But there was more to the story than was captured on film. Though it revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see the picture again The pain of these fractures were seeds buried with tears into the souls of the wounded. [3], USAF Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Stirm made a speech[4] "on behalf of himself and other POWs who had arrived from Vietnam as part of Operation Homecoming. MediaSourcery, marketers of multimedia software. After years of tense start-and-stop negotiations between the U.S. and North Vietnamese governments, the appropriately coined Operation Homecoming began. It was March 17, 1973, and it had been six long years since she had last seen her father, Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm, an Air Force fighter pilot who was shot down over Hanoi in 1967 and had been missing or imprisoned ever since. Robert Stirm Jr. is 34 now, the father of three sons and a dentist in Concord, Calif. His sister, Cindy, is his office manager. As Stirm descended from the plane onto the tarmac, there was Loretta. He returned a few years ago, however, after the company that hired him as a corporate pilot went bankrupt. Despite all of this, however, Loretta made up her mind not long after Stirms stricken F-105 Thunderchief fell from the sky, bidding him goodbye as he ejected and parachuted into enemy hands. In the photo, he is 14, partially blocked by Lorrie, a broad smile on his face. Your Privacy Rights They divorced a year after Stirm returned from Vietnam, and each remarried within six months. But he says he can't bring himself to display the picture. Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. He followed in his fathers footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. And Loretta? . We were very excited. Arrangements by Cook-Walden Davis Funeral Home, 2900 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas 78628 (512)863-2564. the house.". Loretta Faye Adams Resident of Georgetown, Texas Dec. 14, 1935-Aug. 13, 2010 Our beloved Loretta Faye Adams, 74, of Georgetown, TX, was called home by our Heavenly Father on August 13, 2010.. She was born on August 1957. In less than half an hour, Veder and his AP colleague Walt Zeboski had developed six remarkable images of that singular moment. I don't see me. Burst of Joy is a Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph by Associated Press photographer Slava "Sal" Veder, taken on March 17, 1973 at Travis Air Force Base in California. And she did not even have the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. [10], After Burst of Joy was announced as the winner of the Pulitzer Prize, all of the family members depicted in the picture received copies. . He worked well past the age of 60, and is currently 86 years of age. The joy of this reunion leaps out from the pages of history: Bob Stirm, crisp in his Air Force uniform, was finally home after nearly 5 1/2 years in the prison camps of Vietnam. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. "It was like Christmas," she says. On March 17, the plane landed at Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, California. anti emmeleur feeder. her first high heels. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the picture recently and saw her 15 1/2-year-old self about to leap into her father's arms, her airborne feet shod in her first pair of high heels. She lives in Mountain View, California, with her husband. "It seems like another lifetime ago," she said. Everybody's face is genuinely happy.". marriage within a year or so after I was shot down. Copyright 2023 PopularMilitary | All Rights Reserved. Performance by Coral Pea, PBS: Antique Roadshow, Public Broadcasting Service, 2 Jan. 2023, This page was last edited on 22 February 2023, at 23:15. Advertising Notice related to Larry Clark Lynn Clark, 70 Alissa Clark, 35 Chris Clark, 40 Alison Arias, 49 Merrill Bronstein, 79 Heidi Stirm, 61 Delavan Kitching, 54 Kathryn Kitching, 87. has lived in Tahoe City, CA 735 Leona Ln, Mountain View, CA 94040 Santa Clara, CA San . Burst of Joy. Today, she is Cindy Pierson, the 31-year-old mother of an 8-year-old girl. The joy of this reunion leaps out from the pages of history: Robert Stirm, In some ways, its hypocritical, because my former wife had abandoned the marriage within a year or so after I was shot down, he told the LA Times. "It's a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into," she says. You can view 1 entry, complete with personal details, location history, phone numbers, relatives and locations for Lorrie Kitching. wonderful to have a dad because all my friends had dads at their functions.". "It brought a lot of notoriety and publicity to me and, unfortunately, the legal situation that I was going to be faced with, and it was kind of unwelcomed," Stirm says of the photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Sal Veder. . He rushed to a makeshift darkroom in a ladies' bathroom on the base (United Press International had commandeered the men's). Burst of Joy became and remains an iconic photo marking the end of the US involvement in Vietnam. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. Roger, a major in the Air Force, lives outside Seattle. She simply couldn't believe they were about to be reunited. Phone Numbers: managed to make each other miserable. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr., and Loretta was given custody of Roger and Cindy. pictures up and your certificates and have kept you very much with us while Now 72 and retired, he lives in Foster City, California. States. