Anyone wear a POW bracelet back in the 60's-70's?

[daisax]

I never had a bracelet but my best friend growing up did -- her uncle did come home after being a POW for several years.

 

[Belle0101]

I was born in '65 so much of the Vietnam war is not familiar to me but the Wall ... we visited it when we were in DC a few years back. It's hard to describe how it felt seeing all those names.

The Tomb of the Unknown Soldier put me in tears. Just the thought that it's watched over every day all day long, no matter the weather ... and when the guards change ... again, hard to explain but very moving for me.

I'm sorry not all the soldiers came back. That's got to be unbelievably hard for the families.

 

[texasthumper]

Mine was for Kenneth Patton, and I wore it for several years. It also broke, but I may still have the pieces somewhere. Here is his story:

http://www.taskforceomegainc.org/p019.html

Very sad.

 

[ctinct]

Capt. David Leet. I wore his bracelet until it broke. Is there a place I can get a replacement with the same name? I checked out his story on the virtual wall. If I remember correctly, he was shot down and never found. I visited his name at The Wall in DC years ago. Very powerful and moving monument.

 

[luvmarypoppins]

Yes I did. I don't know if I still have it, but I remember writing to the soldier and he wrote back to me that he was o.k. etc.

 

[ntsammy5]

I was in Vietnam 1968-1970, so no I didn't. I have one now for a friend who was KIA in OIF Mike Williams - 17 OCT 2003.

I was there too.

 

[MIchael Denton]

I wore a POW bracelet for Capt Jeremiah Denton and still have in my jewelry box.

Capt Denton was released in 1973. He continued in the Navy reaching the rank of Rear Admiral. After his Navy career he became a senator from Alabama.

A truly remarkable man.

Hi. I doubt you will see this in tiime, but...I am a son of Jeremiah Denton who of course wore his POW bracelet and a I am a surface ship navy vet myself. Thanks for your respect for his service. The family is actually going to christen a navy destroyer with his name THIS WEEKEND, but I actually only have bracelets for myself and children, so I don't have one to spare (even for my five grandchildren). Might you be willing to donate yours to the ship where it will be added to a ceremonial box in the ship's mast along with a few other special items for the entire "life" of the ship? If so please contact me asap at vminavy@gmail.com for direct discussion. Thanks again for your respect of his service. Michael Denton

 

[Simba's Mom]

I had one that I wore all the time. Then, in the 80s we found another one in the wall of our house. The house had been built in 1969, so we figured that a workman lost the bracelet while working to build the house. Anyhow, one day in the 90s, I found a website where you could try to contact anyone from the family or if you were family, try to find someone who wore the bracelet for their family member. I posted, and it was well-timed. Turns out that the family was preparing a surprise party (birthday?), so I gladly sent the bracelet (it was the one from our house wall. Later I got a lovely letter-turns out he'd cried when he got the bracelet. As far as the other bracelet, the one I'd worn, I still;l have it-don't know whether he was found or not.

 

[evilmommie]

I don’t wear a POW bracelet but a hero bracelet on the daily. I donated and was sent a bracelet. My soldier was killed in 2004.
https://thefallen.militarytimes.com/army-1st-lt-charles-l-wilkins-iii/317482

 

[tazdev3225]

I wore one through high school. Not sure what happened to it or if the man named on it came home. I had to wear something over it during softball games since I cut my thumb while batting. The coach tried to ban them but a lot of us had them and refused. Of course I was the only one who managed to get hurt.

For years we thought my aunt's boyfriend was KIA. He got injured and really messed up in the head after that. He just showed up at her house one day about 20 years later. I don't think not talking about the war is uncommon, just as it is after any war. Soldiers see and do things that haunt them for life.

 

[Dan Murphy]

Hi. I doubt you will see this in tiime, but...I am a son of Jeremiah Denton who of course wore his POW bracelet and a I am a surface ship navy vet myself. Thanks for your respect for his service. The family is actually going to christen a navy destroyer with his name THIS WEEKEND, but I actually only have bracelets for myself and children, so I don't have one to spare (even for my five grandchildren). Might you be willing to donate yours to the ship where it will be added to a ceremonial box in the ship's mast along with a few other special items for the entire "life" of the ship? If so please contact me asap at vminavy@gmail.com for direct discussion. Thanks again for your respect of his service. Michael Denton

Welcome to the DIS, Mike. Good to have you here. What a great story, all of it. I recall your dad's sharing his captive time with us all after his return. The Morse Code T-O-R-T-U-R-E is American history, recall it well. Many thanks go out to your dad and all who were POWs back those many years ago.

The last time that DIS member, @candykisses, was online here was 12 years ago. Hopefully she would see it but probably not. We can hope though.

Wishing you, your family and everyone well for this Saturday's christening of the USS Jeremiah Denton. May she sail the oceans for many years to come, protecting the United States of America, and always return safely home to port.

https://hii.com/events/jeremiah-denton-ddg-129-christening/