# James N. Rowe > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_N._Rowe > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/James_N._Rowe.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_N._Rowe > Source revision: 1352433160 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|United States Army officer (1938–1989)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=October 2013}} {{more citations needed|date=January 2013}} {{Infobox military person | name = James N. Rowe | image = James Rowe discussion.jpg | image_size = | alt = | caption = | nickname = "Nick" | birth_date = {{birth date|1938|2|8}} | birth_place = [McAllen, Texas](/source/McAllen%2C_Texas), U.S. | death_date = {{death date and age|1989|4|21|1938|2|8}} | death_place = [Quezon City](/source/Quezon_City), Philippines | burial_place = [Arlington National Cemetery](/source/Arlington_National_Cemetery) | allegiance = United States | branch = [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) | service_years = 1960–1974
1981–1989 | rank = [Colonel](/source/Colonel_(United_States)) | commands = Army Division, Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group | battles = [Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War)
[Filipino Insurgency](/source/New_Peoples_Army) | awards = [Silver Star](/source/Silver_Star)
[Legion of Merit](/source/Legion_of_Merit)
[Bronze Star Medal](/source/Bronze_Star_Medal) (2)
[Purple Heart](/source/Purple_Heart) (2) | relations = | other_work = Author }} '''James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe''' (February 8, 1938 – April 21, 1989) was a [United States Army](/source/United_States_Army) officer and one of only 34 American [prisoners of war](/source/prisoners_of_war) to escape captivity during the [Vietnam War](/source/Vietnam_War). Colonel Rowe was credited with developing the rigorous US Army [Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape](/source/Survival%2C_Evasion%2C_Resistance_and_Escape) (SERE) training program taught to high-risk military personnel (such as Special Operations Forces and aircrews) and the U.S. Army doctrine which institutionalizes these techniques and principles to be followed by captured personnel. In 1989, Rowe was assassinated by a unit of the [New People's Army](/source/New_People's_Army) in the Philippines called the [Alex Boncayao Brigade](/source/Alex_Boncayao_Brigade). ==Personal life== Rowe was born in [McAllen, Texas](/source/McAllen%2C_Texas), on February 8, 1938, to Lee Delavan and Florence (Survillo) Rowe. He grew up in McAllen, joining his local [DeMolay](/source/Order_of_DeMolay) chapter, and graduated from McAllen High School in 1956 before leaving for the [United States Military Academy](/source/United_States_Military_Academy) at West Point, New York. His older brother Richard had also attended West Point, but died a few months before graduation in 1944.[https://web.archive.org/web/20160504201743/https://externalapps.westpointaog.org/Memorials/Article/23142/] AOG obituary On December 27, 1969, Rowe married Jane Rowe, whom he later divorced. His second wife was Susan. He had two daughters, Deborah and Christina, from his first marriage and two sons, Alex and Brian, from his second marriage.Fowler, Glenn. [https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/22/obituaries/col-james-rowe-51-war-hero-is-killed-in-an-ambush-in-manila.html "Col. James Rowe, 51, War Hero, is Killed in an Ambush in Manila"] ''The New York Times'' April 22, 1989 retrieved August 13, 2015 His first wife, Jane Rowe, died in 2022 in Richmond, Virginia, after dealing with a prolonged illness. ==Military service== Rowe graduated from West Point in 1960 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Army. In 1963, First Lieutenant Rowe was sent to the [Republic of Vietnam](/source/South_Vietnam) and assigned as executive officer of Detachment A-23, [5th Special Forces Group](/source/5th_Special_Forces_Group), a 12-man "A-team". Located at Tan Phu in [An Xuyen Province](/source/Ca_Mau_Province), A-23 organized and advised a [Civilian Irregular Defense Group](/source/Civilian_Irregular_Defense_Group) camp in the [Mekong Delta](/source/Mekong_Delta) region of Vietnam. === Prisoner of war === thumb|left|Rowe, shortly after his escape thumb|Page from Rowe's diary while a POW. Pictured is a sketch of the floorplan of the "Hacienda del Sol", an imaginary resort he came up with to lift his spirits. On October 29, 1963, after only three months in country, Rowe was captured by [Viet Cong](/source/Viet_Cong) elements along with Captain [Humberto "Rocky" R. Versace](/source/Humbert_Roque_Versace) and Sergeant Daniel L. Pitzer while on an operation to drive a Viet Cong unit out of the village of Le Coeur.