| Description |
1 online resource (xiii, 259 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates) : illustrations, maps |
| Contents |
Unfortunate sons -- Separate paths to hell -- After Ho -- Coming home -- Forget and move on -- An iconic image -- Legacies |
| Summary |
On September 20, 1965, Airman First Class Bill Robinson, a helicopter mechanic, was shot down in North Vietnam. He spent more than seven years in multiple North Vietnamese prison camps. For his actions in Vietnam, Robinson received the Air Cross, one of only twenty-three enlisted men ever to earn that honour. No enlisted man in American military history has been held longer as a prisoner of war. The book presents a detailed account of Robinson's early years and devotes substantial coverage to his postrelease life |
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While serving as a crew chief aboard a U.S. Air Force Rescue helicopter, Airman First Class William A. Robinson was shot down and captured in Ha Tinh Province, North Vietnam, on September 20, 1965. After a brief stint at the "Hanoi Hilton," Robinson endured 2,703 days in multiple North Vietnamese prison camps, including the notorious Briarpatch and various compounds at Cu Loc, known by the inmates as the Zoo. No enlisted man in American military history has been held as a prisoner of war longer than Robinson. For seven and a half years, he faced daily privations and endured the full range of North Vietnam's torture program. Glenn Robins tells Robinson's story using an array of sources, including declassified U.S. military documents, translated Vietnamese documents, and interviews from the National Prisoner of War Museum. Unlike many other POW accounts, this comprehensive biography explores Robinson's life before and after his capture, particularly his estranged relationship with his father, enabling a better understanding of the difficult transition POWs face upon returning home and the toll exacted on their families. Robins's powerful narrative not only demonstrates how Robinson and his fellow prisoners embodied the dedication and sacrifice of America's enlisted men but also explores their place in history and memory |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references (pages 235-254) and index |
| Notes |
English |
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Description based on online resource; title from digital title page (viewed on March 10, 2023) |
| Subject |
Robinson, William A., 1943- -- Travel -- Vietnam
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Robinson, William A., 1943-
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| SUBJECT |
Robinson, William A., 1943- fast |
| Subject |
United States. Air Force -- Non-commissioned officers -- Biography
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United States. Air Force. Air Rescue Service -- Biography
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| SUBJECT |
United States. Air Force fast |
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United States. Air Force. Air Rescue Service fast |
| Subject |
Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Veterans -- Biography
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Airmen -- United States -- Biography
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Aerial operations, American.
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Prisoners of war -- Vietnam -- Biography
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Prisoners of war -- United States -- Biography
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Vietnam War, 1961-1975 -- Prisoners and prisons, North Vietnamese.
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HISTORY -- Asia -- Southeast Asia.
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HISTORY -- Military -- Veterans.
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Airmen
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Armed Forces -- Non-commissioned officers
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Military operations, Aerial -- American
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Prisoners of war
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Travel
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Veterans
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United States
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Vietnam
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| Genre/Form |
Biographies
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| Form |
Electronic book
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| LC no. |
2013018945 |
| ISBN |
9780813143248 |
|
0813143241 |
|
9780813143255 |
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081314325X |
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9780813144450 |
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0813144450 |
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