James H. Warner stands at 6 feet 1 inch with a stocky build and dark brown hair. His story of survival in the war begins with a scheduled mission.

Warner was designated a Naval Flight Officer and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1966. He was sent to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., for training in the F-4B Phantom. Once Warner’s training was complete, he volunteered for duty in Vietnam and was sent there in 1967. While deployed, the young officer was assigned to VMFA-323 and flew more than 100 missions before being shot down just north of the Demilitarized Zone, on Friday, Oct. 13.

‘‘It was odd that it was Friday the 13th, the day I was shot down,” said Warner. ‘‘My commanding officer, Capt. Richard Kerr, jokingly made the comment prior to my mission that it was a cursed assignment.”

Kerr lost his life that same day inside a bunker when it was hit with a katushya rocket.

Warner spoke about a painting that hangs in his home with a significant connection to Kerr. The painting is of the Phantom aircraft that they flew in the war and was painted by Kerr before his death for the bride of one of their mutual friends.

‘‘It’s odd that the painting ended up in my hands after all these years,” said Warner. ‘‘He was a good officer and a talented artist.”

The tone of Warner’s voice as he described the art seemed to not reflect the anguish he suffered while being detained in a POW camp for five and a half years after being shot down. His experiences created a new sense of patriotism inside of him as he stepped off the aircraft that flew him home after the many years he spent in prison camp.

‘‘I had not seen the American flag all those years and that was one of the first things I saw when I stepped off the plane. I developed a new love for this country,” he said.

Warner continued to discuss his hobbies and joys of his life in retirement.

The Ypsilanti, Mich., native begins his morning routine a fresh cup of coffee and a newspaper in his hands. When breakfast is near, Warner can fetch a few eggs from his chickens that run around his three and a half acre yard. The yard has a garden that he and his wife of 21 years work together to care for during the rest of the day. Warner is a family man with three children and five grandchildren. James H. Warner was corporate counsel practicing intellectual property law in Northern Virginia. He served as domestic policy adviser during the second Reagan administration.

His decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with Combat V, two Bronze Stars with Combat V, two Purple Hearts, 11 air medals, including two single-mission air medals, and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V.

‘‘I didn’t really work to get all these medals,” said Warner. ‘‘The communists did all of the work for me.”

A Marine Vietnam War veteran and prisoner of war survivor who now peacefully resides in Maryland is scheduled to speak at the POW⁄MIA morning colors ceremony here Wednesday.

James H. Warner stands at 6 feet 1 inch with a stocky build and dark brown hair. His story of survival in the war begins with a scheduled mission.

Warner was designated a Naval Flight Officer and was commissioned a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps in 1966. He was sent to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 251 at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, S.C., for training in the F-4B Phantom. Once Warner’s training was complete, he volunteered for duty in Vietnam and was sent there in 1967. While deployed, the young officer was assigned to VMFA-323 and flew more than 100 missions before being shot down just north of the Demilitarized Zone, on Friday, Oct. 13.

‘‘It was odd that it was Friday the 13th, the day I was shot down,” said Warner. ‘‘My commanding officer, Capt. Richard Kerr, jokingly made the comment prior to my mission that it was a cursed assignment.”

Kerr lost his life that same day inside a bunker when it was hit with a katushya rocket.

Warner spoke about a painting that hangs in his home with a significant connection to Kerr. The painting is of the Phantom aircraft that they flew in the war and was painted by Kerr before his death for the bride of one of their mutual friends.

‘‘It’s odd that the painting ended up in my hands after all these years,” said Warner. ‘‘He was a good officer and a talented artist.”

The tone of Warner’s voice as he described the art seemed to not reflect the anguish he suffered while being detained in a POW camp for five and a half years after being shot down. His experiences created a new sense of patriotism inside of him as he stepped off the aircraft that flew him home after the many years he spent in prison camp.

‘‘I had not seen the American flag all those years and that was one of the first things I saw when I stepped off the plane. I developed a new love for this country,” he said.

Warner continued to discuss his hobbies and joys of his life in retirement.

The Ypsilanti, Mich., native begins his morning routine a fresh cup of coffee and a newspaper in his hands. When breakfast is near, Warner can fetch a few eggs from his chickens that run around his three and a half acre yard. The yard has a garden that he and his wife of 21 years work together to care for during the rest of the day. Warner is a family man with three children and five grandchildren. James H. Warner was corporate counsel practicing intellectual property law in Northern Virginia. He served as domestic policy adviser during the second Reagan administration.

His decorations include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit with Combat V, two Bronze Stars with Combat V, two Purple Hearts, 11 air medals, including two single-mission air medals, and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V.

‘‘I didn’t really work to get all these medals,” said Warner. ‘‘The communists did all of the work for me.”