HONOLULU -- His living conditions were hellish; a cell littered with bodily waste, only to be sanitized with water once in his five-year stay. He underwent torture and boredom. In his time as a prisoner of war, the greatest piece of news James Hickerson received was from another prisoner of war: How to relieve himself more comfortably on the cell bucket. The retired Navy pilot captain spoke about these experiences at the National Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Recognition Day in Honolulu, Sept 19, 2014, held in the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific.
The third Friday in September recognizes and honors POWs and those who are still MIA. Hickerson was one of several speakers who addressed the crowd during the ceremony. On Dec. 22, 1967, Capt. Hickerson’s plane was shot down in Vietnam. He was captured and spent five years in prison.
It wasn’t until 1973 that he and 590 other POWs were released as part of Operation Homecoming. During his speech, Hickerson, an Atlanta native, shared the story of his time in the POW camp and stressed the importance of having faith in his fellow POW.
“(The other prisoners) and I communicated by tapping on the walls,” Hickerson said. “You wouldn’t believe how agonizing that was at first, but as time went on, we could tell if the other person was sick or angry by the way they were tapping. Having somebody there makes the time a lot easier.”
He went on to elaborate the importance of having faith in a democratic government. “I didn’t really know what freedom was until I lost it,” he said. “It’s easy to give up on yourself. After I came back, I realized how great America really is.”
Hickerson was animated, entertaining the crowd with stories of his tumultuous military career. Although jokes were made, he stressed that Americans, especially those who serve in the military, should take the time to learn about American history.
“I am willing to bet you most Americans don’t even know that our Constitution’s birthday was on Wednesday,” he said. “You can show your appreciation by simply appreciating the history.” His speech was followed by a wreath laying, which was accompanied by the U.S. Marine Forces, Pacific Band, to honor the service members who are still missing.
Several agencies, such as The Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command conduct searches, extractions and laboratory operations to account for Americans who are still classified as missing. A total of 83,189 American service members are unaccounted for since World War II.
However, in the last month, four service members from different eras, whose ranks range from private to first lieutenant, have been officially indentified.
“This is a very important day for the military,” said Tommy Tahara, a Japanese- American Korean War veteran. “I am honored to serve alongside men and woman who sacrificed their lives for our safety and freedom. Nothing makes me more proud than being surrounded by fine Americans.”