Former POW Celebrates 30 Years Of Freedom (Charles Brown)

As U.S. prisoners of war in Iraq await their freedom, Col. Charles Brown, 439th Maintenance Group commander here recalled the end of his own POW experience 30 years earlier.

On April 1, 1973, a young, Captain Brown walked off a C-9 Nightingale onto the tarmac here after spending 101 days as a prisoner of the North Vietnamese. He was imprisoned at the infamous “Hanoi Hilton” after his B-52 Stratofortress was hit by a missile Dec. 19, 1972.

Brown’s experience as a POW takes on renewed significance in light of current events in Iraq. “It brings back old memories,” he said.

Other Publications You Might Be Interested In

Honor Pike and U.S. POWs and MIAs (Lenard E. Daugherty)

“The National Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) Recognition Day Observance Program honors our current MIAs, and past and current POWs around the nation,” said Post 197’s Bryan Richardson.  Currently, Pike County has four known MIAs: Seaman 2nd Class David E. Ledford, Staff Sergeant Joel M. Matthews,

Read More »

Silver Star Recipient, Vietnam POW Speaks to Online History Class (Franke, Doremus)

When a CM junior found out his great-grandmother wrote to American POWs in Vietnam, he shared the discovery with Mr. Bradley. West Roxbury, Mass.– As Catholic Memorial School junior Kevin Pumphret held the letter in his hands and read the words of Navy captain Bill Franke, his mind returned to a discussion from his American War in Vietnam course – the experience of prisoners of war.

Read More »