George Coker: A story of perseverance

It was supposed to be a routine mission, a “milk run” in the words of George Coker, who was serving on his 55th missions in Vietnam as a bombardier/navigator. Usually, his missions consisted of flying over Vietnam from the aircraft carrier USS Constellation and bombing strategic points like bridges and roads. This mission was no different.

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Evansville POW: ‘Why did I make it and they didn’t?’ (James Pfister)

Dennis Hammond’s death came with little warning. The Marine staff sergeant laid down on his bamboo mat beside the other American prisoners of war one evening in the spring of 1970. James Pfister, an Evansville native, found him the next morning. Hammond was still. Pfister shook his friend. When he

Former POW reflects on anniversary (Ted Sienicki)

Ted Sienicki was an Air Force Weapon Systems Officer in May 1972, when his F-4 was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he was forced to eject over North Vietnam. He spent 11 months as a prisoner of war. This weekend he will be in Hudson, Massachusetts, where the American Heritage Museum is

No good options: Vietnam POW shares story of captivity (John Yuill)

It was the hardest thing Lt. Col. John Yuill had to do after the B-52 Stratofortress he and five crewmembers were flying in over Hanoi, Vietnam, was struck by two surface-to-air missiles on Dec. 22, 1972, during their third mission in four days as part of Linebacker II. It was

Elephant walking a B-52, ducking SAMs and surviving “the Hilton” (Arcuri, Geloneck)

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COLONEL NORMAN S. WELLS

In 1971, COL Wells returned to Vietnam for a second deployment. This time, he commanded the 4th MI Battalion, (Provisional), 525th MI Group, US Army Pacific.