{"id":78622,"date":"2025-06-02T12:03:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-02T12:03:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/uncategorized\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T16:02:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T16:02:24","slug":"how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/","title":{"rendered":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He couldn\u2019t recall how he had gotten there \u2014 all Douglas Hegdahl could remember was leaving behind his glasses in his bunk and going up to the top deck of the cruiser<b> <\/b>Canberra to watch the ship firing its guns off the Gulf of Tonkin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI can\u2019t tell you how I fell from my ship,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/vietnam-war-hanoi-hilton-book-doug-hegdahl-b2662705.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/vietnam-war-hanoi-hilton-book-doug-hegdahl-b2662705.html\">Hegdahl said after his release in 1969<\/a>. \u201cAll I know is, I walked up on the deck. It was dark and they were firing, and the next thing I recall I was in the water.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Picked up by a North Vietnamese fishing boat after treading water for hours, and handed over to the Viet Cong before being brought to H\u1ecfa L\u00f2 Prison, also known as the Hanoi Hilton.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It was there that the 20-year-old sailor from Clark, South Dakota, began one of the greatest non-combatant cons of the war.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Deemed a low-value prisoner due to his low rank, Hegdahl began to exploit this perception. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI had probably the most embarrassing capture in the entire Vietnam War,\u201d Hegdahl said in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?sca_esv=151be9a0a91a555a&amp;q=The+Unlikely+War+Hero:+A+Vietnam+War+POW%27s+Story+of+Courage+and+Resilience+in+the+Hanoi+Hilton&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAB3MuwrCQBBG4UIEEWwsrX5sBJs1KQykE5t0itdOWJMxWbKZwc0mGh_HJ_XSHb7iDHrjoarUIrxn0XM5HalcBUH7eIVtHkTzSZnG6ipSKt34Qlz86xrCtnv3L4eCcGRrSrIdztohIScxVjgZ8qyrv20351mNvRfXQW5YS-N0TtCcYUe1sYY4JRiG_94SzWKQGOuFP7Qlc2eaAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiV3ufl1MuNAxVMD1kFHVXJNa0QgOQBegQILBAG&amp;biw=1238&amp;bih=815&amp;dpr=1.8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/www.google.com\/search?sca_esv=151be9a0a91a555a&amp;q=The+Unlikely+War+Hero:+A+Vietnam+War+POW%27s+Story+of+Courage+and+Resilience+in+the+Hanoi+Hilton&amp;stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAB3MuwrCQBBG4UIEEWwsrX5sBJs1KQykE5t0itdOWJMxWbKZwc0mGh_HJ_XSHb7iDHrjoarUIrxn0XM5HalcBUH7eIVtHkTzSZnG6ipSKt34Qlz86xrCtnv3L4eCcGRrSrIdztohIScxVjgZ8qyrv20351mNvRfXQW5YS-N0TtCcYUe1sYY4JRiG_94SzWKQGOuFP7Qlc2eaAAAA&amp;sa=X&amp;sqi=2&amp;ved=2ahUKEwiV3ufl1MuNAxVMD1kFHVXJNa0QgOQBegQILBAG&amp;biw=1238&amp;bih=815&amp;dpr=1.8\">1997 interview with author and veteran Marc Leepson<\/a>. \u201cI found that my defense posture was just to play dumb. Let\u2019s face it, when you fall off your boat, you have a lot to work with.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pretending to be illiterate and suffering from a cognitive disability, Hegdahl\u2019s ruse eventually led to his captors giving the American prisoner of war more leeway within the harsh confines of the prison, which often included regular use of severe torture and harsh interrogation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unlike many prisoners who were not allowed to interact with one another, Hegdahl was given more freedom to interact with POWs \u2014 which he used to his advantage. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After his initial capture in 1967, Hegdahl quietly began to collect vital information, covertly communicating with fellow POWs, memorizing the names, capture dates and personal details of approximately 256 other American prisoners, according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/veteransbreakfastclub.org\/the-story-of-vietnam-pow-doug-hegdahl\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/veteransbreakfastclub.org\/the-story-of-vietnam-pow-doug-hegdahl\/\">Veterans Breakfast Club<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">He developed mnemonic devices, including the nursery rhyme <a href=\"https:\/\/www.lowellmilkencenter.org\/programs\/projects\/view\/douglas-hegdahl-the-incredibly-stupid-one\/hero\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/www.lowellmilkencenter.org\/programs\/projects\/view\/douglas-hegdahl-the-incredibly-stupid-one\/hero\">\u201cOld McDonald Had a Farm,\u201d<\/a> and repeated the information constantly to ensure he would not forget it. He also managed to glean the exact location of the infamous camp.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Dubbed \u201cThe Incredibly Stupid One\u201d by North Vietnamese guards, Hegdahl frequently frustrated their attempts to use him for propaganda purposes. Feigning compliance, Hegdahl would read out statements criticizing the U.S., but they were so laced with errors and the performance so flat that they were rendered unusable by his captors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI was so mad about their propaganda that it became a personal war to think how I could mess it up,\u201d <a href=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Unlikely-War-Hero-Vietnam-Resilience\/dp\/0811772926\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/www.amazon.com\/Unlikely-War-Hero-Vietnam-Resilience\/dp\/0811772926\">Hegdahl recalled in a 1972 interview<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Despite most of the American officers having a \u201cNo Go Home Early\u201d pact, Hegdahl was released in 1969 with the support of imprisoned senior officers in order to bring back valuable intelligence to the U.S. government. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">His meticulous recall of names provided a comprehensive list of POWs held in Vietnam, including the reclassification of 63 service members previously listed as missing in action to POW.