Armed Forces Radio DJ Wounded And Hunted Behind Enemy Lines In Vietnam

By Robert Riggs

Armed Forces Radio Spc John Bagwell Evades Capture During The 1968 Tet Offensive in Vietnam – Recreation

As I watched the daring rescue of the two airmen shot down over Iran in early April of 2026, I found myself thinking of John Bagwell.

John’s story is not a true-crime saga you’d expect to hear on this podcast, but it is gripping, timely, and no less dramatic.

I learned about his military service when he wore a Purple Heart ribbon to a search engine marketing group meeting here in Dallas many years ago.

John had never talked about his time in the Vietnam War, and we were surprised.

We learned that in 1968, Bagwell escaped from behind enemy lines during a surprise attack dubbed the Tet Offensive.

He was wounded and alone, moving through deadly, unfamiliar territory while trying to avoid enemy fire and, at times, bullets from his own side.

His harrowing fight for survival began at a radio station in Vietnam with a scene that could have been lifted straight from a Hollywood movie.

See Vietnam Era Photos of Army Disc Jockey John Bagwell Blasting Out Popular Sixties Rock Music To Troops

Popular Songs Among Bagwell’s Listeners In Vietnam

We Gotta Get Out Of This Place by The Animals