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Heritage Minute Special:
Eyewitness to Operation Homecoming

A Story Untold for 50 Years

Maj. (Ret.) Penny Grossman served 21 years on active duty as a U.S. Air Force nurse. In 1973, she was stationed at Clark Air Base in the Philippines during Operation Homecoming, when nearly 600 American prisoners of war were released. The first leg of their return took them from Hanoi to Clark, where Grossman witnessed their first steps of freedom. As of October 2023, she had not spoken of those difficult memories in 50 years.

THE BACKSTORY

This Heritage Minute special presentation is guest-hosted by George Hayward, author of The Party Dolls: The True, Tragic Story of Two Americans’ Attempted Escape from a 1969 Hanoi POW Camp.  He is a recognized authority on the history of Americans held captive during the Vietnam war, and the horrors they faced.

George has known Penny for more than 20 years. He has known her husband Barry, also retired Air Force, for more than 30 years. But he'd never heard any of this until just a few months ago. Penny's stories moved him to tears, and, according to George, she shed many tears in the telling. A short time later, she recorded her memories on audio, which George has agreed share with you.

Lt. Penny Grossman, USAF, Clark Air Base, 1972
719.472.0300 Engage@usafa.org