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The following is an AI Generated summary of the show:

1. Introduction of Captain Guy Gruters and His Background
   Kevin Sandler introduces Captain Guy Gruters, a United States Air Force officer and fighter pilot, known for his survival for over five years as a prisoner of war in Vietnam. Gruters shares his background, including being raised in North Jersey, being an Eagle Scout, attending the Air Force Academy, training as a fighter pilot, and volunteering for Vietnam.
2. Being Shot Down and Captured in Vietnam
   Gruters recounts being shot down twice. The first time, he was rescued just offshore under heavy fire from combat search and rescue crews. The second time, he was captured after his F-100 fighter was hit at 1,500 feet, rolled over, and crashed at 500 miles an hour. He ejected upside down at about 1,000 feet, barely deploying his parachute before hitting the ground. He managed to get away a couple of times before being found and captured.
3. Intervention by a Militia Commander
   After his second shoot-down, Gruters was captured by a squad of 12 soldiers led by a local militia commander, who wore a distinct hat and carried AK-47s. When brought to a rice paddy, hundreds of peasants screaming with machetes charged him, reminiscent of other pilots he had seen cut to pieces. The commander intervened by having his troops draw bayonets and surround Gruters, facing outwards. After the crowd continued to advance, he gave a command to lower the bayonets, then shouted “fire,” which stopped the crowd. He then ordered his troops to open the circle and brought Gruters out. Later that night, at 11 PM, the commander’s wife cooked Gruters a cassava meal in a small, abandoned bamboo hut. Gruters stayed in the commander’s small village, which had about a thousand people, for four days before being turned over to the regular military and transported to North Vietnam’s prison system.

   The militia commander’s extraordinary actions, including facing down his own villagers, saved Gruters’ life from the angry mob.

4. Reunion with the Militia Commander in 2023
   In 2023, Gruters returned to Vietnam and met the militia commander who saved his life 55 years prior. The reunion took place at the commander’s home in his village, attended by Gruters, his son, and daughter, along with the commander, his wife, and 20 other people from the rescue area, including two soldiers who had initially captured Gruters. The 84-year-old commander, still wearing the same uniform he wore when he captured Gruters, had eight children, including a 60-year-old daughter with Down syndrome who was also present. The commander had kept the nose wheel strut, a 6-8 foot long, thick piece of steel from the wreckage of Gruters’ F-100 fighter, which had crashed near the village. For the reunion, he had it cut into pieces and gave Gruters three pieces of the strut.

   The reunion was deeply emotional and significant, highlighting the lasting impact of the commander’s humanity and unique bravery in protecting an enemy pilot.

5. Life as a Prisoner of War (POW) in Vietnam
   Gruters was held in six different prison camps, including two stays at the Hanoi Hilton, for over five years until his release in 1973. For the first three years, POWs were kept isolated in one- and two-man rooms, often with one other man. Communication was strictly forbidden, and if heard above a whisper, it resulted in weeks of severe torture. This isolation was designed to make POWs believe they were the only ones resisting, making them easier targets for interrogators. However, POWs developed a tap code to communicate through walls, which was crucial for maintaining morale and knowing that everyone was resisting under orders. They maintained a strong code of conduct, led by excellent leadership, and resisted giving any information to the enemy, relying on “total trust in God” and prayer. Every Sunday at noon, during the guards’ siesta, all POWs would collectively say the Our Father, the 23rd Psalm, and the Pledge of Allegiance, a practice initiated by their leadership.

   POWs maintained a strong code of conduct and resisted giving information to the enemy, relying on faith, prayer, and collective resistance, which was essential for enduring the “truly hopeless” situation and severe torture.

6. Release from POW Camp in 1973
   Gruters and other POWs were released in February and March of 1973, specifically Gruters on March 14, 1973, as part of the third release. This release was a direct result of the 1972 Christmas bombing by B-52s, which compelled North Vietnam to sign a peace agreement in January. Gruters’ brother was a pilot in one of those B-52s, literally helping to bomb him out. Prior to their release, 200 POWs, including Gruters, were held in literal dungeons in the mountains near the Chinese border, a no-fly zone for US forces, with no electricity, where they were told they would die. They were sustained by monthly rations of bread and water brought by truck. In January, an unusual second truck arrived, followed by many more, signaling their departure. They were loaded onto trucks, 20 men per truck, blindfolded and in leg irons and handcuffs, enduring a difficult journey back to Hanoi. During a refueling stop, their convoy commander announced, “don’t worry, you’ll be home,” which spread like lightning. After the peace agreement was read on January 20th, they were released. They first went to the Philippines for processing, where they were fitted with uniforms and clothes after years in prison pajamas, before returning to the US to meet their families. The peace agreement also led to South Vietnam’s freedom, but two years later, in 1975, North Vietnam invaded again, and the US Congress prevented intervention, leading to South Vietnam’s conquest.

   The Christmas bombing was crucial for their release, as they believed they would never get out otherwise, and their journey home was a stark transition from years of brutal captivity.

7. Communication with Family During Imprisonment
   Gruters’ wife, Sandy, did not receive a letter from him for over two and a half years. Initially, POWs were not allowed to write home unless they agreed to cooperate with the enemy. For the first two and a half to three years, 3,500 pilots were missing, and their families had no knowledge of whether they were alive or dead. After two and a half years, due to a “ruckus” raised by the wives, including Sandy’s pilgrimage to Santa Ana de Bolpre, and significant public outcry questioning the cruelty of withholding information, the Vietnamese finally allowed the 500 surviving pilots to write home. Sandy learned Gruters was alive when a friend called her to say she had received a letter from him.

   The lack of communication caused immense distress for families, and letters were only permitted after significant public pressure and the collective efforts of the POWs’ wives.

8. Life After Being a POW
   After his release, Gruters retired from the military in August due to significant physical problems sustained during his captivity. He then worked as an IBM salesman in New York for five to seven years, selling computers, leveraging his engineering education and attending IBM schools. Subsequently, he became an airline pilot for Eastern Airlines for 17-20 years, as he could fly an airliner even if he couldn’t fly a fighter due to his injuries. After retiring from the airlines, he went into a computer business with his brother and has been speaking ever since, noting he has “never truly retired.”

   Gruters continued to have a productive and varied career after his military service, adapting to new challenges despite his physical limitations.

9. Current Activities and Speaking Engagements
   Gruters continues to speak to various audiences, focusing on leadership, his experiences in a communist prison camp, and the importance of faith. He also enjoys gardening at home. He has written “two or three books” and enjoys sharing his story. As one of the youngest POWs, he was not a leader, which gives him a unique perspective to tell “great leadership stories.” He emphasizes the “completely alien” nature of a communist prison camp, which is unlike anything in the United States. Listeners are encouraged to search “Guy Gruters” online to find his books or contact him for speaking engagements.

   He finds fulfillment in sharing his story and lessons learned, particularly about the unique and alien nature of the prison camp experience and the power of leadership and faith, offering a distinct perspective as a non-leader POW.