based on a 5×5 grid of letters, representing all the letters of the alphabet except K [C is used to represent K]. The code requires the listener to only discriminate the timing of the taps to isolate letters.) The prisoners used this code to communicate with each other through walls, on the floor, or any surface on which they could tap.

This communication was their lifeline, Stratton explained to the students. He credits these men, his faith and his love for his country, but most of all, his family, for helping him to survive that difficult time.

His message to students was simply not to take freedom for granted. His experiences in Hoa Lo prison provided him with an acid test with which to compare difficult times and serve as a testament to his strength. His tenacity and humor are also attributes which helped him during those difficult times and remain a vital part of his personality.

Before Stratton left the students, he had a question for them: "How many of you have family or friends serving in the military or are veterans?" Many of the students raised their hands. "Tell them that Dick Stratton said 'Thank you.'"