Max

The quest to understand the Vietnam War has enriched my life. For example, this man has graciously shared a bit of his story with me. 

Captain Nguyen Quoc Dat is a South Vietnamese pilot who was captured and held in Hoa Lo prison with American pilots during the Vietnam War. He became a trusted friend and ally to the American POWs. Dad described meeting Dat, whom the Americans nicknamed "Max," in his book:

"One day in March of 1971 while Stockdale and I were still in irons, a small, wiry South Vietnamese army captain slipped into our cell as the guard's back was turned and quickly grasped our hands before dashing out. Thus I was introduced to one of the most remarkable men I've ever met..." 

Dat taught the Americans ingenious new ways to communicate by providing a diagram of the bricks in the wall. reducing the time it took to drill small holes through which to pass notes, by teaching them to make a crayon-like material out of ashes and soap, and other such innovations. He, tasked with camp chores, also passed messages throughout the network of prisoners.

The North Vietnamese weren't quite sure what to make of this pilot in a South Vietnamese uniform. When he was captured, they confiscated his USAF pilot ring, a Texas driver's license and honorary citizenship card signed by Texas Gov. John Connally, all remnants of the time he spent in flight training at Randolph AFB in Texas. To confuse matters a bit more, his wallet contained a picture of his Eurasian niece. Who was this guy? Regardless, he was treated like the rest - he spent five of his seven years in solitary confinement.

Upon release, in 1973, Dat returned to South Vietnam and continued to serve in the military. The United States had withdrawn from the war and South Vietnam struggled to resist a communist takeover. Shortly after his release, Capt. Nguyen was sent to the United States for additional academic and instructor pilot training. During this time, he reunited with some of the American POWs. He sent me this picture, taken at the gathering, of himself with my father and other POWs. Capt. Eugene "Red" McDaniel is to my father's left.

Dat had formed an especially close, enduring friendship with fellow POW Col. Robinson Risner. Risner urged him to stay in the United States but Dat returned to South Vietnam not wanting to desert his mother and brothers and sisters and his friends who continued to defend his country. 

As province after province fell to the North Vietnamese, American friends and the government tried to get Dat to safety. Ross Perot, who'd been deeply involved in POW affairs since about 1970,  told him later, "Your POWs friends called me everyday asking for help to get you out of SVN. I had to call the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. I told him I have never asked him for any favor before. This would be the first one and also the last one. I want you to take  Max out of South VN..." 

Around that time, my dad sent this letter to Dat:

About a month after this Feb. 15 letter, Dat was walking to work in South Vietnam when he heard his name called from behind him. He turned to see an American approaching him. The American, smiling and speaking fluent Vietnamese, told him he was from the CIA and was there to remove him from the country. Dat didn't understand the rush, didn't realize the situation was dire, but the CIA agent informed him there were 19 divisions of the North Vietnamese army in the vicinity of Saigon and two more arriving before the next day. "It was time to go." Dat asked about his family members and the agent scratched his head when he learned they numbered fifteen. 

The next day, Dat met the agent again and was given a document saying he was with the CIA and told if there was trouble overnight to go to the American Embassy and he would be admitted based on the piece of paper. Dat returned it to him and said he couldn't leave without his family. 

Two days later, Dat was approached again, this time by a representative of the U. S. Air Force. A C-141 on a flight from Thailand to Manila had been diverted and was ready to take his whole family to America. They had the whole plane to themselves.

So it was that Dat relocated to sunny California where he lives near his children and grandchildren. His son graduated from West Point and his daughter from the Air Force Academy. The country is made better by their presence.