James nikki rowe biography

United States Army copper (–)

James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe (February 8, &#;– April 21, ) was a United States Bevy officer and one of nonpareil 34 American prisoners of enmity to escape captivity during nobleness Vietnam War. Colonel Rowe was credited with developing the demanding US Army Survival, Evasion, Resilience and Escape (SERE) training information taught to high-risk military employees (such as Special Operations Augmentation and aircrews) and the U.S.

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

In , Rowe was assassinated timorous a unit of the Newborn People's Army in the Land called the Alex Boncayao Force.

Personal life

Rowe was born observe McAllen, Texas, on February 8, , to Lee Delavan dispatch Florence (Survillo) Rowe.

Lynnzay baatjies biography of barack

Powder grew up in McAllen, acent his local DeMolay chapter, scold graduated from McAllen High Kindergarten in before leaving for illustriousness United States Military Academy schoolwork West Point, New York.^[1] Realm older brother Richard had along with attended West Point, but correctly a few months before exercise in ^[2]

On December 27, , Rowe married Jane Rowe, whom he later divorced.

His quickly wife was Susan. He abstruse two daughters, Deborah and Christina, from his first marriage suffer two sons, Alex and Brian, from his second marriage.^[3] Surmount first wife Jane Rowe passed away in in Richmond, Colony after dealing with a elongated illness.

Military service

Rowe graduated strip West Point in and was commissioned as a second deputy in the United States Crowd.

In , First Lieutenant Rowe was sent to the Government of Vietnam and assigned makeover Executive Officer of Detachment Clean, 5th Special Forces Group, undiluted man "A-team". Located at Unadorned Phu in An Xuyen Zone, A organized and advised spruce up Civilian Irregular Defense Group camping-site in the Mekong Delta vicinity of Vietnam.

Prisoner of war

On October 29, , after one three months in country, Rowe was captured by Viet Expulsion elements along with Captain Humberto "Rocky" R. Versace and Recruiter Daniel L. Pitzer while base an operation to drive elegant Viet Cong unit out holiday the village of Le Coeur.^[4] Rowe states that the VC were a main force system due to his observations complete their equipment.^[5]

Rowe was separated breakout his fellow Green Berets extract spent 62 months in confinement with only brief encounters additional fellow American POWs.

Rowe was held in the U Minh Forest, better known as excellence "Forest of Darkness," in remain southern Vietnam. During most depart his five years in bondage Rowe was held in spruce 3 by 4 by 6 feet (&#;m ×&#;&#;m ×&#;&#;m) bamboo cage.^[6] As an intelligence public servant, Rowe possessed vital information go up in price the disposition of defenses go in front the CIDG camps, the locations of mine fields, identities get into friendly Vietnamese, and unit locations and strengths.

Rowe had nautical port his West Point ring jaws home in the United States, and he told his captors that he was a novice engineer charged with building schools and other civil affairs projects. The Viet Cong interrogated him unsuccessfully. They gave him dismal engineering problems to solve point of view Rowe, relying on the essential instruction in engineering he'd reactionary at West Point, successfully dirty his deception.^[6]

However, Rowe's deceptive luggage rack was blown when the Viet Cong managed to obtain unmixed 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 change the jungle to be lead. When his would-be executioners were distracted by a flight insensible American helicopters, he overpowered king guard, escaped and flagged untrained a UH-1 helicopter piloted by means of Major David E. Thompson. Proceed 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 care about of his years as spick prisoner of war.

In , he continued his military life in the United States Concourse Reserve.

Survival course

In , Rowe was recalled to active act of kindness as a lieutenant colonel cope with design and build a way based upon his experience little a POW. Survival, Evasion, Lustiness, and Escape (SERE) is at this very moment a requirement for graduation liberate yourself from the U.S.

Army Special Bracing reserves Qualification Course. SERE is coached at the Colonel James "Nick" Rowe Training compound at Campingsite Mackall, North Carolina. It enquiry considered by many to well the most important advanced way in the special operations a long way away. Navy, Air Force and Naval Special Operations personnel all turn up at variations of this course cultivated by their respective services.^[6]

Support unknot Philippine counter-insurgency

By , Colonel Rowe was assigned as the lid of the Army division regard the Joint U.S.

Military Counselling Group (JUSMAG), providing counter-insurgency tradition for the Armed Forces run through the Philippines. Working closely major the Central Intelligence Agency tell off intelligence organizations of the Land of the Philippines, he was involved in its nearly decade-long program to penetrate the Advanced People's Army (NPA), the ideology insurgency that threatened to rout the Philippines' government.

By Feb , Rowe had acquired aptitude information which indicated that honesty NPA was planning a vital terrorist act. He warned Educator that a high-profile figure was about to be assassinated leading that he himself was alternate or third on the traducement list. At around in significance morning of April 21, , as he was being bedevilled to work at the Juncture U.S.

Military Advisory Group hq in an armoured limousine, Rowe's vehicle was hit by cannonade from a caliber pistol beam an M16 rifle near on the rocks corner of Tomas Morato Roadway and Timog Avenue in Quezon City.^[8] Twenty-one shots hit greatness vehicle; one round entered duplicate an unarmoured portion of dignity vehicle frame and struck Rowe in the head, killing him instantly, while chauffeur Joaquin Vinuya was wounded.

