Vietnam War POWs honored at USS Midway on 53rd anniversary of war’s end

Fifty-three years after the end of the Vietnam War, veterans and supporters gathered aboard the USS Midway Museum to honor those who served, particularly the 591 Americans who returned from enemy prison camps.

Monday’s ceremony coincided with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s proclamation of “Welcome Vietnam Veterans Day,” a recognition that many say is long overdue for veterans who have returned to a divided country.

As a formation of missing men flew over the area, retired Navy Captain Jack Ensch stood among the crowd. He was one of these 591 prisoners of war.

“You continue your mission and suddenly your world turns into chaos,” Ensch said.

Ensch flew more than 280 combat missions from the Midway Bridge with Fighter Squadron 161 before being shot down over North Vietnam in August 1972. He spent 217 days in Hanoi’s infamous Hilton Prison before being released on March 29, 1973.

“My experience as a prisoner of war was part of my life. It was not the end of my life. I am not a professional prisoner of war. I was a professional naval officer,” Ensch said.

His wife Kathy, married to Ensch for 63 years, also spoke at the ceremony, reflecting on the families waiting at home.

“I had to take care of the kids. I did what I thought Jack would have wanted me to do. We carried on,” she said.

Also in the crowd was retired Medal of Honor recipient Capt. Royce Williams, a decorated naval aviator who served in the Korean War.

“My heart goes out to them. I hope the people here today take note and feel the appreciation of the leadership at stake,” Williams said.

As part of that tribute, Ensch helped dedicate a new exhibit aboard the USS Midway called “Captive Warriors: The Midway 11,” honoring that ship’s 11 naval aviators held in North Vietnamese prison camps. Ensch was one of them.

“It’s a dark exhibit because it tells the story of the torture and all the families that supported them while they were gone,” said RADM Terry Kraft, (ret.) US Navy, CEO and president of the USS Midway Museum.

Inside the exhibition, visitors can see a recreation of the actual prison cells of the Hanoi Hilton.

More than 1,500 Americans remain missing from the Vietnam War. Monday’s ceremony was a reminder that they are not forgotten.

“The trauma suffered by those who served must not be forgotten,” Ensch said. “Thank you. God bless America.”