{{Cite book|title = Five years to freedom|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=pEfSAAAAIAAJ|publisher = Little, Brown|date = 1971|language = en|first = James N.|last = Rowe|pages = 1–55}} Rowe states that the VC were a main force unit due to his observations of their equipment.Rowe 1971, p. 82 Rowe was separated from his fellow Green Berets and spent 62 months in captivity with only brief encounters with fellow American POWs. Rowe was held in the [U Minh Forest](/source/U_Minh_Th%C6%B0%E1%BB%A3ng_National_Park), better known as the "Forest of Darkness," in extreme southern Vietnam. During most of his five years in captivity Rowe was held in a {{convert|3|x|4|x|6|foot}} bamboo cage. As an intelligence officer, Rowe possessed vital information about the disposition of defenses around the CIDG camps, the locations of mine fields, identities of friendly Vietnamese, and unit locations and strengths. Rowe had left his West Point ring at home in the United States, and he told his captors that he was a draftee engineer charged with building schools and other [civil affairs](/source/civil_affairs) projects. The Viet Cong interrogated him unsuccessfully. They gave him some engineering problems to solve and Rowe, relying on the basic instruction in engineering he had received at West Point, successfully maintained his deception. Rowe's deceptive cover was blown, though, when the Viet Cong managed to obtain a list of [American high-value prisoners-of-war](/source/U.S._prisoners_of_war_during_the_Vietnam_War) (POWs), and his name was in the list, identifying him as an intelligence officer. This enraged the VC, prompting them to order his execution. Rowe was then led deep into the jungle to be shot. When his would-be executioners were distracted by a flight of American helicopters, he overpowered his guard, escaped, and flagged down a [UH-1](/source/UH-1) helicopter piloted by Major David E. Thompson. He was rescued on December 31, 1968.{{cite web|title=Colonel James "Nick" Rowe|url=http://www.psywarrior.com/rowe.html|accessdate=25 May 2015}} Rowe had been promoted to [major](/source/Major_(United_States)) during captivity.{{cite web |last = |first = |title = Case Synopsis: Rowe, James Nicholas "Nick" |url=http://www.pownetwork.org/bios/r/r077.htm |accessdate = August 1, 2007}} In 1971, he authored the book ''Five Years to Freedom'', an account of his years as a prisoner of war.thumb|right|200px|''Five Years to Freedom'' === Survival course === In 1981, Rowe was recalled to active duty as a [lieutenant colonel](/source/lieutenant_colonel) to design and build a course based upon his experience as a POW. ''Survival, Evasion, Resistance, and Escape'' (SERE) is now a requirement for graduation from the U.S. Army [Special Forces Qualification Course](/source/Special_Forces_Qualification_Course). SERE is taught at the Colonel James "Nick" Rowe Training Compound at [Camp Mackall](/source/Camp_Mackall), [North Carolina](/source/North_Carolina). It is considered by many to be the most important advanced training in the special operations field. Navy, Air Force, and Marine [Special Operations](/source/United_States_special_operations_forces) personnel all attend variations of this course taught by their respective services. === Support of Philippine counterinsurgency === By 1987, Colonel Rowe was assigned as the chief of the Army division of the Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG), providing [counterinsurgency](/source/counterinsurgency) training for the [Armed Forces of the Philippines](/source/Armed_Forces_of_the_Philippines). Working closely with the [Central Intelligence Agency](/source/Central_Intelligence_Agency) and intelligence organizations of the [Republic of the Philippines](/source/Republic_of_the_Philippines), he was involved in its nearly decade-long program to penetrate the [New People's Army](/source/New_People's_Army) (NPA), the communist insurgency that threatened to overthrow the Philippines' government. By February 1989, Rowe had acquired intelligence information which indicated that the NPA was planning a major terrorist act. He warned Washington that a high-profile figure was about to be assassinated and that he himself was second or third on the assassination list. Around 07:00 hours on April 21, 1989, as he was being driven to work at the JoJUSMAG headquarters in an armored [limousine](/source/limousine), Rowe's vehicle was hit by gunfire from a .45 caliber pistol and an [M16 rifle](/source/M16_rifle) near a corner of [Tomas Morato](/source/Tomas_Morato) Street and [Timog Avenue](/source/Timog_Avenue) in [Quezon City](/source/Quezon_City).