Why Didn't You Get Me Out?

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Summary: A New Angle? YES!!
Review: "Why Didn't You Get Me Out?" should go hand in hand with George J. Veith's "Code Name Bright Light" in relating the appallingly hard-hearted and callous attitude the U.S. Government had towards the POWs and MIAs during the Indochina War. The more I read on the subject, two events take place: The first is that certain stories and key players keep reappearing (Jerry Mooney of NSA, General Tighe of DIA, Colonel Mike Peck, etc). The more they appear in the same form in different sources, the truer they must be. The second is that I find new information, such as the contents of Warrant Officer Anton's book. As WO Anton relates, the US had solid photographic intelligence of the locations of Viet Cong prison camps and often traced prisoner movements through the jungles all the way to Hanoi. WO Anton, in fact, is told years later that the US made no rescue attempts so as not to expose their sources!. Why develop sources if the information they provide goes unused? "Why Didn't You Get Me Out?" is unique in that most POW tales are set in the major Hanoi prisons such as The Plantation (Anton's last stop) or the infamous "Hanoi Hilton". Anton concentrates his focus on the putrid, festering smaller jungle camps he suffered through on the long trek from his capture in the Que Son Valley to the "relative comfort" of the Plantation. It's all here-the the dysentary, the skin leeches, the cruel guards(and some who were not), the attempts to reeducate/brainwash as well as the infamous Marine, Bobby Garwood, who colaborated with the enemy. Anton leaves no doubt as to the ultimate Vietnam?Indochina question" DID EVERYBODY COME HOME? Those of us who have followed things through the years know the answer is a resounding "NO!". "Why Didn't You Get Me Out" is recommended for any serious student of the Indochina War as well as those with a paticular interest in the fate of the 1.993 (as of October 23, 2000)MIAs still out there. After all these years and after spending one year of my life over there, it's just unreal how many sides there were to that War. This is a first rate new side/ new look. Those who have yet to read George Veith's book should try both.

Rating:
Summary: A great book
Review: Being a military person it raises some questions that I never would have thought to be a problem. The experiences and details Frank Anton recalls will amaze you, how any person could withstand the things that he and fellow POW's went through will surely show you just how strong human nature is. A great book for anyone.

Rating:
Summary: astounding
Review: Frank Anton has the ability to recollect some of the most gruesome and disturbing parts of the Vietnam war. I really admire his ability to stay sane and come out alive. This book raises many questions dealing with whether or not there are still POW's being held in Vietnam to this day. Its hard to read yet its hard to put down.

Rating:
Summary: Why Didn't You get Me Out?
Review: Frank Anton's moving account of what happened to him in Vietnam is not only a POW's mightmare, but one for all of us Americans who left him there. I have been honored to meet Frank, in Florida, on our journey across America with our huey helicopter, while filming the documentary "In The Shadow of the Blade". His account of what our governement knew and didn't do, is shocking. I highly recommend this book to anyone wishing to get a full total picture and understanding of the Vietnam War experience. He has recorded a part of our history and a part of his very own soul! This is a must read book!

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Summary: [e-mail]
Review: Frank has written an outstanding book. Altough I firmly beleive that there are some of our guys that stayed in Nam by choice I am as convinced that there are many that were kept as pawns and our government didn't have the guts to go get them. Am very proud to have served in the military with men of the caliber of men like Frank. Thank you Frank for writting this book to let the people of our great country,just how gutless our Leaders were. Roadrunner 6 Out

Rating:
Summary: A must read for all Americans!
Review: I am an avid reader of non-fiction books regarding the horrible treatment of our nation's heros before and after they returned home from Vietnam--If they were lucky enough to return home at all. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS-WE CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT BY READING THIS TRUE STORY WE CAN HONOR THOSE THAT SERVED OUR COUNTRY. WE ALL NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COUNTRY'S STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES,AND SOMETIMES FLATOUT FAILURE TO PROTECT THOSE THAT SERVE THIS COUNTRY AND PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM.

Rating:
Summary: A must read for all Americans!
Review: I am an avid reader of non-fiction books regarding the horrible treatment of our nation's heros before and after they returned home from Vietnam--If they were lucky enough to return home at all. PLEASE TAKE THE TIME TO READ THIS-WE CAN'T CHANGE THE PAST, BUT BY READING THIS TRUE STORY WE CAN HONOR THOSE THAT SERVED OUR COUNTRY. WE ALL NEED TO ACKNOWLEDGE OUR COUNTRY'S STRENGTHS, WEAKNESSES,AND SOMETIMES FLATOUT FAILURE TO PROTECT THOSE THAT SERVE THIS COUNTRY AND PRESERVE OUR FREEDOM.

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Summary: POW's still in Vietnam
Review: I posted this on other POW websites and will continue to as long as I live. I've been telling anyone who would listen about it since I was in my mid 20's. I'm in my 40's now.

When I met my husband in 1979. He had just escaped Vietnam the year before. He was one of the boat people. He told me way back in 1979 that he had seen American POW's as late as 1978 with his own eyes on more then one occasion. He was riding his scooter far out in the country side and saw a group of tall, long haired and bearded Caucasion men working the rice paddy fields under Vietnamese armed guard. When he looked a little too long and too hard the guards aimed thier rifles at him so he looked away and kept driving.
He said the Caucasian mens faces were very sad.
My husband wouldn't lie to me. He still insists it true and we have told many people about it
Since then I made it a point to question every Vietnemese refugee I met. Several had told me they saw them with their own eyes as late as 1982.
I was also told that it was common knowledge in Vietnam that American POW's were still there.They were surprised that most Americans didn't know about it. They just figured maybe we didn't want them back or didn't care.
I don't know how much of Bobby Garwoods story is true. But, I know what my husband and others told me about seeing POW's as late as 1978- 1982. The only ones who seem to believe this story when we tell it, are Vietnam vets. Others are too horrifed to beleive it, but since my friends know my husband wouldn't make this up, they rationalize that yes, maybe he did see them, but they were most likely traitors, collaborating with the enemy and staying there by their own choice. If that is so why were they bedraggled, long haired and beared, emanciated and working at gun point with sad haunted faces? I don't know if there are any left alive now. It's been so long. But, I pray for them every night.

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Summary: Review-Why Didn't you get me out
Review: The book was very enlightening in that it told me (I am not a military person - just a novice on POW's) two things that I did not know. One, that there were very few POW survivors from the prison camps versus the more publicized Hanoi Hilton. Two, author Frank Anton reveals that the military knew where he and others were kept captive. After his release he is shown a picture of himself walking from the camp to Hanoi. This book also makes one think - how would they have handled the captivity. One can be quick to condemn certain prisoners for their so call "collaboration" with the enemy, but the question is how much can one take before he/she breaks.

In general it was a very good book - it described the POW camp without going into gruesome details.