Vietnam War POW Shares American Dream Story for 2026 Series

Everett Alvarez, a retired U.S. Navy commander living in Maryland, described his path from a working-class upbringing in Salinas, California, to becoming the first American pilot shot down over North Vietnam in August 1964. He said he joined the Navy in 1960 after graduating from the University of Santa Clara and was serving aboard the USS Constellation when he participated in the initial raid tied to the Tonkin Gulf Incident.

Alvarez spent eight and a half years in captivity, first held at the facility later known as the Hanoi Hilton, where prisoners were treated as criminals rather than combatants.

He and fellow prisoners developed a covert communication system between cells to maintain morale and mutual support. Alvarez noted that faith played a role for most of the group and helped them endure harsh conditions that claimed some lives.

He was freed in February 1973 and received a hero’s welcome, including a parade in Santa Clara.

“Young people do not understand; we’ve had it so good here for generations. The interview is part of the American Dream Video Project presented by the New York Post and the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream through July 4, 2026, marking the nation’s 250th anniversary.”