In 1973, hundreds of American Prisoners of War being held captive in Vietnam finally gained their freedom, boarding planes en route to the United States by way of Travis Air Force Base. On Friday, those veterans were honored for their service and sacrifice during the second and final day of the 50th Anniversary of Operation Homecoming celebration at Travis. Despite memories of the horrific war, the mood was jubilant and the veterans present were wreathed in smiles. “It’s the way many of us dealt with things,” veteran Michael O’Connor, retired pilot and chief warrant officer, explained later. In a video, Gen. Michael Minihan with Air Mobility Command shared deep gratitude for Vietnam veterans.
How John McCain’s Years as a Vietnam POW Shaped His Life
John McCain, the Arizona Senator who died on Saturday, lived much of his life in the public political eye — but Americans started to learn about his famous courage at a time he was notably absent. The saga began 51 years ago. As TIME reported in 1967, North Vietnamese planes had, for the first
