Former CIA Pilot Ernest Brace Dies at 83

The longest-held American civilian prisoner of war has died at the age of 83. In 1965, Ernest Brace, a helicopter pilot for the CIA flying supplies to Loas during the Vietnam War, was captured and held as a POW for nearly eight years. He would later tap code to John McCain, a neighboring prison and lifelong friend. “Ernie endured more cruelty and severe torture than any other captive during the Vietnam War,” McCain said in a statement. “We developed a special bond that strengthened us both at a difficult time, helping us to survive together.” The Detroit native retired to Klamath Falls, Oregon, in 1989 where he lived for the remainder of his life.