 During his prison stay, Hegdahl disabled five trucks by putting dirt in their fuel tanks.Hegdahl was one of three POWs (along with Navy Lieutenant Robert Frishman and Air Force Captain Wesley Rumble) who were released on August 5, 1969, as a propaganda move by the North Vietnamese.Although the POWs had agreed that none would accept early release, they agreed that Hegdahl's release should be an exception.