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Hero Found: The Greatest POW Escape of the Vietnam War
From the New York Times bestselling author of Sons and Soldiers comes the incredible but true story of Dieter Dengler, the only pilot to escape captivity from a POW camp in the Laotian jungle during the Vietnam War. In February 1966, Dieter Dengler was shot down over "neutral" Laos in jungle territory controlled by Pathet Lao guerrillas and North Vietnamese regulars, who captured and held him in a fortified prisoner-of-war camp. Already a legend in the navy for his unique escape skills, the German-born Dengler proved to be no ordinary prisoner. Caught in a desperate situation, imprisoned by the enemy and by the jungle itself, Dengler set out to free not only himself but also other POWs—American, Thai, and Chinese—some of whom had been held for years. This amazing story of triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds has been filmed by Werner Herzog as both a documentary ( Little Dieter Needs to Fly ) and a motion picture ( Rescue Dawn, starring Christian Bale). Now Bruce Henderson, who served with Dengler aboard USS Ranger , tells the complete story of Dengler's captivity and remarkable escape—based on in-depth personal interviews as well as military archival materials, some never before made public—in this riveting account of unending optimism, courage, loyalty, and survival against overwhelming odds.
336 pages, Paperback
First published June 29, 2010
261 people are currently reading
1244 people want to read
About the author
Bruce Henderson
20 books188 followersBruce Henderson is the author of more than twenty nonfiction books, including a #1 New York Times that was made into a highly-rated network miniseries. His books have been published in more than two dozen countries. His latest book is Midnight Flyboys: The American Bomber Crews and Allied Secret Agents Who Aided the French Resistance in World War II. He is also the author of Sons and Soldiers: The Untold Story of the Jews Who Escaped the Nazis and Returned with the U.S. Army to Fight Hitler, the NYT bestseller about "The Ritchie Boys" being developed for a feature film. He won the coveted 2023 Gilder Lehrman Military History Prize in recognition of the best English language book published in the field of American military history for Bridge to the Sun: The Secret Role of the Japanese Americans Who Fought in the Pacific in World War II. Henderson has taught reporting at USC School of Journalism and nonfiction writing at Stanford University. He lives in Menlo Park, California.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 126 reviews
March 22, 2023
A good book of a truly amazing story of the daring escape of Dieter Dengler from a POW camp in the Laotian jungle during the Vietnam War. The book follows him from his early life in war torn Germany after World War 2 and learned to survive of the land and his dreams to become a pilot and his eventual immigration to America. Here he struggles to sign up to become a pilot, but through perseverance he eventually becomes a Navy pilot flying A-1 Skyraiders off the USS Ranger in the Gulf of Tonkin with raids on North Vietnam and Laos. He is shot down and evades capture for a few days, but is eventually captured by enemy forces. His captivity was marked by torture and starvation, and after nearly six months he and the other six inmates of the camp makes a daring escape and flees into the jungle. Dengler and his escape companion Duane Martin struggles through the jungle for six weeks during which time Martin is brutally murdered by villagers, until by chance Dengler is spotted by friendly aircraft and rescued.
The beginning of the book was a struggle to get through where every detail of Dengler's early life and training is described, but when the book comes to his service in Vietnam and his capture and escape, the book becomes a page turner and this turns out to be another great book about the spirit of the human mind to be free. Highly recommended escape and evasion reading if you can get through the start of the book.
The beginning of the book was a struggle to get through where every detail of Dengler's early life and training is described, but when the book comes to his service in Vietnam and his capture and escape, the book becomes a page turner and this turns out to be another great book about the spirit of the human mind to be free. Highly recommended escape and evasion reading if you can get through the start of the book.
April 21, 2023
The Rest of the ‘Little Dieter Needs to Fly’ Story
Since January of 2023, in my reading and film viewing, I’ve made a point of exploring truths about the Vietnam War that, as a journalist myself, still seem to hold important lessons for me. For example, I’m still working my way through the Library of America two-volume set, “Reporting Vietnam.” I’ve gone back and watched several documentaries about Vietnam, including Ken Burns’ remarkably thorough series for PBS. One of the truths that journalists must accept as foundational to our vocation is: We’re writing the “first draft of history” without benefit of reflection.
In this journey, I decided to explore the trio of stories about Dieter Dengler (1938-2001), who became famous for his heroic escape from a North Vietnamese-run prisoner of war camp in Laos. In experiencing all three versions of Dieter’s story, I see that “first draft of history” lesson loud and clear.
After Dieter’s escape in 1966, I can remember the initial American news stories. Later, the famous documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog produced a feature-length version of Dieter’s life story, called “Little Dieter Needs to Fly.” When I first saw that film in 1997, I was astonished. Beyond the harrowing escape that I already knew about, Dieter’s narration in the film explains that his passion for flying began in his own childhood. He was living in Germany during the War in a small town that rarely saw any action. Then, one night, a U.S. warplane flew past his childhood home in Germany. Watching that fearsome war machine firing at targets in his hometown, he became obsessed with the seemingly superhuman power of pilots. He was determined to fly like that aviator he saw speeding past his window. However, as he grew into his late teens, he realized that post-war Germany had no air force. Dieter’s decision to immigrate to the U.S. with almost no money, living for a while as a homeless person, and his bumpy road toward becoming a U.S. Navy pilot is a story just as dramatic as the other amazing chapters of his life. Once he finally achieved that goal in the mid 1960s, he was sent to Vietnam, where pilots were needed every day. Then, he had the bad luck to be shot down over enemy-controlled territory on his first foray in the war. The fact that he managed to survive repeated torture and a near-starvation diet while in captivity was due to his excellent physical shape as well as his resilient spirit. It’s that indomitable spirit that drove him to attempt an almost impossible escape. Even after his successful return, Dieter continued to cheat death for years as a test pilot, during which he crashed four more times!
This entire saga is so dramatic that both Dieter and Werner Herzog agreed, after they finished their documentary, to develop a full-scale feature film. The result was the 2006 release of Herzog’s production, “Rescue Dawn,” starring Christian Bale as Dieter and Steve Zahn as Dieter’s real-life friend in captivity, Duane Martin.
