LTC Nick Rowe on the R in SERE
- Thread starter Diamondback 2/2
- Start date
I met Nick Rowe twice. The first time was in 1968, when he escaped the VC and was flown to Ton Son Nhut AFB. He was still wearing Black PJs and thought that he was still a LT. I happened to be on the Base and saw a commotion near Hotel 3 (Chopper Pad) I drove my Jeep over and watched as someone placed their Green Beret on Nick's head.
The second time was when I attended the MATA (Military Assistance Training Advisor) Senior NCO Course at Fort Bragg in 1970. LTC Rowe gave two briefings at the course: the first one was unclassified and the school allowed anyone in the school (faculty and students) to attend. Part of the briefing was in Vietnamese which Rowe had learned as a POW in the Rung Sat Zone. One of the Vietnamese Instructors told Rowe that his Vietnamese was good, although his diction was that of a peassant! Nick replied that he was forced to learn the language from Peassants because he didn't have a Saigon Drawing Room available.
The second portion of LTC Rowe's brifing was classified TOP SECRET in which LTC Rowe briefed on how to survive in the event youn became a POW.
Mike Sends
The second time was when I attended the MATA (Military Assistance Training Advisor) Senior NCO Course at Fort Bragg in 1970. LTC Rowe gave two briefings at the course: the first one was unclassified and the school allowed anyone in the school (faculty and students) to attend. Part of the briefing was in Vietnamese which Rowe had learned as a POW in the Rung Sat Zone. One of the Vietnamese Instructors told Rowe that his Vietnamese was good, although his diction was that of a peassant! Nick replied that he was forced to learn the language from Peassants because he didn't have a Saigon Drawing Room available.
The second portion of LTC Rowe's brifing was classified TOP SECRET in which LTC Rowe briefed on how to survive in the event youn became a POW.
Mike Sends
I went through the Q-course in the late 80's. During an (I suspect, contrived) two-day scheduling break, many of us were privileged to hear Nick Rowe address the SF graduating class in June (I think) of 1988. Everybody came to hear him tell his story of abuse and escape. (I really don't know why we expected that. It wasn't like we all hadn't read his book, or he didn't KNOW we had all read it.)
What we got instead was 30 minutes of what I refer to as: "Expectations on the Ethical Responsibilities of America's Warriors.". It was powerful. Once Nick Rowe told you HIS expectations of you, you never wanted to disappoint him. I've been studying the ethics of crisis ever since.
He was an amazing human.
What we got instead was 30 minutes of what I refer to as: "Expectations on the Ethical Responsibilities of America's Warriors.". It was powerful. Once Nick Rowe told you HIS expectations of you, you never wanted to disappoint him. I've been studying the ethics of crisis ever since.
He was an amazing human.
Similar threads
- Locked
