‘There’s always hope’: Bay City veteran, prisoner of war shares story (Robert Hayhurst)

8-year POW recalls return home 45 years later (Smitty Harris)

Stepping off the bus, recently freed American prisoners of war formed up from the tallest to shortest, stiff at attention facing Capt. Carlyle “Smitty” Harris and with a salute they defied their Vietnamese captors one final time. Proving their grit and American pride could outlast any amount of torture or

Behind Barbed Wire: A POW’s Story (Ed Leonard)

I arrived at Udorn RTAFB in early May, 1967, to fly A-1E and A1-H Skyraider with the 602nd Fighter Squadron (Commando). I was to fly 247 combat missions during three consecutive tours and participated in the rescue of 18 aircrew members. On May 31, 1968, going for number 19, I

Holding on to hope: Polk County couple finally meets prisoner of war to return bracelet (David Reich)

Donald and Donna Rogers wore bracelets on their wrists for three decades, honoring prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Like millions of other Americans in the 1970s, they purchased bracelets with names of POW’s on them to keep their memory alive. Devout patriots, the Rogers hoped that one day they would be

Tony Marshall – Pushing Boundaries

Marion “Tony” Marshall had a penchant for pushing boundaries. This led to some rather intriguing experiences during his time as a POW in Vietnam. Tony always wanted to be a pilot. Despite “skating” in high school he secured an interview for a military academy appointment and was one of only 6

Vietnam POW seeks healing at infamous Hanoi Hilton (James W. Williams)

When retired Lt. Col. James W. Williams returned to Southeast Asia this past fall, to the site of the worst 313 days of his life, the last thing he expected to find was himself. For a period spanning 1972-1973, Williams, a former U.S. Air Force pilot, was a prisoner at