The three versions of Dieter’s story each have their own strengths. “Rescue Dawn” was shot in Thailand in territory almost identical to the Laotian site of the original prisoner of war camp. This movie is the most vivid and dramatically paced of all the versions from the jungle locations to the soaring final scene of Dieter’s return to his aircraft carrier.
The “Little Dieter” documentary is narrated by Dieter himself and he’s such a compelling storyteller that you just can’t stop watching once the documentary starts. We see the evidence supporting some of the more surprising scenes in “Rescue Dawn.” For example, Dieter demonstrates how it was possible for him to unlock handcuffs and he shows how he learned to start a fire with dried bamboo even without matches. We also clearly see signs of the deep trauma Dieter carried with him every day of his life.
Then, this “Hero Found” biography, published in 2010 by Harper, is the mother lode. One reason is that Bruce Henderson wrote this book after the tragic ending of Dieter’s life in 2001 so it’s his entire life story. That final chapter could not have been included in the 1997 documentary and, due to Herzog’s dramatic choices, was not included in the 2006 film. I won’t “spoil” the conclusion, except to say that it does seem to be a logical conclusion of Dieter’s life.
Even after the two movies, I found this to be a real “page turner.” The book has the ring of authenticity on several levels. First, we find almost word-for-word narration from Dieter about milestones in his life that he shared earlier in the documentary film. So, we know Henderson closely followed Dieter’s own autobiographical account. Then, Henderson provides a lot of background for scenes that appear as quickie plot points in the films. For example, in “Rescue Dawn,” we see almost nothing of Dieter with friends aboard his aircraft carrier before the fateful flight in which he was captured. In the book, Henderson paints a fuller picture of how Dieter struggled to become a pilot and what he loved about serving in the U.S. Navy as a pilot. Dieter’s almost naïve devotion to his new “American” sense of duty is more fully explained in the biography, including much more about the ways in which pilots were trained to operate in combat.
Finally, the family of Dieter’s fellow prisoner, Eugene “Gene” DeBruin, objected to his portrayal in “Rescue Dawn,” a complaint that was valid and that Werner Herzog later acknowledged as a flaw in the fictionalized version. In the movie, Gene comes across almost as Dieter’s enemy, when in fact he was a beloved colleague. Henderson is far more accurate in explaining Gene’s decisions during the dramatic escape.
My 5-star recommendation of this book comes along with a strong recommendation that readers find and watch both film versions as well.
Since January of 2023, in my reading and film viewing, I’ve made a point of exploring truths about the Vietnam War that, as a journalist myself, still seem to hold important lessons for me. For example, I’m still working my way through the Library of America two-volume set, “Reporting Vietnam.” I’ve gone back and watched several documentaries about Vietnam, including Ken Burns’ remarkably thorough series for PBS. One of the truths that journalists must accept as foundational to our vocation is: We’re writing the “first draft of history” without benefit of reflection.
In this journey, I decided to explore the trio of stories about Dieter Dengler (1938-2001), who became famous for his heroic escape from a North Vietnamese-run prisoner of war camp in Laos. In experiencing all three versions of Dieter’s story, I see that “first draft of history” lesson loud and clear.
After Dieter’s escape in 1966, I can remember the initial American news stories. Later, the famous documentary filmmaker Werner Herzog produced a feature-length version of Dieter’s life story, called “Little Dieter Needs to Fly.” When I first saw that film in 1997, I was astonished. Beyond the harrowing escape that I already knew about, Dieter’s narration in the film explains that his passion for flying began in his own childhood. He was living in Germany during the War in a small town that rarely saw any action. Then, one night, a U.S. warplane flew past his childhood home in Germany. Watching that fearsome war machine firing at targets in his hometown, he became obsessed with the seemingly superhuman power of pilots. He was determined to fly like that aviator he saw speeding past his window. However, as he grew into his late teens, he realized that post-war Germany had no air force. Dieter’s decision to immigrate to the U.S. with almost no money, living for a while as a homeless person, and his bumpy road toward becoming a U.S. Navy pilot is a story just as dramatic as the other amazing chapters of his life. Once he finally achieved that goal in the mid 1960s, he was sent to Vietnam, where pilots were needed every day. Then, he had the bad luck to be shot down over enemy-controlled territory on his first foray in the war. The fact that he managed to survive repeated torture and a near-starvation diet while in captivity was due to his excellent physical shape as well as his resilient spirit. It’s that indomitable spirit that drove him to attempt an almost impossible escape. Even after his successful return, Dieter continued to cheat death for years as a test pilot, during which he crashed four more times!
This entire saga is so dramatic that both Dieter and Werner Herzog agreed, after they finished their documentary, to develop a full-scale feature film. The result was the 2006 release of Herzog’s production, “Rescue Dawn,” starring Christian Bale as Dieter and Steve Zahn as Dieter’s real-life friend in captivity, Duane Martin.
The three versions of Dieter’s story each have their own strengths. “Rescue Dawn” was shot in Thailand in territory almost identical to the Laotian site of the original prisoner of war camp. This movie is the most vivid and dramatically paced of all the versions from the jungle locations to the soaring final scene of Dieter’s return to his aircraft carrier.
The “Little Dieter” documentary is narrated by Dieter himself and he’s such a compelling storyteller that you just can’t stop watching once the documentary starts. We see the evidence supporting some of the more surprising scenes in “Rescue Dawn.” For example, Dieter demonstrates how it was possible for him to unlock handcuffs and he shows how he learned to start a fire with dried bamboo even without matches. We also clearly see signs of the deep trauma Dieter carried with him every day of his life.
Then, this “Hero Found” biography, published in 2010 by Harper, is the mother lode. One reason is that Bruce Henderson wrote this book after the tragic ending of Dieter’s life in 2001 so it’s his entire life story. That final chapter could not have been included in the 1997 documentary and, due to Herzog’s dramatic choices, was not included in the 2006 film. I won’t “spoil” the conclusion, except to say that it does seem to be a logical conclusion of Dieter’s life.
