The Rest of the Story

(page 4 of 5)

Captain Duffy Hutton,
USN (retired)
POW 1965-1973

Poetry and talking to the mice and rats in his cell helped keep this admittedly emotional and sensitive man on track during the years of captivity. His polished writing skills and his sensitivity to others made his next 20 years a natural as executive officer of the Naval Drug Rehabilitation Center in San Diego. Two more careers followed—as a computer consultant and in real estate—not to mention a
happy marriage to Eileen, and a son. Hutton, who lives in Pacific Beach, believes two things were important in Vietnam and still are now: his ability to keep a sense of humor and not to get “too tied up with the fact [there are some things] I can’t do anything about.”

Captain Richard “Moon” Mullen, USN (retired)
POW 1967-1973

Bitterness and anger have no place in Richard Mullen’s life. They never have, says the former POW, who adds that knowing God was enough to get him through six years of captivity. But the death of his first wife after 40 years of marriage made him despondent. Today, Mullen maintains it was “divine intervention” that got him out of the doldrums, back to his church and other activities and to the meeting that would recharge his life—with a widow with similar interests. Now married and busy again, Richard and his new wife, Peggy, are often seen riding their tandem bike near their La Jolla home.

Colonel Ben Pollard, USAF (retired)
POW 1967-1973

Just walking is a miracle for the former Air Force pilot who was paralyzed by back injuries after his plane was shot down in 1967. It was the “You walk or you die” mantra of fellow prisoner Mel Moore that got Ben Pollard up and walking while still in prison. His life continues to soar, and he relishes every day. After an Air Force career that included supervising cadet training at the Air Force Academy, gliding—and its tranquility—are intoxicating to him. He can’t fly jets anymore and has a host of medical problems, but Pollard still instructs in gliders. He says his other great love is his wife of 48 years, Joan, whose dedication to their kids and to him during his captivity he calls “superb.”

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