" AIR FORCE NOW " VIETNAM WAR PRISONERS OF WAR (POWS) RETURN TO USA OPERATION HOMECOMING 48254

Love our channel? Help us save and post more orphaned films! Support us on Patreon: / periscopefilm Even a really tiny contribution can make a difference.
This extraordinary film about American POWs is one of a series of "Air Force Now" magazine type movies made for the U.S. Air Force in the 1970s and 1980s. This particular episode focuses on the return of Prisoners of War (POWs) from Vietnam after the war. It was apparently made in either late 1973 or early 1974, after Operation Homecoming took place. Operation Homecoming took place from February 14, 1973 to April of that year, and involved the return of 591 American prisoners of war held by North Vietnam. Homecoming was a negotiated part of the Paris Peace Accords that ended U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.
Opening: Vietnam Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks on his experience. Title: Air Force Now. Pilot ejects and parachutes to the ground. POW salutes an officer and walks away. A Lockheed C-141 Starlifter lifts into the air, happy Americans onboard (:06-2:58). Starlifter lands. People wait for their loved ones. Ex-POWs shake hands with officers/ They undergo physical exams, haircuts, eat lots of food, get dressed. City shots and welcome home signs. Soldiers hug their loved ones (2:59-4:53). Ex-POW Lt. Col. Alan Lurie speaks. People applaud. Ex-POW Col. John Stavast shakes hands after returning. Ex-POW Col. Thomas Kirk, Jr. speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Lt. Col. Thomas Madison speaks. Maxine McCaffery, a painter, speaks (4:54-7:20). Maxine McCaffery's paintings of POWs in isolation. Maj. Jan Tillisch, Internist in Cardiology, speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Ex-POW Capt. John Fer speaks. Maj. John Webber speaks. Ex-POW Col. George Day speaks (7:21-9:32). Ex-POW Col. Laird Guttersen speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Intelligence debriefer speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Donald Waltman speaks. Ex-POW Smsgt. Louis LeBlanc speaks (9:33-11:14). Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Intelligence debriefer speaks. Van pulls up. U.S. Air Force jet lands. Released POWs salute and shake hands. POW walks with crutches, trailed by others (11:15-13:05). Nurse talks to POWs. Nurse speaks. Col. George Fong, Homecoming Team Chief speaks on the returnees. POw eats next to his wife (13:06-14:49). Welcome home parade. POWs smile and shake hands upon returning. Crowd holds signs. A bus pulls up. POWs in the hospital, some put on their suits. Col. Howard Rickenbach, Jr., Director of Hospital Services speaks on the returnees. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Ex-POW Capt. Jerry Driscoll speaks (14:50-16:17). Ex-POW Maj. David Ford speaks. Staff Psychiatrist Maj. William Harmon, Jr. speaks. Ex-POW Capt. Jerry Driscoll speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Birthday cake celebration for returnee, people clap and smile. Ex-POW Capt. Michael Brazelton speaks. Nurses shake hands with Ex-POW who's leaving the hospital. Nurse speaks on the men (16:18-18:31). Men shake hands as one leaves the hospital. Man gets into a car, car drives off. POW in a tiny room. Ex-POWs hug their loved ones as they leave a plane. Ex-POW Col. Fred V. Cherry speaks and his conversation is tape recorded. Debriefing Team Chief Col. R.L. Raymond speaks on his job (18:32-20:15). Ex-POW's wife Mrs. Peter Camerota speaks. Ex-POWs speak with one another. Ex-POW Lt. Col. John Pitchford speaks on being shot down. Ex-POW Capt. Peter Giroux speaks about bombings and flying. Ex-POW Peter Camerota exits a plane and salutes. He speaks on a microphone and hugs his happy wife (20:16-22:25). Everyday Americans speak on the POWs. An Ex-POW sits with his wife and child and speaks. His wife speaks (22:26-23:55). Everyday Americans speak on the POWs. Ex-POW Brig. Gen. John P. Flynn speaks. Ex-POW Lt. Col. Lewis Shattuck speaks. Signs held for POWs, children clap. Ex-POW Cmdr. Claude Clower speaks on the war and the people of Vietnam. Vietnamese faces. Returning POWs walk in slow motion. Ex-POW Capt. Jerry Driscoll walks along a beach. Ocean tide (23:56-27:19). End credits (27:20-27:25).
We encourage viewers to add comments and, especially, to provide additional information about our videos by adding a comment! See something interesting? Tell people what it is and what they can see by writing something for example: "01:00:12:00 -- President Roosevelt is seen meeting with Winston Churchill at the Quebec Conference."
This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit www.PeriscopeFilm.com

[@georgehayward3774]

A surprisingly insightful look at the return of the POWs during Operation Homecoming. I've seen I-don't-know-how-many videos of POWs' returns, including some home movies, but I'd never seen so much of the "process" as they were fed, treated, and debriefed before returning to their families. Heartwarming to see Colonel (then Captain) Mike Brazelton featured so much. He is quoted in my book THE PARTY DOLLS, about the 1969 Dramesi-Atterberry escape, and provided some great insights as one of the prisoners NOT in Annex Rooms 6 or 5. I'm also pretty sure I saw Navy Capt. Mike McGrath in there a couple times, though I know him now much older.

[@apocyldoomer]

POW-MIA. My cousin was killed by a booby trap in Vietnam, 1969, I was 5 years old. So very glad these brave men made it home, I couldn’t imagine the PTSD these men had upon returning home, hope they were all ok!

[@vanthai9670]

Thank you ALL Vietnam veterans for your service !!

[@johnmarlin4661]

I flew 160 combat flights from Yankee Station 1966-67 . I was an NFO flying ECM support in Skyraiders . Two pilots that I had flown with later went jets and were POW's . Both came home !! That country will never see me visiting there again !!

[@gregtaylor6146]

THAT country is no-doubt extremely pleased to hear it.

[@harmendejong4754]

@@gregtaylor6146 So .. Did he mean like, as a tourist or as a combat aviator?

[@gregtaylor6146]

@@harmendejong4754 - Vietnams says: in either capacity.

[@davenone7312]

It was sickening to experience how horrible our military men were treated by this country on their return home from duty in Vietnam. Not sure if the sickening patronizing "Thank you for your service" crap of today is any better!

[@rexremedy1733]

No. I don’t think so. It’s total nonsense. For example: Do people do this for fire fighters? For ambulance workers? And so on? No. They don’t. So why not? I know why: Because it’s related to some dumb and embarrassing national pride. Don’t get me wrong, I believe one should be proud on one’s own nations achievements. But one can articulate this pride in other ways. Especially not through words. So, frankly I find this „thank you for your service“ crap embarrassing for any self respecting man. No real tough guy or even hero wants be told such words. It’s embarrassing and pathetic. Rather show your respect through your own actions. I mean not you of course. I mean in general.

[@rl64rl]

Awesome

[@jimhaines8370]

Damn VC

[@apocyldoomer]

Damn McNamara, LBJ, Gulf of Tonkin NEVER happened, the Govt. finally admitted that it was a farce. The soldiers and Airman and Navy and Marines had 1 hand tied behind their back, too many restrictions, the buffoons “running” the war, the politicians should never be permitted to run a war. Ho Chi Minh stated “I don’t know why the Americans stopped the bombing, they had us BEAT”! I wonder why too!!

[@floridanick]

That one guy looks and act like Jim Carey with the eye patch

[@generaljoey3559]

The Waffle House has found its new host.