Strength through endurance: from POW to Ohio farmer (Paul Kari)

Michael Thomas Burns: Prisoner Of War

Michael Thomas Burns was fulfilling a lifelong dream of flying jets in the Air Force when he was shot down over Vietnam during a combat mission July 5, 1968. Burns was captured and later transferred to the infamous Hanoi Hilton prisoner of war camp. After spending 1,714 days in captivity,

POW Bracelet Leads to Friendship Years Later (William Spencer)

William Spencer’s world turned upside down as he felt his F-4 Phantom hit by a heat-seeking missile fired from an MiG-21 that had come up underneath him. In a split second it began cartwheeling its fiery way to the ground, its tail section and left wing missing. The 29-year-old Air

Roque Matagulay, Vietnam POW

Roque Matagulay born 3 Oct 1931 in Guam. He was an E-8, USA. He was captured 7/23/62 while on a mission for SVN forces in the south. He was exchanged for politcal prisoners 12/24/62. He and his wife had 6 children, 2 daughters and 4 sons. He was held by

Behind Barbed Wire: A POW’s Story (Ed Leonard)

I arrived at Udorn RTAFB in early May, 1967, to fly A-1E and A1-H Skyraider with the 602nd Fighter Squadron (Commando). I was to fly 247 combat missions during three consecutive tours and participated in the rescue of 18 aircrew members. On May 31, 1968, going for number 19, I

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