Col. Ronald Webb, USAF, Vietnam, POW

Ronald Webb was commissioned as a U.S. Navy officer through the ROTC program at Indiana University. First trained as a navigator, Webb later received his pilots' wings in 1966. Soon, he was off to Vietnam, flying missions out of Da Nang with the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron. On most missions, he served as the "backseater" to Korean War double ace pilot Frederick C. "Boots" Blesse.On June 11, 1967, Webb was flying with a different pilot, but he was more concerned with the dangerous flight pattern they were being asked to be a part of that day. After being overruled, the mission began. They would never return to base and Webb would spent nearly six years as a prisoner of war.In this edition of "Veterans Chronicles," Col Webb explains the tragic collision that forced them to eject, his futile attempts to evade capture by the Vietnamese, and his treatment after being taken into custody.Webb also details the interrogations and torture he endured from the communists demanding military intelligence and who were trying to use American prisoners as propaganda tools. He also tells us about the tap code that was a lifeline of morale and sanity for the prisoners.Finally, Col. Webb tells us what it was like to taste freedom again after losing it for so long.