Humbert Roque Versace

West Point, 1959

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by William L. Schwartz on December 19, 1999:

RANGER HALL OF FAME NOMINATION CAPTAIN HUMBERT R. VERSACE TAB A: Nomination Cover Letter INTRODUCTION A. Purpose of Letter Captain Humbert R. Versace, Armor, is hereby nominated for induction into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame. Captain Versace distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while a prisoner of war. Captain Versace's rigid adherence to the Ranger Creed and the Code of Conduct, and his total refusal to acquiesce to his captors demands, resulted in him being summarily executed by his Viet Cong captors on or about 26 September 1965. B. Career Summary CPT Versace graduated from the US Military Academy in 1959 and was commissioned in the Armor. He was a member of Ranger Class 60-4 and was awarded the Ranger Tab. Prior to his 1962 assignment to Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam, he served with 3/40 Armor and the 3d Infantry(Old Guard) II BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF CAPTURE A. Circumstances In October, 1963, CPT Humbert Rocque (Rocky) Versace was a U.S. Army MAAG intelligence advisor assigned to support Province forces(Civil Guard and Self Defense Forces) operating in An Xuyen Province(IV Corps Tactical Zone) in the Mekong Delta Region of South Vietnam. On 29 October, CPT Versace made a liaison visit to the Special Forces Team A-23 camp at Tan Phu to exchange intelligence reports on enemy activities in the area. A determination was made to launch an attack against VC forces in the area. CPT Versace accompanied the attacking CIDG force with Special Forces Team members 1st Lt. Nick Rowe and SFC. Dan Pitzer. CPT Versace was seriously wounded by three BAR rounds to his leg while helping to cover the withdrawal of CIDG forces in the face of a determined and very heavy Viet Cong Main Force attack. At that point CPT Versace, 1st Lt. Nick Rowe and SFC Pitzer as well as the CIDG forces, were almost out of ammunition. CPT Versace had 7 rounds left in his carbine and was about to charge the Viet Cong in one last valiant effort to stop their pursuitt when he was wounded. Row and Pitzer were also wounded and all three captured by the Viet Cong. After being stripped of their boots, weapons, and personal possessions, CPT Versace, 1LT Rowe, and SFC Pitzer were bound and led barefoot into jungle captivity by their Viet Cong captors, somewhere in the vast darkness of the U Minh Forest. CPT Versace had his eye glasses removed, leaving him virtually blind since his vision was very poor without them III SUMMARY OF ACTIONS IN POW CAMPS Upon arrival on the VC jungle prison camp, CPT Versace assumed command as senior prisoner to represent his fellow Americans, and immediately was labeled as a trouble maker by his captors for insisting that the VC honor the Geneva Convention's protections for captured POWs. The Viet Cong didn't acknowledge any protections guaranteed to POWs as required by the Geneva Convention, and considered the three Americans to be "war criminals." Soon CPT Versace was separated from Rowe and Pitzer and put in a bamboo isolation cage six feet long, two feet wide, and three feet high. According to Rowe and Pitzer "He was kept in irons, flat on his back, it was dark and hot [from thatch on the roof and outside bamboo walls], and they only let him out to use that latrine and to eat. What they were trying to do was to break him. They even offered better food and they would let him out if he would cooperate, but he would not. They wanted to get him to (1) quit arguing with them (2) and accept their propaganda. The Vietnamese gave him the word that they knew he was an S-2 Advisor." IV SPECIFIC ACTIONS A. Organizing/Encouraging other POWs Though suffering from a badly wounded and infected leg wound, CPT Versace assumed the position of Senior American Prisoner and demanded that the Viet Cong treat the American prisoners according to the protections of the Geneva Convention. He protested vehemently when the VC cadre refused to recognize them as "prisoners of war," but treated them instead as "war criminals," subject to the whims of individual cadre to decide matters of life or death. For his vociferous protestations against starvation rations, lack of adequate medical treatment for their wounds suffered when captured, deliberate withholding of medicines to treat life threatening diseases, and the overall sub-human living conditions in a brutal jungle environment, CPT Versace was soon ordered to be kept