Two who came home: Former Vietnam POWs go for a ride at Randolph (Frederick McMurray)

Pilot Killed in Crash at Sea Was POW in Vietnam War

Retired Navy Capt. Charles Gillespie Jr. of San Marcos, who was shot down over Vietnam and spent 5 1/2 years in the “Hanoi Hilton” POW prison, was identified Thursday as the pilot killed in a civilian plane crash, officials said. Gillespie, 60, was flying a turboprop plane 80 miles northwest

Area resident reflects on his military service and seven years as a POW in Vietnam (Jerry Driscoll)

First Lt. Jerry Driscoll was 10 miles north of his target in Hanoi, North Vietnam, when the tail of his F-105 fighter jet was struck by anti-aircraft fire. Flying at 600 mph, the plane ignited and began to roll. He ejected at 1,000 feet. Driscoll was on his 112th mission,

Vietnam War POWs gather, remember at Nixon Library reunion (Plumb, Ward, McGrath)

For Charlie Plumb, a retired Navy captain shot down after 74 successful missions, seeing many of the guys he was held with in a North Vietnamese prison was an indescribable experience on Tuesday, May 23. “Seeing these guys I haven’t seen in a long time is really neat, especially when

AIR FORCE POW RECALLS CHRISTMAS IN THE ‘DUNGEONS OF NORTH VIETNAM’ (Ballad)

Lt. Col. Arthur “Ted” Ballard was an experienced Air Force aviator who flew dozens of combat missions in his F-105 jet. He earned a Distinguished Flying Cross before being shot down during a bombing run over North Vietnam in September 1966. He survived 2,351 days and seven Christmas holidays in captivity at various prisoner-of-war

MVVM hosts Vietnam POW Guy Gruters

Remember the Vietnam War and 1973? Probably not, but Air Force fighter pilot Captain Guy Dennis Gruters does. After being held as a prisoner of war for five plus years, including time in the infamous Hanoi Hilton, he was repatriated to the U.S. in 1973 along with 591 surviving POWs.