Colonel Jack Pitchford
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Colonel Jack Pitchford, who died on 2 December aged 82, was a fighter pilot from Mississippi who survived seven years in the notorious Vietnamese prison camp known as the Hanoi Hilton.
Pitchford was shot down over North Vietnam in 1965 and taken to Hoa Lo prison, where many Americans, including the former presidential candidate John McCain, endured brutal torture.
Pitchfordhad volunteered for a perilous assignment with the Wild Weasels, a group of pilots who flew low-altitude missions hunting down and destroying surface-to-air missiles. He became the first Weasel pilot taken prisoner after bailing out of his F-100 Super Sabre in December 1965. Pitchford was shot in the arm three times and the man flying with him, Bob Trier, was killed in a gun battle on the ground.
Pitchford was released in 1973, the same year as McCain. The pilot never fully recovered from his injuries, but never regretted his service to his country, his brother Jim said, adding: "His achievement in life was really sustaining himself through the ordeal in prison camp, and he considered himself a very fierce resister."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments