'Hanoi Hilton' survivor Robert Shumaker, U.S. Navy (Full Interview)

Robert Harper Shumaker is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy who went on to serve as rear admiral and naval aviator in the U.S. Navy. Shumaker is best known for his resilience as a prisoner during the Vietnam War, and for coining the phrase 'Hanoi Hilton,' in reference to the notorious North Vietnamese prison. During his captivity, Shumaker was instrumental in the implementation of the 'tap code' that the prisoners used to communicate with each other. After eight years of captivity, on February 12, 1973, he was finally released. After returning home to his family and country, he continued to serve in the Navy until he retired in 1988.
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[@VirtualVisionMedia]

I met Admiral Shumaker last week in Va. I was beyond honored to have a conversation with him. A true, amazing AMERICAN HERO. I hope to see him again one day.

[@millicentsquirrelhole582]

That folks is a true American hero. Tough, resourceful, fearless, smart and thankful to be an American. God bless you good sir.

[@rogerlittlefield7203]

The name Shumaker seemed familiar to me , so I listened. I was a ship’s company officer on the Coral Sea, when the admiral was shot down. I later volunteered to serve a year in Vietnam as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Junk Force. Yes we LOVE America.

[@randykelso4079]

Sir, I recall an officer aboard named Gus Littlefield. Might you be he? Randy Kelso, former AQF2, VF-154, USS Coral Sea (CVA-43), 1964-65, USN 1962-66.

[@crystalheart9]

Mr. Shumaker thank you for your service and sharing your stories. I appreciate the interviewer allowing Mr. Shumaker the time to tell his story and not interrupting him with more questions like I see in so many other videos. This was a well done interview, thanks so much.

[@sydney13ism]

Did you ever think that the reason for the "interruptions" from other "interviewers" was to clarify a story so perhaps the listeners/watchers could better understand these ultra-compelling tales being told by these brave men. Be happy that so many folks, through something called the internet, are able to learn the history of this sad time in America.

[@LieutenantJason]

Huge thank you for interviewing my uncle fellas. This was his first and last in-depth interview aside from the one i took on home video back in the 90's.

[@11bravo1789]

Hope he’s doing well. True hero

[@Russellsagecline]

Me too. I remember reading about him as a kid in the early 80's

[@crystalheart9]

I thank him for his service and sharing his experiences.

[@thebestninja80]

@ Reggie Smoker God bless your uncle Mr Shumaker and Thank him from me and the USA. one more star on the flag for him and all Vets and POWs.

[@Piunti_302]

Except for the fact that this isn't his 1st or last interview like you say.... I know of atleast 2 more than I've watched on here sooo I'm calling bullshit bout him being your uncle... Here's part 1 of a 3 part 3 and half hour interview he did! kzbin.info/www/bejne/gYukgoeFqdSja6M

[@lindajones8895]

Thank you Admiral Shumaker. A privilege and honor to hear your story sir. PN2 Jones USNR(TAR)🇺🇲🇺🇲⚓️⚓️

[@davidjsouth231]

Congressman Sam Johnson from Texas. Hanoi Hilton resident. Passed away May 2020

[@noahhess4955]

This man is a true hero and inspiration to never give up. His mental toughness is unbelievable

[@brianambrosemcmahon8531]

This man is a true inspiration and made of the right stuff. 🙏🏼💙🇦🇺 🇺🇸

[@jhollie8196]

Doug Hegdahl was that sailor blown overboard. He was one of my SERE instructors at Warner Springs in 1985. Amazing man.

[@briancooper2112]

He memorized all pow names. He was ordered by Stockdale to go home and tell about pow list and conditions

[@tomgal7717]

Thanks for sharing your story. Your sacrifice is much appreciated. God Bless

[@mgunny05]

Admiral Shumaker is so well spoken and it gives a insight on just how he survived….balls of steel is at the top of the list….a HERO. Semper Fi sir! 🫡🫡🫡

[@burtthebeast4239]

Welcome home Sir. Thank you, God bless you all...

[@1830mof]

If you met this man in the street you'd think he was an insurance salesman! Stunning courage and character. A quiet hero.