in an isolation hut with thatch on the roof and sides, which made mid-day temperatures inside as hot as an oven. The DOD Prisoner and Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) states that: ". . . CPT Versace demonstrated exceptional leadership by communicating positively to his fellow prisoners. He lifted morale when he passed messages by singing them into the popular songs of the day. When he used his Vietnamese language skills to protest improper treatment to the guards, CPT Versace was again put into leg irons and gagged. Unyielding, he steadfastly continued to berate the guards for their inhuman treatment. The communist guards simply elected harsher treatment by placing him in an isolation box, to put him out of earshot and to keep him away from the other US POWs for the remainder of his stay in camp. However CPT Versace continued to leave notes in the latrine for his fellow inmates, and continued to sing even louder." CPT Versace wouldn't give his captors any information other than the big four of name, rank, service number, and date of birth, as required by the Geneva Convention and the U.S. Code of Conduct B. Active Resistance According to SFC Pitzer "Rocky walked his own path. All of us did but for that guy, duty, honor, country was a way of life. He was the finest example of an officer I have known. To him it was a matter of liberty or death, the big four and nothing more. There was no other way for him. Once, Rocky told our captors that as long as he was true to God and true to himself, what was waiting for him after this life was far better than anything that could happen now. So he told them that they might as well kill him then and there if the price of his life was getting more from him than name, rank, and serial number" SFC Pitzer also noted that "The VC realized Rocky was a captain, Nick[Rowe} a lieutenant, and I a sergeant, so they singled him out as ranking man. Rocky stood toe to toe with them. He told them to go to hell in Vietnamese, French, and English. He got a lot of pressure and torture, but he held his path. As a West Point grad, it was Duty, Honor, Country. There was no other way. He was brutally murdered because of it...I'm satisfied that he would have it no other way. I know that he valued that one moment of honor more than he would have a lifetime of compromises." C. Escape Attempts DPMO records reveal that: "Still suffering from debilitating injuries in the prison camp dispensary three weeks later, CPT Versace took advantage of the first opportunity to escape when he attempted to drag himself on his hands and knees out of the camp through dense swamp and forbidding vegetation to freedom. Crawling at a very slow pace, the guards quickly discovered him outside the camp and recaptured him. After recapture CPT Versace was returned to leg irons and his wounds were left untreated. He was placed on a starvation diet of rice and salt. During this time period Viet Cong guards told other U.S. POWs in the camp that despite beatings, CPT Versace refused to give in. On one occasion a guard attempted to coerce him to cooperate by twisting the wounded and infected leg, to no avail. They described Versace as an 'uncooperative' prisoner." D. Rejection of Brain Washing In February, 1964 the VC cadre forced the American prisoners to attend a political school, which was a combination of 2,000 years of Vietnamese history of repelling foreign invaders from the Chinese all the way to the Americans and their Saigon "puppet" government, and intense political indoctrination from the VC perspective. The VC concept was to repeat the same themes over and over, so that after months of hearing the same lessons, prisoners would become "re-educated" to accept the communist view of their inevitable victory over the Americans and the Saigon government, no matter how long it took to achieve, or the cost in VC and NVA casualties. Rowe recalled that it took two guards to force CPT Versace to attend, since he would not go on his own. ". . . I remember Rocky saying "you can make me come to this class, but I am an officer in the United States Army. You can make me listen, you can force me to sit here, but I don't believe a word of what you are saying." E. Focusing VC wrath on himself rather than Rowe and Pitzer CPT Versace willingly sacrificed his life by focusing all of the anger of the VC cadre on him, instead of 1LT Rowe and SFC Pitzer, so that they might have a better chance to survive. By constantly arguing loudly with his communist cadre in English, Vietnamese, and French, he caused them considerable