HALYBURTON, PORTER ALEXANDER

Name: Porter Alexander Halyburton
Rank/Branch: O2/US Navy
Unit: Fighter Squadron 84, USS INDEPENDENCE (CVA 62)
Date of Birth: 16 January 1941
Home City of Record: Davidson NC
Date of Loss: 17 October 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 213500N 1063300E (XJ605872)
Status (in 1973): Released POW
Category:
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F4B

Other Personnel In Incident: Stanley E. Olmstead (missing - died of severe
wounds); At nearby coordinates, all F4 aircraft from USS Independence and US
Navy personnel; Rodney A. Knutson and Ralph E. Gaither (both released POWs);
Roderick L. Mayer (missing) and David R. Wheat (released POW)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 01 April 1990 from one or more of the
following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews. Updated 03/17/97 by the
P.O.W. NETWORK with material provided by CDR Porter Halyburton, USN RET.
2023

REMARKS: 730212 RLSD BY DRV

SYNOPSIS: LT Roderick Mayer was a pilot assigned to the aircraft carrier USS
INDEPENDENCE (CVA-62). On October 17, 1965 he and his Radar Intercept
Officer (RIO), LTJG David Wheat launched in their F4B Phantom fighter jet
for a day strike mission on the Thai Nguyen bridge northeast of Hanoi.

On the same day, a second Phantom flown by LCDR Stanley E. Olmstead, with
LTJG Porter A. Halyburton as his RIO, and a third Phantom flown by LTJG
Ralph Gaither and LTJG Rodney A/ Knutson also launched from the USS
INDEPENCENCE. These four pilots were part of Fighter Squadron 84, the "Jolly
Rogers". Mayer and Wheat were part of the carriers Fighter Squadron 41. All
were dispatched to the same general mission area near the city of Thai
Nguyen.

The three Phantoms were all shot down within a few miles of each other.
Knutson and Gaither were shot down in Long Song Province, North Vietnam,
near the border of China, or about 75 miles northeast of the city of Thai
Nguyen. Olmstead and Halyburton were shot down in Long Son Province about 40
miles east of the city of Thai Nguyen. Mayer and Wheat were shot down about
55 miles east-northeast of the city of Thai Nguyen, in Long Son Province.

Mayer and Wheat's aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire. Both men were seen
to eject from the aircraft. Search and rescue (SAR) efforts were hampered
due to enemy small arms fire. Lt. Mayer was observed over a period of two
hours in a prone position, still in his parachute. Before rescue helicopters
could reach the scene, both Mayer and Wheat had disappeared from sight and
enemy troops were seen in the area. David R. Wheat was confirmed to be a
prisoner of war, and when released in 1973, made statements which suggest
that Mayer was killed during the ejection or that he died later of injuries
resulting from the ejection. He stated that Lt. Mayer did not move, even
when he was found by ground troops. Mayer was classified Prisoner of War.

LCDR Olmstead's aircraft was hit by hostile fire and crashed while on a
bombing mission. No transmissions were heard, nor was there any sign of
ejection by either crewmember. Other U.S. aircraft passed over the crash
site and deterimed that there was no possibility of survival. For 1 1/2
years, Porter Halyburton was thought to be KIA. However, it was later
learned that Halyburton had survived, and was captured. Being the RIO,
Halyburton would eject first. It was believed that Olmstead had probably
died in the crash of the aircraft, but there was no proof of this theory.
Olmstead was classified Missing in Action.

Gaither and Knutson were captured by the North Vietnamese, spent nearly 8
years as prisoners and were both released on February 12, 1973 in Operation
Homecoming. Knutson had been injured, and was not fully recovered at the
time of his release.

The fates of these six men from the USS INDEPENDENCE was not clear at the
time they were shot down. Their status changed from Reported Dead to
Prisoner of War or Missing in Action. At the end of the war, only Olmstead
and Mayer remained missing. Ultimately, they were declared dead for lack of
evidence that they were still alive.

When the war ended, refugees from the communist-overrun countries of
Southeast Asia began to flood the world, bringing with them stories of live
GI's still in captivity in their homelands. Since 1975, nearly 10,000
reports relating to Americans missing in Southeast Asia have been received.
Many authorities believe that hundreds of Americans are still held in the
countries in Southeast Asia.

