John T. Downey (1930–2014) was the longest-held prisoner of war in U.S. history. After his release, he served as a Connecticut Department of Public Utilities commissioner and a Connecticut Superior Court judge. In 2013, the CIA honored him with the Distinguished Intelligence Cross, its highest award.

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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.