Humbert R. Versace

Captain Versace was a member of Detachment A-23, 5th Special Forces Group. On October 29, 1963, he was on an operation along a canal. It left Camp Tan Phu for the village of Le Coeur, South Vietnam where they were ambushed and Captain Versace was severely wounded in the knee and back by hostile fire, fought valiantly and continued to engage enemy targets. Weakened by his wounds and fatigued by fierce firefight, Captain Versace was taken prisoner by the Viet Cong. Taken prisoner by the Viet Cong, he exemplified the tenets of the Code of Conduct from the time he entered into Prisoner of War status. He assumed command of his fellow American soldiers, scorned the enemy's exhaustive interrogation and indoctrination efforts, and made three unsuccessful attempts to escape despite his weakened condition brought about by his wounds and extreme privation and hardships he was forced to endure. During his captivity, Captain Versace was segregated in an isolate prisoner of war cage, manacled in irons for prolonged periods of time, and placed on extremely reduced rations. The enemy was unable to break his indomitable will, his faith in God, and his trust in the United States of American. It is believed Captain Versace was executed in September 1965. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial. For his leadership and great valor, Captain Versace was awarded the Medal of Honor in 2002.