Celebrated every March 29, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is a special day for Americans to honor the courage and sacrifice of those who served in the Vietnam War. Warrior Foundation Freedom Station is proud to call one of these heroes, Henry James “Jim” Bedinger, a co-founder and member of our family, who has been with us since our inception in 2004. His riveting story represents survival, courage, honor and resilience of the highest order, defining exactly what it means to be an extraordinary American.
Jim was born in Philadelphia at the end of World War II. Growing up in the shadows of Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, he has never forgotten our nation’s history. On November 22, 1969, Jim ejected from his F-4 Phantom over Laos and landed very close to enemy forces. Captured by the North Vietnamese Army, Jim was walked over the Truong Song mountains into North Vietnam and then trucked to Hanoi. He would spend the next three and a half years as a prisoner of war at Hỏa Lò Prison.
Jim was put into a cell with Ernie Brace, a civilian pilot captured in May of 1965. In the cell to their left was Admiral James Stockdale, and in the cell to their right, John McCain. Jim often says today, “It’s hard for a LT(jg) to go wrong surrounded by naval leadership like that.”
Asked how he found the strength to survive such a horrific ordeal, Jim tells us:
“I found three values that were invaluable in helping me resist our Communist adversary. My faith in God was vital, and the liturgy, music, and stories from the Bible were firmly entrenched in me from attending Saint Peter's boarding school. The second was faith in my country and the long history of Americans who served their country before me. Finally, the core value of family was a blessing I could remember every day. My fellow American POWs were from many states and backgrounds, but we united under the theme of 'Return with Honor.’ No matter what the enemy did, they could never take these core values away from me. Today I thank God, a long line of great teachers, and my parents, who taught me about the patriots who came before me.”
Jim was released as part of Operation Homecoming in March 1973. He continues to be an inspiration to us all, and we are incredibly blessed to have him as part of our foundation. You can read about Jim’s incredible journey in his book, “Patriot, Prisoner, Survivor: An American Family at War,” now available on Amazon.com. To all of our Vietnam War veterans, we thank you for your incredible service to our nation.