Personal Narrative Manuscript/Mixed Material Audio Recording Cole Black Collection
Veterans History Project Service Summary:
- War or Conflict: Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: VF-211 (Fighter Squadron), USS Hancock (CVA 19); VFP-62 (Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron), USS Randolph and USS Intrepid; VF-126 (Instrument Training Squadron)
- Location of Service: Great Lakes, Illinois; Newport, Rhode Island; Pensacola, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; San Diego, California; Pacific Ocean; Vietnam; Mexico City, Mexico; Washington, DC
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Collection Number: AFC/2001/001/27168
After enlisting at the age of 17 in 1950, Cole Black spent over 35 years in the Navy--6 years and 9 months of that as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Black received his wings in February of 1957 and did two tours of duty over Southeast Asia. Ten days before the end of his second tour, he was shot down and captured. Black endured torture, moves to several camps, and a march through the streets of Hanoi during which he and his fellow prisoners were attacked. Released in 1973, Black spent another 13 years in various posts stateside before retiring on July 1, 1986.
Cole Black Collection
Interview / Recording
Transcript
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PlayHow the Navy recruiter sold Black on his branch of service; during training, it was learned he had been on the high school wrestling team and he got a break from training exercises to practice and compete on the base's wrestling team. 00:01:26.1 - 00:03:36.3
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PlayNavy gave a branch-wide test for the first time to screen candidates for OCS, which he passed; was to be assigned to a destroyer but decided to go to flight school and got his wings in February 1957; flew jets off carriers for several years until he was sent to school (had only a high school education) at Monterey; earned BS in engineering in 3 years. 00:06:12.3 - 00:08:26.4
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PlayJoined Fighter Squadron 111 just in time to deploy to Southeast Asia for his first tour; quick turnaround, deployed again; flying off USS Hancock; 10 days before end of second tour, got shot down, a trip which cost him six years and nine months in captivity. 00:09:09.4 - 00:10:08.8
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Play"Shot down" on June 21, 1966; lucky to land alive, with very brief parachute ride; badly hurt; marched through streets of Hanoi; closest he got to getting killed with guards losing control of angry spectators; goal was to be home by Christmas; backup date was 4th of July; Ho Chi Minh's death in 1969 started better treatment: a little more food, blanket and sweatshirt for winter; learned to sleep like a puppy; at war's end, was in prison in north, near China; no electricity, bad water. 00:10:33.3 - 00:14:39.4
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PlayWhen they left last prison, weren't sure if they were going farther north; heading south probably meant war was over; knew of people who had been kept in China for 13 years; began doing the math for how old he would be after that long; one comrade was kept in solitary; then put in a cage with another American; mistrusting each other, each thinking the other was a plant. 00:14:42.3 - 00:16:39.5
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PlayDealing with being alone and confined; best thing in prison was to have a good cellmate; Air Force major with him, knew all the Hornblower stories; communicating was heart of being a prisoner; giving each other hope; after interrogation, not wanting to go back into cell. 00:22:48.5 - 00:24:24.3
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PlaySon Tay Raid in 1970, an attempt to free POWs from that camp near Hanoi, made their captors nervous, afraid of losing their bargaining chips; moved to Hanoi Hilton, put in larger cellblocks rather than cells; boost to morale to be able to communicate. 00:25:44.6 - 00:27:50.0
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PlayAirport near Hanoi from which they departed was a mess from air raids; C-141 with American flag on the runway; he had never seen one; nicknamed Hanoi Taxi; he was on third of three airplanes; best looking Air Force nurses; didn't begin celebrating until they were over the water and headed for the Philippines. 00:31:17.0 - 00:33:16.1
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About this Item
Title
- Cole Black Collection
Names
- Veterans History Project
- Black, Cole
- Mit-Chelle, Sandra
- Library of Congress
Home State
- California
Headings
- - Black, Cole
- - Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Personal Narratives
- - United States. Navy.
- - Prisoner of War -- United States
Repository
- Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Gender
- Male
Race
- White
Status
- veteran
Service History
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975
- Branch of Service: Navy
- Unit of Service: VF-211 (Fighter Squadron), USS Hancock (CVA 19); VFP-62 (Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron), USS Randolph and USS Intrepid; VF-126 (Instrument Training Squadron)
- Location of Service: Great Lakes, Illinois; Newport, Rhode Island; Pensacola, Florida; Jacksonville, Florida; San Diego, California; Pacific Ocean; Vietnam; Mexico City, Mexico; Washington, DC
- Highest Rank: Captain
- Dates of Service: 1950-1986
- Prisoner of War: Yes
- Entrance into Service: Enlisted
- Military Status: veteran
- Service History Note: The veteran was shot down over North Vietnam on 06/21/1966 and released on 02/12/1973.
Materials
- Audio: CD [1 item] -- Reference copy (collected 2005-05-26; 2010-12-16)
- Manuscript: Transcript [1 item] -- Transcription of audio recording (collected 2005-05-26)
- Manuscript: Biographical information [1 item] -- Typewritten document (collected 2005)
- Audio: Audio Cassette [1 item] -- Oral history interview (collected 2005-05-26)
Collection Number
- AFC/2001/001/27168
Cite as
- Cole Black Collection (AFC/2001/001/27168), Veterans History Project, American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
Online Format
- audio
- online text
- image
Additional Metadata Formats
IIIF Presentation Manifest
Part of
Wars & Conflicts
Service Branch
Location of Service
- Great Lakes, Illinois
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Mexico City, Mexico
- Newport, Rhode Island
- Pacific Ocean
- Pensacola, Florida
- San Diego, California
- Vietnam
- Washington, DC
Service Unit
- USS Hancock (Cva 19)
- USS Randolph and USS Intrepid
- Vf-126 (Instrument Training Squadron)
- Vf-211 (Fighter Squadron)
- Vfp-62 (Light Photographic Reconnaissance Squadron)