Six Degrees of the Bracelet: Vietnam’s Continuing Grip

Six degrees of separation refers to the idea that
everyone is at most six steps away from, or
connected to, any other person on Earth.



While the Vietnam War was raging,
silver bracelets were created to raise
awareness of, and show support for,
American servicemen who were prisoners of
war (POW) or missing in action (MIA). After
the war, black bracelets were produced to
pay homage to any of our armed forces killed
in action (KIA). The orange bracelet is more
recent and symbolizes all those, living and
deceased, who have suffered from diseases,
combat wounds, and post traumatic stress
resulting from their Vietnam service. These
bracelets honor the memory and sacrifice
of our troops—one of the central goals of
this book.



In December 2009, John Siegfried
discovered the silver POW/MIA bracelet that
his mother-in-law had worn for over 20
years. Curiosity urged him to contact the
person named on the bracelet, a contact
that inspired him profoundly and set him
on a path that resulted in this book. Colonel
Myron Donald willingly shared the story
of both his service and imprisonment as
a POW in Vietnam. In a personal meeting
with Colonel Donald, Siegfried learned the
harrowing details of how Donald overcame
over five years imprisonment in the horrid
conditions of North Vietnamese prisons.
This story opened his eyes to the harsh
reality and bitter tragedy of a savage war
and inspired him to begin researching the
stories of others affected by the Vietnam War.
This book contains many of those stories, as
well as compelling insights into Siegfried’s
own journey of discovery. All interviews
within this book are true accounts and were
conducted in person throughout the United
States.



You will be riveted by the indescribable
stories told by veterans, about veterans, and
for veterans, and by the families of the lost
or still missing MIAs. More than 3,400,000
men and women served in Southeast Asia.
Although close to 60 percent of all Vietnam
veterans who served in-country are no
longer alive, the families of all these veterans
will continue to be affected by the Vietnam
War for generations. This book illustrates the
misery and despair experienced by both
soldiers and victims of this visceral war, but
also the exhilaration of combat, and the
camaraderie felt, during their respective
tours, to present day.



The understanding of warfare, combined
with the appreciation of all the elements
derived from combat, is necessary to better
comprehend the effects of battle on those
who have sworn to protect our country.
Even if our soldiers did not incur flesh
wounds, they may have suffered irreparable
damage to their emotions, their psyche,
and their soul. We civilians may never know
or be able to comprehend the degradation
caused to their human spirit and the
violence and brutality they encountered.
We need also to continue to support these
men and women in the aftermath of their
courageous service.