39 Years, 6 Months, 4 Days (2005) | 60 Minutes Archive

[@bonescdxx]

Sincere redemption in my mind. I'm glad his mother lived long enough to see him again.

[@josephanderson7237]

Amen.

[@lelandunruh7896]

The stupid decisions I made in my twenties resulted in hospital visits and empty bank accounts. I can't imagine living with a mistake for that long!

[@imalrockme]

😂

[@spinkid2000]

I thought about myself at 24 and what I'd do after 10 beers and think of a lot of buddies at this age and what kind of dumb stuff they did.

[@robertpolanco1973]

That is understandable. After all, the state of U.S. health care has been a complete JOKE for decades indeed.

[@lelandunruh7896]

@robertpolanco1973 Fortunately the empty bank accounts were unrelated to the hospital visits.

[@robertpolanco1973]

@@lelandunruh7896 Well, could you at least elaborate on that comment of yours anyway?

[@ibuprofenPill]

We don’t need to put him in prison, he’s been in one for almost 40 years.

[@FemiNelson-sb1em]

​@@michaelolden2682 he suffered for his foolishness n we're no one to judge him. Shell shock is real & sadly many soldiers were afraid & suppressed that fear. Many of them endured horrid PTSD & did not deserve to made feel like they weren't Men. Its called being human. Our Govt has allowed worse in our lifetime & are not held accountable. This Man knows he paid dearly, horribly for his act of having deserted. Peace be with him, with those that realize or find out too late they should not be in combat. Peace be with us all 🙏. "Isa"

[@Jewish.Redneck.Hybrid]

​@@FemiNelson-sb1em that's the dumbest comment in the history of the Internet.

[@bodbn]

@@Jewish.Redneck.Hybrid Not really a very sensible comment to be quite honest. Stop with the drama and theatrics and try to be a human for a few moments. You might find you like it.

[@michaelolden2682]

​@@FemiNelson-sb1em. No. There is no we here. I served on the DMZ. Did you?

[@michaelolden2682]

​@@bodbnnothing to do with being a human. He was a SGT leading a patrol in an very dangerous place. He selfishly left him men behind without a patrol leader. Jenkins did not act like a human to the humans for which he was responsible.

[@jeffschrade4779]

I'm glad he was able to hold his mother before she passed.

[@robertpolanco1973]

@jeffschrade4779 - Excuse me? "Hold his mother"? What were you trying to say?

[@dainewatson1]

God answers prayers. Can you imagine how many nights both he and his mother both prayed to see each other again? Truly an amazing story!!!

[@dabprod]

I was in Korea as an American soldier in 1964, but returned home in March. I don't remember hearing about this. He's very lucky to be alive.

[@WVgrl59]

True

[@thack57]

Manchurian Candidate

[@Livingtheinvisiblelife]

There were 4 American soldier defectors three of them were facing court martial charges so they skiddadled to North Korea. All 4 of them were considered famous radio hosts and taught English to the NK soldiers. North Korea then kidnapped women from other countries to be their wives, Jenkins wife was Japanese and he only got to leave Korea because they were sending his wife back to Japan in some sort of agreement to return kidnapped Japanese people. He was able to turn himself in get his punishment which was 25 days confinement because he told the American military everything he knew about the goings on in North Korea. He was also able to make it home to North Carolina to visit his mom before she died. He then lived the rest of his life with his wife and children in Japan.

[@josephanderson7237]

Probably was tortured more than he’s willing to say.

[@TheResilient5689]

Just spitballing here, but maybe the military/government kept it under wraps at the time for propaganda or morale reasons? It was a tumultuous year in 1964, I can imagine.

[@mrsjmehta]

What a story!! I'm glad he was really loved by his wife & was reunited with his mother.

[@adilkanouni5461]

That last part Mama... Hit hard couldn't stop crying as a men

[@readmelancholystrumpetmaster]

How many are you?

[@oscarotter790]

@@readmelancholystrumpetmaster I'm 33 and I cried. I cry because I have Freedom because God created me to Love; I'm lucky to experience a privileged life leveraged with so much Love. God bless this planet and those who fight against Love; God have mercy on them, please.

