135. Hughes reads a Author's Lieutenant Colonel Hughes letter in camp yard has received a letter.
Female voice: Dear Jim,
Petunias, lilacs and
geraniums are sprouting up
all over the city. Everyone
seems to be taking an
interest in perking up their
yards, and with a little bit
of effort, things will look
really pretty by next
month...
Author's
Commentary: Professional anti-communists
in the United States have
purposely spread the lie that
there is no postal contact
between the prisoners
and their relatives.
Female voice: Peter looks a little funny in
his pictures becasue he has a
large black space where his
two front teeth should be,
but one of his two permanent
front teeth is pushing
through the gum and should be
all the way out soon.
Author's
Commentary: Mrs. Hughes wrote on the
envelope of her letter: "For:
James Lindbergh Hughes FR
43211 -- Camp of Detention
for US Pilots Captured in the
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam. C/O Hanoi, Post
Office."
Female voice: What more can I say except
that I tuck a little prayer
inside this letter. We love
you. Your wife, Dotty
Author's
Commentary: James Lindbergh Hughes, 40
years old. Lieutenant Colonel
in the US Air Force. 44
bombing raids against th
e Democrati c Republic
of Vietnam. As the high
noon sun beats unmercifully
on the roof tops of
Hilton-Hanoi, somewhere in
the United States there is a
shady place. A young boy
named Peter whose two front
teeth are pushing through the
gum. A wife named Dotty. We
show you here the picture of
a moved man. With all due
reserve we almost have
something like understanding
for his present state of
emotion. But we also know
that the Washington superiors
of Lt. Cl. Hughes will view
this scene with deep
displeasure; for, according
to their orders, Americans
who are captured are not
supposed to be moved, but are
to move!
136.
Facsimile Commentary: "I will make every effort to
Code of Conduct escape, and aid others to
Article 3: escape."
pan to Code title This is Article 3 of the
"Code of Conduct."
137.
Camp scene: Each of these captured
Pilots working in yard officers knows his Code of
Conduct in detail, but ever
since the existence of the
detention camp for American
air pirates not one single
escape attempt has been made.
138.
Hubbard exercising Daily calisthenics keep the
uninjured captured pilots in
good physical condition.
139.
In camp: The cell doors are no more
Vietnamese soldier secure than those of rabbit
hangs lock on door pens.
140.
Hubbard exercising The vast majority of the
prisoners have maintained
their weight and would be
able to break open the cell
doors with one hefty
kick. With such physical
flexibility a prisoner should
in be a position to overcome
even the most complicated
barriers.
141.
Stratton and Hegdahl in shower Commander Stratton and Seaman
Hegdahl could climb this wall
for example
142.
Pan to camp wall and without particular difficulty;
street outside they would be on the street
with one leap. But not one of
the captured Americans thinks
of
143.
Pan to Stratton and adhering to his pledge to
Hegdahl in shower escape;
144.
Capture scene for the pilots have already
become acquainted with the
proverbial "Man on the
Street" when they were
captured.
145.
Pilot taken away by crowd Author's After such first impressions
Commentary: on Vietnamese soil and the
downed world policmen are
more than happy
146.
Pan to camp wall, shower that their camp is enclosed
and view of street across wall by walls. They adjust
themselves to their new
habitat, but do not
particularly like to be asked
to compare their present
situation with that back at
their bases.
147.
Ringsdorf declares Not even First Lieutenant
Ringsdorf.
Ringsdorf: I don't think there is any
comparison. I don't quite
understand. I, here I have
all the basic necessities, if
that's what you mean. There
I, I had quite a bit more
than the basic necessities.
X: Please explain for me your
way of living at the Air
Force base in South Vietnam,
where you were stationed.
What sort of opportunities
did you have there?
Ringsdorf: Ah, it was mostly work and
sleep, but there were movies
and we had some USO shows
and we had one thing, we had
good food to eat but
there wasn't a whole lot to
do.
148.
Hubbard declares Hubbard: We had a chapel, I don't
know how many, several
chaplains on the base. There
were religious services th at
you could attend any time.
And, the Officer's Club, we
had a very large dining room
that was open 24 hour a day,
two bars where you could get
anything you wanted to drink
and a swimming pool right out
beside the club and we had,
there was a lib rary on the
base, though I never, I never
went there and. . .
149.
Torkelson declares X: Lieutenant Torkelson, you
were stationed at Da Nang,
the important US air base in
South Vietnam. Could you tell
us something about
the life at this base?