The U.S. Government operates on the "assumption" that one or more men are
being held, but that it cannot "prove" that this is the case, allowing
action to be taken. Meanwhile, low-level talks between the U.S. and Vietnam
proceed, yielding a few sets of remains when it seems politically expedient
to return them, but as yet, no living American has returned.

Roderick L. Mayer was promoted to the rank of Commander during the period he
was maintained missing and David R. Wheat was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Commander.

Rodney A. Knutson and Ralph E. Gaither were promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Commander during the period they were maintained as prisoner of
war.

Stanley E. Olmstead was promoted to the rank of Commander during the period
he was maintained missing. Porter A. Halyburton was promoted to the rank of
Lieutenant Commander during the period he was maintained as a prisoner of
war.




================
Porter Halyburton retired from the United States Navy as a Commander in
1984. His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, 3
Purple Hearts, 2 Bronze Stars and 3 Air Medals.

Reflecting on his captivity, CDR Halyburton says, "I returned with joy and
gratitude in my heart for all the wonderful people who had prayed for us,
worn the bracelets and had worked for our release and better treatment."

Halyburton is a Professor of Strategy, Head Electives Division, ADP Manager
- College of Continuing Education - U.S. Naval War College. He enjoys church
and volunteer activities, racquetball, gardening, sculpture and European
travel. He and his wife Marty reside in Rhode Island. They have two
daughters and a son.

=================

MORE INFO:

I just created a set of tributes to one family who served in WWI, WWII, and Vietnam:
 
Sgt Edgar M. Hallyburton, the first American POW in WWI:
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=923
 
Pvt Frank C. Hallyburton, Edgar's brother, died from wounds received in WWI:
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=924
 
PM2C William D. Halyburton, Jr., Medal of Honor recipient in WWII:
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=925
 
CDR Porter A. Halyburton, POW in Vietnam:
http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=295

You'll notice the later Halyburton's dropped the 2nd L in their name, but are all related.

Blue Skies,

-Erich

Erich Anderson
Veteran Tributes Founder & Friend of NAM-POWs
P.O. Box 3012
Gulfport, MS 39505
www.veterantributes.org

 

According to an account on the website of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., between 1970 and 1976 more than 5 million POW/MIA ...
 
CC: from LE....
Very good interview on CBS with Porter on his experience and his new book.
 

 
 
Film: Beyond Courage 1993
CC: from the producer, Will Furman...
 

 
What others say about the documentary film BEYOND COURAGE – Surviving Vietnam as a P.O.W.
 
General Colin L. Powell, (deceased) USA (Ret):
 “Beyond Courage is the gripping story of the power of the human spirit to endure and triumph. We owe these heroes so much. They stood for the principles which make this Nation great. Every American should watch this and be thankful and proud.” 
 
John McCain, United States Senator (deceased), Vietnam prisoner-of-war: “Beyond Courage – Surviving Vietnam as a P.O.W.-- is unquestionably one of the most realistic portrayal to date of the struggles we endured as prisoners of the North Vietnamese over 30 years ago. Watching it took me back to a time when men like Orson Swindle, Ev Alvarez, Bill Lawrence, Fred Cherry, Jerry Denton, Jack Bomar, Robbie Risner, Ben Purcell, Jerry Coffee and Medal of Honor recipients Leo Thorsness, Jim Stockdale, and Bud Day showed the heights to which man can rise while immersed in the depths of horror. These men are among this nation’s quiet heroes and I am eternally honored to be in their company.” 
 
Stephen Ambrose, historian (deceased) author of “D-Day” and “Band of Brothers”: “I’ve just watched Beyond Courage and after drying my eyes and collecting my emotions I want to tell you how moving, revealing, informative and superb it is. The POWs make me proud to be an American. I’m glad they were on our side.” 
 
Jan Scruggs, President, Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund: “Beyond Courage is not just another documentary about war. The film shows the great strength of the human spirit exemplified by America’s POWs in Hanoi. The program is magnificent.” 
 
George Stevens Jr., Founder of the American Film Institute and Kennedy Center Honor Producer: “Will Furman’s documentary is a stirring reminder of sacrifice made by Americans far from home.” 
--------------------------------------------------------
AWARDS:
First Place Winner - Documentary, 1999 Los Angeles International Short Film Festival

 
Winner – CINE Golden Eagle 2000
---------------------------------------------------------
Will Furman  8545 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel, CA 93923  831-238-3819

 
============================

 
Will Furman's latest film in work - Surviving Hell in Hanoi: