American Forces Press Service The Obamas also employed the president's weekly address to the nation to remind Americans to visit the Joining Forces website to find ways to give back to military families. The First Lady and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, launched the Joining Forces campaign in April 2011 to rally national support from all sectors of society to honor and support service members, veterans and their families. The President and the First Lady also said that during this holiday season all Americans should come together to find ways to support U.S. service members, veterans and their families, and to keep working to be good parents, friends, neighbors and citizens in their communities. Here is the text of the President's and First Lady's weekly national address remarks: THE PRESIDENT: "Hello everybody, and Happy Holidays." THE FIRST LADY: "We know how busy this time of year is for everyone, so we're not going to take much of your time. "But we did want to take a moment to wish you all a Merry Christmas, from our family to yours." THE PRESIDENT: "This is a season for millions of Americans to be together with family, to continue long-held holiday traditions, and to show our gratitude to those we love. And along the way, some of us might even watch a little basketball or eat some Christmas cookies, too." THE FIRST LADY: "Here at the White House, over the past few weeks, we've had about 70,000 people from all across the country come visit us and look at our holiday decorations. "This year's theme was, 'Gather Around: Stories of the Season.' "And in every room of the house, we tried to tell a story about who we are as Americans and how we celebrate the holidays together. "And we made certain to highlight some of the most powerful stories we know -- the stories of our outstanding troops, veterans, and military families and their service and sacrifice for our country." THE PRESIDENT: "Our extraordinary men and women in uniform are serving so that the rest of us can enjoy the blessings we cherish during the holidays. But that means many of our troops are far from home and far from family. They're spending some extra time on the phone with their loved ones back home. Or they're setting up video chats so they can watch as the presents are opened. So today, we want all of our troops to know that you're in our thoughts and prayers this holiday season. "And here's the good news: For many of our troops and newest veterans, this might be the first time in years that they've been with their families on Christmas. In fact, with the Iraq war over and the transition in Afghanistan, fewer of our men and women in uniform are deployed in harm's way than at any time in the last decade." THE FIRST LADY: "And that's something we all can be thankful for. "And with more and more of our troops back here at home, now it's our turn to serve -- it's our turn to step up and show our gratitude for the military families who have given us so much. "And that's why Jill Biden and I started our Joining Forces initiative -- to rally all Americans to support our military families in ways large and small. "And again and again, we have been overwhelmed by the response we've gotten as folks from across the country have found new ways to give back to these families through their schools, businesses, and houses of worship." THE PRESIDENT: "That's the same spirit of giving that connects all of us during the holidays. So many people all across the country are helping out at soup kitchens, buying gifts for children in need, or organizing food or clothing drives for their neighbors. For families like ours, that service is a chance to celebrate the birth of Christ and live out what He taught us -- to love our neighbors as we would ourselves; to feed the hungry and look after the sick; to be our brother's keeper and our sister's keeper. And for all of us as Americans, regardless of our faith, those are values that can drive us to be better parents and friends, better neighbors and better citizens." THE FIRST LADY: "So as we look to the New Year, let's pledge ourselves to living out those values by reaching out and lifting up those in our communities who could use a hand up. THE PRESIDENT: "So Merry Christmas, everyone. And, from the two of us, as well as Malia, Sasha, Grandma, Bo ..." THE FIRST LADY: "And Sunny, the newest Obama." THE PRESIDENT: "We wish you all a blessed and safe holiday season. THE FIRST LADY: "Happy holidays everybody, and God bless." |
| Related Sites: Weekly Address: The President and First Lady Wish Everyone a Happy Holiday Season Weekly Address Video Joining Forces Photo Essay: U.S. Soldiers Conduct Christmas Bundle Drop in Afghanistan Holiday Video Message from President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's Holiday Message Dempsey Family Sends Holiday Wishes to Troops Battaglias, Veterans Issue Joint Holiday Message Related Articles: First Lady Lauds Military Families for Toys for Tots Work Dr. Biden Hosts National Guard Christmas Tree Dedication First Lady, Military Families Preview Holiday Decorations Thousands of U.S. Personnel Serve Overseas During the Holidays Michelle Obama, Dr. Jill Biden Pay Tribute to Veterans Dr. Biden Attends Veterans' Education Support Events First Lady, Dr. Biden Vow to Continue 'Joining Forces' Dr. Biden, USO Join Forces to Provide Warrior Care Packs |
| Biographies: Army Maj. Gen. James C. McConville Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force |
| By Army Sgt. Robert Yarbrough 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division LOGAR PROVINCE, Afghanistan, May 29, 2013 - Army 1st Lts. Joseph and Joshua Mouré, twin brothers from Covington, Ga., are both deployed to Forward Operating Base Shank here with the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team.
