Iowa Veteran Major Harold Johnson Describes Being Prisoner of War in Vietnam

Shot down over Vietnam, ex-POWs reuniting at Randolph (Stuart, Granger)

Maj. John Stuart had a big decision to make after turning his B-52D for an attack run over Hanoi. The bomber had taken some hits from enemy fighters. Surface-to-air missiles now were streaking toward it. The choice: Break off the bombing run and evade, or stay on course. Stuart stayed on course.

Richard Bates, POW

On this date in 1973, the Viet Cong released First Lieutenant Richard Bates of the U.S. Air Force. While flying a mission nearly 6 months before, he was shot down over North Vietnam and taken prisoner. Bates was from Plaza, ND, and was 24 when he was captured.

CI agents released in Vietnam (Dierling, Gostas, Hayhurst, Rander)

On March 16 and 27 of 1973, two Army counterintelligence agents were released from North Vietnamese prisoner-of-war camps as part of Operation HOMECOMING. Captured during Tet Offensive operations in Hue on February 1, 1968, the two spent more than five years as prisoners of war in North Vietnam. On January

8-year POW recalls return home 45 years later (Smitty Harris)

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

How Paul Galanti survived 2,432 days as a Prisoner of War

As far back as he can recall, self-proclaimed Army brat Paul Galanti dreamed of soaring through the skies. While many teens yearn to sit behind the wheel of a car, Paul envisioned climbing into a cockpit. “I always wanted to fly,” Galanti said. “Actually kindergarten was the first time I