Four Heroic Reasons America's POW/MIAs Cannot Be Written Off And Forgotten

By Ted Sampley
U.S. Veteran Dispatch
Sep./Oct./Nov. 1997

U.S. government representatives from all levels define the search for missing American prisoners of war (POW/MIA) in terms of accounting for the dead through the recovery of remains. U.S. and Vietnamese officials alike brag openly about communist Vietnam's "overwhelming cooperation" in the search for bones. But it is all a lie - a smoke screen.

The truth is found in volumes of reports surrounding the disappearance in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia of hundreds of American servicemen — men who were known to have been alive in captivity but not released or accounted for at the end of the Vietnam War.

The United State Senate Select Committee on POW/MIA Affairs headed by Vietnam veteran and former Vietnam War protester Sen. John Kerry,(D-Mass) after an 18 month study and investigation, was forced (begrudgingly) to admit in its final report that yes, the United States did leave living U.S. prisoners of war behind.

The Select Committee report issued January 13, 1993 said in typical Washington bureaucratic "double speak" that, "We acknowledge that there is no proof that U.S. POWs survived, but neither is there proof that all of those who did not return had died. There is evidence, moreover, that indicates the possibility of survival, for at least a small number, after Operation Homecoming."

People ask over and over again, "The war is over. Why would the Vietnamese continue to hold American POWs?"

Who knows why the communists do so many cruel things? That is not the issue. The facts are that the communists did hold back living U.S. prisoners, and the U.S. government knows it. The communists have never been required to account for these missing Americans.

The POW/MIA question will not go away because neither Washington or Hanoi has ever been able or willing to explain what happened to these missing American heroes.

Four such men are U.S. Army Special Forces Capt. "Rocky" Versace, U.S. Marine Capt. Donald Cook, U.S. Army Special Forces Sgt. Kenneth Roraback and U.S. Army military advisor Harold Bennett.

These American POWs, like many other prisoners of the South Vietnamese communists (Viet Cong), were known to have been alive and healthy in the hands of the Viet Cong, but were never released. No Americans witnessed their deaths or saw their bodies, nor have their remains been returned.

The question is not why would the communists keep U.S. prisoners, but rather what happened to our men? If they are alive, why haven't they been released? If they are dead, why did they die? Who is responsible for their deaths, and where are the remains?

These questions are fundamental to the "live POW/MIA issue" - the issue that the United States government wishes would just go away.

The communists claimed they executed Versace, Roraback and Bennett. They say Cook died of Malaria.

All four men resisted collaborating with the enemy, and the Viet Cong labeled them trouble makers and "reactionaries. "

Despite daily threats from the Viet Cong that refusal to cooperate "would advance" the POWs chances of "never" being released, these brave American men continued to give unyielding loyalty to the United States.

Rather than negotiate with their captors for early release or better treatment, the POWs vehemently argued with their captors against the objectives of communism and in favor of the United States and its democratic way of life.

At night, the Americans were chained in 4' by 6' bamboo cages. As punishment for their loyalty to the United States and rebuke of the communists, the guards would remove the prisoners' mosquito net.

"Under the lenient policy of the National Liberation Front, we're going to wash your mosquito net, and we want your clothes, too," the guards would mockingly announce to the prisoners.

Through the night, the defiant Americans would be left chained at the mercy of hordes of hungry mosquitoes.

In many cases, the Americans were beaten and purposely denied food and medication.

The Viet Cong were particularly agitated at Cook, who true to the Marine Corps tradition, continued to frustrate them. Setting an example of resistance for his fellow prisoners, he often jeopardized his own health and well-being by sharing his meager supply of food and scarce medicines with other prisoners who were more sick than himself.

Cook, according to one returned prisoner, became legendary in his refusal to betray the United States. On one occasion, the Viet Cong were so agitated that they put a pistol to Cook's head. They demanded that he make and sign an anti-American statement. The Marine Captain calmly recited the nomenclature of the parts of the pistol that was pressed against his forehead. He gave the Viet Cong nothing, and they hated him for it. The communists promised, "We can keep you forever."

In March of 1965, Cook and Bennett made an unsuccessful escape attempt. The Viet Cong beat them mercilessly.

Bennett began to further resist the Viet Cong. He became sicker and soon could not eat. He and Cook were placed in cages away from each other and other Americans. Bennett soon disappeared after being marched off to another camp.

On June 24, 1965, days after the South Vietnamese had executed several Viet Cong terrorists who had been convicted of throwing grenades into restaurants, the communists announced they had executed Sgt. Harold Bennett.

Fed up with Cook who had become very sick, the communists denied him food and medicine.

Roraback remained defiant and verbally combative with his captors. He refused to stop yelling across the camp talking to Cook despite Viet Cong orders forbidding prisoners from talking to the isolated Marine.

"You have been told many times not to talk to Cook, and yet you continue to do so. Because of this, your life can no longer be guaranteed," the guards threatened Roraback.

Roraback refused to be intimidated, according to a returned prisoner. He described the scene, "The Viet Cong translator had barely finished interpreting the camp commander's orders to Roraback before Roraback defiantly laughed in his face. The camp commander's nostrils flared. His face turned red. He made a gesture as if he were going to hit Roraback but instead spun on his heel and stomped away."

That evening, while the American prisoners were sitting in their hammocks talking, a guard came for Roraback.

"The camp commander wishes a conversation with you," he told Roraback.

As Roraback was marched off to an unknown location, the other American prisoners watched in shock while Viet Cong guards took down his hammock and packed up his belongings.

The next morning, the prisoners heard two shots fired somewhere near the camp.

None of the American prisoners knew where the Viet Cong had taken Roraback, nor did any of them ever see him again.