[@curtgomes]

I remember seeing Everett Alvarez at a welcome home event in my home town of Santa Clara, Calif. He was standing on a corner by himself and I will always regret not approaching him and telling him how proud we were of him. Alvarez home town is Salinas California and he was one of the longest held prisoners in North Vietnam. He flew a Navy A4 Skyhawk. When I joined the Navy a short time later, I went into Naval Air and actually worked on the Skyhawk. It was a terrific experience for a young kid and I served with some really great people.

[@tsaunders2263]

I wore his POW bracelet (with another) in junior high in Eastchester, NY in the early 70's and watched him (and the AF officer) step off the plane on US soil. I sent the bracelet to him with a letter, and he replied. Adm. Shumaker is a close friend to my close friend Bill Stiles, both USNA Class of 56.

[@cupidhart-james4277]

God bless you, Admiral.

[@josephanderson7237]

He’s from my hometown. Thank you for your service and sacrifices in that hell hole Vietnam prison. God bless.

[@davidjsouth231]

I know New Castle, PA. Passed through there many times coming off the PA turnpike en route to or traversing from Susquehanna Valley area where I lived for 23 years.

[@rubycollins3492]

Thank you for your service

[@darylm.stephens9603]

God bless you sir. Thanks for your service.

[@gascantx]

Thank you sir for your service.

[@12gauge1oz]

Thank you Sir! Another example of American exceptionalism.

[@sonliving]

New listener.. thanks for the good job. Enjoy the interviews.

[@robertmileyjr442]

Welcome Home Sir. 😎

[@mikericketts7057]

Excellent program! A true American hero.

[@joshscott9905]

Amazing story from an amazing man!

[@beckthelastboyscoutshields3181]

It's amazing to hear this man tell his story. Which is sad how this country has turned with the people that disrespect the lives people have for us to have our freedom....

[@miaouew]

This guy is so cool.

[@murphyr31]

God Bless America Admiral 🇺🇸 We’re very proud of you and everyone else who endured through those awful times.

[@Ditch1221]

What an amazing man.

[@randykelso4079]

Was assigned to Fighter Squadron VF-154, Dr. Shumaker's squadron, in 1964 as an AQF2. He arrived later, early during the 1965 combat cruise aboard the USS Coral Sea (CVA-43). The last time I saw him he was in full flight gear in the Ready Room. After he was bagged, a letter received by the squadron was posted on the Ready Room bulletin board. I think it was from one of his relatives (maybe his wife) who was confident in his ability to survive. A great man!

[@TheGainfather]

Amazing story, thank you for your service and sacrifices! These men are truly the peak of what the human spirit can overcome. God bless their families that waited for them everyday. I couldn't imagine the hell they went through too.

[@northernlight696]

Great story - thanks!!

[@davewait6469]

Yes. Thank you for letting this man share his full. Story. And resect. Outstanding. Man thank you. SiR. BLESSINGS TO YOU. FAMILY. (( i would love to listen to this mans storys. Of his life very very intesting i. Love this. ))

[@rl64rl]

Wonderful interview of a true american hero -- thank you!! One point of clarification: your video overview incorrectly credits RADM Shumaker w/ creating the prisoner's tap code. As he says in the video, the tap code was first presented by Air Force Capt Carlyle "Smitty" Harris. Harris himself recalled learning the code at AF survival training at Steed AFB, NV, via a conversation he had w/ a survival instructor.

[@peterallen4605]

Great story. It's ashamed that his mic didn't work

[@kerryw1958]

What a remarkable gentleman

[@timhimes3649]

I’m from western Pa, born in New Castle, raised in Sharon.

[@joansemenec1387]

Thank you, Robert for your service and welcome home. The fact that you and all of the other Vietnam War POWs from our country persevered as best as you all could is totally amazing. I can't imagine the torture you all went through, how traumatic that was for all of you, and the damage that did to your bodies. That being said, I'm grateful that many of you survived because of the tap code that was on the cell walls so that all of you could communicate with each other as well as using it in the courtyards. I watched the movie about Congressman Denton and the fact that he did the Morse Code with his eyes to spell out the word torture so that our intel crew could catch it is just amazing. Welcome home all Vietnam War POWs and all other U.S. military POWs - all of you are heroes just like every other military veteran here in the U.S.!!

