Rating: 
Summary: One Helluva Survivor
Review: I can only imagine what that hell must have been like. Mr. Rowe tells his story with incredible courage and a great deal of humility. His bravery is an example for all to follow. His hard fought lessons are taught to hundreds of forward operating soldeirs in the SERE courses. This is a must read for anyone facing any sort of adversity.
Rating:
Summary: Must reading for all
Review: I first read this book in the 1980s. It relates the experiences of Lt. Nick Rowe during the 62 month period of his captivity by the Viet Cong. These men experienced unspeakable hardship and deprivation while in captivity yet maintained their honor and resisted the Viet Cong. Readers will be especially impressed by Capt. Humberto Versace who was brutally murdered by the VC while in captivity. Versace, who was planning on becoming a Maryknoll priest, provided outstanding leadership to his fellow POWs and remained true to the principles of Duty, Honor, and Country. His fellow prisoner, Sgt. Dan Pitzer, described him best: "Rocky walked his own path. All of us did but for that guy, duty, honor, country was a way of life. He was the finest example of an officer I have known. To him it was a matter of liberty or death, the big four and nothing more. There was no other way for him. Once, Rocky told our captors that as long as he was true to God and true to himself,what was waiting for him after this life was far better than anything that could happen now. So he told them that they might as well kill him then and the re if the price of his life was getting more from him thanname, rank, and serial number.
Until his death in 1989 Nick Rowe kept up a campaign to see Versace awarded the Medal of Honor. Versace was finally awarded the MOH in 2002.
Rating:
Summary: One great American
Review: I first read this book when I was still in the Navy in 1973 overseas in Taiwan. I was very moved by this man's story. The part that has stuck with me is when he told of the B-52 strike. I can see him in my mind, standing up while everyone else is hiding. One great American. God bless America and Col. Rowe.
Rating:
Summary: A story about Life, Liberty and Courage
Review: I had the honor to welcome Major Rowe back to Active Duty in 1978 at the First US Army Area Intelligence School. His book served as a reminder to the students about what they were going to do. To Interrogate Prisoners of War. Major Rowe was a living example. He stood up to the hatred in the world, in the form of communisum, and from his sacrefice, we remain a free people.
Rating:
Summary: A book that defines courage.
Review: I had the opportunity to spend a day at Nick Rowe's house back in 1980. At that time he autographed his book for me. He was a very impressive individual. He was very articulate and soft spoken and posessed a quiet strength. His book brought tears to my eyes when I first read it back in 1980. I reread it again just recently and I had the same reaction. I remember the day he was killed in the Philippines, it made me very sad. If one want to know the meaning of courage they need only to read this book. He was a great American and I feel privileged to have had the opportunity to meet him.
Rating:
Summary: An Inspiration To Any And All
Review: I read "Five Years to Freedom" out of sheer curiousity; I'd come across the title while browsing, and it appeared to be one of the more highly-acclaimed works of the Vietnam era.I was totally blown away. Nick Rowe is a once-in-a-lifetime pillar of courage. I tried to imagine myself going through everything he did and still retaining the will to survive. That's when this book really and truly, and very suddenly, became indispensibly valuable to me. Here's how (and why): We've all been faced with challenges in our lives, both large and small. Sometimes we take on those challenges, and sometimes (for whatever reason) we choose not to. If I compare the day-to-day challenges that I face in life, along with the occasional out-of-the-ordinary bump in the road, nothing at all seems insurmountable. How can one possibly NOT have the strength and courage to fight on in ANY sitation having learned of the five-year stretch of anguish, frustration, pain and abuse that Rowe was subjected to and survived? No comparison. We too often take for granted what we have in our daily lives, believing that that's the way it always is, always has been, and always should be for everybody. Clean water, ample food, living conditions, etc. True, this was war, but Nick Rowe had a choice: he could have quit, or he could have chosen to survive. Through his strong will and demeanor (much stronger than that of his captors), he won - and won big. There's a much bigger lesson to be learned here - think about it......... I thought of passing this book on to someone else to read - and then decided that it must remain a permanent part of my collection, surely to be read over and over again. What an absolute, total, consummate hero this man was. 'Nuff said.............
Rating:
Summary: An Inspiration To Any And All
Review: I read "Five Years to Freedom" out of sheer curiousity; I'd come across the title while browsing, and it appeared to be one of the more highly-acclaimed works of the Vietnam era. I was totally blown away. Nick Rowe is a once-in-a-lifetime pillar of courage. I tried to imagine myself going through everything he did and still retaining the will to survive. That's when this book really and truly, and very suddenly, became indispensibly valuable to me. Here's how (and why): We've all been faced with challenges in our lives, both large and small. Sometimes we take on those challenges, and sometimes (for whatever reason) we choose not to. If I compare the day-to-day challenges that I face in life, along with the occasional out-of-the-ordinary bump in the road, nothing at all seems insurmountable. How can one possibly NOT have the strength and courage to fight on in ANY sitation having learned of the five-year stretch of anguish, frustration, pain and abuse that Rowe was subjected to and survived? No comparison. We too often take for granted what we have in our daily lives, believing that that's the way it always is, always has been, and always should be for everybody. Clean water, ample food, living conditions, etc. True, this was war, but Nick Rowe had a choice: he could have quit, or he could have chosen to survive. Through his strong will and demeanor (much stronger than that of his captors), he won - and won big. There's a much bigger lesson to be learned here - think about it......... I thought of passing this book on to someone else to read - and then decided that it must remain a permanent part of my collection, surely to be read over and over again. What an absolute, total, consummate hero this man was. 'Nuff said.............
Rating: 
Summary: rescuer of Col. Rowe was shot down and killed in 1968.
Review: I read "Five Years to Freedom" shortly after returning from Nam. I was both familiar with the area that he operated in and with the unit that affected his rescue. He was rescued by an observor on a LOH from the 7/1 1st Avn Brdg. That man was shot down and killed in 1968. As brave a man as the one that he rescued. A great book to read.
Rating:
Summary: Read it twice, cried both times
Review: I read Col Rowe's book for this first time when he was still alive. When I heard of his death I read it again, and cried again. Thinking back to when I was in the USAF and went through simulated POW training, this book should have been given to every student
Rating:
Summary: Courageous
Review: I read this book a long time ago when I was stationed in the Panama Canal Zone with my husband in the military (1970-1973). Together, he and I and a few others fought for recognition within the Canal Zone for the POW's of Vietnam. We finally gained that recognition through Gov. Parker. We took the donations for the bracelets (mine wore out) but the story never did. I can only compare Maj. Rowe's experiences with the movie "The Killing Fields" - it's an honest account, accurate, horrific and it took great courage to tell it. It saddens me that I didn't learn of his death until tonight - (7/7/2000) but it doesn't surprise me. He was courageous enough to escape from Vietnam - he told the story like it was - and he'd still be alive today if it wasn't the truth.
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