[@oscarotter790]

@@ChristopherGray00 Nah, I worship Love and am thankful for everything new.

[@user-fr8ve7wf6i]

I wanted to see her meet her daughter-in-law and grandchildren!

[@sirchadiusmaximusiii]

Bro fr I wasn’t expecting it to hit that hard. Hearing an old man still say mama with so much love is real asf.

[@CafeMich]

Wow, just wow. I'm at a loss of words by this story. To have recklessly sacrificed your freedom and endured suffering in a totalitarian regime is just total insanity. I'm glad he survived and was able to reunite with his wife (extremely bizarre circumstance, too) and his mother in NC. The ending actually made me tear up 😢

[@RonHelton]

Not to worry, they are rapidly moving us in the direction of a totalitarian state. Passing unconstitutional laws and overstepping their authority. Direct taxes have been in effect since 1913 to ensure that we can not defund this government without a fight. A law they are currently trying to pass to make it illegal to speak out against Israel. This is an illegitimate government. And they want to have digital currency which they will be able to control remotely without our consent. #MafiaGovernment #WakeUpAmerica

[@Thebullies19]

People do the strangest things.

[@bedrock6443]

Now he knows what freedom is

[@moebarcelona3765]

Its a blessing for both mother and son to reunite after them long years. What a beautiful story.

[@guiltychild6948]

Have to say when they met at the end, that hit me real hard. To see his poor mother waited for so long, for such a senseless act by him. Heartbreaking

[@giovannidibravato5576]

@@guiltychild6948 yes i agree I almost cried! - oh no I did cry lol

[@guiltychild6948]

@@giovannidibravato5576 me2😂

[@bobcharlie2337]

That's some mistake, but he had two daughters from this. And when he came back he did the right things and made amends.

[@michaelolden2682]

How, exactly did he do the right things and make amends? I am a DMZ veteran, and I not see it.

[@bobcharlie2337]

@@michaelolden2682 What parts bother you?

[@Livingtheinvisiblelife]

@@michaelolden2682it couldn’t possibly be the fact that he turned himself in to the American base in Japan and did his time. Oh wait that’s exactly it. He turned himself in and did his time.

[@michaelolden2682]

​@bobcharlie2337 did you serve?

[@michaelolden2682]

​@@LivingtheinvisiblelifeDid you serve?

[@pacificrules]

OMG, that part of hugging his mom had me teary-eyed 🥲🥲 I can't believe she lived that long to finally see her son.

[@peterlafayette5595]

I'm a veteran, I hold none, not a spec of ill will or feeling svs towards this man. I wish him and his family well.

[@Hellas8]

You must be from the South

[@Livingtheinvisiblelife]

He has passed away sadly. He died in 2017 but died a free man in a free country with his free family. I hope his children are doing fantastic things with their lives.

[@corenchiereynaldo2417]

14:39 Starting here, this part brought a deepness to my chest and almost cried.

[@user-bo1rj2xu2s]

Wow. 60 Minutes was must see TV every Sunday night for decades. Why don't I remember this excellent episode? Thanks for posting this!

[@lil----lil]

Who amongst us was not once young & stupid? He PAID a price that nearly killed him. You can see a deep sense of remorse and regret from him. This old man learned his lesson. RIP. Mr. Jenkins.

[@Aristotelezz]

There are a few documentaries about American deserters in north-Korea. Clearly they all regretted it deeply, although they could not always expressed it that way.

[@brucefredrickson9677]

Age 24 is not young and stupid.

[@FemiNelson-sb1em]

​@@brucefredrickson9677 Our Govt People are older n commit worse atrocities than desertion. He paid his debt to Society. He is repented & thats more than many of our American Companies n people that are criminals in our own Nation, communities, Govt. Its life, nothing is perfect, nothing is as it should or could be. Bless his Momma for holding hard to life so as to hold him, hold eachother before they leave this life. Peace be with them 🙏. "Isa"

[@49metal]

And all the men who didn't desert and were killed in battle? He ended up with a lot more than they did. What he got from the Koreans was what he bargained for. What he got from Uncle Sam for his crimes was 25 days in the brig.