[@jamesmack3314]

What these amazing men went through is something that no normal human being can truly fathom Jeremiah Denton has to have one of the most riveting stories I’ve ever read truly an inspiring tale of human will to survive

[@randykelso4079]

Now hear this: for help with weak audio, turn on the closed captions. Click on the small white rectangle near the bottom of the screen which has the letters "CC" in it. Like most closed captions, they are usually poor (probably generated by a robot) but like some used to say about Vietnam, "It ain't much, but it's the only war we got." The captions fall into the same category.

[@germanico4401]

HAY UNA FOTO HISTORICA SUYA CUANDO FUE APRESADO POR SOLDADOS VIETNAMITAS.....ES IMPRESIONANTE ESE MOMENTO QUE QUEDO RETRATADO PARA LA POSTERIDAD.............SALUDOS IGUALMENTE.....DESDE AMERICA DEL SUR......... (EXPILOTO DE LA MARINA DE U.S.A.).........

[@baka120y4]

What a great guy.

[@robertscutt2904]

I Have A Copper Bracelet With LCDR, Arvin Chauncey 5-31-67, In My Draw, For Over Fifty Years, I Don't Know What Happened To This Patriot. 🇺🇸 I Also Had A Silver One, Years Ago With Lieut.Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr. It Disappeared All Of A Sudden, Back In 1970. ( Maybe Because It Was Silver, If You Know What I Mean. ) And I Had A Third Bracelet, It Was Copper, Like The One I Have Now. I Can't Remember What The Man's Name Was, I Think It Was LCDR, Something ( McKnight,?) ✝️ God Bless All These Patriotic Man And Women. I Used To Wear Two Bracelet On My Left Wrist And The Other One On The Right. Hoping To🙏🏼 God They All Came Home, And Not Brainwashed. Like Some Of The Korean War POWs Were, There Was One Young Marine Driving A Jeep, The Viet Cong Captured Who Got Out Years Later, Thought, I Think The German Embassy. Silver Bracelets Were Ten Dollars And The Copper Ones Were Five Dollars 💵 This Was A Donation For Our POW`S Which l Gladly Gave. Sincere Patriot 🗽 ✝️ God Bless Our Republic.Of The United States Of America. 🇺🇸 Semper Fi. ⚔

[@reggierico]

My father, Byron H. Collier was a 1954 graduate of the Naval Academy. I wonder if Admiral Shumaker knew my Dad, who was a five striper as a senior (?). He went on to submarine service though.

[@FIGGY65]

Did your father ever work with David Sears (IIRC he was Class of 54?) who went on to command the Will Rogers?

[@FIGGY65]

Did your father ever work with David Sears (IIRC he was Class of 54?) who went on to command the Will Rogers?

[@FIGGY65]

Did your father ever work with David Sears (IIRC he was Class of 54?) who went on to command the Will Rogers?

[@yuvegotmale]

I have always wondered why they did not use truth serum or massive use of alcohol to get a prisoner to talk....seems a much better way to get info.......great video....welcome home Robert.

[@Cat-bg2ge]

I live in America and I lived in a gov. Housing project not by choice but by circumstance. I also ate the same food every day. I missed seeing American's. Hearing American's Two year's later, I saw some American soldier's at another complex. I didn't get to talk to them, but just seeing them made me so happy. I was the only American in the whole complex.

[@oustandingsitter6106]

A Pennsylvania man!

[@nancycornett9949]

Thank you?

[@jhollie8196]

MarDet, USS Coral Sea from 77-80. Semper Fi Admiral..

[@ramamurtipaluri2420]

I wonder how he feels or felt when he saw many Vietnamese immigrants settled in US in various activities.probably most of them were from friendly South Vietnam.

[@AbirTarafdar]

Don’t seperate your stereo channels. Amateur mistake mate.

[@kaycox5555]

Here is a patriot.

[@kirbygulbrandsen4507]

I had a bracelet, my guy was MIA. So they’re were also MIA bracelets. Everyone in our neighborhood had one and wore them until the end of the war. We had one guy from our immediate neighborhood came back safe.. Where I’m from Hialeah Florida, they were negative toward our Armed Forces.

[@kirbygulbrandsen4507]

They were never negative, toward our Armed Forces. I typed it wrong.🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@brianambrosemcmahon8531]

Wonder how the few misbehaved ? We’re they released early back home ?

