Glory Denied: The Saga of Jim Thompson, America's Longest-Held Prisoner of War

There had to be times when Jim Thompson asked himself "Was it REALLY worth it?"

It's easy to criticize Alyce, but that's the result when a society teaches women NOT to be independent.


Heartbreaking   November 3, 2003
 5 out of 8 found this review helpful

GLORY DENIED
This is a story that is difficult to forget. Jim Thompson survives nine years of captivity. He is tortured and starved. When another prisoner meets him some years into Jim's captivity, this other man describes him as 'a skeleton with some white hair on top'. Nobody believes that Jim is going to survive. But, what they do not know of is Jim's strong determination to stay alive. He dreams a lot of his wife and his four children. Needless to say: Jim's homecoming is a shock. His wife has lived with another man, and the children have been told that their father is dead. His wife, Alyce, has been very keen to keep her husband's name off all official lists, while she at the same time has received his pay checks.

It is obvious that Alyce in many ways, behaved in a way that she should not be proud of, but at the same time, the strength of this book is that it gives her a chance to tell her side of the story.

When I read the book, Alyce never became my heroine, but still, I do see that her life was not easy: The way she was treated in 1964, when her husband was a POW, and she was alone with four children, was down right cruel. But, her solutions to the problem, were not very good. And, when Jim came back, her handling of this situation is not very good either. In many ways, Alyce does not come out as a very strong person, and the advice she received, was not the best all the time. Their four children's stories are heartbreaking. So, this is a sad story of how a family was affected by the Vietnam War.


Incredibly and emotionally revealing......   April 15, 2003
 14 out of 14 found this review helpful

Special Forces Captain Jim Thompson was shot down (while an observer on a reconnaissance flight) over South Vietnam on March 24, 1964. Held first in jungle camps in South Vietnam and later moved to North Vietnam, Thompson would not see another American for 4 years and would spend a total of 5 years in solitary confinement and isolation.

Suffering brutal torture, disease, and starvation, he would endure some of the worst treatment ever imagined for almost 9 unbelievable years. Eventually, he would be recognized as the longest held prisoner of war in American history. During his confinement, Thompson never wavered in his defiance of his captors and continually upheld his convictions in America, his patriotism, his pride, and his beliefs.

Upon returning to the United States, hoping to re-establish a stable home life, Jim Thompson is quickly immersed in tragic events that would continue several years after his return. Starting with the revelation of his wife's infidelity during his captivity, major turmoil would befall his family soon thereafter. He is unprepared for 9 years of change that has influenced his family and this sadly leads to, among other things, alienation of his children, addiction to alcohol, estrangement from his wife, and eventual divorce.

In a constant uphill struggle, Thompson painfully suffered through many subsequent events in his life that literally brought him to the edge of despair and his attempting suicide.

Glory Denied is quite possibly the saddest, most tragic, and totally heart-wrenching accounts of POW captivity ever written. It is also a story of love, understanding, forgiveness, hope, faith, and survival.

Sixteen years in the making, this book is exceedingly well written and prepared and evokes much emotion in its content. Deserving of 10 stars, this book is very highly recommended to everyone.


The Most Enlightening Book I Have Ever Read   March 6, 2003
 2 out of 2 found this review helpful

This book proved to be a major eye opener to me. One cannot understand the horrors of being a POW until reading this book. This book proves you do not have to die to be a casualty to war and that soldiers are not the only victims of war. This book brings you into the world of Floyd J. Thompson, the longest held POW. The author does not simply describe his experiences in prison but also afterwards. The book describes how Thompson's POW experience did not end with his release but still continues till this day. The truths about the affects of his experience on his family is trully disheartening. But I recommend this book to anyone who wants a glimpse into the world of the POW and America's unsung hero, Floyd J. Thompson.


Five Years..in solitary....   July 19, 2002
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

The Colonel died in Key West on July 16th,at 69. He was longest held- Vietnam POW...just 10 days short of 9 years. For more on vets see Geraldnicosia.com His large book covers complete history of Vietnam VETERANS movement, "Home-to-WAR", 2001