Even after the two movies, I found this to be a real “page turner.” The book has the ring of authenticity on several levels. First, we find almost word-for-word narration from Dieter about milestones in his life that he shared earlier in the documentary film. So, we know Henderson closely followed Dieter’s own autobiographical account. Then, Henderson provides a lot of background for scenes that appear as quickie plot points in the films. For example, in “Rescue Dawn,” we see almost nothing of Dieter with friends aboard his aircraft carrier before the fateful flight in which he was captured. In the book, Henderson paints a fuller picture of how Dieter struggled to become a pilot and what he loved about serving in the U.S. Navy as a pilot. Dieter’s almost naïve devotion to his new “American” sense of duty is more fully explained in the biography, including much more about the ways in which pilots were trained to operate in combat.
Finally, the family of Dieter’s fellow prisoner, Eugene “Gene” DeBruin, objected to his portrayal in “Rescue Dawn,” a complaint that was valid and that Werner Herzog later acknowledged as a flaw in the fictionalized version. In the movie, Gene comes across almost as Dieter’s enemy, when in fact he was a beloved colleague. Henderson is far more accurate in explaining Gene’s decisions during the dramatic escape.
My 5-star recommendation of this book comes along with a strong recommendation that readers find and watch both film versions as well.
Read
August 10, 2011Whenever any of you couch-potato civilians get to feeling sorry for yourself and how bad your lot in life is, you need to sit down and read a book like "Hero Found" to be reminded what suffering and survival are really like, and how American servicemen and servicewomen put themselves in harm’s way for your freedoms.
This is the story of a Vietnam-era Navy pilot who became a hero. Dieter Dengler survived beatings and starvation at the hands of the enemy, but was still able to lead a daring escape from a jungle prison camp. Finding his way through the dense jungle to freedom proved to be extremely difficult, almost more daunting than the escape itself.
His plane crippled during a secret bombing mission over Laos, Dengler was forced to crash-land in hostile territory.
The brutal Pathet Lao, who captured him, beat him severely and imprisoned him in a jungle prison along with several other American, Thai and Chinese prisoners. They were starved and beaten so severely that during the six months of captivity, Dengler had lost about 90 pounds. He weighed 98 pounds when rescued.
When the prisoners did get to eat, their meals were atrocious – usually moldy rice infested with insects. Once, when the captors killed a deer, they ate most of it themselves and shared it with the villagers; the scraps they gave to the prisoners. The prisoners got to chow-down on the have-digested contents of the deer’s stomach.
Dengler began preparing for his ordeal when he was a young boy growing up in war-torn Germany. His fascination with airplanes was sparked when American bombers would fly low over his village to attack targets at nearby factories. Later, they bombed his village, too. His father had been killed fighting the Russians and his mother had vowed to teach her sons to survive on their own.
Dengler became a scavenger and survivor. He learned to make what he needed from discarded scraps and he learned how to survive in the forest for hours or days when necessary.
After the war, Dengler emigrated to the United States and worked hard to get an education and become a pilot. He first enlisted in the Air Force, but with no advanced degree was not eligible for flight training. After his Air Force enlistment, he earned a degree and joined the Navy to become a pilot.
Dengler became a legend during SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and escape) training, when he escaped three times in twelve hours from the simulated prison camp.
Intertwined within Dengler’s story are many interesting sub-stories about life on a carrier and the interaction between the pilots, commanders and crew. For instance, there was speculation that the search for Dengler and his downed plane was called off early because of a confrontation he had had days earlier with his squadron leader.
Dengler almost didn’t get rescued, because the pilot who spotted him, waving his arms standing near the bank of a stream, at first thought the disheveled, gaunt, raggedly-dressed individual could have been a native fisherman.
A compelling read.
This is the story of a Vietnam-era Navy pilot who became a hero. Dieter Dengler survived beatings and starvation at the hands of the enemy, but was still able to lead a daring escape from a jungle prison camp. Finding his way through the dense jungle to freedom proved to be extremely difficult, almost more daunting than the escape itself.
His plane crippled during a secret bombing mission over Laos, Dengler was forced to crash-land in hostile territory.
The brutal Pathet Lao, who captured him, beat him severely and imprisoned him in a jungle prison along with several other American, Thai and Chinese prisoners. They were starved and beaten so severely that during the six months of captivity, Dengler had lost about 90 pounds. He weighed 98 pounds when rescued.
When the prisoners did get to eat, their meals were atrocious – usually moldy rice infested with insects. Once, when the captors killed a deer, they ate most of it themselves and shared it with the villagers; the scraps they gave to the prisoners. The prisoners got to chow-down on the have-digested contents of the deer’s stomach.
Dengler began preparing for his ordeal when he was a young boy growing up in war-torn Germany. His fascination with airplanes was sparked when American bombers would fly low over his village to attack targets at nearby factories. Later, they bombed his village, too. His father had been killed fighting the Russians and his mother had vowed to teach her sons to survive on their own.
Dengler became a scavenger and survivor. He learned to make what he needed from discarded scraps and he learned how to survive in the forest for hours or days when necessary.
After the war, Dengler emigrated to the United States and worked hard to get an education and become a pilot. He first enlisted in the Air Force, but with no advanced degree was not eligible for flight training. After his Air Force enlistment, he earned a degree and joined the Navy to become a pilot.
Dengler became a legend during SERE (survival, evasion, resistance and escape) training, when he escaped three times in twelve hours from the simulated prison camp.
Intertwined within Dengler’s story are many interesting sub-stories about life on a carrier and the interaction between the pilots, commanders and crew. For instance, there was speculation that the search for Dengler and his downed plane was called off early because of a confrontation he had had days earlier with his squadron leader.
Dengler almost didn’t get rescued, because the pilot who spotted him, waving his arms standing near the bank of a stream, at first thought the disheveled, gaunt, raggedly-dressed individual could have been a native fisherman.
A compelling read.