[@Aristotelezz]

@@49metal Lots of people are willing to die, and died for it, to get out of north Korea!

[@emjay2045]

And I thought that was a clip of Ross Perot before I read his name. 😶

[@dabprod]

Yeah.....me too. lol

[@zztv15]

😂😂😂😂😂 I was thinking that too

[@threeminuteshate]

Same here. Haha

[@Whipporwhill]

I thought it was Ross Perot, too, & that's why I clicked! 😅

[@scienz]

you turned my tears to laughter oh man thanks 😅😅😅

[@stoicfreediver]

After 10 beers people do crazy things. Dang. Glad I don’t drink anymore!

[@dannyo3317]

stoicfreediver: Do you drink any less?

[@YeahSure-gn1yf]

No, he drinks the same amount. lol.

[@robtrawick1]

That was a 40 year hangover from hell

[@luisvaldez-f6c]

This a perfect example of stupidity

[@verocimil]

I made some big mistakes in my 20ies and there are still distinct consequences of it until now. Nothing criminal if someone may think about that. It just changed the direction of my life in some way. I so much empathize with Charles Robert Jenkins. For me, he is (was, since he isn't alive anymore) a good character. And so is his Japanese wife! In our younger years there are sometimes no other ways to learn but through experiences and thus some bad decisions too we cannot figure out at the moment.

[@andreastruble]

Thank you for the Godly humble manner he has had opened up.

[@tammardacosta7094]

I've watched this twice and still can't find the words..I'm proud,astounded, disappointed and most of all thankful to witness love, determination and resilience..thank God you're home soldier🫡

[@lenovovo]

Lord have mercy, such a good story 60 minutes! Scott Pelley, you're looking good in this segment.

[@gentleeyes]

I'm so glad mama got to see her baby come home!

[@jaxcrax9644]

I remember when I actually believed “60 Minutes” was a reputable news source.

[@ModernDayRenaissanceMan]

Everyone deserves redemption. Glad he found it

[@mrpeel3239]

Great interview.

[@dekotahrunninghorse9372]

Wow! What an incredible story!!!! Speechless!! What this man and women went through! What so many went through! Thank you for sharing this!!

[@fionabryant7923]

Im interested in how he was honest enough to say he was scared and wanted to escape...im so touched by that...who wouldnt be in a stupid vicious war situation..another one . To me he was young, and tender. Wouldnt it be great if we all just walked away from war.

[@JT-qe4pm]

POWERFUL ENDING

[@noahfick6124]

He wrote an amazing book

[@Camel_Jockey]

14:31 - 15:10 ; tears came to my eyes. I don't tear up for much.

[@wide.eyed.wanderer19]

He became a boy again. It made me tear up too.

[@mr.iforgot3062]

He got to see his mother.

[@AhmadShah-oz5wu]

Respect for this man from Pakistan. He has suffered alot . He was young . He didn't had experience then

[@bobjones27]

We all make mistakes in life but this gentleman made such a catastrophic one. It looks like the US Army was very understanding and gracious in giving him a ceremonial courtesy.

[@m.b.88]

This illustrates how systems and policies effect human beings more than they effect countries, politics and the privileged. You can say whatever you like about him, but he was a human being who deserved and deserves compassion just like everyone else does.

[@Itzlegs]

Very true. Not just him but every person

[@lysettesoures2994]

For me only one Message, we paid Hard for the Mistakes we do when we’re Young.So good to see him with his Mother.

[@tompenfold5367]

One of the most moving, baffling and incredible stories of our time. What a life. Would love to watch a movie on this too bad he wouldn't be around to see it. RIP Jenkins

[@Craig-c6f]

Find the troops he left behind. Tell their story.

[@imalrockme]

Yes, and he got to escape Vietnam, while those poor fellows had to go. I don't feel an inch of sympathy, trust me. He had a wife, family, if he had returned sooner to the US, he would be in prison for many years with no wife.

