American Legion Post 177. Honor Guard

04/18/2026

04/18/2026

04/17/2026

04/17/2026

Colonel James “Nick” Rowe stands as a towering symbol of resilience and the indomitable human spirit, being one of only 34 Americans to successfully escape captivity during the Vietnam War. Captured by the Viet Cong in 1963, Rowe endured a grueling 62 months of isolation and torture, often confined to a cramped "tiger cage" within the treacherous U Minh Forest. Despite the psychological toll of five years in captivity and three failed escape attempts, he seized a final, desperate opportunity in 1968; as he was being marched to his own ex*****on, the sudden appearance of American helicopters provided the distraction he needed to overpower his guards and signal for rescue. Rather than leaving the horrors of war behind, Rowe channeled his harrowing experiences into a lasting legacy by developing the military’s Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape (SERE) program, ensuring that future generations of service members possessed the vital skills and mental fortitude to survive the impossible.