consternation during a "political school" that was supposed to get the Americans to write statements disloyal to the U.S. government and their South Vietnamese allies. Instead, they got nothing but very loud arguments as CPT Versace was able to take on three indoctrinators easily in three languages. F. Inspiring local villagers CPT Versace and the other US Army prisoners were frequently moved from one POW camp to another. In the case of Versace he was often moved individually without benefit of being near his fellow prisoners. BG(R) John Nicholson participated in the numerous operations launched to free CPT Versace and his fellow prisoners. According to BG Nicholson and others, villagers reported that CPT Versace was paraded through the hamlets with a rope around his neck, hands tied, bare footed, head swollen and yellow in color, with hair turned white. The villagers stated that CPT Versace not only resisted the Viet Cong attempts to get him to admit war crimes and aggression, but would verbally and convincingly counter the VC assertions in a loud voice so that the villagers could hear. The local rice farmers were surprised at CPT Versace's strength of character and his unwavering commitment to his God and the United States. VI ADHERENCE TO HIGHEST STANDARDS A. Code of Conduct CPT Versace's tenacious and heroic adherence to the Code of Conduct was in keeping with the absolutely highest standards of the United States Army and centuries of Ranger tradition. At no point from capture to execution, despite torture and isolation, did CPT Versace provide his captors with any information other than name, rank. Serial number and date of birth. B. Ranger Creed Although the Ranger Creed was not a formalized document when CPT Versace was captured, he lived, and died, by its tenets: 1. Never Shall I Fail My Comrades CPT Versace fought to protect his comrades until seriously wounded by BAR fire. He was about to literally sacrifice himself by attacking the Viet Cong with his remaining seven carbine rounds when wounded. In captivity he was willing to accept death rather than compromise the Ranger Creed, Code of Conduct , and the ideals of Duty, Honor, and Country. As senior American POW, CPT Versace deliberately forced his captors to focus their harsh treatment on him rather that the other American prisoners. His Ranger training, his unshakable belief in God and Country, sustained him throughout his captivity until his death. 2. Under No Circumstances Will I Embarrass My Country CPT Versace resisted all attempts by his captors to force him to embarrass his country, despite torture, deprivation of medical treatment and food and isolation. CPT Versace's active and visible resistance to his captors as he was paraded through the hamlets, impressed the villagers rather than proving the VC point that Americans were not invincible. Villagers added that the worse he appeared physically, the more he smiled and talked about God and America. The last time that any of his fellow prisoners heard from him, CPT Versace was singing "God Bless America" at the top of his voice from his isolation box. On 29 September 1965 the National Liberation Front announced that they had executed CPT Versace, reportedly in reprisal for actions of the South Vietnamese Government 3. Surrender is not a Ranger Word According to a Viet Cong cadre in the POW camp, CPT Versace tried to escape four times. The first attempt took place when he was still in the camp dispensary recovering from his three leg wounds. He was barefoot. CPT Versace was also virtually blind when he made these attempts. After each attempt, CPT Versace was beaten and had his feet manacled. His rice ration was also cut. As then MAJ Nick Rowe said later about CPT Versace, "He could have bent, he could have broken, he could have lived. But he chose not to.." Instead CPT Versace lived and died by the Ranger Creed. C. Medal of Honor Nomination President Nixon verbally directed then Major Nick Rowe to submit the necessary documents to support award of the Medal of Honor to Captain Versace for his heroism before and during captivity. On 17 November 1969 (then) MAJ Rowe submitted a recommendation for posthumous award of the Medal of Honor to CPT Versace. For a number of unexplained reasons related to bureaucratic concerns rather than the nature of Captain Versace's heroism, Department of the Army on 19 may 1971, downgraded the award to the a posthumous Silver Star. US Army Special Forces Command is currently preparing and resubmitting the nomination for the Medal of Honor. VI SUMMARY Captain Versace's induction