126 —Lancaster Farming, Saturday, December 2,1976 Faith 9 farm Charlie Plumb, Kansas farmer and former POW, gave couples attending the Baltimore Farm Credit Forum an inspirational and motivating send-off. By JOYCE BUPP Staff Correspondent COCKEYSVILLE, Md. - “I’m No Hero” is a book, written by Charlie Plumb. Those who’ve heard the outgoing, warm and personable Kansas farmer refuse to accept that opinion. Faith, committment and pride are what sustained the young, farm-reared flier as he waited in solitary con finement, a numbered prisoner captured in enemy territory defending freedom in Vietnam. Today, he says that young farmers must find strength in those same characteristics. Plumb stands as an inspiration to all who hear his spell binding story. He was wrap-up speaker for the Baltimore Farm Credit’s Young Farmers’ Forum, held last week at the Hunt Valley Inn. Motivation is the message of Plumb’s presentation and he sent the young farm couples back home to rural Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and West Virginia rededicated to the challenges of farming. A pilot with an engineering degree from Annapolis Naval Academy, Charlie Plumb was flying his 75th combat mission when enemy fire hit his plane. He and his co-pilot bailed out and watched their jet crash to the A BARGAIN IS ONLY A DEAL WHEN ITS ASM. Ch & M -w* - ll STOLTZFUS WOODWORK RDGap, PA Box 183 1 Mile North Rt 897 From Gap WES STAUFFER SMALL ENGINES NORMAN H. ZIMMERMAN RD 3 Ephrata, PA Myerstown RD 2 Phone (717) 733-9174 Phone < 717 ) 866 4695 ■/ 2 Mile South of Rt 322 on % Mlle West of Myerstown- Pleasant Valley Rd Ephrata Exit New Rt 222 West Mam St commitment, hoy strength u Stihl chain saws last longer and hold up better than any other saws made, and that in itself is a bargain 1 But right now, we're dealing out over $34 worth of free extras to anyone who buys one of our home owner's saws with free matching carry The World s Largest ing case Selling Cham Saw Get it while we’re dealing ground and burn, as they parachuted toward waiting enemy troops. They took his name. They took his clothes and all his possessions. They took his body and tortured it for in formation. They took him to a tiny cell and locked him in solitary confinement. Ultimately, they took six years of his life. After many days in solitary, Plumb received secret contact from another prisoner, Pennsylvania Bob Shoemaker. Eventually, the men were moved to another camp and settled into their day-to-day existence routine. With an overriding desire to communicate among themselves, agamst strict rules govemmg talking, the POW’s devised underground systems of contact. Morse code was tapped on walls and gutteral language of “coughs, sneezes, grunts, wheezes and spits” developed. Spiritual strength became the tie among the fellowship of prisoners and underground prayer list added to their mutual support of one another. After six years of meager vegetable and rice diets, uncertainty about home and loved ones and the discovery of reserves of faith and strength that few knew they possessed, release finally came. “We were given a pair of trousers,” recalled Plumb. “They had pockets - real pockets! And a real zipper! For years, all we’d had were pajama-type clothing with drawstrings.” Only after receiving proof that all the sick and injured had been sent home first did the POW’s finally board the bus sent to haul them to transport planes headed for home and freedom. Today, the Vietnam prison “alumni” meet periodically to renew friendships and keep track of how they’re coping with the return to civilian life. “It appears that most of us are healthier than those who weren’t shot down,” related Plumb, who spent his prison years at a thmned-down 125 pounds. “But that’s because we had to develop proper attitudes to survive; we had to hold fast to the goal to return to our loved ones back home.” Only through total attention to those three ideals-faith, commitment and pride - can young farmers successfully operate under the stress of today’s economic forces, Plumb insists: Walking proof of that belief, he’s returned to the Kansas countryside to crop com and soybeans Pyramid Power The ancient Egyptian pyramid of Cheops was begun as a royal tomb in 2600 BC STIHL .* A &B SALES & SERVICE 2 Miles South of Rt 23 Along 772 Thru Monterey - RD 1 Ronks, PA pride and enthusiasm gave during six years of capture For the big MGS MGS Trailers are exceptionally versatile for contractors, farmers, gardeners, land scapers, movers, appliance dealers, motorcyclists, snowmobilers, car dealers, anti que car buffs, and anyone with bulky materials to move. 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