August 5, 2012
Dieter's story of survival in the jungles of Laos was a gripping tale to say the least. As a former Army Vietnam veteran myself, I was intrigued by all the goings-on of an aircraft carrier and have to admit that while reading Bruce Henderson's story of Dieter Dengler, I found the book to be an enjoyable learning experience for me. I was especially taken back when there was mention about a fellow pilot of Dieter's, Donald Woloczak, from Alpena, Michigan and how he became MIA during the war. You see, I have been wearing a bronze POW bracelet of Donald Woloczak for the last thirty years, and the information shared by the author was new and seemed to fill in the gaps.
I, too, was born in Germany, but six years after the end of WWII. However, I've seen the destruction of war and have heard similar war survival stories from my family in the old country - the experience matures you quickly.
As for the living conditions and treatment of Dieter and others during their captivity is beyond anything human. But one must do whatever is necessary in order to survive. The chase left me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. The scene of Dieter and his fellow POW running into the villager took my breath away. It was great that his escape from Laos was successful, but it appears that he could not escape from the tormenting in his head. Great job Bruce, and thank you for the education! Five Stars for Hero Found.
I, too, was born in Germany, but six years after the end of WWII. However, I've seen the destruction of war and have heard similar war survival stories from my family in the old country - the experience matures you quickly.
As for the living conditions and treatment of Dieter and others during their captivity is beyond anything human. But one must do whatever is necessary in order to survive. The chase left me on the edge of my seat, wondering what would happen next. The scene of Dieter and his fellow POW running into the villager took my breath away. It was great that his escape from Laos was successful, but it appears that he could not escape from the tormenting in his head. Great job Bruce, and thank you for the education! Five Stars for Hero Found.
November 12, 2019
The book was both thrilling and horrifying at the same time. It’s every soldiers nightmare to be taken prisoner by those that do not conduct themselves humanely. He was a brave man, right up until his last days.
A fitting book for the day after Nov 11.
A fitting book for the day after Nov 11.
June 6, 2017
I have been wanting to read this movie since seeing the Herzog films
Rescue Dawn
and
Little Dieter Needs to Fly
. The comparison to the films, which seems to always bring up differences with the real story, prompts me to defend Herzog; he had the dramatist's inclination to entertain a movie theater audience. for the interested who have more than a couple of hours to spent, here is the researched and detailed tale of Dieter Dengler superhuman and serendipitous escaped from a Pathet Lao prison camp in Laos. He was rescued after 23 days on the run following six months of torture and imprisonment and was the first captured U.S. airman to escape enemy captivity during the Vietnam war. This book covers from his WW II inspiration in espying a fighter pilot to fly to move to American from Germany to the entire ordeal to his later life as a food-hording restaurateur.
This is an illuminating footnote to the U.S. war in Laos and the history of the CIA front Air America. Dengler was a soldier in Laos operations and most of his fellow POWs were Air America agents and contractors.
This is an illuminating footnote to the U.S. war in Laos and the history of the CIA front Air America. Dengler was a soldier in Laos operations and most of his fellow POWs were Air America agents and contractors.
September 19, 2020
Dieter Dengler was a marvelous, over-the-top character. Surviving with his family as a young boy in post-WWII Germany, he eventually comes to America with the intention of becoming a pilot and decides that the military is the easiest way to make that dream a reality. His utter determination serves him well as there are a few detours in the road - but eventually he becomes a Naval Aviator. He's assigned to the A-1 and eventually ends up in Vietnam. His training in SERE (search, evasion, rescue & escape) tactics as well as his own ingenuity would serve him well when he is shot down in Laos and, despite evading the enemy for some time, captured. He spends nearly 6 months in a POW camp under desperate conditions - although he does escape briefly once - before planning & executing with his fellow prisoners a daring escape. It is a marvel of the human spirit as well as Dieter's own innate abilities. Well worth the time to read this story and remember the sacrifices of good men.
October 6, 2017
I started reading this book while attending SERE training. It really brought to life what I was learning in an academic (though truly physically and mentally challenging) setting. Henderson's account of Dengler's life emphasizes the importance of life experience, training, and a never quit attitude to surviving life's most challenging times.
April 4, 2021
A compelling story, well told, particularly the central action of Mr. Dengler's crash, various escapes and time as a p.o.w. His life story, a humble start to life in postwar Germany and wish to go to America and learn to flows, was as identifiable as his brutal time in the jungles of South East Asia is hard to relate to. His will to live despite Job-like suffering is a vital message.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 11, 2024
Vietnam! More like VietDAMN that’s crazy. Awesome story of courageousness and cunningness to survive. No spice
March 18, 2022
Inspiring, suspenseful, and all true
Hero Found is best-selling author Bruce Henderson's exciting account of Navy Skyraider pilot Dieter Dengler, which reads like a fictional adventure thriller, but is all true. Henderson reveals his warm admiration for Dengler as a person, while giving readers the complete story, telling how Dengler's childhood experiences enabled him to survive his months as a prisoner in Laos and also fueled his enormous zest for living his life to the fullest.
Henderson introduces Dieter as an adventurous child, surviving under harsh conditions in wartime Germany. He tells of Dieter's coming to America, his brief experience in the Air Force, and his adventures in college near San Francisco. He captures the thrills of Dieter's early training flights, where he explored the power of the A-1 Skyraider with his new squadronmates, and conveys the frustrations that many of those pilots felt over conditions they experienced in combat. The bulk of Hero Found, puts us on the ground in Laos with Dieter as he first tries to evade capture by primitive and brutal enemy forces, and then struggles daily to survive imprisonment, finally escaping and encountering even more trying conditions deep in the jungle. The final chapters, after Dieter's return to civilization, keep readers engrossed to the very end.
Henderson's extensive research and personal friendship with Dengler provided an incredible treasure of material for the book, but it is his skill as an author that turns it into a gripping story that will keep readers up late wondering what happens next. Henderson also taps into his personal experience (he was a shipmate of Dieter aboard USS Ranger) to add context and details. This reviewer was a Navy flier, familiar with Dengler's experiences from survival training, but reading Hero Found felt like I was hearing the story for the first time. I mention this for the benefit of readers who may have seen a movie about Dengler -- read this book, it will give you the full and accurate story. Hero Found is an exciting and unforgettable story about an inspiring man, told by a true master storyteller.
