Can you imagine spending over 1,000 days as a Prisoner of War in a North Korean labor camp, losing over 100 pounds, and wondering if you will ever return home? That is exactly what BVA member Corporal Cecil Phipps lived through.

Cecil was born on May 20, 1930, and enlisted into the US Army in 1950 and was quickly sent to Okinawa, Japan. Just one month later, the Korean War broke out and Cecil was shipped to Pusan, Korea, on August 1, 1950, via a Japanese Fishing Boat.

Cecil fought on the front lines through the country into North Korea until November of 1950. On November 28, Cecil was separated from his unit during combat and captured as a POW by Chinese communist soldiers. Cecil, along with other POWs were marched into China before being held in North Korea at Pyok Tong Camp and Camp #3.

For 33 months, Cecil was fed only two bowls of millet per day and dropped from 195lbs to 75lbs. He survived winters in a small shack with 10-16 other men, sharing body heat to stay warm.

Despite the conditions, Cecil managed to maintain his morale. Although it wasn’t easy, he “had a lot of faith in God, and a lot of faith in the United States.” Cecil and the other POWs talked to each other about what they left behind – maintaining hope that one day they would be released.

Finally, on August 28, 1953, via trucks, trains, helicopters, and boats, Cecil and a few other POWs were released to the United States. Cecil was welcomed home to Fort Dodge, Iowa, by the mayor in a ceremony at City Hall.

Cecil found work, got married, and seemed to adjust back into civilian life. For 25 years, Cecil quietly battled the memories that would eat most people alive.

“Some friends of mine had been talking to me about coming to these POW meetings. I wasn’t really interested. I thought, they’ll all be in there cryin’ about all the problems they had. And I had just as many as they did. But a friend of mine finally convinced me to go to one of ‘em, and I did, and it was nice to talk to somebody who’d been there, went through the same thing you did. They knew what you were saying.”

Cecil found solace in the Korean War Ex-POW Association meetings and is still a member 20 years later.

“Freedom is NOT free,” Cecil states. But it “Was worth it. They [South Koreans] are very thankful for their freedoms. They were very appreciative we were there.”

Today, Cecil is adjusting to life with sight loss. Despite the trials he went through and the trials that come with sight loss, Cecil continues to persevere and help others by telling his stories and connecting with other POWs and veterans dealing with sight loss.

Learn more about Cecil Phipps’ story here.