"We always were on the same football team, baseball team, things like that," added Joseph. "We grew up playing war and stuff like that, so we decided, I guess, we'll make it a career," Joshua said. Their parents, Joseph and Tammy Mouré, both served in the Army's Signal Corps, and the lieutenants said that was a factor in their decision to join. The twins joined the Georgia National Guard in 2006, attended the Georgia Military College, and were commissioned in 2008. They finished their degrees at North Georgia College and State University, where they met their wives, Abby and Ashley, who were roommates at the time. Joseph attended the field artillery basic officers leadership course at Fort Sill, Okla., and Joshua attended the infantry basic officers leadership course at Fort Benning, Ga. After their training, they were assigned to the 3rd Infantry Division's 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, also known as the Vanguard Brigade. "Since Josh was going to be infantry, I figured he needed somebody to protect him," Joseph joked. "It's good being the fires support officer so I can call in air assets, artillery, and mortar fire to help out the guys. It's pretty interesting de-conflicting and controlling those assets while the infantry are maneuvering around." As a liaison officer, Joshua is responsible for keeping the communication and information networks flowing between his battalion and the brigade. "I see what goes on at the brigade side, and I can help to translate down to the battalion, and vice-versa, so there's a clearer picture," he explained. The Mouré twins said being misidentified can be a challenge. "People come up and start talking to you, and you have no idea what they're talking about," Joseph said. "It gets old fast," Joshua added. | ||
| Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force | ||
WASHINGTON, May 9, 2013 - First Lady Michelle Obama and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, hosted 170 military mothers and their children at the White House today for a formal Mother's Day tea.
"Today we have some of the most extraordinary moms here with us -- active-duty troops and military spouses from all across the country," Obama said. "You help our country soar. When somebody needs you – your family, community or your country -- ... you answer the call every time," she said. Following the first lady's remarks, while mothers remained in the East Room drinking tea made from chamomile grown in the White House garden, the children went to the State Dining Room where they made cards and crafts for Mother's Day. The 50 children, ranging in age from 6 to 13 years, made their gifts with help from the first lady, Biden, Prince Harry, military personnel and White House staff, among others. When the youths re-entered the East Room bearing their gifts, Prince Harry emerged with them, bringing the crowd to cheers and applause. Following two deployments to Afghanistan, Prince Harry has since "focused on honoring the sacrifices and service of veterans and military families," especially as the war there is drawing down, Obama said. "[Prince Harry] has spent a lot of time supporting wounded warriors and families of the fallen," she said. The prince will also attend the 2013 Warrior Games in Colorado Springs, Colo., where injured service members will compete in a variety of sports at the U.S. Olympic Training Center and Air Force Academy as part of his U.S. trip. "When he heard about this tea and all of you, he wanted to be here to personally thank you for your service," Obama said. In support of service members, their families and veterans, Obama told the audience that the Joining Forces initiative is a "forever proposition" that will continue with succeeding presidents. Obama and Biden established Joining Forces in June 2011 to mobilize backing from every sector of society to help these individuals find work and other resources. "I hope you know how much your country appreciates you," the first lady told the audience. "People across America have your backs ... from everyone here at the White House and the Department of Defense ... to doctors, college professors, community and faith leaders. It's because of you and what you've given this country." | ||
| Related Sites: Joining Forces | ||
| From a National Guard Bureau News Release PORT HUENEME, Calif., May 6, 2013 - The California Air National Guard's 146th Airlift Wing is providing two specialized firefighting C-130J aircraft and crews to assist with wildfires raging across the state.
