This interview is a continuation of Bob Jones’ first interview from May 2008. In that interview, equipment limitations resulted in an abrupt conclusion to the recording. This interview picks up where his first interview finished: his journey from the Hanoi Hilton to the Gia Lam Airport, where C-141s were waiting to pick up the Prisoners of War. He was in the third group released because, even though he had been a prisoner for five years, there were two groups ahead of him who had been held longer. Throughout the repatriation ceremony, none of the prisoners showed any emotion, having agreed among themselves to remain stoic because of how the North Vietnamese had treated them, and they were determined not to give North Vietnam the propaganda victory of allowing the captors to appear benevolent.
50 years later, Operation Homecoming a ‘symbol of the last warriors’ returning from Vietnam (Tom McNish)
Operation Homecoming, which freed now-retired Col. Tom McNish and more than 600 prisoners of war from Vietnam 50 years ago this spring, was the best military operation of McNish’s 34-year career.
