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 pain. They stood tall in defiance as a C-141 Heaven cargo aircraft in front of them prepared to bring the men home.
The now-retired Col. Harris recalled the moment he and his fellow POWs were released from captivity by American troops; and the moment seemed surreal to him.
