This is for all the kids born in the 70's and after who do not remember, and didn't have to bear the burden that our fathers, mothers and older brothers and sisters had to bear.
Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms. Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed during Vietnam.
- The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot. The pilot's name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.
- In 1968, Driscoll, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School, was a POW in Ho Lo Prison the 'Hanoi Hilton.'
- Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ's, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American 'Peace Activist' the 'lenient and humane treatment' he'd received.
- He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward onto the camp commandant's feet, which sent that commandant berserk.
- In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the torture received via frenzied application of a wooden baton.
- From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E's). He spent 6 years in the 'Hanoi Hilton', the first three of which his family only knew he was 'missing in action'. His wife lived on faith that he was still alive. His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and clothed routine in preparation for a 'peace delegation' visit.
- They, however, had time and devised a plan to get word to the world that they were alive and still survived. Each man secreted a tiny piece of paper, with his Social Security Number on it, in the palm of his hand.
- When paraded before Ms. Fonda and a cameraman, she walked the line, shaking each man's hand and asking little encouraging snippets like: 'Aren't you sorry you bombed babies?' and 'Are you grateful for the humane treatment from your benevolent captors?' Believing this HAD to be an act, they each palmed her their sliver of paper.
- She took them all without missing a beat. At the end of the line and once the camera stopped rolling, to the shocked disbelief of the POWs, she turned to the officer in charge and handed him all the little pieces of paper.
- Three men died from the subsequent beatings. Colonel Carrigan was almost number four but he survived, which is the only reason we know of her actions that day.
- Ronald Sampson, was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years. Ron spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year in a 'black box' in Hanoi. His North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, South Vietnam, whom Ron buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, he weighed only about 90 lbs. (His normal weight is 170 lbs). He was another of Jane Fonda's 'war criminals'.
- When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi, Ron was asked by the camp communist political officer if he would be willing to meet with her.
- He said yes, for he wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received, and how different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as 'humane and lenient.'
- Because of this, his punishment was to spend three days on a rocky floor on his knees, with his arms outstretched with large steel weights placed on his hands, and beatings with a bamboo cane.
- He had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after he was released. He asked her if she would be willing to debate on TV. She never offered an answer.
- These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part of '100 Years of Great Women.' '100 Years of Great Women' should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.
There are few things I have strong visceral reactions to, but Hanoi Jane's participation in blatant treason, is one of them. Please take the time to forward to as many people as you possibly can. It will eventually end up on her computer and she needs to know that we will never forget. RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt, USAF 716 Maintenance Squadron, Chief of Maintenance