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. "It was like Christmas," she said. Lorrie is survived by her husband; Thomas B. Adams, children; Lorrie Kitching (Norm), Robert Stirm, Roger Stirm (Nevert), Cindy Pierson (Steve), loving grandchildren, siblings; Janis. Just one grandparent can lead you to many And Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons. Such is the case with Burst of Joy. Its not just, Stirm said. It was like Christmas, she said. Lorrie Kitching is 65 years old and was born on 08/02/1957. The photograph Burst of Joy. If so, login to add it. After his promotion to Colonel and retirement in 1977, Stirm went to work for a steel company and as a corporate pilot. Bob and Loretta met at a party just after he graduated from Air Force cadet school in Texas; they were married in February 1955 when she was 19. Possible relatives for Robert Stirm include Kristine Vanni, Patricia Phillips, Sharon Stirm and several others. Roger, 12 at the time, trails everyone, wearing a ski jacket. Rdr2 Catherine Braithwaite Brooch, Votre adresse de messagerie ne sera pas publie. But to him, it evokes bitterness and betrayal. See the links below for more info. She is wearing her favorite dress, a black jumper with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes. Robert Stirm Jr. is 34 now, the father of three sons and a dentist in Concord, Calif. His sister, Cindy, is his office manager. Stirm was imprisoned in North Vietnam for . DATE OF BIRTH: March 23, 1933 PLACE OF BIRTH: San Mateo, California HOME OF RECORD: San Mateo, California Robert Stirm was interned as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam after he was shot down on. 2019 Bright Mountain Media, Inc. All rights reserved. It portrays (that) everybody there was happy to see me.. (650) 342-1481 But for Stirm, there will always be the picture. The picture also reminds Lorrie of the soldiers who did not come home. Stirm laughed. But he says he can't bring himself to display the picture. Last updated 1 year ago. Stirm retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years of service. declined to be interviewed. Privacy Statement This property has an improvement value of $184,374. The children and I never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. He said he survived the torture, the mock executions, the dread-filled days and nights, so he could return to her, only to be handed a Dear John letter by a chaplain upon his release. You knew Christmas was going to be great, but you didnt really know what was going to happen on Christmas, and that was just like when Dad came home. Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. "She had a rough job, raising four children on her own," Lorrie says. "It's not fair. brings it all back again - just all the joy that was there. . On October 27, 1967, Stirm was shot down over Hanoi while leading a flight of F-105s on a bombing mission, and was not released until March 14, 1973. I cant begin to tell you how proud we are of you, Loretta wrote. The story behind the famous photo of a family's reunion after a father, a POW, returns from Vietnam is significantly less joyous than the imagery implies. Many people try to escape the past by willing themselves to forget, by allowing the years to dull the ache and make the memories recede. Three decades after the Stirm reunion, the scene, having appeared in countless books, anthologies and exhibitions, remains part of the nation's collective consciousness, often serving as an uplifting postscript to Vietnam. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. Have you taken a DNA test? Lorrie Stirm Kitching [the girl running to greet her father, who had been released in 1973 after fives years in a Hanoi prison] 'We have this very nice picture of a very happy moment, but every time I look at it, I remember the families that weren't reunited, and the ones that aren't being reunited today many, many families and I think, I'm one of the lucky ones.' Stirm's retirement pay, though the judge said a great deal of evidence showed I dont feel like I was really a part of it. Comments. . Robert retired from the Air Force as a colonel in 1977 and worked as a corporate pilot and businessman. An associated email address for Robert Stirm is jjdmskel***@aol.com . In the photo, then-Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stirm was reunited with his family after years of captivity and torture in the Hanoi Hilton, a notorious prison camp in North Vietnam. He returned a few years ago, however, Thats a strong incentive.. After six long years, POW Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm was once again able to hug his 15-year-old daughter Lorrie Stirm, along with his other three children and his wife. But for Stirms older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. "I was very pleased to see my childrenI loved them all and still do, and I know they had a difficult timebut there was a lot to deal with." "Bob, I feel sure that in your heart you It is a tangible reminder that what kept him alive for those five years as a prisoner of war was, in part, an illusion. tufts baseball recruiting questionnaire; worst hotels in ocean city, md; seaman, ohio funeral home History is who we are and why we are the way we are.. She is married to a lawyer and still lives in Foster City. Laura Kitchings Parker. "It's a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into," the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. 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