{{cite web |title =People of the Philippines, plaintiff-appellee, vs. Donato B. Continente and Juanito T. Itaas, et al |url=http://sc.judiciary.gov.ph/jurisprudence/2000/aug2000/100801_02.htm |accessdate = May 30, 2016}} Twenty-one shots hit the vehicle; one round entered through an unarmored portion of the vehicle frame and struck Rowe in the head, killing him instantly, while chauffeur Joaquin Vinuya was wounded. A day after the assassination, the NPA claimed responsibility through a letter signed by its commander, [Romulo Kintanar](/source/Romulo_Kintanar), accusing Rowe of being a "direct participant" in President [Corazon Aquino](/source/Corazon_Aquino)'s counterinsurgency campaign.{{cite web|title=Guerrillas claim responsibility for U.S. officer's slaying |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1989/04/22/Guerrillas-claim-responsibility-for-US-officers-slaying/5176609220800/ |access-date=September 11, 2025 |date=April 22, 1989 |last=Mariano |first=Anna |work=UPI}} [Filipino](/source/Filipinos) nationals Juanito T. Itaas (principal) and Donato B. Continente (accomplice) were convicted by a Philippine court in 1991 and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Rowe, and 10 to 17 years for the attempted murder of his driver, Joaquin Vinuya. In 2000, the Supreme Court of the Philippines affirmed the convictions, but reduced Continente's sentence to 14 years, concluding that he was acting as an accomplice, not as a principal. On June 28, 2005, Continente was released from prison. On January 8, 2022, Itaas was released from prison as he was found to have completed the service of his sentence through the Good Conduct Time Allowance Law under Republic Act 10592.{{cite web|title='Longest-held' political prisoner in PH Juanito Itaas released|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/01/08/22/longest-held-political-prisoner-in-ph-released|website=ABS-CBN News|access-date=January 9, 2022}} James N. Rowe was buried at [Arlington National Cemetery](/source/Arlington_National_Cemetery), in [Arlington, Virginia](/source/Arlington%2C_Virginia).{{cite web |url=https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CgRyb3dlEgVqYW1lcxoBbg--/|title=Burial Detail: Rowe, James N. (Section 48, Grave 2165-A)|work= ANC Explorer|publisher=Arlington National Cemetery |id=(Official website)}} ==Politics== Rowe was a staunch [conservative](/source/Conservatism_in_the_United_States) and a strong critic of [George McGovern](/source/George_McGovern) in the 1972 presidential campaign. He ran as a [Republican](/source/Republican_Party_(United_States)) for the office of [Texas comptroller](/source/Texas_comptroller) in 1974, but was easily defeated by [Democrat](/source/Democratic_Party_(United_States)) [Bob Bullock](/source/Bob_Bullock) in a strongly Democratic year because of the [Watergate scandal](/source/Watergate_scandal). Bullock received 1,099,599 votes (71.6%) to Rowe's 419,657 (27.3%). A third-party candidate earned the remaining 16,383 (1%) votes. Rowe did not run for office again and Bullock became a two-term lieutenant governor.{{cite web |last = Garza|first = Alicia A|title = Handbook of Texas Online – Rowe, James Nicholas|url = https://tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/frocv|accessdate = October 20, 2009}} ==Awards and decorations== ===Silver Star=== 70px|left '''Citation:'''
The President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, July 8, 1918 (amended by act of July 25, 1963), takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Major (Field Artillery) James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe (ASN: 0-91033), United States Army, for gallantry in action on 31 December 1968, while a prisoner of the Viet Cong in the U Minh Forest of South Vietnam. During the period 22 to 31 December 1968, after more than five years in Viet Cong prison camps, Major Rowe was forced by his captors to move at least twice daily to avoid friendly airstrikes. On 31 December at approximately 0900 hours, two helicopter gunships began firing into an area approximately 300 meters from his location. The guard detail consisted of one Viet Cong cadreman and five guards, one of whom was assigned to remain with Major Rowe at all times. The guard detail, while monitoring a radio, learned that South Vietnamese infantrymen were searching the terrain nearby. Becoming frightened, the guards moved Major Rowe into a large field of reeds, hoping to evade the infantry force. Major Rowe realized that if he were to escape, he must first get away from some of his guards, so he tricked them into splitting into smaller groups in order to exfiltrate the area. Major Rowe persuaded his one remaining guard that they were being surrounded and kept him moving in a circle through the dense