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Returned POWs U.S. Navy CPT Jeremiah Andrew Denton (on left), (Captured 18 Jul 65) and Navy CPT James Alfred Mulligan, (Captured 20 Mar 66) as they board the C-141 Starlifter for the trip from Clark AB to sthe states. Both Denton and Mulligan were released by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi on 12 Feb 73 in Hanoi
Returned POWs U.S. Navy CPT Jeremiah Andrew Denton (on left), (Captured 18 Jul 65) make a farewell statement at the microphones as fellow ex-POW Navy CPT James Alfred Mulligan, (Captured 20 Mar 66) and 13th Air Force Commander, LGEN William G. Moore listens. Both Denton and Mulligan were released by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi on 12 Feb 73 in Hanoi
Ex-POW and U.S.Navy CMDR James Glenn Pirie (Captured 22 Jun 67), at the flight line microphone, thanks the crowd of well wishers and press before departing for the United States on the C-141 Starlifter in the background. 13th Air Force Commander, LGEN William G. Moore Jr., stands in background near the ambulance bus that brought the ex-POWs to the flight line. CMDR Pirie was released in Hanoi by North Vietnam on 18 Feb 73
Ex-POW and U.S.Navy CMDR James Glenn Pirie (Captured 22 Jun 67), at the flight line microphone, thanks the crowd of well wishers and press before departing for the United States on the C-141 Starlifter in the background. 13th Air Force Commander, LGEN William G. Moore Jr., stands in background near the ambulance bus that brought the ex-POWs to the flight line. CMDR Pirie was released in Hanoi by North Vietnam on 18 Feb 73
Former POW and U.S. Navy CPT Jeremiah Andrew Denton (Captured 18 Jul 65) stands at the microphones and talks to the crowd of well wishers and press upon his arrival on the C-141 Starlifter from Clark Air Base, Philippines. In the background MGEN John Gonge, 22nd Air Force Commander and MGEN Daniel "Chappie" James look on. CPT Denton was in the first group of POWs released on 12 Feb 73 by the North Vietnamese government in Hanoi
Former POW and U.S. Air Force MAJ Richard Eugene Bolstad (Captured 6 Nov 65) is greeted on his arrival, via C-141 Starlifter, by GEN Paul Carlton, Commander, Military Airlift Command. LCOL Daniel James Doughty (Captured 2 Apr 67) at the microphones talks to the people who cames out to greet the returning former POWs on their nighttime arrival at Scott. MAJ Bolstad and LCOL Doughty were released by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi on 12 Feb 73
Former POW and U.S.Air Force CPT Thomas Joseph Barrett (Captured 5 Oct 65). at microphones talks to press and public who were there to greet the returning POWs. On left GEN Robbins, HQ Military Airlift Command, listens. Flanking CPT Barrett are unidentified former POW (left) and U.S. Air Force COL Ronald E. Byrne Jr. (Captured 29 Aug 65). COL Byrne and CPT Barrett were released by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi on 12 Feb 73
On board a Military Airlift Command's Starlifter, former Prisoner of War, U.S. Navy CPT Jeremiah Andrew Denton (on right), (Captured 18 Jul 65) and Navy CPT James Alfred Mulligan, (Captured 20 Mar 66) talk. CPT Denton was in the first group and CPT Mulligan was in the third group released by the North Vietnamese on Feb 12, 1973 in Hanoi
Ex-POW and U.S. Air Force COL James Helms Kasler (Captured 8 Aug 66) stands at the flight line microphones and thanks the people of Clark and the Press for their hospitality. Standing behind is13th Air Force Commander, LGEN William G. Moore Jr. To the left rear is COL John W. Ord, Commander, Clark Hosptial and COL Raymond G. Lawry, Deputy Site Commander, Joint Homecoming Reception Center. COL Kasler was released in Hanoi by North Vietnam on 4 Mar 73
Returned POWs U.S. Navy CPT Jeremiah Andrew Denton (on left), (Captured 18 Jul 65) and Navy CPT James Alfred Mulligan, (Captured 20 Mar 66) along with 13th Air Force Commander, LGEN William G. Moore approach the microphones on the flight line for a farewell statement prior to board the C-141 Starlifter for the trip from Clark AB to sthe states. Both Denton and Mulligan were released by the North Vietnamese in Hanoi on 12 Feb 73 in Hanoi
Summary
The original finding aid described this photograph as:
Subject Operation/Series: HOMECOMING
Base: Clark Air Base
State: Luzon
Country: Philippines (PHL)
Scene Camera Operator: TSGT Eddie P. Boaz
Release Status: Released to Public
Combined Military Service Digital Photographic Files
On January 27, 1973, the United States agreed to a ceasefire with North Vietnam allowing withdrawal of American military forces from South Vietnam. The agreement also included the release of about 600 American prisoners of war. On Feb. 12, 1973, three C-141 flew to Hanoi, North Vietnam, and one C-9A aircraft was sent to Saigon, South Vietnam to pick up released prisoners of war. The first flight of 40 U.S. prisoners of war left Hanoi in a C-141A, later known as the "Hanoi Taxi". From February 12 to April 4, there were 54 C-141 missions flying out of Hanoi, bringing the former POWs home, the total number of returned was 591. The return of the nearly 600 POWs increased the polarization of the public and media. A majority of the POWs returned in Operation Homecoming were bomber pilots shot down while carrying out the campaign waged against civilian targets located in Vietnam and Laos. Many viewed the freed POWs as heroes, while others questioned if treating these men as heroes served to distort and obscure the truth about the war. Some felt these men deserved to be treated as war criminals or left in the North Vietnamese prison camps. Many worried that Homecoming hid the fact that people were still fighting and dying on the battlefields of Vietnam and caused the public to forget about the over 50,000 American lives the war had already cost. Veterans of the war had similar thoughts concerning Operation Homecoming with many stating that the ceasefire and returning of prisoners brought zero sense of an ending or closure. Operation Homecoming has been largely forgotten by the American public.
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