JOHN
E. STAVAST
Patriot, Chapter 1919
(AIR
FORCE, Vietnam) Articles March 1996, May 1999, January 2004
John is a veteran of WWII, Korea, and
Vietnam. His experiences could fill a book, but, this article will only
detail one very moving experience that he had in France with the infantry in
WWII, and a few facts about his nearly 6 years as a POW during the war in
Vietnam. Much additional information can be found about him on the
internet and from numerous books about Vietnam POW’s. Our immediate Past
Chapter Commander, John E. Stavast passed away Sunday, July 4, 2004.
John Stavast
was born in Denver in 1926. His family had moved to Pueblo, Colorado
and he was attending high school when he enlisted in the Army Air Corps
Aviation Cadet Program, entering active duty March 20, 1944. The aviation
cadet program was closed down in November 1944 and John was then put through
training as a gunner on B-29 Bombers. He was then shipped out to Europe
where there were no B-29’s, so instead, he was put in Company A, 117th
Infantry Regiment. While in the infantry, he had a totally unexpected and
personally very moving experience. Here it is in John’s own words.
“One day, during our move across France,
our company (Co A, 117th Infantry) came to a brief pause in
operations out in the countryside that I will never forget. Lieutenant
Miller, the Company Commander, a West Point graduate and one of the finest
leaders I have ever known; had us all assemble to give us a brief talk. He
told us we were camped near one of the great battlefields of World War One,
where American troops had fought a quarter-century before, and where many
had been killed. So many in fact, that an American Cemetery was established
there, and he turned and pointed it out, on a hillside not far away. He
said American Cemeteries for our war dead are maintained in perpetuity by
the nation of France, and that they were very worthy places for respectful
visit. Having a few hours before the unit was to move out, he told us we
had time to look it over, and then he dismissed us. I started up the hill,
feeling something more than idle curiosity, but not much more.
When I was just a kid growing up I often
heard my Mother speak sadly of the loss of her two young brothers, killed in
action in France during the Great War. She told me a lot about those two
uncles I could never meet, but I was young and didn’t really give it much
thought. I couldn’t recall much more than their names as I went up into the
cemetery. What a beautifully maintained place it was, in sharp contrast to
the rest of war-torn France. The uniformed caretaker explained the American
dead from the battle of Belleau Wood in June 1918 were buried there. He
assisted me at the registry listing, and was just as amazed as I was at the
unlikely coincidence of finding the name of one of those uncles that my
Mother had talked of so often. Moments later, I was at his gravesite,
reading the name carved in stone, “Private Art Van Eck”. The experience
overwhelmed me, and I just stood there , a teenaged Infantryman with tears
streaming down my face, thinking of my Mother and the young brother she lost
but would never forget.
Within hours, Company A was on the move
again and that moment in time had passed. By war’s end I had written many
letters home about my experiences and about the world-changing events
happening all around me that made deep impressions upon me as a person.
But, to my Mother the only thing that counted was that I had stood at her
brother’s grave that day in France. For the remainder of her life, that
seemed to represent closure for her, knowing she could never go there for
herself, and it gave her peace.”
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117th Infantry
Regiment crest |
30th Infantry
Division patch |
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8th Air Force |
92nd Bombardment
Group |
Eventually, John was reassigned to the 92nd
Bomb Group (B-17s) in England. After WWII, he was discharged in 1946,
returned home and enrolled in Pueblo Junior College.
In 1949, he was invited back into the
revived aviation cadet corps. John Stavast
earned his Air Force
pilot wings with Flying Class 51-A at Reese Air Force Base, Texas. His
initial assignment was to Air Training Command as a flying instructor, and
after that he was in instructor helping to train pilots of the Japanese Self
Defense Force. In 1956 he was transferred to Tactical Air Command and
assigned to the 18th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Shaw Air
Force Base, South Carolina. He would then serve multiple assignments,
flying and staff, in various Tactical Recon units. Tactical reconnaissance,
or “recce,” meant using camera-equipped planes to take photos over enemy
held territory. John would successively fly the RF-84F “Thunderstreak”, the
RF-101C “Voodoo”, and finally the RF-4C “Phantom II”. He was flying an
RF-4C on his 91st combat mission over North Vietnam on September
17, 1967 when his plane was hit by a missile and went down near Hanoi.
