Former prisoner of war reflects on capture (Pete Camerota)

In honor of Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Recognition Day, a former prisoner of war came to Ramstein Air Base, Sept. 16 to share his experience and visit one of his last duty stations before he retired.

At the time of becoming a prisoner of war, retired Maj. Pete Camerota, was a Captain, assigned to the 22nd Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Wing, at what was then designated as March Air Force Base, California.

Camerota was forced to eject from a B-52 over Vietnam on December 22, 1972.

“My very first thought when my parachute opened was, oh my God, I’m hanging in the straps here, and Joy, my wife, is 10,000 miles away from home and she’s pregnant,” said Camerota.

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