Torkelson: A well, I think the base was
originally built by the
French and ah, we were living
in quarters built also by the
French, coment quarters;
two-storey quarters were for
the officers, were
air-conditioned. We each had
a room of our own. A room
probably about the size of
this one. Ah, we had an
Officer's club there, a movie
theatre, we had different
movies every night, we had a
bar and a lounge, you
barbecue steaks in the dining
room of the officer's club.
The had special shows there
probably, once a week from
the States, ah, generally
speaking, it was improving
all the time, as far as our
life, ah, concerning our
leisure time.
X: Was Da Nang actually a safe
place?
Torkelson: Relatively speaking yes.
X: Will please explain this word
"relatively"?
Torkelson: Well, ah, the place, the
surrounding area there, is
actually a marine base and
there was some 15 or 16.000
American marines stationed at
Da Nang and they did
occasionally have small
incidents of Viet cong
activity, but I think with
the American marines there
you can say that it was
secure.
X: Isn't it true that the Da
Nang airfield, the place
where your airplanes were
located, was repeatedly under
mortar fire of the NLF?
Torkelson: Ah, twice while I was there
they were fired on by
rockets, ah, Soviet rockets.
150.
NLF attack on Commentary: In the mean time the
Da Nang. Americans in Da Nang are
Burning planes counting the times they are
NOT shelled by mortars and
rockets of the NFL. The
inmate of the Hilton-Hanoi
possibly lives much safer
today than his buddies at Da
Nang which is no longer
relatively secure.
151. Plane debris, plane tires burn - Music -
152.
Alvarez declares X: Lieutenant Alvarez, could you
tell us something about life
onboard the aircraft
carrier Constellation, before
you took off on your
first and at the same time
last flight on August 5,
1964?
Alvarez: Our life was very routine.
Ah, good food, ah, good beds,
ah, pop-corn machine. You
know pop-corn? Good popcorn.
Magazines to read and so
forth.
153.
Popcorn Commentary: Dry popcorn -
154. Soldiers in bar Juicy girls -
155. Military show Front-line shows -
156. Americans and Vietnamese on beach Beach-clubs with ladies -
157. "Overseas Weekly" Military newspapers -
158. AFN studio Saigon Armed Forces Radio -
159.
US Television Saigon And their own TV Programs:
American Forces Network -
Saigon TV
160.
Front theater The USA spares neither money
nor effect to keep up the
morale of their world
policemen in Vietnam.
161.
Briefing in Korat; pilots leave room After briefing: prepare for
the next bombing mission.
This is their routine:
162.
Pilots eating Eating -
163. Sleeping pilot Sleeping -
164. Nightclub scene Nightlifing -
165. Bomb explosion Bombing -
166.
Alvarez declares X: Did you have the opportunity
to go on leave from this
aircraft carrier? Were you
ever in Saigon or have you
seen Hong Kong?
Alvarez: Yes, I've been to Hong Kong
before, yes.
X: You spent your leave there,
is that right?
Alvarez: Oh we, I, yes.
X: Is there something special
that you can recall about
this?
Alvarez: Oh, Hong Kong is a very nice
place, very nice.
167.
Hong Kong: Commentary: "Very nice". Hong Kong.
American front-American line
in a tub vacationer in medical bath
with two for rehabilitation of his
girls physical strength.
168.
Ringsdorf declares X: Lieutenant Ringsdorf, were
you terribily hard-hit by the
fact that suddenly you were
torn out of your previous way
of life and had to begin the
life of a prisoner? Did this
surprise you very much?
Ringsdorf: Yes it did. It came as a
shock all of a sudden. It was
quite a change, but I'm
pretty well accustomed to it
now. I think it would be a
change for anyone to go
through that.
X: Did you ever have any idea
you could be shot down over
the territory of the
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam, or did you never
consider this?
Ringsdorf: Well, I, I more or less did
not think about it. I was
always the type, ah, you
know, they won't hit me, so
it come pretty much as a
shock.
169.
Pilots waiting at Commentary: These air pirates in Da Nang
Da Nang Air Base still have their shock
waiting for them. Among them
not long ago was also -
170.
Torkelson declares First Lieutenant Torkelson.
X: What was said at the base
when someone
failed to return?
Torkelson: Well, there was no official
word from anybody, from any
of our commanders or
anything. Of course we all
felt bad, but this is part of
being in the military and
it's part of the risk that
you take.
