On this day in military history…

On the 12th February 1973 Operation Homecoming started to repatriate prisoners of war from Hanoi Vietnam ,a total of 591 were returned .

The North Vietnamese assembled the POWs and tried to give them bright sweatshirts and suits with ties to help there propaganda machine spin a look of good treatment.

The prisoners did though accept more low key outfits to keep from jeopardising there release ,once on board the starlifter aircraft they then flew to Clark air base Philippines for medical examination.

Having stopped in Hawaii and California they eventually were returned to there families and could live as free Americans again.

Around 80% of the returning airmen carried on there military careers and look back on gave the planes that carried them back the name Hanoi Taxis.