John Stavast
and his backseater, Gerald Venanzi, bailed out and were quickly taken
prisoner. They both survived to be released in March 1973. Here are some
of the things John has said about his captivity. Immediately after capture
he was tortured for seven days and nights straight. “The treatment in
Hanoi was very harsh, very bad. They did some pretty bad bone-busting on
me.” After his release it was determined that he had broken bones in
his back, arms and legs, a skull fracture and a fractured jaw, much of which
he could not remember happening because he was unconscious for extended
periods. During that week of torture he was given only one cup of water
every 24 hours.
The “Hanoi Hilton” was an imposing prison
facility, occupying an entire city block. The walls were 4 feet thick, 20
feet high, and extended up another 5 feet by electrified strands of barbed
wire. Shards of glass were embedded on the wall's top. He was moved about
and was in nine different prison installations including the “Zoo”,
“Alcatraz”, and the “Plantation” as well as the “Hanoi Hilton”. John was
senior officer in 5 of the 9 POW Camps that he was in. The prisoners
developed a communications network employing "tap" codes that was never
discovered by their captors. John also spoke about how the prisoners
welcomed the risks of the U.S. bombings and were especially delighted when a
surface-to-air missile unit parked next to the prison was knocked out with
surgical precision during a strike in the 1972 Christmas bombing (Operation
Linebacker II). In the later years conditions improved markedly, especially
after negotiations had begun. Captives were given new clothes, were
permitted to organize and to bathe and exercise regularly, and were given
much-improved medical attention and food. The treaty was signed on January
27, 1973 and soon thereafter, prisoners were released in four batches
beginning in February. But while this was taking place, at the same time
the North Vietnamese were moving tanks past the prison, in preparation for
their major armor attacks to defeat the South Vietnamese after the complete
withdrawal of all U.S. forces.
John was in the group that was repatriated
on March 14, 1973. He said, “When we climbed aboard that C-141 in Hanoi
for the flight home, the plane’s crew handed out chocolate milkshakes. The
moment the wheels left the ground and we knew we had really left North
Vietnam, we celebrated by throwing those milkshakes in all directions and
shouting. The crew didn’t mind that we’d created a mess.” John did
not know until later that image of him in a sudden spontaneous outburst was
seen on the TV sets in millions of homes all across the country, by
Americans who will forever remain in awe and admiration of those ex-POW’s.
Upon his return to the
United States, John Stavast, was given extensive medical attention
and extended convalescent time to restore his physical strength and
condition. During that period he traveled widely all around the country,
with the blessing of the Air Force, making public appearances before various
groups. During that time he began receiving the first of the POW Bracelets,
with his name engraved, being returned to him personally by Americans that
had been praying for his safe return.
John Stavast
retired from the Air Force in June 1980 as a Colonel with over 6,000 flying
hours in T6, B25, B26, T28, T33, F86F, RF84F, RF101C, F101B, F4B, RF4C, T38,
T2 and other types of aircraft. His many decorations include three awards
of the Silver Star, 2- Legion of Merit, 2- Purple Heart, 3- Distinguished
Flying Cross, the Bronze Star with V device and 6 Air
Medals.
John is married to the
former Shirley L. Metzger of Eugene, Oregon. They had met in France, were
married in California and have made their home in Austin, Texas since his
retirement.
Since his release,
John Stavast has
had more than 2,000 POW bracelets with his name engraved, that have been
presented to him by the wearers. In retirement, he has devoted much time in
volunteer service for disabled veterans through the VA. He has commanded
his local post of the VFW, and chapter of the Military Order of the Purple
Heart. He is a gifted and inspirational speaker, still in demand to speak
to the public about his experiences as a POW before all types of audiences.
He typically ends his talk, “How wonderful it is to live in this great
country. I’ll never take my freedom for granted again. In my years in
Hanoi prisons, I never met a POW whose faith in you, or our President, ever
wavered. We all knew we would be back home one day. I am proud of my
association with so many fine, courageous men, and we are all very proud of
you. God bless you all. Thank you for your many prayers and efforts on our
behalf. Thanks also for the wonderful welcome home.”
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