Rep. Sam Johnson, R-Texas, who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for nearly seven years, highlighted the upcoming Veterans Day on Nov. 11.
“I got through those years by the grace and mercy of God and He gave me all the support I needed in my fellow POWs,” Johnson said in the Saturday address. “When I got out, I weighed about 140 pounds.”
“I spent nearly seven years in the Hanoi Hilton,” Johnson said, referring to the same prison camp Arizona Sen. John McCain was held.
The weekly GOP radio address was released by newly-minted Speaker Paul Ryan’s office.
“You know, freedom isn’t free. It has a cost. And that cost is paid first by our veterans and their families — because when one member joins, it is the whole family that serves,” Johnson said. “When our veterans come home, we should do all we can to make sure they get the care they need when they need it. That is the least we can do.”