Congress Eyes Top Honor for Navy Pilot Who Was Second-Longest Ever US Military POW

Efforts to award Congress' highest honor to a Navy pilot who was the second-longest held prisoner of war in U.S. military history are working their way through the legislative process.

Lawmakers are working to award the Congressional Gold Medal to retired Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr., who spent eight and a half years in captivity after being shot down during a bombing mission during the Vietnam War.

A bill authorizing the medal was unanimously approved by the House in May and is awaiting approval in the Senate. Senators will need to pass the bill before the end of the year, or else the legislative process would need to start from scratch since a new congressional session begins next year.

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The bill was introduced in the House by Reps. Jimmy Panetta, D-Calif., and Pat Fallon, R-Texas, and in the Senate by Sens. Alex Padilla, D-Calif., and Cynthia Lummis, R-Wyo.

"As the second longest-serving prisoner of war in the history of our nation, Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr. stands out as a symbol of American resiliency and selfless service," Panetta said in a statement after the bill passed the House. "His sacrifice and strength throughout his captivity is unfathomable, amazing, and deserving of the highest honor that Congress can bestow, a Congressional Gold Medal."

Alvarez, a native of Salinas, California, joined the Navy as an ensign in 1960, according to a brief Navy history about him.

In August 1964, then-Lt. j.g. Alvarez was flying a mission in his A-4 Skyhawk off the USS Constellation as part of Operation Pierce Arrow, the U.S. response to the Gulf of Tonkin incident, when he was shot down and captured. Alvarez was the first U.S. fighter pilot shot down over North Vietnam in the war.

"I said to myself, 'If I stay with this, I'm not going to make it. I'm not going to live. I better get out now,'" Alvarez said about ejecting from the plane in an oral history taken in 2014. "Once I realized that I was OK -- that I was alive, and then I started to have other thoughts. I remember immediately saying, 'Oh God, my poor wife, my mom, what are they [going] to do?' Because I thought for sure I was going to die if they caught me."

The bill to award him a Congressional Gold Medal cites the torment he suffered in captivity, as well as the resilience he showed during that time.

First taken to the infamous prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, he was held in isolation for more than 13 months, beaten and tortured, and fed inedible meals, the bill says. He was later taken to another prison nicknamed Briarpatch, and in 1966 was part of the "Hanoi Parade" during which he and 51 other U.S. prisoners were marched through the streets to be abused and attacked by mobs.

Still, throughout his torture, he "remained loyal to the United States and assisted other American prisoners of war," inspired other prisoners to stay loyal, and helped spread forms of communication such as tap code "to keep up spirits and stay organized," the bill adds.

After 3,113 days of captivity, Alvarez was released on Feb. 12, 1973, as part of the general release of all U.S. prisoners.

The only other U.S. service member to spend more time as a prisoner of war was Floyd James Thompson, an Army Special Forces officer who was captured by the Viet Cong in March 1964 when the plane he was riding in was shot down; he was held for more than nine years.

After his release, Alvarez continued to serve in the Navy until 1980. His military awards include the Silver Star, two Legions of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts and the Prisoner of War Medal, according to the bill text.

Alvarez, now 86 years old, also held several civilian positions in the government after leaving the Navy, including deputy director of the Peace Corps and deputy administrator of what was then called the Veterans Administration.

"Cmdr. Alvarez is an American hero and remains a source of hope and encouragement for the other prisoners of war during his time in Vietnam," Padilla said in a statement when the bill was first introduced. "Cmdr. Alvarez's unwavering courage and bravery in the face of cruel torture and isolation deserves the highest recognition in Congress."

The Congressional Gold Medal dates back to the American Revolution and honors achievements that have a major effect on U.S. history and culture. Other recent recipients approved by Congress include tennis legend Billie Jean King; civil rights icon Mamie Till-Mobley and her son Emmett Till; and the U.S. Army "Dustoff" helicopter crews of the Vietnam War.

-- Konstantin Toropin contributed to this story.

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