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After his release from the Army, Hegdahl moved to San Diego, but never stopped serving his country. He began working as an instructor in the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape, or SERE, school in San Diego Bay. One of his students, William J. Dougherty, a CIA officer, was among the 52 hostages held in the U.S. Embassy during the 1979 Iranian Hostage Crisis. <a href=\"https:\/\/indiaclub.com\/products\/15863-executive-secrets?srsltid=AfmBOoqvCc6AEVSlHHHfY6odpmyqG3uQodAaHo9ryymA8DVmAVk6yC0-\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/indiaclub.com\/products\/15863-executive-secrets?srsltid=AfmBOoqvCc6AEVSlHHHfY6odpmyqG3uQodAaHo9ryymA8DVmAVk6yC0-\">Dougherty credits Hegdahl\u2019s lectures with helping him keep his<\/a> \u201csanity, dignity and secrets intact.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Leepson, Hegdahl\u2019s quick thinking and coolness under immense strain should be recognized.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think it was one of the most heroic acts not in combat during the Vietnam War,\u201d Leepson told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/vietnam-war-hanoi-hilton-book-doug-hegdahl-b2662705.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"\" title=\"https:\/\/www.independent.co.uk\/news\/world\/americas\/vietnam-war-hanoi-hilton-book-doug-hegdahl-b2662705.html\">The Independent<\/a>. \u201cAnd I think that\u2019s something that people should know.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Dubbed &#8220;The Incredibly Stupid One&#8221; by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":109448,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":87,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[101,87,12,26,19,65],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3383],"class_list":["post-78622","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-daily-news-roundup","category-military-history","category-news","category-newsletters","category-veterans","category-your-navy"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"ZTTWLQLMU5DBFF6YN47HQNJM4M","arc_canonical_url":"\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives - Navy Times<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Dubbed &quot;The Incredibly Stupid One&quot; by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Dubbed &quot;The Incredibly Stupid One&quot; by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Navy Times\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Claire Barrett\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Claire Barrett\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"3 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\n\t    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n\t    \"@graph\": [\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Article\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#article\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"author\": {\n\t                \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"headline\": \"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00\",\n\t            \"mainEntityOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"wordCount\": 630,\n\t            \"commentCount\": 0,\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg\",\n\t            \"articleSection\": [\n\t                \"Daily News Roundup\",\n\t                \"Military History\",\n\t                \"News\",\n\t                \"Newsletters\",\n\t                \"Veterans\",\n\t                \"Your Navy\"\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"CommentAction\",\n\t                    \"name\": \"Comment\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#respond\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebPage\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives - Navy Times\",\n\t            \"isPartOf\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"primaryImageOfPage\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#primaryimage\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"thumbnailUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg\",\n\t            \"datePublished\": \"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00\",\n\t            \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Dubbed \\\"The Incredibly Stupid One\\\" by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.\",\n\t            \"breadcrumb\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#breadcrumb\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ReadAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": [\n\t                        \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/\"\n\t                    ]\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#primaryimage\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg\",\n\t            \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/08\\\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"BreadcrumbList\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/2025\\\/06\\\/02\\\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\\\/#breadcrumb\",\n\t            \"itemListElement\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 1,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Home\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"home\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 2,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Veterans\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"veterans\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 3,\n\t                    \"name\": \"Military History\",\n\t                    \"item\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/veterans\\\/military-history\\\/\",\n\t                    \"ad_zone\": \"military-history\"\n\t                },\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"ListItem\",\n\t                    \"position\": 4,\n\t                    \"name\": \"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives\"\n\t                }\n\t            ]\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"WebSite\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#website\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"description\": \"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times\",\n\t            \"publisher\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"potentialAction\": [\n\t                {\n\t                    \"@type\": \"SearchAction\",\n\t                    \"target\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"EntryPoint\",\n\t                        \"urlTemplate\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/?s={search_term_string}\"\n\t                    },\n\t                    \"query-input\": {\n\t                        \"@type\": \"PropertyValueSpecification\",\n\t                        \"valueRequired\": true,\n\t                        \"valueName\": \"search_term_string\"\n\t                    }\n\t                }\n\t            ],\n\t            \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\"\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Organization\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#organization\",\n\t            \"name\": \"Navy Times\",\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/\",\n\t            \"logo\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2026\\\/06\\\/navy-logo-white.png\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"Navy Times\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/logo\\\/image\\\/\"\n\t            }\n\t        },\n\t        {\n\t            \"@type\": \"Person\",\n\t            \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1\",\n\t            \"name\": \"migration\",\n\t            \"image\": {\n\t                \"@type\": \"ImageObject\",\n\t                \"inLanguage\": \"en-US\",\n\t                \"@id\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec\",\n\t                \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"contentUrl\": \"https:\\\/\\\/secure.gravatar.com\\\/avatar\\\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g\",\n\t                \"caption\": \"migration\"\n\t            },\n\t            \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/one.sightlinemg.com\\\/navytimes\\\/author\\\/migration\\\/\"\n\t        }\n\t    ]\n\t}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives - Navy Times","description":"Dubbed \"The Incredibly Stupid One\" by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.","robots":{"index":"noindex","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives","og_description":"Dubbed \"The Incredibly Stupid One\" by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.","og_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/","og_site_name":"Navy Times","article_published_time":"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00","author":"Claire Barrett","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Claire Barrett","Est. reading time":"3 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/"},"author":{"name":"migration","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1"},"headline":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives","datePublished":"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/"},"wordCount":630,"commentCount":0,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg","articleSection":["Daily News Roundup","Military History","News","Newsletters","Veterans","Your Navy"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/","name":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives - Navy Times","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg","datePublished":"2025-06-02T12:03:00+00:00","dateModified":"2026-08-08T16:02:24+00:00","description":"Dubbed \"The Incredibly Stupid One\" by his captors, 20-year-old sailor Douglas Hegdahl was quietly building intelligence.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg"},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/2025\/06\/02\/how-a-pow-humming-old-mcdonald-at-hanoi-hilton-saved-lives\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","ad_zone":"home"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Veterans","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/","ad_zone":"veterans"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Military History","item":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/veterans\/military-history\/","ad_zone":"military-history"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"How a POW humming \u2018Old McDonald\u2019 at Hanoi Hilton saved lives"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#website","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","name":"Navy Times","description":"Independent News For Sailors | Navy Times","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#organization","name":"Navy Times","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/navy-logo-white.png","caption":"Navy Times"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"}},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/#\/schema\/person\/cc76c831bb37a926738c8391fca7a3b1","name":"migration","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=gcf4cb6ee0ec29e49e7a963234e4340ec","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/9e8d47be443ce94ce7fc357677b5f9c70235bb1f59e7267a102a74af58c04f59?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"migration"},"url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/author\/migration\/"}]}},"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"distributor_meta":false,"distributor_terms":false,"distributor_media":false,"distributor_original_site_name":"Navy Times","distributor_original_site_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes","push-errors":false,"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Image-8.jpeg.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78622","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/7"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=78622"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78622\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":78639,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/78622\/revisions\/78639"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=78622"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=78622"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=78622"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/navytimes\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=78622"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}