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection members are working with Air National Guard airmen to get the tanker operations up and running. "Wildfire season is upon us, and our Guardsmen are in the fight," Baldwin said. "When the lives and property of our fellow Californians hang in the balance, our tireless training and coordination with [the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection] pay great dividends." The 146th Airlift Wing has responded to numerous state and federal firefighting missions in the past, but this is the first time the wing's flightline will be used as a tanker base. "California is no stranger to wildfires," said Chief Ken Pimlott, director of the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. "Our well-exercised and long-standing relationship with the California National Guard allows for rapid, effective deployment of these additional resources during times of elevated fire activity." The California Air National Guard's C-130J aircraft are equipped with the Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System II, which is capable of dropping up to 3,000 gallons of water or fire retardant. The system slides into the back of an aircraft, and water or retardant is released through a nozzle on the rear left side of the plane. MAFFS equipment and aircraft are activated to supplement U.S. Forest Service and civilian air tankers during periods of high wildfire activity throughout the nation. "The activation of California Air National Guard aircraft equipped with MAFFS strengthens our firefighting arsenal as needed and is a timely addition to current resources considering the extended heat and wind conditions we anticipate through the weekend," said Mark Ghilarducci, secretary of the California Emergency Management Agency, which is responsible for overall coordination of the state's response to major emergencies. | ||
| Related Sites: California Air National Guard | ||
| Hagel Lays a Wreath in Remembrance 04/21/2013 03:35 PM CDT By Cheryl Pellerin American Forces Press Service JERUSALEM, April 21, 2013 - On the first afternoon of two days of talks with military and government officials here, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel toured Yad Vashem, Israel's living memorial to the Holocaust, and in the Hall of Remembrance laid a wreath on a stone crypt containing ashes of Holocaust victims. Hagel walked the solemn and evocative displays of the Holocaust History Museum with his son Ziller and Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon, later calling the institution "important, inspirational and beautiful." Yad Vashem was established in 1953 as the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust, Nazi Germany's murder of 6 million Jews during World War II. After Hagel's visit to the museum, he participated in a memorial ceremony in the Hall of Remembrance, visited the Children's Memorial and signed the Yad Vashem guest book. Then, sheltered by the building from a steady rain, Hagel took a few moments to speak with reporters and museum guests. Thanking those who have made the institution possible, the secretary said of Yad Vashem, "I've brought my son Ziller with me on this trip and I particularly wanted him to accompany me here for this experience." Such institutions and museums are created as a tribute to generations of the past and in particular victims of the past, he said, "but maybe more importantly these institutions are built to instruct future generations." The secretary added, "They come together at an intersection that is important for all of us as one dimension or responsibility for each person. There is no more poignant, more touching, more effective way to tell a story than this reality, as painful as it is." "We must prepare future generations in our time here for a clear understanding that we must never allow this to happen again." After Hagel signed the guestbook, he read his inscription to the audience. "For my friends of Israel," the secretary read, "thank you for this magnificent institution, reminding all mankind of the depths of evil but also the promise and hope and courage of man -- a beautiful and important tribute to those victims of the past and an instruction and reminder for the generations of the future. [Signed,] your friend, Chuck Hagel, United States secretary of defense." Today's visit was part of a 6-day trip to the Middle East, Hagel's first as defense secretary. He will make stops in Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates before returning to the United States April 26. |
| Biographies: Chuck HagelRelated Sites: Special: Travels with Hagel Yad Vashem Related Articles: Hagel: United States Committed to Israel's Security Hagel's First Middle East Trip to Seal Historic Arms Deal |
| By Amaani Lyle American Forces Press Service ANNAPOLIS, Md., April 17, 2013 - First Lady Michelle Obama joined Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley today at the State House here as the governor signed into law the Veterans Full Employment Act of 2013. The Defense Department collaborated in development of Maryland's comprehensive bill, designed to streamline credentialing and licensing procedures for service members, veterans and their spouses. "We have asked them to risk their lives in combat, manage dozens of peers, operate complicated machinery, oversee millions of dollars of assets and save lives on the battlefield," Obama said. "And then, when they come home, we're also asking them to repeat months of training for skills they've already mastered. So we have to ask ourselves: how does this make sense?" The first lady said enacting the bill represents more than merely "eliminating a few bureaucratic headaches" for veterans and their spouses. "This is about improving the financial security for thousands of military families," Obama said. "It's about giving veterans and their spouses an opportunity to build their careers and create a better future for their children." As part of their Joining Forces initiative, in February, the first lady and Dr. Jill Biden, wife of Vice President Joe Biden, addressed the National Governor's Association as part of a call to action to bring millions of veterans into the civilian workforce. "With the Iraq war over [and] the war in Afghanistan winding down, more than a million service members are going to be hanging up their uniforms and transitioning back to civilian life," Obama said. "And that comes on top of the hundreds of thousands of veterans and military spouses already out there looking for work." While the first lady noted much progress in veterans' employment over the past few years, she acknowledged that there is still more work to do. As of March 2013, roughly 783,000 veterans were unemployed and looking for work, including 207,000 