Name: Douglas Hegdahl
Rank/Branch: United States Navy
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Home City of Record: South Dakota
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Status (in 1973): Returned 1969
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The American POWs agreed that they would not accept early release without all the prisoners being released, but in early August 1969, the POWs decided it was time the story of their torture was known. Allowing someone in their midst to accept an early release would also provide the U.S. with a more complete list of Americans being held captive. A young seaman, Doug Hegdahl, together with Bob Frishman and Wesley Rumble were released from Hanoi as a propaganda move for the Vietnamese, but with the blessings of the POWs. When they were about to be released, Stratton told Hegdahl, "Go ahead, blow the whistle. If it means more torture for me, at least I'll know why, and will feel it's worth the sacrifice." Eventually, after world pressure ensued, torture of American POWs ceased.

The above man is listed as K/BNR.   Was he not the man who fell from his ship,  captured by Vietnamese fishermen and imprisoned at Hanoi Hilton?   He was released early with two others prior to 1972.   The senior officer ordered him to go because the SRO was aware of his gift of memorization as he recalled over two hundred names of POW's when he returned to the states.   If I am wrong,  I apologize but I would like to see that he gets the credit for not being K/BNR.

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