[@claytonreeves8955]

The recording is to low,wish I could hear it

[@randykelso4079]

Turn on the closed captions.

[@Cat-bg2ge]

He sure seemed to have a lot of parachute problem's.

[@rondodson5736]

I don't understand why none of the POW'S EVER TALK ABOUT WHAT MCCAIN DID WHILE IN CAPTIVITY ?

[@nes123ification]

What did he do?😊

[@JoeKyser]

My grandfather Howard Galen was Lt Commander On the USS Saratoga at the time of that story.

[@ABs70nova]

Heard about a dozen stories all taking credit for naming it after the Hilton

[@cattandneil1504]

True American Hero! And I bet this guy is amazing at word games! I wouldn't want to play against him in one, that's for sure! LoL

[@oscarg5017]

Qué pasó con los perros ❤️🐶 que los soldados de Estados Unidos abandonaron en Vietnam ?

[@jamesmack3314]

They took home as many as they could but not all

[@dks13827]

Good............but you can't hear this !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!11

[@randykelso4079]

Turn on the closed captions.

[@rickmeloche2997]

Mr. Shumaker thank you so much for your service & true sacrifice. As I sit here & listen to your story that you & Mr. McCain endured & all the POW's went through . I can't help ,but think about a certain draft dodger said about Mr. McCain .Steam comes out my ears ! Want's to our president again . What a joke & embarrassment to this nation He couldn't hold a candle to your guy's ASS !❤❤❤❤

[@jws3925]

audio was so low I could not consistently hear him

[@randykelso4079]

Turn on the closed captions.

[@smellysock4260]

He"s a rear admiral. Huh huh. Rear admiral.

[@stevejefferson3250]

Now lets imagine how the people of VietNam felt under the rain of Napalm and missiles drops on them from the sky. Populations being burn alive and survivors with their skin pilling off their bones. All done by a foreign imperial power know as the US Empire.

[@Russellsagecline]

Were a bunch of evil motherfuckers, ain't we!

[@ericschilling9064]

You're not un-American, but you sure are trying.

[@manueladarazsdi9675]

Spoken as a true lefty.

[@scoutearnest4858]

It's a very warm feeling

[@BST-lm4po]

Now let's imagine if the British and French hadn't declared war on Germany in 1939,..and instead let the Germans eliminate Soviet Communism in the 1940's! There wouldn't have been a need for young American Men to fight the spread of Communism in Korea and Vietnam in the 50's & 60's.

[@vantrinhnguyen987]

"'Hanoi Hilton' survivor" ... who among US pilot prisoners did'nt survive "Hanoi Hilton" ????

[@randykelso4079]

Ron Storch was one. There were others.

[@FIGGY65]

114 POWs died at the HH, including USAF Lt. Lance Sijan.

[@CDN1975]

America should be so proud of these brave men who survived the most brutal of circumstances. True heroes.

[@OneMinuteReviewMan]

I interviewed Col. James Helms Kasler at his home for high school project. Kasler lived on a golf course. I remember a lot from that interview in the early 2000s. He told me he would mentally play rounds of golf in his head to endure the torture. He'd play 18 holes shot for shot in his head. Then play another 18, another 18, etc. He spent about the same amount of time in Hanoi as Shumaker. As a young teenager at the time, he made a lasting impression on me. I still have a signed picture from him hanging on my wall.

[@tiglu05]

What a truly courageous and loyal fellow

[@tailwind12]

amazing to hear each syllable and word of these heros. to hear how to stay strong they sang the star spangled banner and got punished for such. today-antifa, BLM, shumer, peolosi and biden would "object" to such a racist and discriminatory song. and at NFL games today you must stand, pledge and recite to black national anthem per the NFL marketing unit. how times have changed. good "going" america.

[@Cat-bg2ge]

God and the establishment hate Hippy's.

[@ramamurtipaluri2420]

Amazing personalities.

[@Cat-bg2ge]

He has the best possible attitude.

[@cameronash5492]

We share the same birthday.

[@michalanckoronski2673]

Fantastic material! Full hour interviews are most interesting

[@marklara5529]

🙏🏼🇺🇸