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Viet Cong Free 34 POWsc n*5 ofiy i.r the con-con-and rono-s at com-jrsueeachhree-ivingction,tsiblyeffecttate s is weICon-inadaEgana disth form any opEgan -h air-near( LARK AIR BASE, Philippines (AP — The Viet Cong released 34 more prisoners of war in flanoi today, including the only foreign woman held by the Communists, and a U.S. Air Force hospital plane brought them to Clark Air Base for a presidential welcome.President Ferdinand E. Marcos was on hand because two Filipino employes of the Voice of America were among those freed, along with 27 American military men, three American civilians and two West German medical workers.One of the Germans was nurse Monika Schwinn, 30, who was captured near Da Nang April 27, 1969 It was the second prisoner release in two days On Sunday, the North Vietnamese freed 106 Americans and two Thais in Hanoi.First off the plane today was the ranking American military member of the group, Army Capt, Stephen R. Leopold, 28. of Milwaukee, Wis “My God, you don t know how good it is to be free, how good it is to be home,' he said in a brief speech The POWs were dressed in the same gray shirts and dark slacks that other prisoners who have returned from Flanoi have wornAll but one of the American military men smartly saluted the American flag before step pmg down the ramp to be greeted by Marcos, Adm. NoelGayler, commander in chief of U S forces in the Pacific; U S Ambassador Henry A Byroade, and the commander of the 13th Air Force, Lt. Gen. William G. Moore Jr.Marine Sgt. Frank E. Cius Jr , 36, who was captured June 3, 1967, saluted Gayler as he stepped down but not the colors. He was the only POW to be released so far for whom the military has not announced a home town They said this was done at the request of his family-Also on the flight were five members of the armed flt;flXe$ radio television network captured in Hue during the Tet of fensive on Feb 3, 1968They were Marine Capt. James V. Dibernardo, 38. of Mission Viejo, Calif., commander of the unit, Army Spec 5 Jose M Astorga, 22, of San Diego, Calif.; Army S Sgt John A. Deering. 30, of Durham. N.C., Army S Sgt. Harry L. Et-tmueller, 29, of Pleasantvjlle, N J., and M Sgt Donat Joseph Gouin. 44, of Lima, Ohio.The three American civilians were Clodeon Adkins, 57, of Homeland, Calif., Michael Dennis Benge. 37, of Heppner, Ore. and l^awrence J. Stark, 37, of Chicago, III All were captured during the Tet offensive in 1968Miss Schwinn, who was working for the Maltese Aid Service Mission when she was captured, managed a brief smile as she stepped into the glare of the television lights.The formality that had marked the first part of the ar rival quickly disappeared as the two men were smothered in the arms of their families Balagot was greeted by his wife and all eight of his chil drenThe North Vietnamese and Viet Cong now have freed ‘299 Americans since the Jan. 28 cease-fire. _
Newspaper Details
Daily Sitka Sentinel
Sitka, Alaska, US
Mon, Mar 05, 1973
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IL, USA 07 Jul 2020
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