Chained Eagle

New York: Donald I. Fine, Inc., 1989. First Printing [Stated]. Hardcover. ix, [1], 308, [2] pages. Illustrations. DJ is price clipped. Everett Alvarez Jr. (born December 23, 1937) is a former United States Navy officer who endured one of the longest periods as a prisoner of war (POW) in U. S. military history. Alvarez was the first U. S. pilot to be shot down and detained during the Vietnam War and spent over eight years in captivity, making him the second longest-held U. S. POW, after U. S. Army Colonel Floyd James Thompson. On August 5, 1964, during Operation Pierce Arrow, LTJG. Alvarez's Douglas A-4 Skyhawk was shot down in the immediate aftermath of what is known as the Gulf of Tonkin incident. Alvarez endured eight years and seven months of brutal captivity by the North Vietnamese at the H a Lò Prison (sarcastically known as the "Hanoi Hilton" by fellow POWs), in which he was repeatedly beaten and tortured. Alvarez was especially esteemed by his fellow prisoners because he was for almost a year the only aviator prisoner of war. Alvarez retired from the U. S. Navy with the rank of commander in 1980. He later earned a Master's Degree in Operations and Research Analysis and a Juris Doctor degree. In April 1981, he was appointed by President Reagan to the post of Deputy Director of the Peace Corps. In July 1982, President Reagan nominated and the U. S. Senate confirmed him as Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration (VA). After six years with the VA he was appointed by President Reagan in 1988 to the Board of Regents of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences (USUHS) in Bethesda, Maryland. On August 5, 1964, while Lt. (jg) Everett Alvarez was flying a retaliatory air strike against naval targets in North Vietnam, antiaircraft fire crippled his A-4 fighter-bomber, forcing him to eject over water at low altitude. Alvarez relates the engrossing tale of his capture by fishermen, brutal treatment by the North Vietnamese, physical and mental endurance, and triumphant repatriation nearly nine years later in 1973. Alvarez spent more time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam than any other flier. As Senator John McCain, a fellow POW, has written, “During his captivity, Ev exhibited a courage, compassion, and indomitable will that was an inspiration to us all.” Indeed, the book, which was written with Anthony S. Pitch, is remarkable for its lack of rancor. Alvarez directs his strongest words against the small number of POWs who broke ranks and collaborated with the enemy. As one reviewer wrote, Alvarez “relates the misery of his condition with a detachment that robs it of its shock value.” Chained Eagle also tells the story of the Alvarez family’s ordeal during his years of imprisonment: His sister became an anitwar activist, his wife divorced him, and relatives died. Yet throughout his time as a prisoner of war, Alvarez remained duty-bound and held steadfast to his religious faith and the values enshrined in the U. S. Constitution. Condition: Very good / Very good.

Keywords: POW's, Vietnam War, A-4 Fighter-Bomber, Prisoners of War, A-4 Skyhawk, Torture, Peace Corps, Veterans, Code of Conduct

ISBN: 1556111673

[Book #15193]

Price: $50.00

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