[@jmw4455]

Well said

[@jujubees5855]

They ended up not being deployed to Vietnam ​@@imalrockme

[@JayBee-cr8jm]

How can a place like North Korea still exist in the year 2024? It's obscene.

[@WZD10016]

From Space South Korea is all lit up at night while North Korea is dark. They’re a third world communist nation living in the Stone Age.

[@rickjensen2833]

Not for long.

[@maplebear6527]

Make it a parking lot

[@hoonhwang4778]

There are group of Americans aspiring authoritarian by strong leadership right at this moment.

[@JayBee-cr8jm]

@@hoonhwang4778 Joe Biden is the leader of these criminals. He sued to control the news and lost. He's appealing it though.

[@valeriesmith5780]

What an incredible story. What a miracle he got out of North Korea.

[@joernone]

What was jenkins thinking? He wasn't thinking.

[@isaacshaver6218]

This shows what the love of a good woman or man can do for each other.

[@NZKaupoi]

A truly remarkable story ...

[@kepeliwa]

He is forgiven, bless his heart.

[@michaelolden2682]

Traitor.

[@franklindorrell4755]

​@@michaelolden2682he is a coward.

[@sisterrose6830]

He didn’t agree with nor want to go to war in Viet Nam . He didn’t agree with the orders to be more aggressive while in the demilitarized zone… then spent a lifetime in North Korea . Wow what an emotional story. ❤

[@kimidawn9]

Seeing his mom at the end... That got me.

[@earlgreco8636]

An amazing story. The nice part is his wife still wanted him.

[@lifewater989]

I had never heard this tale. What an absolutely crazy experience to have gone through in life. He found love in one of the worst places on Earth with someone he had nothing in common with in a forced arraignment. It's so good to see them meet on that runway after he got out. What an amazing story.

[@elleniasiello6271]

Wow, what a story ! Should make a movie about his life .

[@waynebooker498]

Such an incredible story. The best ending, he finally made it back to his mom.

[@ruthiemay423]

Play stupid games. Win stupid prizes.

[@BibleSamurai]

he got a good wife and two good kids out that nightmare

[@ladyofthelake223]

I’m so glad he got to see his mom again. That was really sad thinking of all the time he missed.

[@raphaelgerarddelacruz6774]

I hope that he catched-up with the things he missed for decades.

[@stephenturner6075]

The end really got to me there.

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

Jenkins passed away several years ago. He'd been living in Japan. Look for 60 Minutes story about the last US deserter defector in North Korea, James Joseph Dresnok. Material from a documentary about him, Crossing the Line.

[@prieten49]

Jenkins said that Dresnok behaved lke an enforcer for the North Koreans. He often bullied and beat Jenkins at the North Korean's request

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

@@prieten49 and Dresnok called Jenkins a g d liar when told that.

[@prieten49]

@@centredoorplugsthornton4112 This is an interesting exercise for you. Yes, this might sound like a case of "he said, she said," but we have more information to go on. Jenkins left North Korea and could therefore suffer no consequences for telling the truth. Dresnok was loyal to his North Korean benefactors and stayed to the to the very end in North Korea. Now, who has the incentive and ability to tell the truth? Who has the incentive to lie?

[@centredoorplugsthornton4112]

@@prieten49 who had the bigger family and obligations to North Korea?

[@prieten49]

@@centredoorplugsthornton4112 Does that shed any light on which of the two is telling the truth?

[@omazz1965]

His mother has quite a sense of humor. Great to see she saw her son.

[@stopcrueltyagainstanimals2578]

''Didn't know what a Big Mac was '' Lucky guy!!

[@surpenc]

Its why he's lived so long

[@Bigrod8673]

What is more crazy then this is some people want a dictator here in the US!

[@joyceanthony-huff2914]

No they don't. They want a leader who will put Americans first

[@Golgi-Gyges]

Huh?

