Doug Hegdahl

Douglas Brent Hegdahl (born September 3, 1946) is a former United States Navy petty officer second class (E-5) who was held as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War. After an early release, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 fellow POWs, as well as reveal the conditions of the prisoner-of-war camp. and he was given nearly free run of the camp.

He reported that fellow U.S. captives in the Vietnam War would authenticate a new prisoner's U.S. identity by using "Shave and a Haircut" as a shibboleth, tapping the first five notes against a cell wall and waiting for the appropriate response. U.S. POWs were then able to communicate securely with one another via a tap code. Then, with the help of Joseph Crecca, a U.S. Air Force officer and fellow prisoner, Hegdahl memorized names, capture dates, method of capture, and personal information of about 256 other prisoners. Among other methods, he used the children's song Old MacDonald Had a Farm, repeated constantly, to retain the data.

Hegdahl was one of three POWs (along with Navy Lieutenant Robert Frishman and Air Force Captain Wesley Rumble) who were released on August 5, 1969, as a propaganda move by the North Vietnamese.

Post-war life and wider recognition

After returning to the United States, Hegdahl used his experiences as an instructor at the U.S. Navy's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape school at NAS North Island, San Diego. He left the US Navy as a petty officer second class.

His story was featured on Season 6, Episode 15 of Comedy Central's Drunk History. It was also shown on the streaming provider Amazon Prime, The Night Shift, season four, episode seven.

The Unlikely War Hero: A Vietnam War POW's Story of Courage and Resilience in the Hanoi Hilton, a slice-of-life biography focusing on Hegdahl's Vietnam War and post-war experiences, by the journalist and historian Marc Leepson, was published in December 2024 by Stackpole Books.

Awards

Purple HeartCombat Action RibbonNavy Meritorious Civilian Service AwardNavy Meritorious Unit CommendationPrisoner of War MedalNational Defense Service MedalVietnam Service MedalRepublic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit CitationVietnam Campaign Medal