The Longest Rescue, A Vietnam POW's Story - Quarterly Lecture

For Bill Robinson, what started out as a typical mission day in Vietnam, September 20, 1965, turned into a long nightmare when his helicopter was shot down and the entire crew captured.  The North Vietnamese took Bill to the infamous Hanoi Hilton Prison, where he endured unspeakable conditions and cruelty, surviving only through his strong will.  He was released on February 12, 1973, after seven years and five months of captivity, the longest-held POW in United States military history.  Immediately commissioned as a lieutenant, he retired in 1984 as a captain, having been awarded the Air Force Cross, the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, the POW Medal, and two Purple Hearts.

At 2:15 p.m., Rolling Thunder will conduct a ceremonial raising of the POW/MIA flag at the East Tennessee History Center.  The program will begin at 2:30 with the short “POW MIA Remembrance Ceremony,” followed by the lecture.

The East Tennessee Veterans Memorial Association and East Tennessee Historical Society are cosponsoring the lecture which is free and open to the public.  The lecture will begin at 2:30 at the East Tennessee History Center, 601 S. Gay Street, Knoxville.  For more information on the lecture, exhibitions, or museum hours, call 865-215-8824.