"This scene occurs at the start of Red McDaniel's 81st combat mission over Vietnam. It was an Alpha Strike, which means a full press. It was on this mission that he was shot down.

"Captain McDaniel left with twenty-six other Navy aircraft for Van Dien, a truck repair facility in downtown Hanoi. Despite his extensive experience, McDaniel had to bail out after his A-6 Intruder was hit by a surface to air missile.

"He was captured by the Viet Cong and held in a prisoner of war camp. What makes him special was how he survived the torture of his captivity. McDaniel was held for six years. And during that time, he displayed a courage and bravery in the face of physical and mental torment that elicited the admiration and respect of everyone who believed in freedom.

"That freedom was finally returned to him. His convictions had been sorely tested, but Red McDaniel emerged victorious." - William Phillips