William Marshall, a Korean War POW, pauses during his speech Friday at the Solano County Vietnam Veterans Memorial. (Ryan Chalk/The Reporter)
For veterans, talking about their time in war can often be an emotional trip down memory lane.

Especially if those stories include being captured by Chinese soldiers in Korea and becoming a prisoner of war for more than a month while watching fellow soldiers be executed.

William O. Marshall gave a moving and vivid recollection of his time as a prisoner during the Korean War, in his keynote speech Friday at Vacaville's POW/MIA Recognition Day, held on the front lawn of City Hall.

Several former POWs and veterans from every branch of the service were in attendance as city and county officials paid tribute to those captured during war and those who never returned from battle.

Marshall said he entered the war as a young, fresh and green soldier, but that changed quickly after months of combat.

"It doesn't take much to become a POW in a war zone. Anyone can grab you," he said.

He said his group of men were held up under the cover of trees and could hear themselves being surrounded as enemy soldiers that banged on pots and pans, while verbally taunting the American soldiers.

"They would say 'Hey Joe. Why did you come to my country?,' " he said. "And you can't say a word."

Marshall, who was also wounded, and his company were eventually captured, stripped to their boots and forced to march to a camp. He said all rules for how to treat a prisoner were thrown out the window.

He said they were put into pens, similar to those farm animals are kept in.

"They would use piano wire to lock you down. It would cut you up. I saw many comrades shot down for no reason," he said. "You got a hostage. You have someone you can do whatever you want to, whenever you want to."

While many soldiers would talk back to those keeping them prisoners, Marshall said he survived by keeping his head down and not saying much.

"I weathered the storm by just being quiet," he said. "Some soldiers, we talk big and bad. But they would lead them outside the door and we heard 'pow, pow.' The enemy, they were real cold blood."

It was when Marshall and others were being marched from one camp to the next that he and a few others escaped. While walking on a narrow trail, they slipped into the cover of the trees and waited for the enemy to pass.

In an outpouring of emotion, Marshall recalled some who weren't so lucky. But after seeing some of his brothers die, the group made a run for it. They eventually found a truck company near a creek and were returned to safety.

"We got under the trees and laid there until it got light," he said. "Then I must have run for four days."

Marshall was asked back into duty, but wasn't the same soldier. He was eventually taken to a hospital and treated for his wounds before returning home.

"I went back, but I was reluctant to do anything," he said. "I was not going to be locked up again."