Do You Know Me?

- I was born two days before Christmas in 1923 in Abingdon, IL.

- I graduated from the Naval Academy in 1947 and served in the U.S. Navy until 1979.

- I was a Navy Pilot and my plane was shot down over North Vietnam on September 9, 1965. I was a POW at the "Hanoi Hilton" for 7 years. I was defiant and resisted my captors by every means possible and refused to be used as a propaganda tool against my country. My back was broken twice and my face disfigured from my captivity. They broke my legs and I was tortured so badly that could not walk when I was finally released.

- I attained the rank of Vice Admiral (3 stars) before I retired in 1979. I was awarded the Medal of Honor, 3 Silver Stars, 2 Bronze Stars and 2 Purple Heart Medals.

- I became the President of the Citadel (The Military College of South Carolina) and later joined the Hoover Institute. I wrote many books and papers about my Vietnam experiences.

- In 1992, Independent Presidential Party Candidate Ross Perot selected me for his running mate and in a VP debate with Al Gore and Dan Quayle I infamously uttered, "Who am I and why am I here?"

- I passed away on Coronado Island, CA from Alzheimer's Disease and I have a Navy ship (DDG-106) and several buildings named in my honor.
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- Who Am I?
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- James Bond Stockdale