BY BARBRA WALTERS

Unfortunately, many have forgotten and still countless others have never known how Ms.
Fonda betrayed not only the idea of our country, but specific men who served and sacrificed
during Vietnam The first part of this is from an F-4E pilot. The pilot’s name is Jerry Driscoll, a River Rat.

In 1968, the former Commandant of the USAF Survival School was a POW in Ho Lo Prison
the ‘ Hanoi Hilton.’ Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ’s, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American ‘Peace Activist’ the ‘lenient and humane
treatment’ he’d received.

He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant ‘s feet, which sent that officer berserk. In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his flying career) from the Commandant’s frenzied application of a wooden baton..

From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E’s). He spent 6 years in the
‘Hanoi Hilton’,,, the first three of which his family only knew he was ‘missing in action’.
His wife lived on faith that he was still alive His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and
clothed routine in preparation for a ‘peace delegation’ visit. Dragged from a stinking cesspit of a cell, cleaned, fed, and dressed in clean PJ’s, he was ordered to describe for a visiting American
‘Peace Activist’ the ‘lenient and humane treatment’ he’d received.

He spat at Ms. Fonda, was clubbed, and was dragged away. During the subsequent beating, he fell forward on to the camp Commandant ‘s feet, which sent that officer berserk.

In 1978, the Air Force Colonel still suffered from double vision (which permanently ended his
flying career) from the Commandant’s frenzied application of a wooden baton..

From 1963-65, Col. Larry Carrigan was in the 47FW/DO (F-4E’s). He spent 6 years in the
‘Hanoi Hilton’,,, the first three of which his family only knew he was ‘missing in action’.
His wife lived on faith that he was still alive. His group, too, got the cleaned-up, fed and
clothed routine in preparation for a ‘peace delegation’ visit.

I was a civilian economic development advisor in Vietnam , and was captured by the North
Vietnamese communists in South Vietnam in 1968, and held prisoner for over 5 years.

I spent 27 months in solitary confinement; one year in a cage in Cambodia ; and one year
in a ‘black box’ in Hanoi. My North Vietnamese captors deliberately poisoned and murdered a female missionary, a nurse in a leprosarium in Ban me Thuot, South Vietnam , whom I buried in the jungle near the Cambodian border. At one time, I weighed only about 90 lbs. (My normal weight is 170 lbs) We were Jane Fonda’s ‘war criminals.’

When Jane Fonda was in Hanoi , I was asked by the camp communist political officer if I would
be willing to meet with her..

I said yes, for I wanted to tell her about the real treatment we POWs received… and how
different it was from the treatment purported by the North Vietnamese, and parroted by her as
‘humane and lenient.’ Because of this, I spent three days on a rocky floor on my knees, with my arms outstretched with a large steel weights placed on my hands, and beaten with a bamboo cane. I had the opportunity to meet with Jane Fonda soon after I was released. I asked her
if she would be willing to debate me on TV. She never did answer me.

These first-hand experiences do not exemplify someone who should be honored as part
of ’100 Years of Great Women.’ Lest we forget…’ 100 Years of Great Women’
should never include a traitor whose hands are covered with the blood of so many patriots.

RONALD D. SAMPSON, CMSgt,
USAF 716 Maintenance Squadron, Chief of Maintenance

I can’t resist weighing in about the Mayo Clinic. I have worked for many years with MDs from the Mayo Clinic, and continue to consult (I have a PhD in instructional design) with them in Rochester. Their system is absolutely the finest, and the culture of “put the needs of the patient first” is exemplified by every employee. One has only to walk through the subway system (recall how cold Minnesota can be in the winter) or the Clinic corridors to see that their patients are all ages and come from all walks of life.