Moment of Capture | National Prisoner of War Museum

The first exhibit in the National Prisoner of War Museum explores the moment of capture, with visitors immersed in an audio simulation of what it might sound like to be taken prisoner of war. Since the founding of the United States in 1776, more than half a million U.S. service men and women have been held as POWs. Historically, most POWs were soldiers who fought on the battlefield, but airmen and sailors were also imprisoned.

When taken captive, prisoners of war leave one battle and enter another, doing everything they can to resist interrogation, attempt escape, and maintain morale. This new fight as a prisoner can take place over days or months, with the longest American imprisonment lasting nearly nine years.