Under the Cover of Light: The Extraordinary Story of USAF COL Thomas "Jerry" Curtis's 7 1/2 -Year Captivity in North Vietnam

God made the difference in a horrible situation. God showed Jerry that he is with us in the bad times as well as the good.

A gripping story of endurance, through a hideous and unspeakable experience. Even though I knew how it ended, I kept holding my breath with every new situation. I could not stop reading, and I did finish it in one evening. I was one of the protesters, I was a hippie, but I had never considered how disheartening our behavior was to the POWs and how happily the North Vietnamese used that news. I doubt if I even realized at that time that anything like this story could have been taking place.My students are just studying the Vietnam War, and I will be sharing excerpts from the book with them. It is a different perspective than they would ever get from their textbooks.What a beautifully told tale of God's tender love even in the darkest of places, and what a beautiful story of faith and the strength that it gives. We can actually feel what the men were going through, and in the end I was cheering right along with them when they lifted off in that plane!!The photos and notes in the back of the book are a wonderful treat, too. This was one of the best books about Viet Nam and POWs that I have read.

The amazing story of Col. Jerry Curtis is told with such respect for the men who suffered incomprehensible treatment and pain as POWs during the Vietnam War. As you read about what these men endured, you are drawn into the depth of what they experienced and the spiritual strength on which many of them depended. For me the most poignantly emotional event was when Jerry asked a young man to give a devotional at one of their worship times. The young POW reminded them that everything had been taken away from them and that they had nothing but a gift or talent that God had given them. He passed around an empty plate and asked each of them to place in the plate whatever they were willing to give to God. Needless to say, the plate was empty yet it was overflowing. This book is wonderfully inspiring and emotionally moving. Carole Avriett has done a skillful job in telling this remarkable story of Col. Jerry Curtis and the depth of his spiritual relationship with God.

We happen to know Mr. Curtis. He was my son's teacher

This is an extremely well-written, personal account of Colonel Jerry Curtis 7 1/2 years imprisonment during the Vietnam war. Being a personal friend of Jerry, made reading his book come to life in my mind. Jerry relays the hardships (which knowing his gentle spirit, at times brought me to tears) endured by himself and others while often finding a bit of ironic humor to ease his pain. This is not a book about the Vietnam War. This is about a young man being torn from his family and held prisoner for years. This is about his abiding faith in God that gave him strength to endure torture knowing that his faith could never be taken from him.

I found this book to be most inspirational. I wanted to read it from cover to cover before putting it down. I have been privileged to know Col. Curtis for fifteen years and have heard him talk about his experiences on many occasions. He always talked about his faith in his country, family and especially God as the thing that got him through so many years of uncertainty, loneliness, and torture. I am so please to see his experiences in writing and available to serve as a light post for anyone undergoing trials, losses, or other difficulties. It is an excellent read! Edwin Dorsey

This is bravery at its highest. What Jerry survived shows his true Faith in God and how God helped him live thru it is a real story in courage and faith. What the NVA and VC did to POW's was subhuman. It reminds me of what our POW's of WWII and Korea when through. Jerry has a very strong faith in God and because of it, he was able to with stand all the torture he did. All our POW's showed bravery and Faith. Jerry, Thank you for telling of your time as POW.

This is without a doubt the most inspiring book I have ever read. It is a book that should be read, not just by veterans of both current and past wars, but by every American who loves this country and the ideals of freedom and justice that we hold dear. It brings into focus the sacrifices made by so many men and the effect it had on their families and their future. Most of all it is an awesome testimony of a man of integrity, a true Christian who did not lose sight of his deeply held beliefs.