John T. Downey

john t. downey

John T. Downey (1930–2014) was the longest-held prisoner of war in U.S. history. He went on to serve as Commissioner of the Department of Public Utilities for the state of Connecticut and as a Connecticut Superior Court judge. In 2013, the CIA awarded Downey the Distinguished Intelligence Cross, the agency’s highest honor.

Books

Lost in the Cold War by John T. Downey, Thomas J. Christensen, and Jack Lee Downey

Lost in the Cold War by John T. Downey, Thomas J. Christensen, and Jack Lee Downey

Lost in the Cold War | The Story of Jack Downey, America’s Longest-Held POW by John T. Downey, Thomas J. Christensen, and Jack Lee Downey recounts the story of Jack Downey's time as a prisoner in Cold War China. Downey’s lively and gripping memoir—written in secret late in life—interweaves horrors and deprivation with humor and the absurdities of captivity.
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