Doug Hegdahl

Douglas Brent Hegdahl (born September 3, 1946) is a former United States Navy petty officer second class (E-5) who was held as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. After an early release, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 fellow POWs, as well as reveal the conditions of the prisoner-of-war camp.

Infobox

Birth name

Douglas Brent Hegdahl III

Born

(1946-09-03) September 3, 1946 (age 79)Clark, South Dakota, U.S.

Allegiance

United States

Branch

United States Navy

Years of service

1966–1970

Rank

Petty officer second class

Battles / wars

Vietnam War (POW)

Other work

SERE instructor

Service years

1966–1970

Conflicts

Vietnam War (POW)

Tables

· Awards

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Purple Heart

Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Combat Action Ribbon

Prisoner of War Medal

Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award

National Defense Service Medal

Vietnam Service Medal

Purple Heart

Vietnam Service Medal

Combat Action Ribbon

Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation

Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award

Vietnam Campaign Medal

Purple Heart	Combat Action Ribbon	Navy Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation	Prisoner of War Medal	National Defense Service Medal
Vietnam Service Medal	Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation	Vietnam Campaign Medal

References

Col. Ted Guy's Hanoi Hilton and Surrounding Villa's
http://www.soft-vision.com/hanoi/hegdahl.html
"Bio – Hegdahl, Douglas B."
http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/h/h135.htm
Time
https://web.archive.org/web/20070930093201/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901396,00.html
Time
https://web.archive.org/web/20070930060007/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,901221,00.html
"'Lest We Forget' – Douglas Hegdahl"
https://web.archive.org/web/20050825035929/http://www.usni.org/proceedings/Articles03/PROlwf12.htm
Tales of South East Asia
https://web.archive.org/web/20080918094431/http://www.geocities.com/talesofseasia/rossperotandparis.html
Tales of South East Asia
https://web.archive.org/web/20091024130127/http://geocities.com/talesofseasia/doug.html
Military Times
https://www.militarytimes.com/veterans/military-history/2025/06/02/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives/
JohnMcCain.com
https://web.archive.org/web/20081201165511/http://www.johnmccain.com//Informing/News/NewsReleases/3168f3a2-e59b-433f-94ea-fb1641323507.htm
A Sailor's History of the U.S. Navy
https://books.google.com/books?id=oTY4AAAAQBAJ&pg=PT22
Where are our PoW/MIA's? 1997[incomplete short citation]