Believed To Be Alive

On 31 March 1951 a young Navy helicopter pilot, Lt. John W. Thornton, volunteered for a dangerous mission to rescue a key intelligence unit trapped on a high ridge behind enemy lines in Korea. Although he wrecked his craft in the operation, he immediately directed other helicopters to the scene to evacuate the marooned personnel. His resourcefulness and bravery - he gallantly refused to be rescued himself, despite rapidly advancing enemy forces - won him the Navy Cross. This first-hand account of his exploits that day and during the following three years he spent in captivity tell of courage, cruelty and compassion. His descriptions of combat are chilling, and his account of brainwashing is revealing and not without humour. The book earned high acclaim on first publication in 1981; now back in print after twenty-three years it promises to attract new generations wanting to learn about the Korean War and its often overlooked heroes.