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.

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3 Freed P.O.W.’s Return; Dispute Flares Over Leave (Ed Elias,

The three American pilots freed by North Vietnam and their escort of antiwar leaders arrived from Copenhagen last night at Kennedy International Airport, and the three — after a 25‐minute shouting match aboard the parked Scandina vian Airlines System plane— were taken by Defense Depart ment officials to military hos

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