[@LarsonPetty]

​@@Golgi-GygesYeah, Santos here⬆️ is correct. Lately I've seen more interviews than I am comfortable with regarding this subject. There is a certain US Presidential candidate whose followers posit that a dictatorship doesn't sound too bad, as long as it's their guy in charge. Just a few short years ago, such thoughts were an absurdity, and voicing this sentiment was nothing more than an unthinkable fantasy.

[@dh5516]

​@@LarsonPetty You're lying, of course. Produce one credible reference. Clueless.

[@LarsonPetty]

@@dh5516 Wow. Bit sensitive regarding Dear Leader, aren't we?

[@rxbrown86]

Sometimes it takes a story like this to remind us all how blessed we are to live in the USA!

[@RobertLaPorte-f8w]

Never ever ever give up hope.❤

[@bethelshiloh]

Well at least he realizes he was a fool.

[@donkeyslayer9879]

Stupid does as stupid is.

[@jackmeyhoffer5107]

Hard to have sympathy for this guy. He deserted his fellow soldiers and he surrendered to N. Korea. You KNOW that he gave them information about the US military.

[@dh5516]

As a buck Sergeant, he couldn't give up anything they were interested in, or didn't already know. North Korea was just happy to have him for propaganda.

[@fgarrison2910]

Why dont we just let him talk because he has been there we havent. He just said "study".

[@LuciThomasHardylover-qx6ts]

Seems to be the style of the programme,to interpret the person's story for you rather than letting you hear the person's words and make your own judgement.

[@auggiecontreras8068]

Impossible to know his state of mind. But wow...had he done things the "right" way, he probably would have done three months in jail. Bizarre story for sure 🙏

[@greyjay9202]

I'm glad the Army saw fit to give him only 25 days in the brig. That man went through decades of hell, for his one bad decision. How lucky he was, to find a loyal, loving woman, in such awful circumstances. And, to have children to love and care for.

[@beckykent6674]

I feel bad for him. He was scared and was young. You can see it in his eyes how bad he feels.

[@prun8893]

The USA is the best country on Earth...and this poor fellow didn't realize it until it was too late.

[@reinaldogarcia70]

Fascinating , so sad 😢

[@nancypatterson2215]

I'm a soft hearted woman, but I honestly struggle to find any sympathy or empathy for this man, who didn't deserve to wear the same uniform as our brave men & women of The US Military!!

[@Livingtheinvisiblelife]

So glad you’ve never made a single bad decision in your life. You must be lonely living up there are your high horse. This man turned himself in once free and did his punishment. You’re not a soft hearted woman at all with this comment.

[@jmw4455]

I agree

[@jmw4455]

I mean, I agree with Nancy. And I am a veteran. And I did serve in Korea.

[@nancypatterson2215]

@jmw4455 I'm actually a veteran too, so many people do not understand that we are trained & it's just drilled into us to never betray our country, fellow soldiers, & ourselves.

[@scruffy7443]

His Mother...I'm sad...😿

[@wally2786]

Is this a movie? Or this should be a movie. What a Story.

[@jiachengwu4185]

I think it would be too traumatizing for the general public

[@KC-ke7kq]

OK, I cried

[@thomasmcdaniel765]

Wow God bless that man

[@airgunningyup]

one foolish mistake by a 24 yr old .. crazy

[@ForelliBoy]

Truly a modern example of the "Prodigal Son"

[@dude4742]

he lived a full life over there man. crazy.

[@gesundheit602]

From the smiling picture with the other deserters, the fact he had a wife and kids, and his talk of arguing with his captor, it seems like he was actually more of a political prisoner for propaganda purposes. He'd have been shot or under a cell if not.

[@reinaldogarcia70]

So sad 😢

[@ladyofthelake223]

I’m surprised they didn’t keep them as pampered pets to roll out on tv as propaganda.

[@anthonylagunas6737]

The North Koreans would send propaganda leaflets to the south with the pictures of the US soldiers on them. I still have leaflets, with their pictures.

[@selah4719]

My husband is a disabled Vietnam vet, I have no sympathy for this guy. He was and is a coward .

