Doug Hegdahl
Douglas Brent Hegdahl III (born September 3, 1946) is a former United States Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class(E-5) who was held as a prisoner of war (POW) by North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. After an early release, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 fellow POWs, as well as reveal the conditions of the prisoner-of-war camp.
Early life Hegdahl was born on September 3, 1946, and graduated from high school in Clark, South Dakota. Military career On April 6, 1967, 20-year-old Hegdahl was knocked overboard by the blast from a 5-inch gun mount from the USS Canberra in the Gulf of Tonkin, three miles off the coast. He swam until he was picked up several hours later by Cambodian fishermen who trea… Continue Reading