Hero Found is best-selling author Bruce Henderson's exciting account of Navy Skyraider pilot Dieter Dengler, which reads like a fictional adventure thriller, but is all true. Henderson reveals his warm admiration for Dengler as a person, while giving readers the complete story, telling how Dengler's childhood experiences enabled him to survive his months as a prisoner in Laos and also fueled his enormous zest for living his life to the fullest.
Henderson introduces Dieter as an adventurous child, surviving under harsh conditions in wartime Germany. He tells of Dieter's coming to America, his brief experience in the Air Force, and his adventures in college near San Francisco. He captures the thrills of Dieter's early training flights, where he explored the power of the A-1 Skyraider with his new squadronmates, and conveys the frustrations that many of those pilots felt over conditions they experienced in combat. The bulk of Hero Found, puts us on the ground in Laos with Dieter as he first tries to evade capture by primitive and brutal enemy forces, and then struggles daily to survive imprisonment, finally escaping and encountering even more trying conditions deep in the jungle. The final chapters, after Dieter's return to civilization, keep readers engrossed to the very end.
Henderson's extensive research and personal friendship with Dengler provided an incredible treasure of material for the book, but it is his skill as an author that turns it into a gripping story that will keep readers up late wondering what happens next. Henderson also taps into his personal experience (he was a shipmate of Dieter aboard USS Ranger) to add context and details. This reviewer was a Navy flier, familiar with Dengler's experiences from survival training, but reading Hero Found felt like I was hearing the story for the first time. I mention this for the benefit of readers who may have seen a movie about Dengler -- read this book, it will give you the full and accurate story. Hero Found is an exciting and unforgettable story about an inspiring man, told by a true master storyteller.
February 27, 2016
First, the story of Dieter Dengler is without question a very good one. Dengler, while flying a bombing run over Laos in 1966 in an Navy A-1 Skyraider, was shot down. He was captured by the communist Pathet Lao, spent about 6 months as a POW, escaped, and was miraculously rescued. I don't know the statistics, but I do know there were very few POW escapes during the Vietnam War. Dieter Dengler's story was well captured in the recent film "Rescue Dawn" with Christian Bale as Dengler. Author Bruce Henderson served with Dengler aboard the carrier USS Ranger, so this is especially poignant to him. The reader not only learns about the escape, but also a lot about carrier operations in the 1960's, navy pilot training, the air campaign over North Vietnam, and much of Dengler's life story. A whole lot of information. So far, so good - I give it about 4.5 stars.
For me, the minuses of the book are first - the quality of the writing. While by no means bad, the writing is surprisingly rote and did not grab me at all. I was also puzzled at what all Henderson included in the book. There's a lot that just doesn't pertain to the thrust of the story. Interesting, yes, but also distracting. Also at times, the book goes over the top with hero worship. I've seen it before in war stories where the author is very vested or actually took part in the story.
So although I found the book a quick and mostly enjoyable read, overall, I give it round 3.5 stars.
For me, the minuses of the book are first - the quality of the writing. While by no means bad, the writing is surprisingly rote and did not grab me at all. I was also puzzled at what all Henderson included in the book. There's a lot that just doesn't pertain to the thrust of the story. Interesting, yes, but also distracting. Also at times, the book goes over the top with hero worship. I've seen it before in war stories where the author is very vested or actually took part in the story.
So although I found the book a quick and mostly enjoyable read, overall, I give it round 3.5 stars.
May 4, 2011
A very exciting book, read by me in its audiobook form (CDs). I expected a book about prisoners of war, escape, and evasion, acts of horror and acts of courage and honor approaching martyrdom, and that's what I got, but I got even more. I got a lot of details about our involvement in Vietnam, of which I already had significant knowledge, since I was in college during the Vietnam War and have served in the armed forces fo 26+ years. I got a lot of background information about what it takes to be a Navy pilot who flies off aircraft carriers, about the planes those pilots flew, and the details of the dangers they faced. Most of all, I got a story about one man, a German-American patriot, who survived the perilous life of a World War II German civilian to eventually become an American citizen, a Naval aviator, and who was shot down over Laos during the Vietnam War and how he faced life, death, and his dreams. This is a great story about an exceptional person.
December 7, 2013
After reading one of the greatest war survival books of all time, Unbroken, it is very hard to not to compare both books and try not to be bias because they were two different wars, different era in our history and two way different endings. Hero Found is well written, but not superb. It is not a must read like Unbroken, but it is also not a waste of time or credit. The book has a high points and its lows, but overall, it is well put together. If you are reading this book and haven't read Unbroken yet, you must read Unbroken. If you already read Unbroken and thinking about reading Hero Found, this is not a must read nor a bad listen. I am being bias because I'm comparing the two books. Hero Found is a good story, but I wished he had more of his boyhood. Hero Found is like Band of Brothers with many central characters and tend to loose focus of its center.
March 12, 2017
Dieter Dengler came to the US from Germany following WWII. All he wanted to do was fly. He managed that by joining the military. Unfortunately for him, war had a way of finding its way into his life once again - only this time, he was a combatant, not a civilian.
Dieter was shot down in the jungle of Laos and was captured as a POW.
Unwilling to be held in captivity, Dieter came up with an escape plan that worked. He was rescued following his escape.
Read this story. It speaks to the spirit of a man determined to live as, "a free man."
July 29, 2017
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. A departure from traditional POW stories that focus on the gritty details of torture, this focuses on the man primarily. The author clearly conveys the likability of Dieter, his enthusiasm for life. Sometimes funny, sometimes edge of your seat gritty, and sometimes gut wrenching, this is a truly wonderful story of not one but may American heroes.
December 22, 2017
Great second book about Dengler, the first book Escape From Laos, written by Dengler gives more personal accounts of his captivity, but this book goes into much more detail about his full life, early, and late until his death, both are a must read, but if could only read one, this is it.
December 6, 2017
terrific story of the will to survive. excellent read.