post-9/11 veterans. "We need more businesses to make big, bold commitments to hire and train our veterans and military spouses," Obama said. "We need more hospitals ... colleges and employers from every sector to recognize our veterans' and military spouses' unique skills and experiences and give them a fair shot at a job." Prior to the bill-signing, Obama visited the U.S. Naval Academy, where she ate lunch with midshipmen and met with a number of health care professionals who have served the country for years and mastered highly technical, high-demand skills. Introducing the first lady at the State House was 23-year Navy veteran and former Senior Chief Petty Officer Andrew Heit, who suffered a traumatic brain injury while on active duty. Heit said he experienced anxiety about pursuing a degree. "Even though I served this country for more than two decades as a radar tech, an avionics electronics technician and an avionics instructor, I was unable to receive even a single college credit with all of my military experience and numerous formal training courses I completed on active duty," Heit said. "Legislation that's being signed today will ensure the well-deserved recognition of our country's veterans' efforts of service and acknowledge their military experience and their formal training received while serving our country." The legislation, Heit emphasized, will remove the barrier of time. "It will help shorten the time required to complete the desired degree by allowing credit for the often-expensive knowledge [veterans] have gained during their military service," Heit added. Maryland joins a growing list of states that have taken legislative or executive action to help service members, veterans and their spouses get the credentials they need to successfully transition to the civilian labor market. "Your bill here in Maryland is one of the best bills we have seen in the entire country," Obama said. "You're helping our veterans obtain professional credentials ... earn college credit ... and making it easier for military spouses to continue their careers as they transfer to your state." O'Malley also addressed the plight of veterans before signing the bill. "These individuals should never come home, after overcoming all the barriers they have for us, and face barriers to employment, barriers to licensing, barriers that prevent them from keeping a roof over their children's heads and providing them with a loving home with economic security and dignity." |
| Related Sites: Joining Forces |
| By Karla Marshall Army Corps of Engineers, Afghanistan Engineer District South KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan, April 1, 2013 - Linda Murphy said her passion to use her expertise to help Afghans improve their quality of life caused her to trade-in her designer pumps for some steel-toed boots.
"My best friend and I were always competing in math grades and science fairs," she said. Those experiences, she said, taught her the value of working hard, living up to promises and commitments, and doing her best. So following her dream, she said, was not scary or particularly difficult. "I liked architecture but my best friend's dad was a Purdue University engineering alumnus and he convinced many of us from our high school to go into engineering at Purdue," Murphy said. Pursuing engineering at Purdue was a logical choice for Murphy, who said she figured out in high school that she wanted to be self-sufficient. Murphy reasoned that attaining a science, technology, engineering and math degree would help ensure that her future was wide open and that she'd always be employed. After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in civil engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Ind., Murphy began her career as an engineer with the USACE Louisville District in Louisville, Ky., in 1983. Working her way up through the ranks at her home district, Murphy was chief of the Civil Project Management and Programs Branch of the Louisville District when she deployed to Kandahar Airfield in January 2012. "Now that I had gotten both my daughters off to college as fairly self-sufficient women, I decided to deploy to provide assistance to the women and men of the coalition forces and particularly to the women and men of Afghanistan," she explained. "I knew that I could contribute to the mission and grow as a person at the same time." One year later Murphy doesn't regret that decision and she has opted to extend an additional nine months to manage one of the South District's most challenging programs. She leads a team of project managers who oversee construction projects that directly contribute to the improvement of Afghanistan's infrastructure. Water and electricity availability, bridges and roads, university facilities and medical clinics all fall under Murphy's purview and leadership. "I have never been one to back down from a challenge," she said. "Working in Afghanistan has broadened my experiences, allowed me to do something outside my comfort zone, and given me a greater appreciation for what I have back home." In addition to a successful career with the Corps of Engineers, four of Murphy's best female friends are also engineers at the Louisville District. Having that core group of friends, Murphy said, has made her career a rewarding one. "For young women, engineering probably doesn't seem like a very glamorous career but if they are given opportunities to see engineers at work, ask questions, and are encouraged to enjoy math and science, more would probably show interest," Murphy said. "I am grateful that my core group of friends shares a similar background with me. As women who are engineers, we look for opportunities to mentor younger women and share our careers with them." The important thing is to be passionate about what you want to do, Murphy said. For her, coming to Afghanistan has enabled her to continue her passion. She believes that she and her fellow women engineers deployed to Afghanistan all serve for a common purpose and goal which emulates the Corps of Engineers' motto, -- Essayons, which means "Let Us Try." "We are daughters, sisters, aunts, nieces, mothers, and even grandmothers -- coming together here for one cause -- to make a contribution for a better future for not only the women of Afghanistan but for everyone here," Murphy said. "And like our Corps' motto states, -- we will try. We will try our hardest." | ||
| Related Sites: NATO International Security Assistance Force | ||
| By Army Sgt. 1st Class Tyrone C. Marshall Jr. American Forces Press Service ALEXANDRIA, Va., Feb. 22, 2013 - Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. Battaglia, senior enlisted advisor to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, spent this morning talking to Junior ROTC cadets here.
