VIETNAM FLIER SAYS U.S. RIGHT THIS TIME

CAPE GIRARDEAU -- Earl G. Lewis Jr., former Vietnam pilot and prisoner of war, applauds the U.S. for fighting the war in the Persian Gulf the way he believes the Vietnam war should have been fought.

"I'm all in favor of it," Lewis said Sunday in a telephone interview. "It looks like we're doing it the way it should have been done then.

"They are letting the military handle it and not tying their hands behind their backs like they did the military leaders in Vietnam."

Lewis, formerly of Cape Girardeau, was held captive by North Vietnamese for 5 years during the Vietnam war. A Navy pilot, he was captured in 1967 when his F-4 Phantom jet was hit by a surface-to-air missile, forcing him to eject.

Lewis was released in 1973 and remained in the Navy until retiring in 1985. He now lives in San Diego, Calif., where he works in construction and real estate. He also consults with the military and makes speeches throughout California. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Earl G. Lewis Sr., and son, Keith, live in Cape Girardeau.

While he was held captive, his oldest son, Earl G. Lewis III, was born. His son now is serving in the Persian Gulf with the Naval Reserve.

"He is the son who was born after I was shot down, and I didn't meet until he was 5 years old," Lewis said.

"He was going to school and his unit was called up," Lewis said. "He works in aircraft, maintaining aircraft."

Lewis said he hasn't heard from his son in quite a while and he doesn't even know where he is stationed. "He's not allowed to tell where he is," he said.

But Lewis said he was pleased his son decided to join the Naval Reserve. "I thought it was a good thing; it will help him get through college. Eventually he wants to fly. Sure, that's okay with me."

Even with his son involved, Lewis said he supports America's involvement in the Persian Gulf.

"I think the cause is just and right. If we didn't do it now, it would probably have cost a lot bigger toll down the road."

As the war broke out last week, many Americans were optimistic about a quick end to the fighting.

Lewis said, "People were optimistic about a quick end because they don't want war."

Lewis, however, was not optimistic. "I know what war is all about. We are going to have some ups and downs with this before it's over.

"But we're doing very well. With over 7,000 sorties and only nine or 10 shot down that's miraculous."

Lewis has been watching news reports of the more than 4,000 air missions that have been flown of captured American pilots.

"Sure this stirs up old memories," he said. "I think I had the same disappointed feeling everyone had when this started. But what I want is for us to go in, fight it and fight it right, not like Vietnam.

"In Vietnam we fought in stages," he said. President Lyndon Johnson "was trying to balance the war with social programs. And we had (Robert) McNamara, secretary of defense, trying to fight a war like you run a business. You can't do that.

"When you go to war, you have to make a full commitment and give the best weapons and best support to soldiers."

That didn't happen in Vietnam, he said. The government tried to fight the war on a budget, he said.

"I was flying missions where I dropped bombs which were World- War II vintage. They were trying to save money. We were risking our lives dropping duds and the enemy was shooting at us with live ammunition.

"War costs a lot of money," he said. "But that's just the half of it.

"In Vietnam, the post-costs were so high. Thousands of people need continuing medical care in VA hospitals. That costs lots of money and lasts years and years.

"If we went in and did it the right way we would have lost less people, and probably it would have cost less in the long run."

Iraqi television has begun broadcasting interviews with captured allied pilots. Lewis responded: "It is against the Geneva convention to make prisoners say things they are not supposed to say for propaganda reasons. It's a war crime.

"And anything those young men say has to be taken with a grain of salt; they are saying those things under duress.

"That's what the Vietnamese did to us. They used to physically torture us to get us to say what they wanted us to say.

"We also have to keep this in perspective. The propaganda is not for world opinion, but for his own people to keep some hope for his own people."

Lewis said he is pleased that polls show many Americans support the president and the troops.

"I think as long as we go all-out we'll have people behind us. But as soon as we start toying with political solutions, then people will start to lose patience. That's what happened in Korea and Vietnam.

"I just think the American people have got to be patient," Lewis said. "We can't be over optimistic and we have to expect that there will be some wins and losses.

"We will probably win if we give the president and men support they need over there."

Lewis said support from the home front is critical for those serving overseas.

"You don't want to put your life on line for something people don't believe in," he said.

And of those protesting the conflict, Lewis said, "I don't agree with them. But as an American we fight for freedom of speech.

"I think the debate should have taken place before we went in. I believe once you go to war, we should all be in support of the president and the troops."