The epic suvival tale of a Vietnam POW and the secret code that changed everything.
Shot down on April 4, 1965, Smitty Harris was the sixth American captured in the air war over North Vietnam. I'm sure you've heard of the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Smitty was there, as well as in seven other prison camps. For eight long years he suffered torture, solitary confinement, hunger, humiliation and abuse. But through it all, he never lost his belief in God, or his own integrity and honor as an American soldier.
In the midst of his captivity, he remembered an old, long-unused World War II method of communication he'd once learned--the Tap Code. It's based on a 5x5 grid of numbers and letters that allowed him and his fellow POWs to covertly communicate with one another while imprisoned. And that ability not only unified these men, but enabled them to strengthen and support one another and help each other to survive their long ordeal, their "misery made bearable by camaraderie."
Meanwhile, back in the States, Smitty's wife, Louise, never gave up hope that he would come back home. As one of the first MIA wives, she had to learn to be her own advocate, as well as to be strong and optimistic for her three young children as she raised them on her own. Her memories of that time period are equally captivating.
This is an incredible story of faith, resistance, hope and survival. And one of the best nonfiction books I've read all year. It's so good! Here's just one of my favorite quotes from it:
"When times were really bad--and especially during those times when I feared I might not survive--I prayed frequently and fervently because I had nowhere else to turn. I knew I needed help. And help came. No, I didn't experience a personal miracle. The torture didn't stop. I wasn't free and back home. But I gained more than I even knew to pray for. After prayer, I knew I was no longer alone. Prayer gave me renewed strength to continue resisting a brutal enemy. And all those miracles I prayed for came true--just not on on my timetable, but on God's. Now I feel that I have everything I could have ever wanted. Through the difficulty of my years of captivity, I found a renewed belief in a Supreme Being--God, my Father--who looked after me then and still does today."
My rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Happy Reading!
