maintain personal hygiene and sanitation and to care for the sick and wounded. All United States officers and noncommis- sioned officers should continue to carry out their responsibilities and exercise their authority if cap- tured. The senior line officer or noncommissioned officer within the group of prisoners assumes command according to rank or date of rank, without regard to his or her branch of service. That person is the lawful superior of all lower ranking personnel. If the senior officer or non- commissioned officer is incapacitated or unable to command for any reason, the next senior per- son will assume command. Article I of the Code of Conduct says “I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am prepared to give my life in their defense. ” These are perhaps the most important words of the Code, because they signify the faith and confidence of Americans in their government, their country, and their service. From the time John Paul Jones made his defiant reply “I have not yet begun to fight” to the present, Americans have traditionally fought wherever the enemy was and with whatever weapons were available. When captured, the Americans have continued the battle in a new arena. When facing an enemy interrogator, they have been under fire just as though bullets and shell fragments were flying around them. Disarmed, POWs have fought back with mind and spirit, remaining faithful to their fellow POWs, yielding no military information, and resisting every attempt of indoctrination. Each of us has the responsibility to honor these traditions by carefully adhering to the meaning of each article of the Code of Conduct. The many Americans who have accepted that responsibil- ity are heroes in the finest sense of the word. One such hero was Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Dieter Dengler, USNR. In February 1966 LTJG Dengler was on a bombing mission over North Vietnam when his aircraft was badly damaged by ground fire. LTJG Dengler crash-landed his air- craft in nearby Laos and attempted to evade cap- ture. After successfully evading the enemy for 1 day, he was captured and led to a village where he was interrogated and told to sign a Communist propaganda statement condemning the United States. LTJG Dengler’s repeated refusal to give more than his name, rank, service number, date of birth, or to sign any statements resulted in severe beatings. When he continued to refuse to answer ques- tions, he was tied behind a water buffalo and dragged through the brush. The interrogations and beatings continued for 3 days, but LTJG Dengler refused to give in. Later he escaped from his guards but was recaptured and again severely beaten. After 6 months in captivity, LTJG Dengler successfully escaped, killing several guards in the process. On the 17th day, a pilot who escaped with him was killed, and LTJG Dengler had to continue alone. Although suffer- ing from malnutrition, jaundice, fatigue, and badly cut and swollen feet, LTJG Dengler refused to give up. Finally, on the 22nd day after his escape, he managed to lay out a crude SOS on a bed of rocks, which attracted the attention of a United States Air Force aircraft. Later, a rescue helicopter ended his ordeal by plucking him to safety. The stories of personnel who steadfastly followed both the spirit and letter of the Code of Conduct are numerous. Full compliance with the laws of armed con- flict is not always easy, especially when you are a POW. For instance, you might be extremely angry and upset because you were taken prisoner. But you should NEVER engage in reprisals or acts of revenge that violate the Code of Conduct, AT SEA Survival at sea depends upon your knowledge, your equipment, your self-control, and your train- ing. Basic Military Requirements provides a good review of survival equipment, abandoning ship procedures, and at-sea survival hints. Think of the vastness of both military and commercial operations at sea. Then you can realize the dangers the crews and passengers face under such a wide range of environmental conditions. As the senior person in an at-sea survival situa- tion, your responsibilities are great. First you must make sure your group is afloat and safe. Then you must know how to operate the equipment available to you and ration food and water. Take charge of the situation and remain calm—that will greatly increase your chance for survival. Talk to your people; do your best to keep morale up by singing, praying, joking, or telling stories. Keep the others involved. Remember, as long as you are alive, the chance for rescue is excellent. Don’t sell short the value of group support. Many survival experiences have proven that stick- ing together as a group may make the difference in surviving an ordeal. 6-19