In military history
today, on February 12, 1973, the first plane load of American POWs freed from
North Vietnam landed at Clark Field in the Philippines. The senior officer, then Capt. Jeremiah
Denton, USN made the following statement:
"We are honored
to have had the opportunity to serve our country in difficult
circumstances. We are profoundly
grateful to our Commander-in-Chief and to our nation for this day. God bless America!"
Capt. Denton was
promoted to Rear Admiral and finally retired in 1977. He went on to represent Alabama as the first
Republican US Senator since Reconstruction in 1980.
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