POW Reunited with Family (Michael Kerr)

Former prisoner of war celebrates 30 years of freedom (Robert Sponeybarger)

Retired fighter pilot Robert Sponeybarger doesn’t suffer flashbacks and isn’t jarred awake in a cold sweat from nightmares of being held captive by the North Vietnamese. Never was a problem for him, he says. And he says he rarely thinks of ejecting from his crippled plane, threats of execution or

The Volunteer State Goes to War: A Salute to Tennessee Veterans (Robert Peel)

The Vietnam War was, essentially, an internal conflict between communist forces in North Vietnam and the pro-western government in South Vietnam. It had begun as a war between colonial French and nationalist Vietnamese armies, but after France’s devastating defeat in the Battle of Điện Biên Phủ in 1954, the country

State Tells Vietnam Ex-POW Only Dead POWs’ Kin Get Aid (Johnnie Ray)

For nearly 20 years, former Army Capt. Johnnie Ray remained grateful that Oklahoma had eased his return as a Vietnam prisoner of war by granting free college tuition to his children. But when he tried to get free tuition at his own alma mater, Oklahoma State University, for his daughter,

The Marine who was held longest as a Vietnam POW has passed away (Harlan Chapman)

When Lt. Col. Harlan Chapman arrived in Hawaii after his release from seven years in North Vietnamese prisoner of war camps, Marine Lt. Gen. Louis Wilson was there to meet him. “Welcome back to the Marine Corps,” Wilson told Chapman. “Thank you, general,” Chapman replied, “But I never left.” Chapman

Pieces of history: POWs return to Oceana (Robert Randall, Brady, McDaniel, McCuistion)

Homecomings at NAS Oceana, such as the return of Carrier Air Wing 7 on July 2, have always been a very special occasion. But perhaps the most emotional homecoming on the Oceana flightline took place on March 7, 1973 when a C-9 Nightingale touched down at about 10 minutes after