the Secretary of the Air Force. In July 1951, he became commander of the 1st Fighter Group, training in the North American F-86 Sabre. In December, he began a 90-day tour of temporary duty with the 51st Fighter-Interceptor Wing at Suwon Air Base, serving as special assistant to the wing commander, Colonel Francis S. Gabreski. Col. Mahurin helped Gabreski develop tactics and solve logistics problems. He was credited with destroying 3.5 MiG-15s while TDY with 51st FIW, bringing his total to 24.25 in both World War II and Korea. Mahurin transferred to the 4th Fighter-Interceptor Wing on March 18, 1952, to command its 4th Fighter-Interceptor Group at Kimpo AB. He flew a F-86E named "Honest John" while serving with both fighter wings in Korea. Prisoner of war On May 13, 1952, while strafing a truck, his F-86 was shot down by North Korean ground fire and after crash-landing and breaking his arm, he was captured by enemy forces. Mahurin spent 16 months in a North Korean prisoner of war (POW) camp. During his time as a prisoner of war, he was confined to a small cell, fed only enough water and food to keep him alive, and subjected to brainwashing. He was forced to endure sub-freezing conditions with minimal clothing, interrogations sometimes lasting all night, and being deprived of sleep and threatened with execution if he did not answer questions. The North Koreans were adamant that he sign a confession that he and the US had waged germ warfare. After weeks of psychological and physical torture, Col. Mahurin, believing he was losing control, attempted suicide. He was discovered before he was able to complete the act and barely survived a tremendous loss of blood. The interrogators finally gave up, to be replaced by a well-educated Chinese officer who spoke fluent English, brought Mahurin books, arranged for better food, and generally improved his conditions. Eventually, the Chinese officer's real purpose emerged – to get a confession of germ warfare by persuasion rather than threats. He reminded Mahurin that the allies did not know he was a prisoner of war, so he could be held until his death, never to see his wife and children again. Bud Mahurin, at last, agreed to write a "confession." Unknown to him, the war had already ended. His experience in enduring brainwashing techniques provided the U.S. with invaluable material to develop survival training courses. Nevertheless, he