Although no Americans witnessed the execution, U.S. government sources say that the Viet Cong slipped up behind Roraback while he was eating a bowl of rice and executed him by shooting him in the back of the head.

One released prisoner described Versace's resistance: "Rocky stood toe to toe with them. He told them to go to hell in Vietnamese, French and English. He got a lot of pressure and torture, but he held his path. As a West Point grad, it was Duty, Honor, and Country."

Another surviving prisoner said Versace believed so strongly in the military Code of Conduct (the definitive code specifying the responsibilities of U.S. military personnel while in combat or captivity) and the Geneva Convention (international rules for the treatment of prisoners of war) that "the communists went after him with a vengeance."

Versace spent long hours pointing out to his interrogators the hypocrisy of the Marxist/Leninist and Ho Chi Minh philosophy. He rebuked the Viet Cong for their violent and bloody revolution against democracy and freedom.

Finally, Versace's captors permanently moved him into isolation and an intense "re-education" campaign. Orders were issued from the Communist National Liberation Front Central Committee to either break Versace or kill him.

Versace was tortured and forced to sit in leg irons and listen to hours of lectures about the evils of democracy. The Viet Cong told him they would never release "unrepentant Americans." They taunted him with an ultimatum. If he ever wanted to go home, he would have to denounce the U.S. government and its effort in South Vietnam as "imperialistic, unjust and illegal."

On October 19, 1964, a prisoner who could not see the isolated Versace overheard him arguing vehemently with an interrogator. The interrogator was yelling, accusing Versace of being "reactionary" and "unrepentant. "

According to the prisoner, Versace replied clearly in a loud voice, "I am an officer in the United States Army. You can force me to come here, you can make me sit and listen, but I don't believe a damned word of what you say."

The next day, Versace disappeared from the camp.

On Sunday, September 26, 1965, the Viet Cong "Liberation Radio" announced that Versace and Roraback had been executed on orders of the National Liberation Front Central Committee.

Cook was seen by another POW in February 1967 who said Cook appeared to be in good physical condition. Another returned prisoner of war, who was the last American to see Cook alive, said he was later told by a Viet Cong guard that Cook had died of malaria in December 1967.

For his heroic actions above and beyond the call of duty during his captivity, Capt. Donald Cook was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and war promoted to the rank of Colonel.

On May 3, 1997, the Navy christened a DDG 75 guided missile destroyer after Donald Cook, the first in Naval history to be named after an unreturned prisoner of war.

Did the Viet Cong murder Versace, Roraback and Bennett? Did Cook really die of malaria? Or were the deaths faked so that the Viet Cong could haul the Americans off to a secret prison, making good on their threats: "We can keep you forever."

Ironically, as high ranking U.S. government officials and corporate executives flock to Vietnam to set up and close lucrative business deals, the one man they all shake hands with is former Viet Cong and National Liberation Central Committee member Vo Van Kiet. He is now Vietnam's prime minister.

During the war, Vo Van Kiet, as a high ranking member of the Central Committee, actually participated in the decisions that resulted in life or death for American prisoners of war.

If Versace, Roraback and Bennett were executed, it is Vo Van Kiet who gave the orders. If Cook is dead, it is Vo Van Kiet who is responsible for the brutal and inhumane policies which caused Cook's death.

If the Americans are not dead, then Vo Van Kiet knows exactly what happened to them. He also knows what happened to the hundreds of other American prisoners of war who did not come home.

Capt. "Rocky" Versace was captured October 29, 1963 while accompanying a Special Forces Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) company on an operation near the village of Le Coeur in the 4th Corps of South Vietnam.

A superior force of Viet Cong ambushed Versace's company. Unable to secure air support or reinforcements, the CIDG strikers, after a fierce fire fight, were overrun.

Captured that day with Versace were 1Lt. "Nick" Rowe and Sgt. Daniel Pitzer. The Viet Cong force marched the three Americans into the U Minh Forest.

Marine Capt. Donald Cook was captured New Year's Eve, 1964 while operating in South Vietnam's 4th Corps as an advisor to the 4th Battalion of the Vietnamese Marine Corps. During the fighting, Cook was wounded in the leg and later captured.

Sgt. Harold Bennett was captured December 29, 1964 during a fire fight with the Viet Cong in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam. Bennett, who was operating as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Army, was captured with fellow advisor Sgt. Charles Crafts. The Viet Cong force marched both Bennett and Crafts south into the U Minh Forest.

United States Army Green Beret Sgt. Kenneth Mills Roraback was captured November 24, 1963 when an estimated 400-500 Viet Cong overran the Hiep Hoa Special Forces camp. Hiep Hoa, which was located in the Plane of Reeds between Saigon and the Cambodian border, was one of many Special Forces camps fortified and strategically located in the midst of known heavy enemy presence. Because of their isolated locations, camps like Hiep Hoa were vulnerable to attack.

Hiep Hoa was the first Special Forces camp to be overrun in the Vietnam War. Those captured with Roraback were SFC Issac "Ike" Camacho, SGT George E. "Smitty" Smith and SP5 Claude D. McClure. Their early days of captivity were spent in the jungles southwest of Hiep Hoa, and they were later moved south deep into the jungles of the U Minh Forest.

Sgt. Pitzer, a medic, was released early to escort a nearly dead prisoner who the Viet Cong were trying to release for propaganda purposes before he died.

Lt. Rowe escaped during a B-52 strike which hit his camp.

Sgt. Comacho escaped during a heavy rain storm.

Sgt. Crafts was released.

After the Viet Cong told Smith and McClure that Versace, Roraback and Bennett had been executed, the two sergeants began cooperating with the communists and were rewarded with early release.

After Smith and McClure returned to U.S. control, they were court martialed by the United States Army and forced out of military service.