An Incredible Saga of Seaman Hegdahl - American Hero - Page 24

Prisoners in Camp Uniform

Rolling up the sleeves to my striped pajamas (prison mess dress uniform), I pointed to the scars on my wrists and elbows and challenged: ""Ask your people how these marks got on my body; they certainly are neither birth defects or the result of an aircraft accident." He examined the scars closely, sat back, stared and stated: "You are indeed the most unfortunate of the unfortunate." With that he left the interrogation leaving me with all the goodies. Upon release I compared notes with Doug and we determined that time frame was the same time he accused the Vietnamese in Paris of murdering me [I had not written home once writing became voluntary] for embarrassing them in a Life magazine bowing picture. Thanks to Doug, despite the scars on my body, the Communists had to produce me alive at the end of the war.