FINAL POW TO LEAVE NAVY  (Joseph Mobley)

Vice Adm. Joseph Mobley, the U.S. military’s last Vietnam prisoner of war still on active duty, stepped down Thursday as commander of the Atlantic Fleet’s Naval Air Force. Mobley, 59, turned over command during a ceremony aboard the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt. He will retire May 1 after 35 years in the service. “I’ve had a great time in the Navy, seen so many places, done so many things,” Mobley told the 400 invited guests. He made no mention of his five years as a POW and refused all interview requests. Cmdr. Roxie Merritt, a Navy spokeswoman, said he is the last Vietnam POW on active duty in any branch of the U.S. military.

Other Publications You Might Be Interested In

Returned to sender, 40+ years later (Richard Dutton)

A special delivery of long-forgotten letters and photos came from Vietnam to an Air Force widow. The United States and Vietnam are working together to return personal belongings of prisoners of war to their rightful owners; and, a package was delivered today to the family of retired Col. Richard Dutton.

Read More »