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[Note: The following text is Dave Bristol's response to a question on the Prop Wash Gang Yahoo Forum addressed to any of our members who might have been flying a mission the day that our POW's headed home from Hanoi aboard the "Hanoi Taxi," an Air Force C-141.]
Nope, I was not flying on 12 Feb 1973. I was chairborne at Clark. This is one of the most memorable times in my 20+ year AF career.
As you know, the POWs came back through Clark. I saw each and every one of the POWs return, either in person or on TV. I met many of them at the Base Hospital or the few other places they let them go.
If a bus load of POWs was passing the folks along the route would stop and render a salute or a wave. It was a big thing for the people at Clark, and I am sure a bigger thing for the POWs.
Clark had a really fine plan for these troops. Each had a sponsor, a friend or someone in the same job. Navs had Nav sponsors, Fighter Jocks had Fighter Jocks, and so forth. They had folks to brief them on any subject imaginable. Many wanted to catch up on sports, politics, hobbies, or whatever. Some expert in the field was found to help them catch up.
There were big concerns as to what kind of food the POWs could stomach after years in captivity. They had special diets prepared for them but the guys wanted ice cream, eggs and other favorite foods. I never heard of anyone having problems with the change in diet. The base moved all the ice cream from the commissary and snack bars to the hospital kitchen. No one complained when they could not buy any in the stores.
One day my x-wife, Linda, was at the Base Hospital with my youngest daughter, Joy. Army Colonel Purcell, a POW, came and asked if he could hold the baby. Linda said that the baby would cry and the Col. said that the had not heard a baby cry in years and that it would be okay. He held the baby and they all cried. He then asked the babies name and was told it was Joy. He said that his babies name was Joy and they all cried again. He then asked it we had other kids and Linda told him yes and Teri was (?6?) and he said that was the age of his child.
Col. Purcell then asked if he could see the other girl. Linda said that she was in school but she could bring her by in the morning. The Col. said that he was leaving in the morning. Linda then offered to bring Teri to the runway departure area so that they could see each other. That night the gals made cookies and I made a BIG sign that said "Colonol Purcell, WE LOVE YOU."
When the POWs were loading onto the 141 for their trip home Col Purcell fell out of line and came over to the gals and the TV cameras followed him. This was not the usual routine and it was news. Anyhow there were hugs all around and he took the cookies and went on his way. Then the reporters descended on Linda and the girls looking for a story. She told him there was no story, just folks being nice to one another.
A clip of this moment made the national news and the family at home in the U.S. got to see the girls on TV that night.
Nope, I was not flying that day, but I remember it well.