underbrush. While doing so, Major Rowe was able to remove the magazine from the weapon slung across his guard's back. Finding a club, he overpowered his guard, knocking him unconscious, seized his radio, and moved 200 meters into a grassy area. At great personal risk he quickly cleared a section and signaled one of the circling helicopters, which landed and picked him up. His first action after rescue was to request permission to re-enter the area with combat troops and to continue the fight based upon his intimate knowledge of the area. Major Rowe's burning determination to escape, undiminished after five years of intimidation and deprivation, his clear-headedness in formulating an effective plan, and his audacity in executing it successfully, reflect the highest credit on his professionalism and extraordinary courage and are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.{{cite web|title=James Nicholas "Nick" Rowe, Silver Star|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/24708|website=valor.militarytimes.com|accessdate=December 23, 2020}}
===Commendations=== COL Rowe was awarded the following awards throughout his career:{{cite web|title=James N. Rowe|url=http://veterantributes.org/TributeDetail.php?recordID=380|website=veterantributes.org|accessdate=December 23, 2020}} {| style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- |colspan="12"|File:Combat Infantry Badge.svg |rowspan="11" align="center"|115px
100px
100px |- |colspan="12"|{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-leaf|ribbon=Silver Star Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=award-leaf|name=Legion of Merit ribbon|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=oak|other_device=v|ribbon=Bronze Star Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{Ribbon devices|number=1|type=award-leaf|ribbon=Purple Heart ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |106px |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=Prisoner of War Medal|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|name=National Defense Service Medal ribbon|width=106}} |- |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=service-star|ribbon=Vietnam Service Medal ribbon.svg|width=106}}18px18px18px18px |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|ribbon=Army_Service_Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=numeral|ribbon=Army Overseas Service Ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Vietnamese Gallantry Cross ribbon.svg|width=106}}27px |106px |- |colspan="12"|120px |- |{{ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=United States Army and U.S. Air Force Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.svg|width=106}}22px22px22px |{{Ribbon devices|number=0|type=oak|ribbon=Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award_ribbon.svg|width=106}} |{{ribbon devices|number=|type=service-star|other_device=|ribbon=Gallantry_Cross_Unit_Citation.png|width=106}} |} {| class="wikitable" style="margin:1em auto; text-align:center;" |- !Badge |colspan="12"|[Combat Infantryman Badge](/source/Combat_Infantryman_Badge) |rowspan="11" |[Special Forces Tab](/source/Special_Forces_Tab)
[Ranger Tab](/source/Ranger_Tab)
[United States Army Special Forces](/source/United_States_Army_Special_Forces)
{{small|[Combat Service Identification Badge](/source/Combat_Service_Identification_Badge)}} |- !1st Row |colspan="12"|[Silver Star](/source/Silver_Star) |- !2nd Row |colspan="4"|[Legion of Merit](/source/Legion_of_Merit) |colspan="4"|[Bronze Star](/source/Bronze_Star_Medal)
{{small|with ["V" device](/source/%22V%22_device) and 1 [Oak leaf cluster](/source/Oak_leaf_cluster)}} |colspan="4"|[Purple Heart](/source/Purple_Heart)
{{small|with 1 [Oak leaf cluster](/source/Oak_leaf_cluster)}} |- !3rd Row |colspan="4"|[Meritorious Service Medal](/source/Meritorious_Service_Medal_(United_States)) |colspan="4"|[Prisoner of War Medal](/source/Prisoner_of_War_Medal) |colspan="4"|[National Defense Service Medal](/source/National_Defense_Service_Medal) |- !4th Row |colspan="4"|[Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal](/source/Armed_Forces_Expeditionary_Medal) |colspan="4"|[Vietnam Service Medal](/source/Vietnam_Service_Medal)
{{small|with 1 silver and 3 bronze [Campaign star](/source/Campaign_star)s}} |colspan="4"|[Army Service Ribbon](/source/Army_Service_Ribbon) |- !5th Row |colspan="4"|[Army Overseas Service Ribbon](/source/Army_Overseas_Service_Ribbon) |colspan="4"|[Vietnamese Gallantry Cross](/source/Gallantry_Cross_(South_Vietnam))
{{small|with 1 [Bronze star](/source/Service_star)}} |colspan="4"|[Vietnam Campaign Medal](/source/Vietnam_Campaign_Medal)
{{small|with "60-" device}} |- !Badge |colspan="12"|[Master Parachutist Badge](/source/Parachutist_Badge_(United_States)) |- !Unit