X: What would you say if you now
had the opportunity to speak
to your buddies who
are still in Da Nang?
Torkelson:
X: I mean your personal thoughts
about this war which took you
to captivity.
Torkelson: Oh, as a prisoner of war I
would tell them that I have
been treated very well since
I came here, I have been
given adequate food,
medical attention, I haven't
been punished or tortured or
brainwashed. I have been
given good shelter and
companionship.
171.
N Nang:
Pilots playing cards Commentary: Pilots playing cards before
their mission.
Turn fade: Pilots playing cards after Prisoners playing cards their mission.
173.
Risner declares X: Colonel, you are the highest
ranking officer we have met
here. You too should use this
opportunity and speak a few
words to your buddies.
Risner: I would tell them first to
consider, to find out all the
information they could about
what's going on, about all
the facts, to remember their
duty to God and their country
and the, the precepts upon
which our country was
founded, which was liberty,
and justice and equality and
ask them to consider whether
or not they are doing their
best to preserve these
things.
174.
Title of camp magazine Commentary: "New Runway" -- That is the
title of one of the camp
magazines issued by the
prisoners, of which Colonel
Risner is a member. The
prisoners think: the Air
Force should go home, back to
the USA
175.
Duart declares X: Major Duart, if you now had
the opportunity to speak to
your buddies back at the air
base from which you took off
on your last mission and to
let them know your opinion of
this war what would you say?
Duart: Well, first off, I would tell
them who I could about my
life here, to inform them
that although we are
considered the very worst
type of criminals by the DRV
that our treatment is very
good considering the charges
against us and so forth. And
I would also tell them that I
am praying that they will not
have to fly any more missions
over this country, any more
missions if possible. I hope
that the bombing of this
country will cease, because I
see that as the only way that
any negotiations that could
end the whole war over here
can ever start.
176.
Cartoon from camp Commentary: "What I am doing here?"
magazine
A cartoon from the camp
newspaper "New Runway".
177.
Hughes declares X: Colonel Hughes, in your case
we have gained the impression
that you regret your flights
against the DRV. Would you
also say this to your buddies
back at the base, if you
could now speak to them?
Hughes: I have found the people here
in the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam very humanitarian.
They have cared for me, they
have given me first aid,
medical treatment and in a
humanitarian way they are
caring for my needs which is
food, clothes and shelter. I
would like to return to the
United States because this
would mean that the
blood-letting by both
Americans and the Vietnamese
in the Far East would have
terminated, and I hope that
they will do their part to
bring about a cessation to
this quotation marks "bloody
stale-mate".
178.
Abbott declares X: Lieutenant Abbott, what would
you say if your buddies from
your base were in front of
you right now?
Abbott: Well, I would be kind of
biased right now because I'm
in a position where I'd like
to be home and my idea is to
stop bombing which I really
essentially believe in. Now,
however, what would I tell my
buddies? I would say, do as
you're told, do a good job,
and I hope you'll never get
captured and if there's any
way that through your
opinions you express ideas
that you can, let's say, make
with the way for negotiations
to peace I would do so at any
time.
179.
Da Nang: Author's These people are still doing
Plane taxies for commentary: their "JOB", as they call it
take-off with their astonishing
terminology. And each
take-off opens three
possibilities for them:
180. Pilot climbs out of cockpit Return --
181. Dead pilot Death --
182.
Cartoon from camp or Hanoi Hilton.
magazine.
Pan Commentary: As a plane goes down in smoke
behind the mountain a "flying
ace" floats down to earth
by parachute. "S.O.L." --
a cartoon from the camp
magazine "New Runway".
183.
Thorsness declares X: Have you been able to learn a
few words of Vietnamese
during your presence here in
the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam?
Thorsness: No, I probably know three of
four words is all of, of
Vietnamese. I would like to
learn the language as long as
I am here. It would be nice,
nice to know the Vietnamese
language.
X: What are the three or four
words that you know?
Thorsness: I know water', I think,
that's "muk" and cigarettes'
is "chok'a" and thank you',
I believe is "komen", and
that's about the extent of my
Vietnamese vocabulary.
184.
Ringsdorf declares X: Can you speak any Vietnamese
words?
Ringsdorf: Oh, not very many, no.
Just....I really can't think
at the moment "Nuk" -
water'. "Tekla" is cigarette.
I believe that's about all.
X: In any case, only words
concerning your
very personal needs?
Ringsdorf: That's true, yes.
