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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">One could say that <em>James Nicholas “Nick” Rowe</em> lived on borrowed time. As a prisoner of the Viet Cong for over five years, 29 Oct 1963-31 Dec 1968, death could have come at any time. Yet, with tenacity, spirit and an abiding faith in his nation, he survived and escaped. His expe­riences are recorded in his book, <em>Five Years to Freedom</em>, and were put into practice as chief of the Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape Department of the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School. Ultimately, he became the com­mander of the Center and the School’s 1st Special Warfare Training Battalion.</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">Where does one gain the will to be all one can be? Born in McAllen, TX, his father, a World War I veteran, encouraged him to become an Army officer. His older brother, Richard, died at West Point three months prior to graduation in 1944, and six-year old Nick vowed to complete the job. Under this patriotic umbrella, he excelled at West Point in leadership, athletics and the will to pass the courses that led to graduation. His hu­mor, perseverance, engaging personality, and eagerness to help classmates made this “runt” a giant among his peers.</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">While not eager to make the trek up the hill to the Cadet Chapel on Sundays, he often escaped after roll call through the “sinks” to his Red Boy. Upon his first visit to West Point after his escape from the Viet Cong, however, he told company mates that he survived by recalling the sermons he heard in Chapel. Nick also said:</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">“The Lord only tests those he loves” and he knew at that time that the Lord really loved him. Chaplain Paul Barkey, JFK Center, described Nick as “a Christian, a man of committed faith, equally at home with presidents or pri­vates. He knew the price of freedom. He was prepared to make that full sacrifice.” Later, Nick returned to West Point to speak to graduating classes about his experiences and means of survival. A class daughter regretted that he departed for the Philippines before speaking to her Class of 1988.</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">Nick’s time on earth ran out on 21 Apr 1989, when an assassins’ bullet struck a final blow while he was headed to work as chief, Ground Forces Division, Joint U.S. Military Assistance Group, Philippines. It was fitting that his expertise in counter-insurgency op­erations should be utilized in defending de­mocracy and freedom against the 20-year communist insurgency in that distant coun­try. President Bush expressed deepest sympa­thy. Defense Secretary Dick Cheney called Nick “a true hero whose military career ex­emplified dedication to his country and to freedom.” Army Chief of Staff GEN Carl E. Vuono called Nick “a personal friend and a selfless and faithful soldier ... he kept faith with the ideals of America.” U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines, Nicholas Platt, stated “We will not be deterred by terrorists; Nick Rowe would have it no other way.”</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">Bert Spivey, classmate, Ranger buddy, and bachelor roommate during Special Forces training, indicated in presenting the eulogy at the Ft. Myer Chapel that Nick, “a man who was passionate about everything he did, his Family, and the motto of the Green Berets: ‘De Oppresso Liber,’ would far rather that we all celebrate his ultimate freedom, the liberation of that indomitable spirit from the oppression of moral restric­tions.” Bert pleaded that we “don’t let this extremely powerful Spirit for Freedom go to waste...use this Spirit of Freedom as a tool, a club, to beat down the misguided will of oppressing guerrillas...symbol­ize it to inspire the resolve in all men and women to not give up the fight for freedom whatever the risks.” A lesser man, a man without Nick’s faith in God, without his so obviously cherished ideals of Duty, Honor, Country, without his POW-tested resolve to not let the bastards of this moral world hold you down, might have been more conserva­tive, but he pushed on.” He went on to say, “Freedom and those who champion such a cause with such fervor are to be cherished and celebrated, not mourned. Nick couldn’t and wouldn’t accept anything else. As much as I know they hurt from his physical loss,” his family would want “all of us to dry our eyes, stand up straight, and not be afraid to be counted in continuing his and our quest for freedom.”</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4">Nick is survived by Susan, his true OAO and wife-partner who shared his dedica­tion to our country; their two sons, Stephen Alexander and Brian Whitford; and his firstborn by a previous marriage, Deborah, and her sister Christina. We commend to Almighty God our company mate, our brother in arms, our dear friend, and faithful husband and father—well done thou good and faithful servant.</font></font></font></p>
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<font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><font color="#1a171c" face="Angsana New" size="4"><em>—Susan and “Deacon” from M-1</em></font></font></font></p>
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