"If you follow that as gospel, it tells me that you are living by standards and rules for yourself and have some goals or objectives for yourself," the sergeant major told the cadets. "And it also shows me teamwork." Using a PowerPoint presentation, Battaglia showed the cadets the U.S. military's oath of enlistment. "We, in the military, have oaths and creeds as well," he said. "This is our oath. We all take it. I took that oath 33 years ago." Battaglia noted that the cadet creed and the enlistment oath have common denominators. "We all live by an oath, by a creed, and things that guide us along the way," he said. "That's pretty amazing." All 2.3 million troops and their families live by the same oath, he added. "I hope that as you may have memorized it and know it by heart, it means more than just being able to say it by memory," Battaglia said. "There's a whole lot of substance in there, and it's really important for you to understand, as it is for us -- because what that means to us ... is that I'm willing to give my life for the protection of you. That's pretty serious, isn't it?" The sergeant major said when he reflects on what the oath of enlistment means, it's "a whole lot more than just a paragraph of words." "So I really hope that you can comprehend your creed ... as establishing a standard and value for you to get better and grow into being contributors," Battaglia said. "Whether it's just contributing to your neighborhood or the whole city, youth are the next leaders of our nation." No other job requires the oath service members take, the sergeant major said. "It's a serious profession that you join, and you're starting to [build] that footprint right now," he told the cadets. "I'm happy to see and hear that, because you are the future of our nation." Battaglia said he believes JROTC is a "great stepping stone" to continued success in life. "Regardless of whether the armed forces is your choice, you're going to have to survive in life," he said. "There are so many options and opportunities out there for you." The sergeant major said he has tried to follow two "golden" rules throughout his life: to do his job to the best of his ability, and to follow orders. "I found that those two golden rules allowed me to stay out of trouble ... and avoid temptation when that came about," he said. Following his remarks and a recital of the Junior ROTC Cadet Creed by one cadet, the group asked the sergeant major questions about his military career, including his 25 ribbons. Battaglia said seeking recognition and awards is not important, because they will come with hard work and commitment. "The thing that I probably learned [most] in the infantry is teamwork," he said. "You just can't do it alone -- there's no way. And that's not just fighting for your nation. That's doing anything. You just don't want to do it by yourself. It's all about teamwork." | ||
| Biographies: Marine Corps Sgt. Maj. Bryan B. BattagliaRelated Sites: Army Junior ROTC Cadet Creed |
Vietnam POWs Marks 40 YearsBy Donna MilesAmerican Forces Press ServiceWASHINGTON, Feb. 12, 2013 - Forty years ago today, a C-141A Starlifter transport jet with a distinctive red cross on its tail lifted off from Hanoi, North Vietnam, and the first flight of 40 U.S. prisoners of war began their journey home through Operation Homecoming.