X: Do you know which American
words the Vietnamese learn?
Ringsdorf: Words like "Hands up !"
"Surrender or die!", "Stand
up!, "Sit down!" I've
learned a new one: The other
night I was sleeping
without my net, mosquito net.
The guard said: "mosquito".
So that's one I found out
that they do know.
185.
Alvarez declares Alvarez: Yes. I am hungry' means
"dey-dey". "Dey-hat" means I
am thiersty'. "Nuk" --
water'; "comb" -- rice';
"dey-on" means I'm sick'.
"Com-on" -- thank you'.
X: I notice a certain difference
between the words you have
learned the past three years
and those the Vietnamese
people learn in preparation
for contact with American
intruders.
186.
Militia unit learns Original s--top --
English, close-up sound stop --
sitop --
Author's
commentary: Stop! - The Vietnamese find
it difficult to learn foreign
combinations of sounds.
However: they are understood.
187.
Captured pilot is Original Hands up!
taken way sound
188. Militia man Hands up!
189. Pilot on ground - Music -
190.
Militia group Hands up!
Hands up!
191.
Pilot raises hands - Music -
192. Militia woman. Surrender, not die! Militia group shouts in chorus
193.
Stratton sweeps yard Author's Surrender, not die!
commentary:
194.
Printed title - Music -
superimposed PILOTS IN PYJAMAS
on Stratton 2 Hilton Hanoi
A film by
Heynowski & Scheumann
Camera:
Hans Leupold
Gerhard Munch
Peter Hellmich
Still photos:
Thomas Wischnewski
Special effects:
Herst Denth
Interpreter:
Perry Friedman
Editors:
Gert Prokop
Peter Peterson
Production Managers:
Walter Martsch
Jochen Steff
Sound:
Hans-Jurgen Mittag
Music:
Reiner Brodemeyer
Commissioned by the Deutscher
Fernschfunk and produced
in the DEFA-Studio fur
Wochenschau and
Dokumentarfilme and in the
DEFA-Studio Fur
Synchrenisation
PILOTS IN PYJAMAS
Part III
All in a Day's Work
Heynowski & Scheumann
1. THE PRODUCERS OF THIS FILM
EXTEND PARTICULAR THANKS TO
THE COMRADES OF THE
VIETNAMESE PEOPLE'S ARMY AND
THE FILM STUDIOS IN HANOI FOR
THEIR COMRADELY ASSISTANCE!
2. THE QUESTIONS IN THE
INTERVIEWS WITH THE US AIR
FORCE OFFICERS
WERE ASKED IN GERMAN AND
TRANSLATED SIMULTANEOUSLY.
THEY WERE DUBBED FOR THE
ENGLISH VERSION OF THE FILM.
2.
Vietnamese - Music -
children look at
camera Author's Children in Vietnam.
Commentary: Are they still laughing today?
We do not know. We filmed
these scenes in a Hanoi
street, which in the meantime
has been bombed.
3.
U.S. pilot with oxygen - Music -
mask in cockpit
Printed title DEFA-Gruppe Heynowski & Scheumann
a.
Pilot closes
cockpit
Printed title PILOTS
b. Turn fade-in U.S. pilot in prison clothing walking down path Printed title IN PYJAMAS
4. Turn fade--in Fuse put on bomb 3 Printed title THE JOB
5.
Risner declares: X: Colonel Risner, which types
of bombs and other weapons
did you carry on board your
Thunderchief during missions?
Risner: Oh, we had bombs and rockets
and ah, had a cannon on board
as well and, ah, sometimes
carried missiles?
6.
Hughes declares: X: Colonel Hughes, which weapons
were on your Thunderchief and
which bomb loads did you
carry on your mission to the
DRV?
Hughes: Yes. We have the twenty
millimetre cannon or gun in
the nose of the aircraft and
then we have bombracks on
both inboard, outboard of the
wings and also on the center
line or on the belly. Ah, you
can carry on these any number
of types of ordnaances. My
training and capability was
limited, to ? 3,000 lb
bombs, 750 lb bombs, although
people in the squadron did
carry the CBU. Ah, this is
about the limit of my
knowledge.
7.
Shively declares: Shively: We had a twenty millimetre
cannon which we always had
loaded and the we had
various bomb-loads that we
would carry depending
on the targets. Sometimes we
would carry 500 lb bombs,
sometimes 750 lb bombs,
sometimes 1000 lb bombs, and
other times 3000 lb bombs as
well as CBU and what they
call a shrike missile.
