{"id":8322,"date":"2024-03-16T20:30:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-16T20:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8322"},"modified":"2024-03-16T20:30:00","modified_gmt":"2024-03-16T20:30:00","slug":"a-heros-story-prisoner-of-war-at-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/itsveterans.com\/?p=8322","title":{"rendered":"A hero\u2019s story: Prisoner of War at 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

Originally published:<\/strong> 2024-03-16T20:30:00+00:00. Historical source article: benefits, rules, amounts and deadlines may have changed. Check the official source for current information.<\/p>\n

Veo Jessie joined the military looking for answers and ended it as a Prisoner of War (POW) survivor.<\/p>\n

Jessie decided at the age of 15 to join the military to uncover the truth about how his brother, a serviceman, had died.<\/p>\n

After telling the recruiter he was 17, he began his journey as a soldier. Born in Corsicana, Texas, Jessie and his brother were the only two children and they were very close. <\/p>\n

\u201cI thought I\u2019d be going around the United States meeting people that may have met my brother, but the next thing I knew I was on a plane headed to Korea,\u201d he said. In June 1953, his third month on the ground in Korea, age 16, he was wounded.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe had personal first aid kits that held a box of matches, a needle and thread, and a few other items. I just stitched up my wound and kept moving,\u201d Jesse said.<\/p>\n

\u201cI knew in my heart I was going to make it back home.\u201d<\/h2>\n

While going through one of the many destroyed villages, Jessie met a young Korean boy who lost all his family. \u201cI felt bad for him, so we worked together to keep one another alive. Shortly later I was captured and taken to Pork Chop Hill,\u201d he recalled.<\/p>\n

Total U.S. casualties at Pork Chop Hill numbered 243 killed, 916 wounded and nine captured. Less than three weeks after the Battle of Pork Chop Hill, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed to end hostilities.<\/p>\n

For three months as POW, Jessie was tortured, interrogated, endured sleep and food deprivation, and was kept in solitary confinement.<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though I saw a lot of others lose their lives, I knew in my heart I was going to make it back home. It was a glorious day when I saw U.S. troops coming to my rescue,\u201d he shared.<\/p>\n

Returning home<\/h2>\n

Jessie was awarded numerous medals, including the Purple Heart and several Bronze Star Medals for his courage and experiences as a soldier and POW. Although he never found out how his brother died, he shared, \u201cMy life was spared and I continue to live everyday with joy in my heart.\u201d<\/p>\n

As a long-time patient of North Texas VA<\/a>, Jessie is one of 220,000 enrolled North Texas Veterans who trust VA with their health care.<\/p>\n

\u201cVeterans like Jessie truly gives us a special reason to do what we do,\u201d said Chief of Staff Dr. Jeffrey Hastings. \u201cIt\u2019s important we recognize there are families whose loved ones are still missing in action and we extend support to them as well.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessie and Hastings are pictured above. For resources and FAQs for families and others still missing loved ones, visit Defense POW\/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\n

Source: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs<\/a>. Its Veterans is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. government.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Three months after arriving in Korea, a Veteran was wounded then captured as a Prisoner of War. Here’s his story.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":136,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[34],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8322","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community-veteran-stories"],"yoast_head":"\nA hero\u2019s story: Prisoner of War at 16 - Its Veterans<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Three months after arriving in Korea, a Veteran was wounded then captured as a Prisoner of War. 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