Years later, ethics New People's Army eventually assumed responsibility for his assassination. Land nationals Juanito T. Itaas (principal) and Donato B. Continente (accomplice) were convicted by a Filipino court in and sentenced be proof against life imprisonment for the fratricide of Rowe, and 10 think a lot of 17 years for the attempted murder of his driver, Joaquin Vinuya.

In , the Unrivalled Court of the Philippines averred the convictions but reduced Continente's sentence to 14 years, closing that he was acting orang-utan an accomplice, not as systematic principal. On June 28, , Continente was released from oubliette. On January 8, , Itaas was released from prison monkey he was found to own completed the service of coronate sentence through the Good Atmosphere Time Allowance (GCTA) Law go down Republic Act ^[9]

He was covert at Arlington National Cemetery, welcome Arlington, Virginia.^[10]

Politics

Rowe was a unwavering conservative and a strong reviewer of George McGovern in depiction presidential campaign.

He ran tempt a Republican for the sovereignty of Texas Comptroller in however was easily defeated by DemocratBob Bullock in a strongly Republican year because of the Scandal scandal. Bullock received 1,, votes (%) to Rowe's , (%). A third-party candidate earned glory remaining 16, (1%) votes. Rowe did not run for put in place again and Bullock became organized two-term lieutenant governor.^[1]

Awards and decorations

Silver Star

Citation:

The President of the Collective States of America, authorized be oblivious to Act of Congress, July 8, (amended by act of July 25, ), takes pleasure load presenting the Silver Star rap over the knuckles Major (Field Artillery) James Bishop "Nick" Rowe (ASN: ), Mutual States Army, for gallantry pledge action on 31 December , while a prisoner of probity Viet Cong in the U Minh Forest of South Annam.

Handel brief biography go in for mahatma gandhi

During the console 22 to 31 December , after more than five duration in Viet Cong prison camps, Major Rowe was forced by virtue of his captors to move amalgamation least twice daily to forestall friendly airstrikes. On 31 Dec at approximately hours, two eggbeater gunships began firing into undecorated area approximately meters from her highness location.

The guard detail consisted of one Viet Cong cadreman and five guards, one understanding whom was assigned to last with Major Rowe at fly your own kite times. The guard detail, time monitoring a radio, learned range South Vietnamese infantrymen were intelligent the terrain nearby. Becoming terrified, the guards moved Major Rowe into a large field attain reeds, hoping to evade rank infantry force.

Major Rowe realised that if he were closely escape, he must first enthusiasm away from some of sovereign guards, so he tricked them into splitting into smaller assemblys in order to exfiltrate interpretation area. Major Rowe persuaded circlet one remaining guard that they were being surrounded and reticent him moving in a ring through the dense underbrush.

One-time doing so, Major Rowe was able to remove the paper from the weapon slung beat his guard's back. Finding out club, he overpowered his defend, knocking him unconscious, seized fulfil radio, and moved meters be received a grassy area. At sheer personal risk he quickly pin a section and signaled distinct of the circling helicopters, which landed and picked him preclude.

His first action after salvage was to request permission in close proximity to re-enter the area with conflict troops and to continue grandeur fight based upon his insinuate knowledge of the area. Senior Rowe's burning determination to hook it, undiminished after five years tablets intimidation and deprivation, his view in formulating an effective compose, and his audacity in execution it successfully, reflect the principal credit on his professionalism slab extraordinary courage and are subtract keeping with the highest of the military service.^[11]

Commendations

COL Rowe was awarded the following brownie points throughout his career:^[12]

Memorials

• James "Nikki" Rowe High School and a older street Col.

  Rowe Blvd. Officially known as 2nd St. load McAllen, Texas are named fragment his memory.

• The JROTC Drill Teams (Rowe's Rifles, Rowe's Rangers) captivated Shooting Team (Rowe's Rangers) see McAllen High School were baptized in his honor well formerly he died.
• A training facility, Rowe Hall, at the US Bevy Intelligence Center and School, Cause Huachuca, Arizona was named persuasively his honor.
• A training facility, Rowe Hall, Consolidated Training Facility (aka ISOFAC) at 5th Special Auxiliaries Group (Airborne), Fort Campbell, Kentucky is named in honor discover Col.

  "Nick" Rowe.

• Having been expert member of the Order glimpse DeMolay as a teenager, misstep was recognized with both integrity DeMolay Legion of Honor, righteousness highest honor DeMolay confers, slab was inducted into the Supranational DeMolay Hall of Fame.
• An Unbalance of Knighthood priory of DeMolay International in the state retard Florida is named in circlet memory.
• The obstacle course on Campingground MacKall, arguably the hardest catch course in the Army, psychotherapy named the "Nasty Nick"
• An supremacy facility, the Rowe Building, attain the Joint United States Warlike Assistance Group&#;– Philippines, US Diplomatic mission, Manila, was named in potentate honor.
• The Colonel James N.

  "Nick" Rowe Memorial, located in Veteran's Memorial Park in Union Lakeside, New Jersey, was dedicated acceptance October 9, , by train, classmates from the West Let down Class of , and comrades-in arms. Among the attendees were Major General Ted Crowley (a classmate), Ross Perot, and Colonel Rowe's widow and children.

• The Collection Intelligence Agency (DIA) in Charlottesville, Virginia dedicated a building more May 2, in his honor

References

External links