Join the Veterans Breakfast Club for a remarkable conversation with William S. Reeder Jr., the last U.S. Army soldier taken prisoner during the Vietnam War and author of Through the Valley: My Captivity in Vietnam.
In 1972, then-Captain Reeder was flying Cobra gunship missions in support of South Vietnamese forces near the besieged Special Forces camp at Ben Het, close to the Cambodian border. During an intense battle, his helicopter was shot down. After evading capture for three days, he was taken prisoner by North Vietnamese forces.
What followed was an extraordinary ordeal. Reeder spent weeks confined in jungle cages before enduring a brutal forced march along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Seven men in his group of twenty-seven POWs died during the journey. Eventually imprisoned in Hanoi, he spent nearly a year in captivity before returning home during Operation Homecoming in 1973.
Reeder’s memoir, Through the Valley, vividly recounts not only the horrors of captivity but also the bonds among prisoners, the strength drawn from family and country, and the determination to survive under unimaginable conditions.
A decorated Army aviator, Reeder flew dangerous reconnaissance and attack missions throughout Southeast Asia, including classified operations over Laos, Cambodia, and North Vietnam. His service earned him numerous decorations, including the Silver Star, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, and Prisoner of War Medal.
During this live conversation, Reeder will reflect on his service and, as always, we’ll leave plenty of time for audience questions and conversation.
About William S. Reeder Jr.
William Reeder is a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, combat aviator, and former prisoner of war. Captured in 1972 after his helicopter was shot down near Ben Het, he spent nearly two years as a POW before his release in 1973. His acclaimed memoir, Through the Valley: My Captivity in Vietnam, is considered one of the most compelling firsthand accounts of the American POW experience during the Vietnam War. His story has also been featured by the Smithsonian’s Air & Space magazine and numerous military history organizations.
