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.

Ex-Vietnam POW brings fallen comrades home (Edward Mechenbier)
Piloting the same plane that rescued him 31 years ago, a former American prisoner of war returned to Vietnam on Friday on his last military mission to bring home remains thought to be fallen comrades. Air Force Reserve Maj. Gen. Edward Mechenbier stood in his flight uniform saluting two aluminum


