I was in phase 2 special forces training, insurgency and counterinsurgency (ft.Bragg, N.C.), I was 2nd in command of the A team that was to link up with the local guerrillas and start training them to fight the communist government, including sabotage,and combat missions.
We jumped in at nite into the smokey mountains. By this time we had been thru the primary special forces training,phase1, our specialties (mine was light and heavy weapons), psyops, fingerprinting for i.d. purposes, phone tapping, demolitions and survival training, and other types of training to assist in the over throw of a communist government. We had been on the ground a few days when i missed our food re-supply and we were getting mighty hungry, but we managed to blow up some bridges and a sub-station using "anfo". The A team commander was gone somewhere and i took the team on a mission, and got us captured. OH DARN!!. The enemy (all special forces), knew who i was (team leader) because I had the maps, and although I wasnt supposed to have the maps marked, I did. The rest of the team got off comparatively easy, one guy did escape from them.
They tied my hands behind my back and slipped a log under my tied arms forcing my arms and shoulders upward, and they marched us down the mountain. when we got to the compound they separated me from my men, 5 big s.f. guys (2 were s.f.medics) drug me down to a creek. There was a pole stuck in the edge of the creek with a gallon jug next to it and a filthy towel draped over the post. They then laid me on my back perpundicular to the creek with my head in the creek, and the log still pinned between my back and my arms. They took another large log and laid it across my legs and 2 men held the leg log down one on each side and 2 guys held the log under my back down pinning me to the ground.
Then i met my interigator, he was a small man who spoke with some sort of an accent, he wore no rank or military insignia. He was a professional interogator, a very danegerous man.
He straddled my body and sat on my chest. He started asking questions, who was the guerrilla chief? How many more Americans? etc. I replied as i had been taught, name rank and serial number. He took the towel dipped it in the creek and laid it across my face and wrapped it around my head, I COULDNT BREATHE, but he took it off right away, he asked more questions, i replied the same, this time he took the towel dipped it in the creek and wrapped it around my head. I COULDNT BREATHE, this time he held it there, I tried to get away, i fought against them but they had me pinned down with the logs, I thought they might accidently kill me, then suddenly he took away the towel, i could breathe and cough,
he asked more questions ,I replied the same, this time i held my breath, but it didnt work, I COULDNT BREATHE, i fought but couldnt escape, as things grew dim they took the towel off, more questions, same reply, the towel again, I COULDNT BREATHE, this time i tried to suck the water out of the towel, thats when i found out what the jug was for, he poured water all over the towel, again I COULDNT BREATHE, i thought i was dead, then the towel came off.
my interogation went on for probably 25-30 minutes.
I was feeling very confused i didnt think they would intentionally kill me but accidents happen. The interogation stopped and we were then given a course on being a pow by a former pow. We reviewed interogation techniques. The point of the course was that any man will talk given enough time and the right circumstances, and that if a team member was captured it we were to assume that the mission was compromised. We were taught to hold off as long as we could to give a greater chance for the team to get out.
thank you