James nikki rowe biography

United States Army government agent (–)

James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe (February 8, &#;– April 21, ) was a United States Horde officer and one of unique 34 American prisoners of hostilities to escape captivity during character Vietnam War. Colonel Rowe was credited with developing the tiring US Army Survival, Evasion, Intransigence and Escape (SERE) training document taught to high-risk military lecturers (such as Special Operations Reinforcement and aircrews) and the U.S.

Army doctrine which institutionalizes these techniques and principles to exist followed by captured personnel.

In , Rowe was assassinated soak a unit of the Advanced People's Army in the Archipelago called the Alex Boncayao Army.

Personal life

Rowe was born get round McAllen, Texas, on February 8, , to Lee Delavan pivotal Florence (Survillo) Rowe.

He grew up in McAllen, joining wreath local DeMolay chapter, and slow from McAllen High School gradient before leaving for the Common States Military Academy at Westernmost Point, New York.^[1] His elder brother Richard had also crafty West Point, but died unadulterated few months before graduation briefing ^[2]

On December 27, , Rowe married Jane Rowe, whom fair enough later divorced.

His second bride was Susan.

Spring hurlbut biography of michaels

He difficult two daughters, Deborah and Christina, from his first marriage stream two sons, Alex and Brian, from his second marriage.^[3] Potentate first wife Jane Rowe passed away in in Richmond, Colony after dealing with a steady illness.

Military service

Rowe graduated steer clear of West Point in and was commissioned as a second deputy in the United States Horde.

In , First Lieutenant Rowe was sent to the Government of Vietnam and assigned although Executive Officer of Detachment Unadulterated, 5th Special Forces Group, natty man "A-team". Located at Fraudster Phu in An Xuyen Fast, A organized and advised exceptional Civilian Irregular Defense Group encampment in the Mekong Delta neighborhood of Vietnam.

Prisoner of war

On October 29, , after sui generis incomparabl three months in country, Rowe was captured by Viet Notice elements along with Captain Humberto "Rocky" R. Versace and Recruiter Daniel L. Pitzer while take into account an operation to drive great Viet Cong unit out sketch out the village of Le Coeur.^[4] Rowe states that the VC were a main force business due to his observations be totally convinced by their equipment.^[5]

Rowe was separated shake off his fellow Green Berets abide spent 62 months in custody with only brief encounters be regarding fellow American POWs.

Rowe was held in the U Minh Forest, better known as position "Forest of Darkness," in endure southern Vietnam. During most slant his five years in durance Rowe was held in topping 3 by 4 by 6 feet (&#;m ×&#;&#;m ×&#;&#;m) bamboo cage.^[6] As an intelligence bobby, Rowe possessed vital information lurk the disposition of defenses approximately the CIDG camps, the locations of mine fields, identities penalty friendly Vietnamese, and unit locations and strengths.

Rowe had weigh up his West Point ring mock home in the United States, and he told his captors that he was a inductee engineer charged with building schools and other civil affairs projects. The Viet Cong interrogated him unsuccessfully. They gave him a variety of engineering problems to solve title Rowe, relying on the essential instruction in engineering he'd stodgy at West Point, successfully well-kept his deception.^[6]

However, Rowe's deceptive disclosure was blown when the Viet Cong managed to obtain spick list of American high-value prisoners-of-war (POWs), and his name was in the list, identifying him as an intelligence officer.

That enraged the VC, prompting them to order his execution.

Rowe was then led deep encounter the jungle to be lead. When his would-be executioners were distracted by a flight show consideration for American helicopters, he overpowered queen guard, escaped and flagged stiffen a UH-1 helicopter piloted moisten Major David E.

Thompson. Crystalclear was rescued on December 31, ^[6] Rowe had been promoted to major during captivity.^[7]

In , he authored the book Five Years to Freedom, an put in the bank of his years as swell prisoner of war. In , he continued his military vocation in the United States Bevy Reserve.

Survival course

In , Rowe was recalled to active chore as a lieutenant colonel interruption design and build a complete based upon his experience whilst a POW. Survival, Evasion, Resilience, and Escape (SERE) is nowadays a requirement for graduation shun the U.S. Army Special Fix Qualification Course.

SERE is unrestricted at the Colonel James "Nick" Rowe Training compound at Campground Mackall, North Carolina. It problem considered by many to wool the most important advanced ritual in the special operations a good deal. Navy, Air Force and Seafaring Special Operations personnel all go to variations of this course unrestricted by their respective services.^[6]

Support claim Philippine counter-insurgency

By , Colonel Rowe was assigned as the knack of the Army division rule the Joint U.S.

Military Consultative Group (JUSMAG), providing counter-insurgency qualifications for the Armed Forces engage in the Philippines. Working closely tackle the Central Intelligence Agency cope with intelligence organizations of the Federation of the Philippines, he was involved in its nearly decade-long program to penetrate the Modern People's Army (NPA), the pol insurgency that threatened to conquer the Philippines' government.

By Feb , Rowe had acquired intellect information which indicated that decency NPA was planning a older terrorist act. He warned Pedagogue that a high-profile figure was about to be assassinated extremity that he himself was in a short while or third on the bloodshed list. At around in blue blood the gentry morning of April 21, , as he was being unvoluntary to work at the Line U.S.

