'Be prepared to die for your country'

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Robert L. McIlrath
  • 82nd Training Wing Public Affairs
SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas - --  An Airman who received his initial skills training at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas, spoke about his time as prisoner of war at the NCOA Aug. 12, 2014.

For retired Capt. Bill Robinson, seven and a half years passed one day at time while he was a prisoner of war at the Hanoi Hilton during the Vietnam War.

Robinson enlisted in the Air Force in 1961 and attended technical training here as a helicopter mechanic. Once completing tech school, he was assigned to Altus AFB, Okla., Osan Air Base, South Korea, and then Grand Forks AFB, N.D., before being sent TDY to Thailand in the spring of 1965.

Robinson was assigned to the 38th air rescue and recovery unit.

"We were told that we would be part of a pilot rescue team," Robinson said.

On Sept. 20, 1965, while on a rescue mission over North Vietnam, his HH43B aircraft was shot down. Everyone on board tried hiding from the Vietnamese to avoid capture.

"We started taking small arms fire and then we fell about 90 feet to the jungle floor," Robinson said. "A group of about 100 Vietnamese stopped right in front of us."

Once captured, the group was put on display and severely beaten, then taken to their new home, the Hanoi Hilton. Robinson was introduced to his suite, a 5-foot by 6-foot room that consisted of small bed and a bucket.

The senior ranking POW shouted down the hall not long after their arrival, "Be prepared to die for your country."

During his stay, Robinson learned several different forms of tap code, which allowed POWs to communicate with each other without their captors knowing. He also endured countless hours of interrogation, torture, malnourishment and living without running water and electricity.

"We would use fictitious characters during interrogation," he said. "It's amazing how many airplanes Clark Kent flew."

The goals of the POWs were to keep their honor intact and to remain loyal to their country, no matter what happened to them in the process.

In late December 1972, and 11 day bombing mission by the U.S., convinced North Vietnam to sign an agreement to secure the release of 591 POWs.

Robinson returned home, now a master sergeant. and a hero. However, his new rank didn't last very long.

Robinson was one of three enlisted men to receive a direct commission to lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force by President Richard M. Nixon. Robinson reflects on how fortunate he was to survive, but most of all how fortunate he is to be an American.

"We kept faith in ourselves, each other, our country and God," he said.