Sybil Stockdale facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sybil Stockdale
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Sybil Elizabeth Bailey
November 25, 1924 New Haven, Connecticut, U.S.
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| Died | October 10, 2015 (aged 90) Coronado, California, U.S.
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| Occupation | Author |
| Known for | National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia |
| Title | 1st National Coordinator of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia |
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| Children | 4 |
| Awards |  Navy Distinguished Public Service Award |
Sybil Elizabeth Stockdale (born Bailey; November 25, 1924 – October 10, 2015) was an American hero who helped families of soldiers missing or captured during the Vietnam War. She started an important group called the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia. This group worked to support families whose loved ones were Prisoners of War (POWs) or Missing in Action (MIA).
Sybil Stockdale was the first leader of this national group. She also worked closely with the White House and the Department of Defense. Her husband, James Stockdale, was a United States Navy pilot who became a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War.
Sybil Stockdale is known for telling the world about the poor treatment of U.S. prisoners in North Vietnam. She also helped improve how the American government supported POW families. She received the Navy Distinguished Public Service Award. This is the highest award the Navy Department gives to a civilian. She was the only wife of an active-duty officer to ever receive this special honor.
Sybil and her husband wrote a book together called In Love and War: the Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam War.
Early Life and Learning
Sybil Elizabeth Bailey was born in New Haven, Connecticut. She went to Mount Holyoke College and earned a bachelor's degree. Later, she earned a master's degree in education from Stanford University. Sybil and Jim Stockdale had four sons: Jim, Sid, Stanford, and Taylor.
Starting the League
In 1965, Sybil's husband, James, was shot down over North Vietnam. At that time, the U.S. government had a "keep-quiet" rule. They asked families of POWs not to talk about the prisoners' mistreatment. The government thought that bad publicity might make things worse for the prisoners.
After a year, Sybil became very unhappy with this rule. She knew her husband was being treated badly. He had even hurt himself to show his captors they couldn't break him. He spent years alone in a prison cell.
In the summer of 1966, Sybil and other families in San Diego decided to act. They formed the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia. Sybil was the first person to lead this national group. Other support groups from military towns joined them.
Within a year, Sybil was meeting with important leaders like the Secretary of Defense. The Nixon government later ended the "keep quiet" rule. This allowed the public to learn about the mistreatment of U.S. prisoners. Sybil became a strong voice for these families. In 1970, she spoke to the U.S. House of Representatives' Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Later Years
On May 10, 2008, Sybil Stockdale attended a special event in Bath, Maine. It was the naming ceremony for a Navy ship called the USS Stockdale. This ship was named after her late husband. Many brave people, including Medal of Honor winners and former prisoners of war, were there.
Sybil Stockdale passed away on October 10, 2015, in Coronado, California. She was 90 years old and had Parkinson's disease.
Her Book
Sybil Stockdale wrote a book with her husband, James. It was called In Love and War: the Story of a Family's Ordeal and Sacrifice During the Vietnam War. This was the most popular book written by either of them.
In the book, James and Sybil took turns writing chapters. James wrote about his difficult experiences as a POW. Sybil wrote about her life as a POW's wife. She described the stress of waiting at home and how she worked to get help from the government. She also shared how she told the public about the struggles of American POWs in Vietnam. Later, a TV movie was made based on their book, and 45 million people watched it.
