Air Force Now 202

Duration: 914 ft

Year Published: 1980

Complete Record: POW/MIAs: this special issue of air force now is about freedom. “the most expensive and most precious commodity in the world.” Joy relief and reflective sadness were but a few of the many emotions America felt on february12, 1973. on that day, millions of tear filled eyes watched as the first group of American prisoners of war, starved and tortured for years by their N. Vietnamese captors, finally started home. operation homecoming--the repatriation of Americans who were held as prisoners of war during the Vietnam conflict...had begun. Their spirits were high. When C-141 lifted off from Hanoi’s gia lam airport, a cheer rocked the STARLIFTER. that moment marked the end of captivity and the beginning of freedom for these men who sacrificed so much for their country. Their trip began at gia lam and went to Clark air base, hick man air force base and ended at Travis air force base where those special passengers were reunited with their families. As they stepped from the aircraft, a grateful country watched with tears of happiness and rejoiced Air force now focuses on the returnees, their families and their thoughts. although these men lost their freedom for a while, their sacrifice taught them a deeper meaning of the word freedom. as their story unfolds, try to imagine the extent of their sacrifices and share with them as they reflect on what they learned from an experience that they will never forget...