Robert James Flynn | |
|---|---|
 Flynn following his capture in 1967 | |
| Born | September 15, 1937 La Crosse, Wisconsin |
| Died | May 15, 2014 (aged 76) Gulf Breeze, Florida |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1958-85 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star (3) Purple Heart (2) Air Medal (6) Prisoner of War Medal |
Robert James Flynn (September 15, 1937 – May 15, 2014) was a Commander and Naval Flight Officer bombardier/navigator in the United States Navy. As a Lieutenant, he was captured by the Chinese in August 1967 after the A-6 Intruder he was flying in on a mission over North Vietnam was shot down. Flynn and his pilot, along with another A-6 Intruder crew, were evading North Vietnamese jets following their mission over Hanoi when they strayed over the border into Chinese air space. Downed just over the Chinese border, Flynn was apprehended by the Chinese and held in China as a Prisoner of War where he was tortured and held almost exclusively in solitary confinement for five and a half years.