John 'Spike' Nasmyth - 1941 to Present - POW, 1966 to 1973

Spike Nasmyth, formerly; Major John Heber Nasmyth - United States Air Force, was born in California and lived there until his departure to Vietnam.

Spike graduated from the University of Idaho in 1962 with a degree in psychology and a commission as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force.  Four years later, he was flying F-4 Phantoms from Ubon Air Force Base in Thailand with the 555th Fighter Squadron (The 'Triple Nickel' Squadron - the same squadron Captain Scott O'Grady was serving when he was shot down over Bosnia, nearly 30 years later - June 2, 1995).

Air Force 'Fighter Pilot' Nasmyth joined thousands of Americans in their country's service, flew numerous dangerous missions, then was shot down (September 4, 1966) and held prisoner by the North Vietnamese for six and a half years (until February 12, 1973).

No word of Spike's fate came for three years, but his family never gave him up for lost.  They and other MIA/POW families awakened the nation and influenced the course of history.  They forged an alliance of Americans who would not rest until their men came home safely.

In 1984, Spike and his sister, Virginia, published a book entitled; "HANOI - Release John Nasmyth".  This book chronicles both the hardships of the American POW's at the hands of their North Vietnamese captors and of the undying love of this family and their refusal to give up hope.

In 1991, Spike penned the book:  "2355 Days - a POW's story", which further details the courage and devotion to duty our soldiers displayed in the face of a ruthless enemy bent on demoralizing and "breaking" them.

These two books are "must reads" for both military history buffs and Naesmyth family members.

Spike has since retired from the Air Force and currently lives in Southern California, is happily married and still enjoys flying.

Spike's family originally came to the United States from Scotland via Canada.  Unlike most of our U.S. cousins which came to the states from Scotland via Ireland.