The Gulf between us

by Cynthia B. Acree

"On the second day of the Gulf War, Marine pilot Lt. Col. Cliff Acree was shot down behind Iraqi lines. As squadron commander, Cliff was a potential gold mine of classified information that the Iraqis desperately needed. During his forty-eight days of captivity, he was singled out for mistreatment that included brutal beatings, torture, and starvation. Throughout it all, he refused to put his fellow Marines at risk by complying with Iraqi demands.". "Back home, Cliff's wife, Cindy, was suddenly thrust into an international media storm when his battered face was broadcast on the world's television screens. Dealing with politicians, Hollywood celebrities, and other concerned people around the world, she stood poised before the public eye and became an effective advocate for the war's POW/MIA families. Cindy appeared strong, but she feared that she would never see Cliff alive again.". "After seven long months apart, with the war finally over, Cliff and Cindy joyously reunited on the tarma