Chained Eagle: The Heroic Story of the First American Shot Down over North Vietnam

On August 5, 1964, while Lt. (jg) Everett Alvarez was flying a retaliatory air strike against naval targets in North Vietnam, antiaircraft fire crippled his A-4 fighter-bomber, forcing him to eject over water at low altitude. Alvarez relates the engrossing tale of his capture by fishermen, brutal treatment by the North Vietnamese, physical and mental endurance, and triumphant repatriation nearly nine years later in 1973. Alvarez spent more time as a prisoner of war in Vietnam than any other flier.

As Senator John McCain, a fellow POW, has written, “During his captivity, Ev exhibited a courage, compassion, and indomitable will that was an inspiration to us all.” Indeed, the book, which was written with Anthony S. Pitch, is remarkable for its lack of rancor. Alvarez directs his strongest words against the small number of POWs who broke ranks and collaborated with the enemy. As one reviewer wrote, Alvarez “relates the misery of his condition with a detachment that robs it of its shock value.” Chained Eagle also tells the story of the Alvarez family’s ordeal during his years of imprisonment: His sister became an anitwar activist, his wife divorced him, and relatives died. Yet throughout his time as a prisoner of war, Alvarez remained duty-bound and held steadfast to his religious faith and the values enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.

Everett Alvarez, Jr., is president of Conwal, Inc., a defense-related firm. A recipient of the Silver Star, he retired from the Navy in 1980. Since his release in 1973, he has earned a law degree and was deputy director of the Peace Corps and deputy administrator of the Veterans Administration. Alvarez was featured in The Vietnam War series on PBS by Ken Burns and Lynn Novick. In 2024 Alvarez was awarded a Congressional Gold Medal and in 2025 the seventh Constellation-class frigate will be named the USS Everett Alvarez in his honor. He lives in Rockville, Maryland.

Anthony S. Pitch is a former writer in the books division of U.S. News and World Report. He is the author of several books, including The Burning of Washington: The British Invasion of 1814. He lives in Potomac, Maryland.