“The Incredibly Stupid One” (Stories from The Vietnam War)

Simple History2 minutes read

Douglas Brent Hegdahl, a Navy sailor captured during the Vietnam War, pretended to be a simpleton in a POW camp, gathering valuable information and orchestrating sabotage before his release in 1969. Hegdahl's deception and intelligence gathering contributed significantly to the US war effort and peace negotiations.

Insights

  • Douglas Brent Hegdahl, captured during the Vietnam War, cleverly pretended to be a simple farmer's son, enabling him to gather valuable intelligence and sabotage enemy efforts while imprisoned in the Hoa Lo Prison.
  • Hegdahl's remarkable feat of memorizing 256 American prisoners' names through a song, his strategic actions within the prison, and his subsequent role in sharing intelligence with US Navy officers highlight his exceptional resourcefulness and contribution to the Paris Peace Conference.

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Recent questions

  • Who was Douglas Brent Hegdahl?

    A Navy sailor in the Vietnam War.

  • What was the nickname given to Douglas Brent Hegdahl?

    "The incredibly stupid one."

  • How did Douglas Brent Hegdahl survive in the Hoa Lo Prison?

    By pretending to be a dumb farmer's son.

  • How did Douglas Brent Hegdahl memorize crucial information?

    By associating names with a tune.

  • What role did Douglas Brent Hegdahl play in the Paris Peace Conference?

    He shared valuable intelligence with US Navy officers.

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Summary

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"Vietnam War POW's Ingenious Escape Plan"

  • Douglas Brent Hegdahl, a young man from South Dakota, joined the Navy in 1965 at 19 years old to fight in the Vietnam War, serving on the USS Canberra.
  • Hegdahl was knocked overboard during a gun blast in 1967, captured by North Vietnamese fishermen, and handed over to authorities who doubted his story and interrogated him.
  • Pretending to be a dumb farmer's son, Hegdahl played his role perfectly in the Hoa Lo Prison, known as the Hanoi Hilton, fooling interrogators and avoiding torture.
  • Hegdahl, nicknamed "the incredibly stupid one," used his perceived foolishness to move freely around the prison, committing sabotage by disabling enemy trucks and memorizing crucial information.
  • Hegdahl's memorization of 256 American prisoners' names to the tune of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm" led to his release in 1969, where he shared valuable intelligence with US Navy officers and played a crucial role in the Paris Peace Conference.
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