John A. Dramesi

Colonel John Arthur Dramesi (born February 12, 1933) is a retired U.S. Air Force officer who was held as a prisoner of war at the Hanoi Hilton in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Dramesi is one of only four members of the USAF to be twice awarded the Air Force Cross, the first for the mission on which he was shot down and captured, 2 April 1967, and the second for the six month period following his second escape and recapture, from May to November 1969, when he was beaten and tortured. He also received an award of the Silver Star for gallantry during an escape on 10 May 1967 and the month following his recapture, when he also beaten and tortured.

Dramesi is one of the very few captives who never broke under torture. He was held along with Senator John McCain and has criticized McCain's conduct as a prisoner and after release. McCain would later hail him as "one of the toughest guys I've ever met." Dramesi has also criticized the conduct of a number of his fellow POWs.

Dramesi was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 22 February 1933 and grew up in Blackwood, a neighborhood in Gloucester Township, New Jersey. " He graduated from Rutgers University and its Air Force ROTC program in 1956, and was trained as a fighter pilot flying first F-100 Super Sabres and then F-105 Thunderchiefs. He was shot down over North Vietnam and captured on 1 April 1967.

While a prisoner, Dramesi twice attempted to escape, without success. On the second occasion, his partner, Edwin Atterbury, was killed, and the entire prison population was subjected to "barbaric" reprisals. Plans for a third escape attempt, to be assisted by Navy SEALs in Operation Thunderhead, were cancelled after the SEALs were injured, and one killed, when jumping from a helicopter.

Dramesi was released in 1973. Following his release, he continued his career in the Air Force, serving as a planner for U.S. forces in Europe, commander of the 390th Tactical Fighter Squadron, flying the F-111F Aardvark, and as commander of the 509th Bomb Wing (Strategic Air Command), Pease Air Force Base, New Hampshire. While the commander of the 390th TFS, his autobiography, "Code of Honor" which was initially published in 1975 and again in 1990. He retired in 1982 with the rank of colonel.

Dramesi ran as a Republican for the Congressional seat held by James Florio in 1982, and switched parties in 1990 to run in the Democratic primary to fill Florio's then-vacant seat following his election as Governor of New Jersey.