awards |colspan="4"|[Army Presidential Unit Citation](/source/Presidential_Unit_Citation_(United_States))
{{small|with 3 [Oak leaf cluster](/source/Oak_leaf_cluster)s}} |colspan="4"|[Joint Meritorious Unit Award](/source/Joint_Meritorious_Unit_Award) |colspan="4"|[Vietnamese Gallantry Cross Unit Citation](/source/Gallantry_Cross_(South_Vietnam))
{{small|(U.S. Army version)}} |} {{Clear}} ==Memorials== * [James "Nikki" Rowe High School](/source/James_%22Nikki%22_Rowe_High_School) and a major street, Col. Rowe Blvd., formerly known as 2nd St. in [McAllen, Texas](/source/McAllen%2C_Texas), are named in his memory. * The JROTC Drill Teams (Rowe's Rifles, Rowe's Rangers) and Shooting Team (Rowe's Rangers) of [McAllen High School](/source/McAllen_High_School) were named in his honor well before he died. * A training facility, Rowe Hall, at the [US Army Intelligence Center and School](/source/United_States_Army_Intelligence_Center), [Fort Huachuca](/source/Fort_Huachuca), [Arizona](/source/Arizona), was named in his honor. * A training facility, Rowe Hall, Consolidated Training Facility (aka ISOFAC) at 5th Special Forces Group (Airborne), [Fort Campbell](/source/Fort_Campbell), Kentucky, is named in honor of Col. "Nick" Rowe. * Having been a member of the Order of DeMolay as a teenager, he was recognized with both the DeMolay Legion of Honor, the highest honor DeMolay confers and was inducted into the International DeMolay Hall of Fame. * An Order of Knighthood [priory](/source/priory) of [DeMolay International](/source/DeMolay_International) in the state of Florida is named in his memory. * The obstacle course on Camp MacKall, arguably the hardest obstacle course in the Army, is named the "Nasty Nick". * An office facility, the Rowe Building, of the Joint United States Military Assistance Group – Philippines, US Embassy, Manila, was named in his honor. * The Colonel James N. "Nick" Rowe Memorial, located in Veteran's Memorial Park in [Union Beach, New Jersey](/source/Union_Beach%2C_New_Jersey), was dedicated on October 9, 2004, by friends, classmates from the West Point Class of 1960, and comrades-in arms. Among the attendees were Major General Ted Crowley (a classmate), [Ross Perot](/source/Ross_Perot), and Colonel Rowe's widow and children. * The [Defense Intelligence Agency](/source/Defense_Intelligence_Agency) in [Charlottesville, Virginia](/source/Charlottesville%2C_Virginia), dedicated a building on May 2, 2014, in his honor ==References== {{reflist}} * Rowe, James N. (1971) ''Five Years to Freedom''. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. {{ISBN|0345314603}}, {{OCLC|676700998}} ==External links== {{commons category}} * [http://www.psywarrior.com/rowe.html A tribute page on James N. Rowe] * [http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=26336 Random House author page on James N. Rowe] * [http://www.flyarmy.org/panel/battle/68123120.HTM An account of James N. Rowe's rescue by a US Army helicopter crew] * [http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/index.php?pid=16952 Statement by Press Secretary Fitzwater on the Assassination of Colonel James N. Rowe in the Philippines] * [https://web.archive.org/web/20080510152624/http://www.fldemolay.org/knighthood/ Col. James 'Nick' Rowe Priory homepage] * {{cite web|title=James Nicholas Rowe|date=March 2024 |url=http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jamesnic.htm|publisher=at ArlingtonCemetery.net|id=(Unofficial website)}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Rowe, James}} Category:1938 births Category:1989 deaths Category:American anti-communists Category:American military personnel killed in action Category:Assassinated American military personnel Category:Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Category:Deaths by firearm in the Philippines Category:Members of the United States Army Special Forces Category:Military personnel from Texas Category:People from McAllen, Texas Category:Recipients of the Silver Star Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Meritorious Service Medal (United States) Category:American recipients of the Gallantry Cross (Vietnam) Category:Texas Republicans Category:United States Army colonels Category:United States Army personnel of the Vietnam War Category:United States Military Academy alumni Category:American prisoners of war in the Vietnam War Category:American people murdered abroad --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [James N. Rowe](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_N._Rowe) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_N._Rowe?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.