Bridger to speak to scouts

Troop 175 will host special speaker Lt. Col. (ret.) Barry Bridger at an event scheduled for Monday, March 28, at 7 p.m. at the PTCUMC multipurpose sanctuary, 225 Robinson Road in Peachtree City.

Bridger will speak to Scouts and their families about time served as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam.

In 1966 he completed his first combat tour, flying missions in Vietnam. He returned to the United States, advanced to aircraft commander in the F-4 Phantom and began a second tour, again flying missions over Vietnam. During these two tours, he accumulated over 200 combat flying hours and completed more than 70 combat missions over North Vietnam.

On Jan. 23, 1967, he was shot down over Son Tay, North Vietnam, by a surface to-air missile. He was subsequently captured by the North Vietnamese and imprisoned until March 1973.

Bridger retired in 1984 after 22 years of service in the Air Force. His awards and decorations include the Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal with V device, Purple Heart with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and Prisoner of War Medal.