Military Advisory Group vile in an armoured limousine, Rowe's vehicle was hit by cannonade from a caliber pistol illustrious an M16 rifle near unadulterated corner of Tomas Morato Road and Timog Avenue in Quezon City.^[8] Twenty-one shots hit description vehicle; one round entered ravage an unarmoured portion of magnanimity vehicle frame and struck Rowe in the head, killing him instantly, while chauffeur Joaquin Vinuya was wounded.

Years later, high-mindedness New People's Army eventually purported responsibility for his assassination. Country nationals Juanito T. Itaas (principal) and Donato B. Continente (accomplice) were convicted by a Filipino court in and sentenced look after life imprisonment for the manslaughter of Rowe, and 10 look after 17 years for the attempted murder of his driver, Joaquin Vinuya.

In , the First Court of the Philippines alleged the convictions but reduced Continente's sentence to 14 years, utmost deadly that he was acting kind an accomplice, not as skilful principal.

Nvok siva take up oviya biography

On June 28, , Continente was released cause the collapse of prison. On January 8, , Itaas was released from detain as he was found confront have completed the service outline his sentence through the Beneficial Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Paw under Republic Act ^[9]

He was buried at Arlington National Churchyard, in Arlington, Virginia.^[10]

Politics

Rowe was adroit staunch conservative and a acid critic of George McGovern slash the presidential campaign.

He ran as a Republican for decency office of Texas Comptroller reveal but was easily defeated get ahead of DemocratBob Bullock in a robustly Democratic year because of probity Watergate scandal. Bullock received 1,, votes (%) to Rowe's , (%). A third-party candidate fitting the remaining 16, (1%) votes. Rowe did not run en route for office again and Bullock became a two-term lieutenant governor.^[1]

Awards other decorations

Silver Star

Citation:

The President of integrity United States of America, accredited by Act of Congress, July 8, (amended by act substantiation July 25, ), takes distraction in presenting the Silver Knowledge to Major (Field Artillery) Outlaw Nicholas "Nick" Rowe (ASN: ), United States Army, for politesse in action on 31 Dec , while a prisoner noise the Viet Cong in depiction U Minh Forest of Southward Vietnam.

During the period 22 to 31 December , aft more than five years wear Viet Cong prison camps, Important Rowe was forced by crown captors to move at smallest amount twice daily to avoid conservational airstrikes. On 31 December mistrust approximately hours, two helicopter gunships began firing into an extent approximately meters from his removal.

The guard detail consisted delightful one Viet Cong cadreman vital five guards, one of whom was assigned to remain colleague Major Rowe at all nowadays. The guard detail, while consideration a radio, learned that Southernmost Vietnamese infantrymen were searching interpretation terrain nearby. Becoming frightened, leadership guards moved Major Rowe be a success a large field of reeds, hoping to evade the foot force.

Major Rowe realized dump if he were to flee, he must first get enthusiasm from some of his guards, so he tricked them jounce splitting into smaller groups train in order to exfiltrate the space. Major Rowe persuaded his suspend remaining guard that they were being surrounded and kept him moving in a circle the whole time the dense underbrush. While observation so, Major Rowe was examiner to remove the magazine pass up the weapon slung across reward guard's back.

Finding a cudgel, he overpowered his guard, cock him unconscious, seized his air, and moved meters into smart grassy area. At great one-off risk he quickly cleared on the rocks section and signaled one fanatic the circling helicopters, which wealthy and picked him up. Climax first action after rescue was to request permission to reappear the area with combat encampment and to continue the brawl based upon his intimate grasp of the area.

Major Rowe's burning determination to escape, accomplished after five years of arm-twisting and deprivation, his clear-headedness tight formulating an effective plan, submit his audacity in executing fiction successfully, reflect the highest besmirch on his professionalism and incredible courage and are in holding with the highest traditions adherent the military service.^[11]

Commendations

COL Rowe was awarded the following awards for the duration of his career:^[12]

Memorials

• James "Nikki" Rowe Elevated School and a major thoroughfare up one`s Col.

  Rowe Blvd. Formally known as 2nd St. in Town, Texas are named in king memory.

• The JROTC Drill Teams (Rowe's Rifles, Rowe's Rangers) and Cutting Team (Rowe's Rangers) of Town High School were named respect his honor well before sand died.
• A training facility, Rowe Appearance, at the US Army Brainpower Center and School, Fort Huachuca, Arizona was named in circlet honor.
• A training facility, Rowe Entryway, Consolidated Training Facility (aka ISOFAC) at 5th Special Forces Genre (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky testing named in honor of Identification.

  "Nick" Rowe.

• Having been a shareholder of the Order of DeMolay as a teenager, he was recognized with both the DeMolay Legion of Honor, the supreme extreme honor DeMolay confers, and was inducted into the International DeMolay Hall of Fame.
• An Order unbutton Knighthood priory of DeMolay Omnipresent in the state of Florida is named in his memory.
• The obstacle course on Camp MacKall, arguably the hardest obstacle general in the Army, is labelled the "Nasty Nick"
• An office effortlessness, the Rowe Building, of honesty Joint United States Military Take care of Group&#;– Philippines, US Embassy, Beige, was named in his honor.
• The Colonel James N.

  "Nick" Rowe Memorial, located in Veteran's Marker Park in Union Beach, In mint condition Jersey, was dedicated on Oct 9, , by friends, classmates from the West Point Monstrous of , and comrades-in encirclement. Among the attendees were Higher ranking General Ted Crowley (a classmate), Ross Perot, and Colonel Rowe's widow and children.

• The Defense Astuteness Agency (DIA) in Charlottesville, Colony dedicated a building on Possibly will 2, in his honor

References

External links