Sybil Stockdale
Encyclopedia
Sybil Stockdale was the wife of an American Vietnam War
Navy pilot who became a prisoner of war. Sybil then became a co-founder, and then later served as the national coordinator of the National League of Families
, a nonprofit organization that worked on behalf of American Vietnam-era Missing in Action and Prisoner of War Families. In her capacity as national coordinator for the League, she also served as its liaison to the White house
and the Department of Defense.
Mrs. Stockdale is credited with helping to better publicize the mistreatment of US prisoners by North Vietnam and for helping to improve American policies concerning the treatment and handling of POW families. Stockdale is the recipient of the U.S. Navy Department's Distinguished Public Service Award. She is the only wife of an active-duty officer ever to have been so honored.
Stockdale is also the co-author, along with her late husband, of the book "In Love and War: the Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam War".
Her husband, James Bond Stockdale, was a recipient of the Medal of Honor
for bravery in war, and after his release at the end of the war, was eventually promoted to Vice Admiral and by the time of his death in 2005 was one of the United States
' most honored and decorated military veterans in the post-WWII
era. He was present at the August 4, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident
, spent 7-1/2 years under torture as a POW in North Vietnam
, later became President of The Citadel military college
, and eventually ran for Vice-President of the United States with Ross Perot
heading the ticket.
In the summer of 1966, Sybil along with other members of a San Diego
POW
/ MIA
support group and another group in Hampton Virginia, decided to go national, and formed the National League of Families of American Prisoners Missing in Southeast Asia
. Sybil was the first national coordinator.
Within a year she was sitting in the office of the Secretary Of Defense Melvin Laird discussing policy. The Nixon
Administration had ended the "keep quiet" policy and allegations of torture of US prisoners became fully public, with Sybil a forceful spokeswoman.
In the book James and Sybil Stockdale wrote alternating chapters describing their experiences of the Vietnam war, James wrote of his experiences as a POW, and Sybil wrote of her experiences as the wife of a POW, dealing with the stress and waiting at home and her journey cutting through Washington red tape and publicizing the plight of American POWs in Vietnam.
in Bath
, Maine
for the USS Stockdale
, the 30th Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
, and the 56th ship of the class.
Four Medal of Honor
recipients and seven former prisoners of war attended the ceremony that marked a milestone in construction of the 9,200-ton ship named for her late husband.
, and a Masters Degree in education from Stanford University. Jim and Sybil Stockdale have four sons.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
Navy pilot who became a prisoner of war. Sybil then became a co-founder, and then later served as the national coordinator of the National League of Families
National League of Families
The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia is an American 501 non-profit organization that is concerned with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue...
, a nonprofit organization that worked on behalf of American Vietnam-era Missing in Action and Prisoner of War Families. In her capacity as national coordinator for the League, she also served as its liaison to the White house
White House
The White House is the official residence and principal workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., the house was designed by Irish-born James Hoban, and built between 1792 and 1800 of white-painted Aquia sandstone in the Neoclassical...
and the Department of Defense.
Mrs. Stockdale is credited with helping to better publicize the mistreatment of US prisoners by North Vietnam and for helping to improve American policies concerning the treatment and handling of POW families. Stockdale is the recipient of the U.S. Navy Department's Distinguished Public Service Award. She is the only wife of an active-duty officer ever to have been so honored.
Stockdale is also the co-author, along with her late husband, of the book "In Love and War: the Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam War".
Her husband, James Bond Stockdale, was a recipient of the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
for bravery in war, and after his release at the end of the war, was eventually promoted to Vice Admiral and by the time of his death in 2005 was one of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
' most honored and decorated military veterans in the post-WWII
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
era. He was present at the August 4, 1964 Gulf of Tonkin Incident
Gulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, are the names given to two incidents, one fabricated, involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin...
, spent 7-1/2 years under torture as a POW in North Vietnam
North Vietnam
The Democratic Republic of Vietnam , was a communist state that ruled the northern half of Vietnam from 1954 until 1976 following the Geneva Conference and laid claim to all of Vietnam from 1945 to 1954 during the First Indochina War, during which they controlled pockets of territory throughout...
, later became President of The Citadel military college
The Citadel (military college)
The Citadel, The Military College of South Carolina, also known simply as The Citadel, is a state-supported, comprehensive college located in Charleston, South Carolina, USA. It is one of the six senior military colleges in the United States...
, and eventually ran for Vice-President of the United States with Ross Perot
Ross Perot
Henry Ross Perot is a U.S. businessman best known for running for President of the United States in 1992 and 1996. Perot founded Electronic Data Systems in 1962, sold the company to General Motors in 1984, and founded Perot Systems in 1988...
heading the ticket.
Husband's Capture in Vietnam / Pentagon "Keep quiet" Policy
When Sybil Stockdale's husband James was shot down in 1965 over North Vietnam, the US government had a "keep-quiet" policy, asking relatives of POWs to not raise a fuss about mistreatment of prisoners. The official reason was not that the prisoners were not being tortured, but bad publicity might result in worse treatment.Founding of the National League of Families
Over the next several years, Sybil found herself more and more disenchanted with the pretense that prisoners like her husband were treated fairly; James had been tortured, had inflicted serious wounds on himself to convince his captors they could not break or use him, and had spent years in solitary confinement.In the summer of 1966, Sybil along with other members of a San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
POW
Prisoner of war
A prisoner of war or enemy prisoner of war is a person, whether civilian or combatant, who is held in custody by an enemy power during or immediately after an armed conflict...
/ MIA
Missing in action
Missing in action is a casualty Category assigned under the Status of Missing to armed services personnel who are reported missing during active service. They may have been killed, wounded, become a prisoner of war, or deserted. If deceased, neither their remains nor grave can be positively...
support group and another group in Hampton Virginia, decided to go national, and formed the National League of Families of American Prisoners Missing in Southeast Asia
National League of Families
The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia is an American 501 non-profit organization that is concerned with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue...
. Sybil was the first national coordinator.
Within a year she was sitting in the office of the Secretary Of Defense Melvin Laird discussing policy. The Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
Administration had ended the "keep quiet" policy and allegations of torture of US prisoners became fully public, with Sybil a forceful spokeswoman.
Writing
Sybil Stockdale co-wrote a book with her husband James, who also wrote a number of books on his own. In Love and War: the Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam War was the most popular book written by either of the Stockdales.In the book James and Sybil Stockdale wrote alternating chapters describing their experiences of the Vietnam war, James wrote of his experiences as a POW, and Sybil wrote of her experiences as the wife of a POW, dealing with the stress and waiting at home and her journey cutting through Washington red tape and publicizing the plight of American POWs in Vietnam.
Christening of USS Stockdale (DDG 106)
On May 10, 2008, Sybil Stockdale attended a christening ceremony at Bath Iron WorksBath Iron Works
Bath Iron Works is a major American shipyard located on the Kennebec River in Bath, Maine, United States. Since its founding in 1884 , BIW has built private, commercial and military vessels, most of which have been ordered by the United States Navy...
in Bath
Bath, Maine
Bath is a city in Sagadahoc County, Maine, in the United States. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 9,266. It is the county seat of Sagadahoc County. Located on the Kennebec River, Bath is a port of entry with a good harbor. The city is popular with tourists, many drawn by its...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
for the USS Stockdale
USS Stockdale (DDG-106)
USS Stockdale is an Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer in the United States Navy. The third Navy ship of that name, Stockdale is named after Vice Admiral James Bond Stockdale and is the 56th destroyer in her class. She was authorized on 13 September 2002 and was built by Bath...
, the 30th Arleigh Burke Class Destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
, and the 56th ship of the class.
Four Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
recipients and seven former prisoners of war attended the ceremony that marked a milestone in construction of the 9,200-ton ship named for her late husband.
Early life
Sybil Stockdale holds an undergraduate degree from Mount Holyoke CollegeMount Holyoke College
Mount Holyoke College is a liberal arts college for women in South Hadley, Massachusetts. It was the first member of the Seven Sisters colleges, and served as a model for some of the others...
, and a Masters Degree in education from Stanford University. Jim and Sybil Stockdale have four sons.
External links
- National League of Families website Nonprofit organization co-founded by Sybil Stockdale
- Museum of Living History, article about James Stockdales experiences as a POW, also discusses Sybil Stockdale's efforts on his behalf