April 22, 2023
RICK “SHAQ” GOLDSTEIN SAYS: “ONE THOUGHT IS WITH ME ALWAYS,” HE OFTEN SAID, “THAT I AM ALIVE AND A FREE MAN”
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This is the biography of Dieter Dengler, a German born American citizen who pulled off one of the most famous P.O.W. escapes in American history. As an honorably discharged Viet Nam era veteran myself… I appreciated (and enjoyed) his escape during the Viet Nam war even more than just for the act of his amazing escape… but additionally… the fact that he was shot down while piloting a plane over Laos… despite the fact that the United States claimed we weren’t really there. Dieter was born in Germany and lived through the tail end of World War II and during bombings of his town… his Mother would take him out to hide in the forest. While in the forest… his Mother would teach him what plants were edible and how to survive in such an environment. Little did anyone in the world realize that his Mother’s teachings would later save Dieter’s life and make him one of the most honored and revered American servicemen during the Viet Nam War. Concurrently young Dieter fell in love with the idea of flying… as at times he watched the American planes fly low over his town. A few times he could actually see the jaunty pilots flying with an open cockpit. The author meticulously details Dieter’s time after the war when he became feared by locals as he scrounged for food in a dog-eat-dog world… and his eventual immigration to the United States.
Dengler joined the U.S.A.F. in the hopes of becoming a pilot, but felt he was misled and wasn’t eligible to fly due to his lack of a college education. After his enlistment was over despite being an irreverent playboy and party animal… he eventually got a degree… joined the Navy… and fulfilled his boyhood dream by becoming a pilot. Along the way to Viet Nam Dieter attended the legendary “SIX-DAY SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE, AND ESCAPE (SERE) COURSE DESIGNED TO TEACH AVIATORS HOW TO LIVE OFF THE LAND AND AVOID CAPTURE, AS WELL AS WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THEM IF THEY EVER BECAME PRISONERS OF WAR.” The motto of this program is: “WE TRAIN THE BEST FOR THE WORST.” Dieter became a legend as he escaped multiple times which was unheard of. “WHEN THE P.O.W. EXERCISE ENDED… DIETER WAS READY TO MAKE HIS THIRD ESCAPE IN TWELVE HOURS. THE FIRST TO ESCAPE MULTIPLE TIMES FROM THE NAVY’S SIMULATED P.O.W. CAMP. HE WAS ALSO THE ONLY SERE GRADUATE TO GAIN WEIGHT DURING THE RIGOROUS PROGRAM.” If you combine Dieter’s experience surviving in Germany during and after the war with the survival skills he displayed at SERE you will at least partly understand how Dieter was able to live through the despicable, barbarous, tortuous… less than human elements he had to fight and overcome not only in the Laotian prison camp… but in the jungle itself. In addition to sadistic beatings and malnutrition in the prison… Dieter and other prisoners were used like inanimate objects in real-life games of Russian roulette. In the jungle they had to drink water filled with miniscule worms… they had to eat bugs and worms… left over pieces of animals including but not limited to eyes and other gut wrenching body parts. When he was finally rescued “DIETER WEIGHED NINETY-EIGHT POUNDS. HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE TWO TYPES OF MALARIA, INTESTINAL WORMS, FUNGUS, JAUNDICE, AND HEPATITIS. DOCTORS SAID HE WAS SO MALNOURISHED THAT IF HE HADN’T BEEN PICKED UP WHEN HE WAS, HE WOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY OR THE NEXT.
This book combines a non-stop nauseating example of man’s inhumanity to man… along with the greatest… most exhilarating examples of the courage… and indefinable… undeniable… pure spirit of will… to survive… that any human being on the face of this earth… could not rightfully… look in the mirror… and seeing their own image… even on the day they pledged to never give up the fight to survive… could expect to live up to.
Dieter Dengler is a true *AMERICAN-HERO*… and this book is a must read!
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This is the biography of Dieter Dengler, a German born American citizen who pulled off one of the most famous P.O.W. escapes in American history. As an honorably discharged Viet Nam era veteran myself… I appreciated (and enjoyed) his escape during the Viet Nam war even more than just for the act of his amazing escape… but additionally… the fact that he was shot down while piloting a plane over Laos… despite the fact that the United States claimed we weren’t really there. Dieter was born in Germany and lived through the tail end of World War II and during bombings of his town… his Mother would take him out to hide in the forest. While in the forest… his Mother would teach him what plants were edible and how to survive in such an environment. Little did anyone in the world realize that his Mother’s teachings would later save Dieter’s life and make him one of the most honored and revered American servicemen during the Viet Nam War. Concurrently young Dieter fell in love with the idea of flying… as at times he watched the American planes fly low over his town. A few times he could actually see the jaunty pilots flying with an open cockpit. The author meticulously details Dieter’s time after the war when he became feared by locals as he scrounged for food in a dog-eat-dog world… and his eventual immigration to the United States.
Dengler joined the U.S.A.F. in the hopes of becoming a pilot, but felt he was misled and wasn’t eligible to fly due to his lack of a college education. After his enlistment was over despite being an irreverent playboy and party animal… he eventually got a degree… joined the Navy… and fulfilled his boyhood dream by becoming a pilot. Along the way to Viet Nam Dieter attended the legendary “SIX-DAY SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE, AND ESCAPE (SERE) COURSE DESIGNED TO TEACH AVIATORS HOW TO LIVE OFF THE LAND AND AVOID CAPTURE, AS WELL AS WHAT WAS EXPECTED OF THEM IF THEY EVER BECAME PRISONERS OF WAR.” The motto of this program is: “WE TRAIN THE BEST FOR THE WORST.” Dieter became a legend as he escaped multiple times which was unheard of. “WHEN THE P.O.W. EXERCISE ENDED… DIETER WAS READY TO MAKE HIS THIRD ESCAPE IN TWELVE HOURS. THE FIRST TO ESCAPE MULTIPLE TIMES FROM THE NAVY’S SIMULATED P.O.W. CAMP. HE WAS ALSO THE ONLY SERE GRADUATE TO GAIN WEIGHT DURING THE RIGOROUS PROGRAM.” If you combine Dieter’s experience surviving in Germany during and after the war with the survival skills he displayed at SERE you will at least partly understand how Dieter was able to live through the despicable, barbarous, tortuous… less than human elements he had to fight and overcome not only in the Laotian prison camp… but in the jungle itself. In addition to sadistic beatings and malnutrition in the prison… Dieter and other prisoners were used like inanimate objects in real-life games of Russian roulette. In the jungle they had to drink water filled with miniscule worms… they had to eat bugs and worms… left over pieces of animals including but not limited to eyes and other gut wrenching body parts. When he was finally rescued “DIETER WEIGHED NINETY-EIGHT POUNDS. HE WAS FOUND TO HAVE TWO TYPES OF MALARIA, INTESTINAL WORMS, FUNGUS, JAUNDICE, AND HEPATITIS. DOCTORS SAID HE WAS SO MALNOURISHED THAT IF HE HADN’T BEEN PICKED UP WHEN HE WAS, HE WOULD HAVE DIED THAT DAY OR THE NEXT.
