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         Lt. Cmdr Ray Voden, of McLean, Virginia endured her broadcasts for almost eight years after being shot down over Hanoi on 3 April 1965.  Hanoi Hannah's broadcasts often stirred up argument among the POWs, there were near fist fights over the program.  Some guys wanted to hear it, while other guys tried to ignore it.  Personally, I listened because I was never influenced and usually gleaned information, reading between the lines.  They always exaggerated our aircraft losses, often claiming hundreds of U.S. planes shot down around Hanoi when we had not heard anti-aircraft fire for weeks.  Once they piped in the BBC news by mistake and for once we really heard what was going on in the world.  The music was the best part of Radio Hanoi and sometimes playing American tunes that were supposed to make us homesick had the opposite effect.  One time they played "Downtown" by Petula Clark and everyone started dancing and yelling for an hour...just went wild.  Another one that gave us a hoot was "Don't Fence Me In" by Ella Fitzgerald, I think.  I taped Christmas messages for Radio Hanoi a few times, most of us did...it was not big deal, but they would make life miserable for you if you didn't.  I've no hatred for them now.  They were doing their job and I was doing mine.  But, no, I wouldn't go out of my way to meet Hanoi Hannah if I was given the chance today.

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Comments by Lt. Cmdr. Ray Voden