into the US Army Ranger Hall of Fame is certainly warranted by his heroism and total commitment to the bed rock values which Rangers hold dear-even at the cost of his life. -------------------------Biography------------------------------ US ARMY RANGER HALL OF FAME NOMINATION CAPTAIN HUMBERT R. VERSACE TAB B: Ranger Career Summary Captain Humbert Rocque Versace graduated from the US Military Academy in 1959 and was commissioned in the Armor. He was a member of Ranger Class 4-60 and was awarded the Ranger Tab on 18 December 1959 (Special Orders # 268, USAIC, 18 Dec 59). Upon graduation from Ranger School, CPT Versace attended Airborne School and was awarded the parachutist badge (US Army Infantry Center Special Orders # 27 - Parachutist Badge - 5 FEB 60). He then served with 3/40 Armor, 1st Cavalry Division, Korea, as a medium tank platoon leader from March 1960 to April1961. CPT Versace was then assigned to the 3d Infantry(Old Guard), where he served as a tank platoon leader in Headquarters and Headquarters Company. After volunteering for duty in RVN, he attended (January through April1962) the Military Assistance Institute, the Intelligence course at Ft. Holabird and the USACS Vietnamese language Course. On 12 May 62 Versace was Assigned as Intelligence Advisor, Long Kanh, Province, III Corps ( Xuan Loc). On 4 November 62, Versace was reassigned as Assistant G2 Advisor, Staff Advisory Branch, 5th IN Division, III Corps (Location Bien Hoa). Following the completion of his initial 12 month tour, CPT Versace extended his tour for an additional six months, and was assigned to Advisory Team 70, as Intelligence Advisor to Civil Defense and Self Defense Forces operating in An Xuyen Province(IV Corps Tactical Zone) in the Mekong Delta Region of South Vietnam. It was while in this assignment that CPT Versace was wounded and captured on 29 October, 1962 while on an operation with Special Forces Team A-23, at Tan Phu, on the edge of the U Minh Forest. CPT Versace was a prisoner of the Viet Cong until 26 September 1965, when he was executed by his captors because of his tenacious resistance and rigid adherence to the Code of Conduct and the Ranger Creed. CPT Versace was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart on 2 July 1966 and a posthumous Silver Star on 19 May 1971. His nomination for the Congressional Medal of Honor was lost or misfiled. US Army Special Operations Command is resubmitting the Medal of Honor nomination. CPT Versace was awarded the Combat Infantry Badge during his first tour as an Advisor in Vietnam. He was awarded the Expert Infantryman's Badge while assigned to The Old Guard (Special Orders # 131, Hq 3rd Inf, 5 July 61). CPT Versace was also posthumously awarded the POW medal on 10 November 1999 and Special Forces Tab on 12 July 1999. --------------------Awards and Decoration--------------------------- US ARMY RANGER HALL OF FAME NOMINATION CAPTAIN HUMBERT R. VERSACE TAB G: Assignments, Awards and Decorations Assignments 1 July 1955-3 June 1959: Cadet, USCC, US Military Academy 3 June 1959: Commissioned 2nd LT, Armor 11 August -21 October 1959: Armor Officer Basic Course 2B 23 October-18 December 1959: US Army Ranger School, Class 4-60 22 March 1960 - 11 April 1961: 3rd Battalion, 40th Armor, Medium Tank Platoon Leader, Korea, 16 May 1961- 31 December 1962: HQ 3rd Infantry, Tank Platoon Leader, Ft. Myer, VA, 1st LT 2 January - 26 January 1962: Military Assistance Institute, Arlington, VA 4 February to 5 March 1962: Intelligence Course, US Army Intelligence Center, Ft. Holabird, MD 30 March - 1 May 1962: USACS Presidio Language School, Monterey, CA 12 May - 3 November 1962: Intelligence Advisor, Long Khanh Province, III Corps, Xuan Loc, RVN 4 November 1962- May 1963: Assistant G-2 Advisor, Staff Advisory Branch, 5th Infantry Division, III Corps, Bien Hoa June 62 - October 1963: Advisory Team 70, Intelligence Advisor, An Xuyen, IV Corps Tactical Zone, CPT 29 October 1963- 26 September 1965: Prisoner of War Awards and Decorations Ranger TAB, Special Orders # 268, HQ US Army Infantry Center, 18 December 1959 Parachutist Badge, Special Orders # 27, HQ US Army Infantry Center, 5 February 1960 Expert Infantry Badge, Special Orders # 131, HQ 3rd Infantry, 5 July 1961 Combat Infantry Badge, October 1962(exact date, orders number Unk) Special Forces Tab(Posthumous), 12 July 1999 Silver Star(Posthumous), 19 May 1971 Purple Heart(Posthumous), 2 July 1966 POW Medal(Posthumous), 10 November 1999 Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal

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