The POWs ranged from privates first class to colonels, all wearing new gray uniforms issued by the North Vietnamese just before their release. Air Force Tech. Sgt. James R. Cook, who suffered severe wounds when he bailed out of his stricken aircraft over North Vietnam in December 1972, saluted the U.S. colors from his stretcher as he was carried aboard the aircraft. Also on the first flight was Navy Cmdr. Everett Alvarez Jr., the first American pilot to be shot down in North Vietnam and, by the war's end, the longest-held POW there. He spent eight-and-a-half years in captivity. Celebration broke out aboard the first aircraft -- nicknamed the "Hanoi Taxi" -- as it lifted skyward and the POWs experienced their first taste of freedom. Historian Andrew H. Lipps captured the magnitude of the moment in his account, "Operation Homecoming: The Return of American POWs from Vietnam." "Imagine you're imprisoned in a cage; imagine the cage surrounded by the smell of feces; imagine the rotted food you eat is so infested with insects that to eat only a few is a blessing; imagine knowing your life could be taken by one of your captors on a whim at any moment; imagine you are subjected to mental and physical torture designed to break not bones but instead spirit on a daily basis. That was being a prisoner of North Vietnam," Lipps wrote. "Then imagine one day, after seemingly endless disappointment, you are given a change of clothes and lined up to watch an American plane land to return you home. That was Operation Homecoming." Aeromedical teams assigned to each aircraft tended to the former POWs during the two-and-a-half hour flight to Clark Air Base in the Philippines, the first stop on their trip home. Meanwhile, many of the POWs joked and smoked American cigarettes as they caught up on all they'd missed while in captivity: fashion trends and the women's liberation movement, among them. "Everything seemed like heaven," recalled Air Force Capt. Larry Chesley, who, after being shot down over North Vietnam, spent seven years in the notorious "Hanoi Hilton" and other POW prisons. "When the doors of that C-141 closed, there were tears in the eyes of every man aboard," he said. Air Force Maj. Gen. Ed Mechenbier, the last Vietnam POW to serve in the Air Force, recalled the emotion of his own journey out of North Vietnam on Feb. 18, 1973. "When we got airborne and the frailty of being a POW turned into the reality of freedom, we yelled, cried and cheered," he said. The POWs arrived to a hero's welcome at Clark Air Base, where Navy Adm. Noel Gayler, commander of U.S. Forces Pacific, led their greeting party. Joining him were Air Force Lt. Gen. William G. Moore Jr., who commanded 13th Air Force and the homecoming operation at Clark, and Roger Shields, deputy assistant secretary of defense for POW/MIA affairs. Speaking to the crowd that lined the tarmac to welcome the aircraft, returning POW Navy Capt. Jeremiah Denton -- who would go on to earn the rank of rear admiral and later was elected to the U.S. Senate, representing Alabama -- elicited cheers as he thanked all who had worked for their release and proclaimed, "God bless America." Air Force Lt. Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris, who spent almost eight years as a POW after being shot down over North Vietnam, joined the many other POWs who echoed that sentiment. "My only message is, 'God bless America,'" he said, dismissing assertions in the media that the POWs had been directed to say it. "With six, seven or eight years to think about the really important things in life, a belief in God and country was strengthened in every POW with whom I had contact," he said. "Firsthand exposure to a system which made a mockery of religion and where men are unable to know truth made us all appreciate some of the most basic values in 'God bless America.'" Air Force Col. Robinson Risner, the senior Air Force officer at the infamous "Hanoi Hilton" honored today by a statue in his likeness at the U.S. Air Force Academy, choked back emotion as he arrived on the second C-141 flight from Hanoi. "Thank you all for bringing us home to freedom again," he told the crowd. After receiving medical exams and feasting on steak, ice cream and other American food, the former POWs received new uniforms for their follow-on flights home. Their aircraft made stops in Hawaii and California. The first group of 20 former POWs arrived at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., on Feb. 14, 1973. News clips of the arrival reveal the deep emotion of the freed POWs as they arrived on the U.S. mainland. Navy Capt. James Stockdale, who went on to become a vice admiral and vice presidential candidate, was the first man to limp off the aircraft. Stockdale paused to thank his countrymen for the loyalty they had showed him and his fellow POWs. "The men who follow me down that ramp know what loyalty means because they have been living with loyalty, living on loyalty, the past several years -- loyalty to each other, loyalty to the military, loyalty to our commander-in-chief," he said. Of the 591 POWs liberated during Operation Homecoming, 325 served in the Air Force, 138 in the Navy; 77 in the Army and 26 in the Marine Corps. Twenty-five of the POWs were civilian employees of U.S. government agencies. In addition, 69 POWs the Viet Cong had held in South Vietnam left aboard flights from Loc Ninh. Nine other POWs were released from Laos, and three from China. Forty years after their release, two of the former POWs serve in Congress: Sen. John McCain of Arizona and Rep. Sam Johnson of Texas. A dinner and ceremony being planned for late May at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in California will honor the POWs, recreating the dinner the president hosted for them at the White House in 1973. | ||
| Related Sites: Operation Homecoming Fact Sheet U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration |
