Bruce henderson knew dieter dengler and interviewed him for his wellwritten and heavily researched book hero found. More than a tribute to a naval hero, little dieter needs to fly is an existential biography about one mans dream to become a pilot and how that leads to the unfathomably horrific trial he endures after being shot down and escaping a pow camp in vietnam. There is a hollywood version of dieters pow and escape experience. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that delivers new books every 1, 2, or 3 months new customers receive 15% off your. The greatest pow escape of the vietnam war, published by. An american pilot shot down over laos in 1966 tells of his inhumane treatment and torture at the hands of the communist pathet lao and his daring escape from a prison. I asked henderson to describe dieters state of mind during this period. I read it in part because i just finished john mccains faith of my fathers, which covers his five years as a pow in vietnam. Twenty days later, alone, racked by hallucinations and disease, he was rescued. Dieter dengler, a pow who escaped a laotian torture camp during the vietnam war and chronicled his experience in the book escape from laos, has died. Escape from laos by dieter dengler 1982, paperback for. Sense of history drives writer to tell pow tale books.
But soon, he was taken prisoner by the pathet lao and was marched for two weeks through the jungle enroute to what turned out to be a prisoner camp where he was interned along with five other prisoners. Little dieter needs to fly by dieter dengler 1520699. We spoke about the making of the new film, as well as denglers sometimes. Dieter dengler was a germanborn united states navy aviator who was the first captured u. Dengler escapes his surprisingly undisciplined guards easily enough. An american pilot shot down over laos in 1966 tells of his inhuman. The documentary about dieter dengler is really good, too.
Buy escape from laos by dengler, dieter 1997 paperback by dieter dengler isbn. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. To orientate ourselves, efl is the tale of a navy pilot, dieter dengler and his escape from a pathet lao pow camp in eastern laos. This excerpt tells of this first and last abbreviated mission in the a1 skyraider. The real dieter dengler story not mooseshits bullshit.
Escape from laos by dieter dengler, 9780891412939, available at book depository with free delivery worldwide. Escape from laos by dieter dengler 1982, paperback for sale. May 17, 2010 dieter dengler, shipmate and friend may 17, 2010 by bruce henderson 2 comments in early 1966, on the aircraft carrier ranger in the gulf of tonkin off the steamy coast of north vietnam, i was a 19yearold aerographers mate, taking weather observations, plotting weather maps, and launching weather balloons. Bruce hendersons book about dieter dengler, hero found. Dieter dengler, shipmate and friend bruce henderson.
Sense of history drives writer to tell pow tale sfgate. A few months after being captured in 1966, dengler and other pows who were being held captive targeted july 4 for their mass escape. German born pilot dieter dengler was shot down in laos. After months of imprisonment and torture he escapes. Dieter dengler, a pow who escaped a laotian torture camp during the vietnam war and chronicled his experience in the book escape from.
Jan 01, 1979 escape from laos is dieter dengler s account of the time he spent as a pow in laos, including his escape. Dieter dengler project gutenberg selfpublishing ebooks. Jul 30, 2010 sense of history drives writer to tell pow tale books. New york times bestselling author bruce henderson, who was serving on the.
Learning to fly, dieter dengler speaks about werner herzogs. Landing in san francisco, he worked odd jobs until he was. Listening to dieter retelling his remarkable escape, no matter how often, was never boring. As a former army vietnam veteran myself, i was intrigued by all the goingson of an aircraft carrier and have to admit that while reading bruce hendersons story of dieter dengler, i found the book to be an enjoyable learning experience for me. He refuses the idea of sitting idle in the laotian camp, and. Dieters story of survival in the jungles of laos was a gripping tale to say the least. Discover book depositorys huge selection of dieter dengler books online.
Escape from laos by dengler, dieter 1997 paperback. Dieter dengler interview the truth about rescue dawn. He grew up not knowing his father, who had been drafted into the german army in 1939 and was killed during world war ii on the eastern front during the winter of 194344. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. Dieter dengler is the subject of the book, hero found by bruce henderson. If herzog was so intent on twisting events and characters for dramatic purposes, he could have used fake names for fake personas. It is sad now that he is gone, having passed away earlier this year, but his book at least lives on and keeps him with us. Jun 20, 2007 rescue dawn is based on the true story of navy lt. If thats true, then the only reason for this book is that dengler was the first prisoner to escape from southeast asia. Dieter dengler and duane martin arrived at the prison about two and a half years after gene and the others were shot down. Dieter denglers escape from the pow camp and survival in the laotian jungle is certainly still heroic. It is sad now that he is gone, having passed away earlier this year.
This book should be mandatory reading for all high school. Rescue dawn is a 2006 american epic war drama film written and directed by werner herzog, based on an adapted screenplay written from his 1997 documentary film little dieter needs to fly. Jun 17, 2010 dieters story of survival in the jungles of laos was a gripping tale to say the least. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. Buy escape from laos book club bcebomc by dengler, dieter isbn.
The book, escape from laos, is denglers account of the events of that day, and of the seemingly endless days and nights following his shootdown. Dengler, however, adopts a lighthearted perspective on these events, leaving the impression that his laotian travails did not fundamentally change his life. Dengler wrote about his captivity and flight in the book escape from laos, which was published by presidio press. Jun 03, 2010 eugene debruin, who escaped from a pow camp in southern laos along with u. The book, escape from laos, is denglers account of the events of that day, and of the seemingly endless days and nights following his shootdown, imprisonment, and ultimately, his rescue from the remote jungles of laos. Lieutenant dengler, played by actor christian bale, was captured and subjected to brutal torture. Dieter dengler biography facts, childhood, family life. Rescue dawn little dieter needs to fly denglers version. Dengler documented his experience in the book escape from laos. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. What happened to gene debruin how hollywood robbed an.
Little dieter needs to fly is the title of the documentary by werner herzog. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Dieter dengler, who was shot down in 1966 during a topsecret mission to destroy viet cong strongholds in laos. Check out this biography to know about his childhood, family life and achievements. Dieter dengler, born in germany, he only wanted to fly. Dieter cares especially about functionality and specifically asks for his equipment to be customised in order to improve the efficiency. Log in or sign up for facebook to connect with friends, family and people you know. Dengler was shot down over laos, and held captive until his. Dieter dengler may 22, 1938 february 7, 2001 was a germanborn united states navy aviator during the vietnam war and later a private aircraft test pilot and commercial airline pilot.
Find all the books, read about the author, and more. Escape from laos by dieter dengler goodreads share book. At age 18, he left his country with only a few cents to his name and emigrated to the u. Rescue dawn, eugene debruin and dieter dengler bruce. A movie version of denglers life, little dieter needs to fly, was made by german filmmaker werner herzog and screened at the mill valley film festival in 1997. Hes resourceful when it comes to creating tools and originally worked as a toolmaker with the specific intent to learn something useful. The film stars christian bale, and is based on the true story of germanamerican pilot dieter dengler, who was shot down and captured by villagers sympathetic to the pathet lao during an american military. Navy pilot dieter dengler and five others in 1966, elected to stay in the vicinity of the camp with a fellow air america crewmen and pow.
Aug 14, 2007 little dieter needs to fly is the title of the documentary by werner herzog. Escape from laos by dieter dengler and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Jul 15, 2007 dieter dengler in a 2000 interview on the real gene debruin. While growing up in desolated postww ii germany, all dieter dengler, the son of a nazi slain during the war, dreamed about was becoming a pilot. Bruce hendersons quest to tell dieter denglers life story. He was rescued after 23 days on the run 1 following six. Learning to fly, dieter dengler speaks about werner herzog. Hero found is a biography of vietnam war hero dieter dengler.
In february, 1966, navy lieutenant dieter dengler was shot down over laos and captured by the pathet lao. Duane martin, air america crewman eugene gene debruin and four thai civilian air america crewmen escaped from ban hoeui het pow camp, depicted above, located deep in the laotian jungle. Our son, rolf, and others in dieters family were in arlington to bury him and rolfs words stay with me, dad would have been proud. On february 1, 1966 the american pilot dieter dengler 19382001 took enemy fire and crashlanded his plane in laos while on a. Dieter dengler may 22, 1938 february 7, 2001 was a germanborn united states navy naval aviator and pilot during the vietnam war and later a private aircraft test pilot and commercial airline pilot. Dieter dengler in a 2000 interview on the real gene debruin. He died on february 7, 2001 in mill valley, california, usa.
He also told me many stories that are not in the book. The greatest pow escape of the vietnam war, published by harper, went on sale june 29, 2010. Denglers experience as a pow during the viet nam war. Join facebook to connect with dieter dengler and others you may know. Dieter dengler, shipmate and friend may 17, 2010 by bruce henderson 2 comments in early 1966, on the aircraft carrier ranger in the gulf of tonkin off the steamy coast of north vietnam, i was a 19yearold aerographers mate, taking weather observations, plotting weather maps, and launching weather balloons. Escape from laos is dieter denglers account of the time he spent as a pow in laos, including his escape. Dieter denglers journey through the jungle, battling starvation and the killing of his friend duane, is engagingly retold.
Despite being the new man on the scene, dieter dengler manages to formulate the plans for escape and lead the group out of the prison. He was married to yukiko ichihashi, irene lam and marina adamich. Rescue dawn is based on the true story of dieter dengler, a charismatic pilot who was shot down in laos while on a covert attack mission for the united states navy during the vietnam war. But there was no reason to devalue and defame debruin to tell denglers story. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. If it isnt, then the more interesting story got away. Dieter dengler was born and raised in the small town of wildberg, in the black forest region of the german state of badenwurttemberg. Hollywood has long taken liberties when it comes to telling true stories and depicting real lives, but in werner herzogs film, rescue dawn, his overthetop depiction of a wisconsinbred american pow held captive in laos was egregious. He was one of two survivors, the other being phisit intharathat, out of seven prisoners of war who escaped from a pathet lao prison camp in laos. The reader is thrust into the steaming jungle flora, tortured by sadistic guards, menaced by hordes of insects and subject to unimaginable physical suffering. Rescue dawn tells true story of vietnam pow rescue u. Dieter never, ever described gene debruinwho sacrificed himself to help his friend y. Dieter dengler may 22, 1938 february 7, 2001 was a germanborn united states navy. I had become a united states citizen but my four years ran out before i was assigned to a flying class, wrote dieter in his autobiographical book.
872 483 291 1247 73 1451 527 368 250 1291 895 665 109 631 883 572 1455 385 339 1084 22 113 317 477 491 1413 315 848 682 934