In The News

By CHRISTINA LANE
April 25, 1967. Twenty-seven-year-old Charles D. Stackhouse flew an A4C, dropping bombs during the Vietnam War. Enemy fire struck his aircraft twice, and he lost control.

U.S. Navy Cmdr. Stackhouse parachuted into a rice paddy in North Vietnam. He said it struck him that it was going to be a bad day.
Stackhouse became a prisoner of war.

For the next six years, he lived in what was referred to as the “Hanoi Hilton.”

During a Memorial Day ceremony at the Gregg County Courthouse, Stackhouse received a U.S. flag that flew over the Capitol from Helen Smith, who represented U.S. Rep. Louie Gohmert.

On a day, such as today, receiving this flag was a very great honor, he said. I am deeply humbled and honored for the people who gave this to me and for the people of this country.

Memorial Day gave Stackhouse the opportunity to reflect on his friends who didn’t return home from Vietnam. Through tears, Stackhouse recalled visions of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which lists more than 58,000 names of American military personnel who died during the war.

This day means a lot because of all the people who couldn’t be here, Stackhouse said.

During his six years in the prison camp, the military officers tried to keep morale up despite what Stackhouse described as an unpleasant situation.

Our faith in God helped get us through it, he said. We supported each other. If someone felt weak, we’d try to pick him up. We made friends. You become very close with the people you live with for years. There were good and bad days, but you try to focus on the good things.

Stackhouse was released from the prison on March 4, 1973.

Today, he’s thankful to be alive and to be with his family.

You have to enjoy what you have, he said. It came at a very expensive price.