This book combines a non-stop nauseating example of man’s inhumanity to man… along with the greatest… most exhilarating examples of the courage… and indefinable… undeniable… pure spirit of will… to survive… that any human being on the face of this earth… could not rightfully… look in the mirror… and seeing their own image… even on the day they pledged to never give up the fight to survive… could expect to live up to.
Dieter Dengler is a true *AMERICAN-HERO*… and this book is a must read!
November 2, 2021
-4.25- Dieter Dengler was an American hero born in Germany. As a boy Dieter grew up in Germany during the privation of WWII, this difficult upbringing involving foraging for food and having to fight for every meal would serve him well when he was shot down as a Naval aviator in Laos during the Vietnam war. As a boy Dieter saw an American fighter pilot and knew then that "little Dieter needed to fly." Realizing he could only achieve his dream in America, the resourceful Dieter came up with the outrageous sum of $500+ to board a ship to bring him to the United States in his teens. Once in the U.S. Dieter had difficulty integrating into a new society. However, Dieter never lost sight of his dream and managed to meet the minimum qualifications to be a Navy pilot. Dieter did well in flight school and became an A-1 Skyraider pilot, the last of the propeller driven planes used in combat. Despite having a reputation as a very durable fighter/bomber Dieter is shot down in Laos on a bombing mission. Unable to be immediately extracted Dieter initially escapes detection, but is caught at a nearby watering hole. Dieter goes on to suffer severe beatings and torture while in captivity for 3-4 months at a prison camp in Laos. Dieter hatches a plan to escape with his fellow prisoners and when the time comes to initiate the plan, leads the escape. Unfortunately, the other prisoners do not have Dieter's resolve and it falls on him "to handle business." Dieter steals a guards M-1 carbine and promptly shoots and kills six of these sadistic bastards, but one gets away. Realizing the escaped guard will go for reinforcements Dieter flees the camp with a fellow American prisoner. Alas, while on a trail Dieter's friend and fellow captive gets discovered and while trying to surrender by kneeling is decapitated by a machete. Dieter flees and after wandering the jungle for several weeks is miraculously saved by another A-1 pilot after more than six months in captivity. Dieter is reunited with his squadron mates on his aircraft carrier and it is a joyous reunion. For his heroic actions Dieter received the Navy Cross the second highest medal of the United States--it should have been the Medal of Honor in my opinion. Dieter lives another 35 years and lives every day to the fullest. This book is a fantastic story about an amazing American. I highly recommend it.
July 17, 2017
This was overall really good! The story is super interesting, especially because it's true! Although it's not super interesting all throughout. There's a lot of detailed military talk that can get boring especially for a female, but getting past all that is worth it.
This book was basically a cross between "Catch Me If You Can" (Frank Abagnale) and "Unbroken" (Laura Hilenbrand). In fact, if Frank in "Catch Me" somehow became a POW, this is exactly how he would act. "Unbroken" is just similar because of the storyline.
It's definitely gory at times. The worst part was any mention of leeches- and some of the descriptions are pretty grotesque. I'm still thinking about them- ugh!
The best part was when he didn't sign the agreement the Vietnamese chief gave him. That had to take amazing strength, and it made me wonder if I could ever be that strong. It was awesome when he could come home and say that he didn't give in to any of that pressure. He was clear. Definitely has spiritual parallels.
Yeah, so inspirational! He went through so much and kept hope despite insurmountable odds. That's why these types of books are always so inspiring. The saddest part after he comes back though, is a) how long is marriage lasts to the girl who waited all that time for him to return and b) how he dies (it's appropriate, but a little disappointing).
What's the one thing I'm going to apply after reading this book? That my bad days are literally nothing. That I can keep a positive attitude even when I have like 7 deadly diseases and I'm subsisting on maggot infested meat (which is hopefully never). That my will to keep going, not my ability, can sustain me no matter what. And that no one, no matter what they do, can touch that will unless I let them.
This book was basically a cross between "Catch Me If You Can" (Frank Abagnale) and "Unbroken" (Laura Hilenbrand). In fact, if Frank in "Catch Me" somehow became a POW, this is exactly how he would act. "Unbroken" is just similar because of the storyline.
It's definitely gory at times. The worst part was any mention of leeches- and some of the descriptions are pretty grotesque. I'm still thinking about them- ugh!
The best part was when he didn't sign the agreement the Vietnamese chief gave him. That had to take amazing strength, and it made me wonder if I could ever be that strong. It was awesome when he could come home and say that he didn't give in to any of that pressure. He was clear. Definitely has spiritual parallels.
Yeah, so inspirational! He went through so much and kept hope despite insurmountable odds. That's why these types of books are always so inspiring. The saddest part after he comes back though, is a) how long is marriage lasts to the girl who waited all that time for him to return and b) how he dies (it's appropriate, but a little disappointing).
What's the one thing I'm going to apply after reading this book? That my bad days are literally nothing. That I can keep a positive attitude even when I have like 7 deadly diseases and I'm subsisting on maggot infested meat (which is hopefully never). That my will to keep going, not my ability, can sustain me no matter what. And that no one, no matter what they do, can touch that will unless I let them.