8.
Thorsness declares: Thorsness: Gun system?
X: Yes.
Thorsness: Oh, it was the Gatling gun,
it's a rotating
barrel gun.
X: And what type of bombs and
explosives did
you carry when you took off
on a flight?
Thorsness: Well, the airplane's capable
of carrying many types of
bombs, but generally just the
standard high-explosive
bombs, that have been used
since World War Two.
X: I'd like to know their
weight.
Thorsness: Oh, generally 750 lb bombs.
X: But you can carry heavier
bombs, is that correct?
Thorsness: Yes, there are 1000 lb bombs,
2000 lb bombs, same bombs
they've used since World War
Two.
9.
Destroyed German Commentary: During the Second World War
cities, air views planes of the American Air
Force dropped a total of
641,000 tons of bombs on
Germany.
641,000 tons of bombs - that
is the experience for the
German viewer.
10.
Large-caliber bomb This American 3,000 pounder
in Hanoi Army Museum, is part of the total of over
child in front of it, moves 800,000 tons of bombs which
to side American aircraft have
already dropped on The
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam. If the bombs
dropped are brought into
relation with the area of the
former German Reich
and that of North Vietnam, we
have the following:
The American air war against
the Democratic Republic of
Vietnam is more than five
times greater.
11.
Risner declares: X: Colonel Risner, as a father
you are justly proud of your
five sons. Do you see any
qualitative difference
between your children
and for example, the children
here in North Vietnam?
Risner: No, to me, and I am
absolutely sincere on
this, there is no difference
in my children and the
children of any other people
in the world.
12.
Funeral scene Commentary: These rows of graves--are
graves of children. The
victims of one single flight,
one single bombing run -
which struck school children
during classes.
13.
Ringsdorf declares: X: Lieutenant Ringsdorf, you
have told us that your
girlfriend is waiting for you
in the United States. Is she
a beautiful girl?
Ringsdorf: Very nice looking, yes.
14.
Photos: Commentary: 20 year-old Tran Thi Mui,
Young Vietnamese girl a worker in Haiphong; a
alive and as victim beautiful healthy woman. This
is what was left of her.
15.
Abbott declares: Abbott: My family is taken care of
really well and I have a
beautiful wife and hope to
have some children some day.
16.
Photo of burnt foetus Commentary: Mrs Nien lost this
5-months-old foetus during an
air-raid on the Hanoi
residential district of Phuc
Than.
17.
Hubbard declares: X: Do you have in your personal
possession pictures of your
wife and son?
Hubbard: Yes, sir, the first letter I
got from my wife had pictures
of her and my little boy.
18.
Photos of Hubbard Commentary: Mrs. Beverly Hubbard. Her
family son Dave.
19.
Fade over to burnt And this is Mrs Nguyen Thi
and child Ky, 25-years-Vietnamese
mother old, and her
4-year-old son.
20.
Hughes declares: X: When you were still in the
United States, did you ever
feel threatened in any manner
by the Vietnamese people?
Hughes: No, sir. No, sir.
21.
Thunderchief during Commentary: In spite of this, Lieutenant
take-off Colonel Hughes took off and
flew his Thunderchief on 44
missions to drop bombs and
fire rockets on the
Democratic Republic of
Vietnam.
22.
Hughes declares: X: Tell us what you bombed.
Hughes: Yes. All but six of them were
in what we call the southern
packages, this would be out
of the Hanoi complex.
Six of them were in the Hanoi
comples. Excluding the Hanoi
area, we would search out
targets of opportunity, ah,
this is south of Hanoi. They
would be convoys of trucks,
any sort of surface
transportation, boats,
trucks, and what have you. We
would try to search out
storage areas, parkways or
hidden routes where trucks
might park during the day.
23.
Risner declares: Risner: It was called armed
reconnaissance. Armed
reconnaissance looking for
trucks, yes. 24. Trucks
camouflaged
Commentary: Every vehicle must be
camouflaged. In the against
aerial view Total war of the
USA against the DRV
everything that moves on the
ground is considered to be a
"military target," -- even
if it is only the transport
of provisions for the
nearby-town.
25.
Hubbard declares: X: Do you see any connection
between your reconnaissance
and the fact that other
aircraft flew over North
Vietnam with weapons on
board?
Hubbard: Well, we all, we're all 26. Burning house doing the same job.
Return to Pilots Index Top of Page