The ‘Incredibly Stupid’ Ruse That Saved POW Lives

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In the midst of the Vietnam War, a young sailor’s quick thinking and unwavering determination turned him into an unlikely hero, using an ingenious ruse to gather vital intelligence and undermine the enemy from within.

The ‘Incredibly Stupid’ Ruse That Saved POW Lives

On April 6, 1967, 20-year-old Doug Hegdahl, a Seaman Apprentice in the U.S. Navy, found himself in a harrowing situation. While serving aboard the USS Canberra in the Gulf of Tonkin, he was knocked overboard by the blast from a 5-inch gun mount. After treading water for hours, Vietnamese fishermen rescued him, but little did he know, his ordeal was just beginning. Hegdahl was handed over to North Vietnamese forces and became a prisoner of war at the infamous Hỏa Lò Prison, known as the ‘Hanoi Hilton.’ Facing interrogation and potential torture, Hegdahl’s quick thinking and remarkable acting skills would prove invaluable in not only saving his own life but also those of countless other POWs.

Memorizing Names: A Covert Mission

Hegdahl’s captors initially believed he was a commando or an agent, finding his story of being blown overboard unbelievable. To avoid harsh treatment, Hegdahl pretended to be of low intelligence, adopting a ‘bumpkin’ demeanor that convinced his captors he was no threat. This ruse earned him the moniker ‘The Incredibly Stupid One’ and granted him relative freedom within the prison grounds, where his job was sweeping. However, Hegdahl had a covert mission: to memorize the names and details of as many POWs as possible. Lieutenant Joseph Crecca tasked him with memorizing the names by singing them to the tune of ‘Old McDonald,’ and Hegdahl successfully committed 256 names to memory, including those listed as missing in action.

Sabotage and Intelligence Gathering Behind Enemy Lines

Hegdahl’s ‘stupidity’ act allowed him to move freely around the prison, and he used this opportunity to undermine the North Vietnamese in subtle ways. He sabotaged enemy vehicles by putting dirt and debris in the gas tanks of five army trucks, and he gathered intelligence on the location and conditions inside Hỏa Lò Prison. His actions not only disrupted the enemy’s operations but also provided valuable information to the U.S. military.

Bargaining Chips and Exposing Brutal Conditions

In 1969, Hegdahl was offered early release, which his superiors urged him to accept so he could share the valuable information he had collected. Upon returning to the U.S., Hegdahl provided the names of 256 POWs, allowing 63 service members previously listed as MIA to be reclassified as POWs, bringing relief to their families. The list of names also gave the U.S. bargaining power, pressuring North Vietnam to take responsibility for those prisoners’ well-being. Hegdahl’s accounts of the brutal conditions at Hỏa Lò Prison further compelled North Vietnam to stop torturing POWs, likely saving many lives.

From Prisoner to War Hero: Doug Hegdahl’s Legacy

Hegdahl was honorably discharged in 1970 and later taught survival skills to military personnel. His remarkable story of playing ‘incredibly stupid’ to undermine the enemy and gather crucial intelligence made him a Vietnam War hero. Hegdahl’s experiences were featured on Comedy Central’s ‘Drunk History’ and Amazon Prime’s ‘The Night Shift,’ and a biography titled ‘The Unlikely War Hero’ was published in 2024, detailing his courage and resilience in the face of adversity. Doug Hegdahl’s actions not only saved lives but also serve as a testament to the power of quick thinking and unwavering determination in the most dire of circumstances.

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