January 9, 2022
Hero Found is a decent read; not earth-shattering in its account of Dieter Dengler's life and dramatic escape from a VC cell in Laos, but interesting. There is a lot of non-Dengler fill to add context and pad the story out which may appeal more to those with experience in naval aviation and operations on a Navy ship - a bit of a walk down memory lane in that respect.
When actually telling Dengler's story, Mr Henderson does a good job helping us understand what drove this man: how Dengler's youth in WWII Germany helped shape him into the person who was able to pull off such an escape; painting a portrait of an audacious personality who achieved his goal of becoming a pilot in spite of long odds and high hurdles - some of which were self-imposed.
As the 2-star reviewer who was friends with Dieter Dengler confirms, he comes across in this story as a larger-than-life personality - self-absorbed, perhaps, but never dull to be around.
When actually telling Dengler's story, Mr Henderson does a good job helping us understand what drove this man: how Dengler's youth in WWII Germany helped shape him into the person who was able to pull off such an escape; painting a portrait of an audacious personality who achieved his goal of becoming a pilot in spite of long odds and high hurdles - some of which were self-imposed.
As the 2-star reviewer who was friends with Dieter Dengler confirms, he comes across in this story as a larger-than-life personality - self-absorbed, perhaps, but never dull to be around.
February 21, 2021
Words seem to fail me every time I start to write a review of a book I have just finished. Right now, I'm torn between being a captive in a world that I shared with the character/author and wanting to leave because the worst that I can imagine probably doesn't compare to what POW's really endured. I am in awe as I consider the feat Dieter Dengler achieved and the abuse that he endured and survived. It's almost too terrible to imagine and yet, for freedom to endure, we must acknowledge what was sacrificed! The spirit of this man is heroic! From his youth, he was preparing to survive this horrendous ordeal. The strength of mind, body, and spirit Dengler possessed are truly amazing...and of such heroes are made.
February 18, 2022
I had read about this book as I was reading other literature on Wars and how it affects its participants. At first I was worried that this was going to be another book about people involved in war. Yet Henderson does a great job in presenting everything in a readable and believable manner. The story is one person who is affected by one war and how he grew up and became involved in another war. Along the way this person metamorphs to one who doesn't want to wage war. His love was airplanes and flight. As he grew his ideas and beliefs changed. This is the essence of this story. As an Army Veteran I could taste his changing viewpoints. War and its collateral affects does that. This is a good book. I do recommend that you read it .
April 17, 2023
I am a sucker for true-life overcoming overwhelming obstacles stories. Bruce Henderson’s Hero Found is a well worthwhile read.
Dieter Dengler is indeed a true hero.
The book describes his rough upbringing in post-Nazi Germany and follows him through the process of learning to fly for the US military. The story really picks up once he arrives in Vietnam. After several missions, the tale takes a horrible turn when he is shot down.
The hardship of the American prisoner of war in Vietnam is impossible for us to comprend although xxx description truly puts the reader in that time and place. It then takes a remarkable against-all-odds twist when Deiter attempts to escape from that prison. Insert the clichéd “I couldn’t put it down” comment here. I would give a 9 out of 10 stars.
Dieter Dengler is indeed a true hero.
The book describes his rough upbringing in post-Nazi Germany and follows him through the process of learning to fly for the US military. The story really picks up once he arrives in Vietnam. After several missions, the tale takes a horrible turn when he is shot down.
The hardship of the American prisoner of war in Vietnam is impossible for us to comprend although xxx description truly puts the reader in that time and place. It then takes a remarkable against-all-odds twist when Deiter attempts to escape from that prison. Insert the clichéd “I couldn’t put it down” comment here. I would give a 9 out of 10 stars.
August 1, 2023
One of the best books I've read about a true survival experience. I saw the movie "Rescue Dawn" which was really first quality, but I also recommend reading this book. Bruce Henderson's writing flows smoothly and there is no trouble reading it all the way through. So often the reader feels on the edge of their seat in "Hero Found" in wondering what happens next.
This one should be on the high school reading list. My thanks and admiration to those who have defended freedom, some giving so much and some giving everything!
Thanks again Bruce Henderson for keeping our heroes alive in memory!
This one should be on the high school reading list. My thanks and admiration to those who have defended freedom, some giving so much and some giving everything!
Thanks again Bruce Henderson for keeping our heroes alive in memory!
January 16, 2022
This was a fascinating story about an amazing hero, yet I wish an editor had helped tighten up the story a bit more. Admittedly, this is not a book I would usually listen to on audio (which might have contributed to the problem), but the rabbit trails (fascinating, but not always serving to move the story along) and many names (often of "side characters," but I couldn't always be sure if they were going to be important to the plot or not) made it hard to follow sometimes.
July 25, 2019
Survivalist Indeed!
This autobiography is very Well written! Such details! Could not put the book down! Enjoyed reading, hanging onto my seat, crying, praising, Astounded by every word! Thank you..
Every minute of my reading of this Marvelous True Story, was Enlightening! What a Time, we who were not part of The Vietnam War, missed.
This autobiography is very Well written! Such details! Could not put the book down! Enjoyed reading, hanging onto my seat, crying, praising, Astounded by every word! Thank you..
Every minute of my reading of this Marvelous True Story, was Enlightening! What a Time, we who were not part of The Vietnam War, missed.
September 28, 2020
I read the book in a day and a half. A very fast, gripping story of survival and the internal insight of a man who learned early on, what survival really meant. Well worth the time to find out how the U.S. Navy functioned, some of their missions and the men who flew the Skyraider, the only prop fighter plane used in the Vietnam War and a description of the plane and the men who flew her.
November 17, 2024
Excellent book….true story of patriotic sacrifice and valor. First half of the book was well-written and informative regarding Dieter’s early life and training to become a Navy pilot; the second half was a page-turning, heart-stopping account of his crash and imprisonment in a Laotian prison camp. Highly recommend this book!
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