[@maplebear6527]

Yes and your husband is a hero

[@Brap-pl2me]

Typical. The most judgmental are the ones with secondhand experience lol

[@infjintegrityvsnarcissism7295]

Thank your husband for his service. I am named after a Marine who never made it back from Vietnam he was like an older brother to my father who was too young for Nam.

[@mzmel1]

A sweet ending bore out of a horrible mistake. He seems like a good guy. It’s good he got a chance to reunite with his mother. And have his wife and daughters be introduced to his family.

[@cabininthewoods7326]

No one paid a higher price forca horrible mistake.

[@robertpolanco1973]

Personally, I may never forgive Charles Jenkins for not being smart enough to really think and decide on having to defect to the DPRK (North Korea) in the first place in 1965. After all, his allegations against another American defector named Joe Dresnok, as had been reported in the documentary, "Crossing the Line," were a little hard to believe in regards to how Jenkins was treated in that country for those 40 years of his life living in the DPRK as a result instead.

[@maplebear6527]

I feel sorry for everyone in his circle, except him. I feel for his family, his daughters and his wife.

[@MatthewW713]

I agree. He said he wasn’t a traitor because he came back. But the real reason he came back is because he didn’t like his treatment in NK. He deserted his family and his country.

[@maplebear6527]

@@MatthewW713 God only knows what secrets he gave the North. Even 10 beers deep, WTF was he thinking?!

[@unknown20s92]

I’ve heard he wanted to go to Russia through North Korea but they didn’t let him leave

[@maxbuetler4064]

"There are black policemen" Wow there were no black policemen in North Carolina in 1964??

[@abschu713]

North Carolina is in the South, and the Civil Rights Act wasn’t passed until 1964 so….probably not 😅 Lovely state nowadays though

[@infjintegrityvsnarcissism7295]

I bet he was expecting cops to still be carrying revolvers too

[@angelamrivera7365]

Mr. Charles Robert Jenkins, may God bless you and your family. With all my respect to you. God bless you. Bigggg Huggggggies to you, your wife, your daughters. And your family in North Carolina. 💛🏡🇺🇸🙏. 60 minutes, thank you so much for this enterview. For me this is when Journalist becomes a Blessing Mission. Thank you!

[@outdoorlife5396]

He came from a poor rural area of eastern NC. I heard stories of the Army recruiters paying 20 dollars for an enlistment back then. That was almost a week's pay in most places. I looked at some of my parents paycheck and it was 45 a week back then. Crazy. It is funny what fear will do to you.

[@dabprod]

I enlisted in 1962 as a private E-1, pay was $68 a month.

[@nigellee9824]

Am I the only one who has absolutely no sympathy for this guy….he went there purely of his own making..but he wasn’t the brightest pebble on the beach..

[@maplebear6527]

You're not alone

[@adminimer5176]

Im sorry but I cried when he met him mother, and I heard him say 'Moma'

[@pbryant1360]

What’s sad is this that I grew up seeing his Mom in the local shopping mall. Whenever we would stop and talk, she’d look over you to see if she could see if her son was near. As I grew taller she looked over me on tiptoe.

[@PutItAway101]

Hard to sympathize with someone who did something that was so obviously a disastrously terrible idea.

[@jeremykelly3633]

Beautiful story 🫶🏾

[@gaymichaelis7581]

Very good story, though it is not a happy thing!!! I didn’t know at all about this man/brother/soldier in the US Army!!! Happy that he got away from the North Koreans and ended up marrying and having two daughters and getting freedom and getting to go home to visit and see his mother before she died, etc.!! And getting to become a farmer. It seems in Japan!!! Very good story!! Thank you again!!! ❤🙏😇👍🌎🇯🇵

[@drifter503]

What a story

[@thack57]

He, facially, reminds me of Ross Perot.

[@deannekliene2673]

Id rather be arrested than stay another day there....

[@evilborg]

Robert was the only American I truly felt bad for... he knew he messed up and went back unlike the other 3 and as for Dresnok I hope he is burning in hell, he a true traitor to the uniform and country.

[@mbaonianthony3837]

The bottom line is that you left your men alone to die what happened to no man left behind