Rotary Happenings: Rotarians hear from former POW
Many people join the military as a way to serve their country. In the back of their minds, a thought may quickly flicker through that they could lose their life or be captured as a prisoner of war, however that thought is short-lived while you are an invincible young person. Unfortunately, that was not the case for Lt. Wayne Smith. He recently shared with the Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club his experiences in the U.S. Air Force, or to be more precise as a POW.
Smith entered the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 26, 1961, and graduated with a commission as a second lieutenant on June 9, 1965. He next attended undergraduate pilot training at the Moody Air Force Base in Georgia, where he was awarded his pilot wings in September 1966. Smith served with the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron of the 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida from October 1966 to July 1967, when he deployed with his unit to southeast Asia.
He flew with the 435th Tactical Fighter Squadron at the Ubon Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand and was forced to eject over North Vietnam while flying his 90th combat mission on Jan. 18, 1968. On Smith’s last mission, he was credited with shooting down a MIG-17 in aerial combat before his aircraft was shot down. Smith was immediately captured as a POW and spent the next 1,882 days in captivity before being released during Operation Homecoming on March 14, 1973.
Smith shared, in a very light manner, ways that he and other U.S. prisoners communicated during their confinement and briefly touched on how they maintained a sense of sanity while in constant solitary confinement. He shared his excitement when he finally heard, after two years of the silence of bombing during Paris Peace Talks, B-52s roaring overhead, signifying their impending release.
The club is extremely grateful for Smith’s service to and sacrifice for the country, as well as for all soldiers who knowingly accept the risks associated with joining and serving in the military.
The Sanibel-Captiva Rotary Club holds a meeting on Fridays at 7:30 a.m. at the Dunes Golf and Tennis Club, at 949 Sand Castle Road, Sanibel, and via Zoom. To attend in person, email Bill Harkey at William.Harkey@gmail.com; attendance is limited to 20 people. To take part via Zoom, call 239-472-7257. For more information, visit sanibelrotary.org or www.facebook.com/sancaprotary.