MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER URGES MILITARY STRENGTH

Col. George E. "Bud" Day, who spent 67 months as a prisoner of war in Vietnam and is the most decorated officer since Gen. Douglas MacArthur, urged local veterans Saturday night to keep pressure on politicians for a strong defense.

"We need to have a unified voice and we need to be heard," said Day at a reception hosted by the Cape County Joint Veterans Council. "Terrible things are happening to our defense budget these days. It is one of the largest uncommitted parts of the budget, and is always the prime target of politicians."

Day said the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that began World War II is an indication of what can happen when the United States lets its guard down. As veterans, Day told the group, "one of our roles is to make sure every politician understands what we want."

Day served with the Marines in World War II as a noncommissioned officer and received an appointment as a second lieutenant in the Air National Guard in 1950. He was called to active duty in the Air Force in 1951 and flew combat missions in Korea and Vietnam.

At the time he was shot down over North Vietnam on Aug. 26, 1967, Day was one of the nation's most experienced jet fighter pilots.

Now an attorney in Fort Walton Beach, Fla., Day was in the area this weekend to serve as marshal of the Cotton Carnival Parade in Sikeston and to attend the reception in Cape Girardeau. He was also honored at halftime of the Sikeston High School football game Friday night.

During his military career, the 68-year old Day received more than 70 decorations and awards -- with 50 of them from combat. His honors include the Congressional Medal of Honor.

Day stressed the importance of having a military that can react quickly and get its job down with minimum loss of lives as was done in Iraq. He noted that the 10 days of bombing in Vietnam in December of 1972 that brought about an end to the war, could have accomplished the same result had it been done anytime over the eight preceding years.

Said Day: "We never should be in a position where we can't do what we did in Iraq and do it quick. We, as veterans, need to be the voice of our conscience and of our country to the politicians."

Asked what kept him going during the months of captivity, much of it in solitary confinement, Day said it was very basic things. "We all recognized that it was our faith in God, faith in our country, and faith in our family," he observed.

During his time as a POW, Day said he saw many prisoners mistreated and intimidated, both physically and mentally. Day had his left arm in a sling, which had recently been operated on to correct damage that had been done during his confinement.

To put up with the torture of prison life, Day explained that most prisoners "developed a scheme for transporting their brain." For example, Day said he spent time thinking about how he would remodel houses he owned and mentally reviewed law books.

"It is uncanny what you can remember when you have nothing else to do," quipped Day.

He recalled that for a time, prisoners were moved from individual cells to a large area to be housed together. To pass time, various POWs that had training in certain fields held school.

Day also said he does not believe there are any prisoners still remaining in Vietnam from the war.

He is the author of "Return With Honor," his POW autobiography.