07/10/2025
On April 4, 1965, while flying an F-105 Thunderchief on a mission to bomb the Ham Rong bridge in Thanh Hoa, North Vietnam, Colonel Carlyle Harris was shot down and captured, becoming the sixth American POW in North Vietnam. He endured nearly eight years (2,871 days) in the notorious Hoa Lo Prison, known as the “Hanoi Hilton”, facing brutal conditions, torture, and isolation.
Harris is renowned for introducing and teaching “Tap Code” to fellow POWs. This communication method, which he recalled from a training session about WWII POWs, used a 5x5 grid to tap out letters (e.g. two taps, then three for H). The tap code allowed POWs to share information, maintain morale, and resist their captors’ attempts to break them. It became a vital toll for unity and survival.
Col. Harris received numerous decorations, including two Silver Stars, three Legion of Merits, a Distinguished Flying Cross, two Purple Hearts, and the Eagle Award from the Gathering Eagles Foundation.
Colonel Carlyle “Smitty” Harris, a great American Hero passed away this week.
4/11/29 - 7/6/25
Thank you, sir, for your service, dedication, and sacrifice.
