Book Talk With Marc Leepson | The Unlikely War Hero
Join us for a talk by journalist, historian and author Marc Leepson on his latest book, “The Unlikely War Hero: A Vietnam War POW’s Story of Courage and Resilience in the Hanoi Hilton.” Leepson explores the extraordinary story of Doug Hegdahl, the youngest and lowest-ranking American to be captured in North Vietnam and held prisoner in the notorious Hỏa Lò Prison in Hanoi.
Hegdahl, a 20-year-old Navy seaman apprentice, fell off his ship on April 6, 1967, and survived several hours in the South China Sea before he was picked up by a fishing boat and taken to the prison known as the Hanoi Hilton. He made Vietnam War history by memorizing the names of his 254 fellow prisoners and sharing the information upon his return to the United States in 1969. Hegdahl also told the Pentagon about the systematic torturing of the American POWs and reported many other unknown details about life inside the Hanoi POW camps.
A book signing will follow the talk.
This is a free event, but registration is required. Limited free parking is available underneath the Library at 800 East Broad Street. For more information, contact Anne McCrery at anne.mccrery@lva.virginia.gov or 804.692.3568.
- Calendar:
- LVA Events
- Date:
- Thursday, April 24, 2025
- Time:
- 12:00pm - 1:00pm
- Time Zone:
- Eastern Time - US & Canada (change)
- Location:
- Conference Room A, Conference Room B, Conference Room C
- Audience:
- Categories: