Her mother remarried in 1974 and lives in Texas with her husband. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. "It never would have gone away in my mind, but seeing that photo Lorrie Stirm Kitching, the girl with open arms in the picture, does not see her parents failed marriage in the photo. Hanoi Taxis, or C-141s, ferried the sick and wounded out first, followed by the taxis for those who had been imprisoned longest. They divorced a year after Stirm returned from. Stirm was later promoted to full Colonel and retired from the Air Force in 1977. Lorrie was born on December 14, 1935 to James and Hazel (Reed) Mrosko, in Marlin, TX. Trung t Robert Stirm ri khng qun vi qun hm i t nm 1977 v sau lm phi cng li my bay thng mi, ri doanh nhn. Previous to Lorrie's current city of Mountain View, CA, Lorrie Kitching lived in Tahoe City CA. . She is married to an attorney and still lives in Foster City, but declined to be interviewed. "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." . I don't feel like I was really a part of it. In lieu of flowers, if desired, memorial contributions may be made to The American Cancer Society at: 2433 Ridgepoint Drive, Suite B, Austin, TX 78754. 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. Public records show that the phone number (650) 868-9120 is linked to Norman E Kitching, Steven C Donley. The actual story behind the photo, however, was significantly less joyous than the title implied. The children and I never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. And she did not even have the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. . Concord, Calif. His sister, Cindy, is his office manager. She started to run toward a soldier. [9] Loretta died on August 13, 2010 from cancer. The momentum to stay alive for my familys sake was very strong, because I had four neat children and what I believed to be a neat wife that I wanted to get back to see, he said quietly. [1] [2] Three days before he arrived in the United States, the same day he was released from captivity, Stirm received a Dear John letter from his wife Loretta informing him that their marriage was over. newsletter for the best of the past, delivered every Wednesday. The two had previously divorced when they were younger, but remarried shortly after. The matter was not lost on the judge, who had noted Lorettas infidelity while Stirm was enduring torture, isolation and fake executions. school; they were married in 1955 when she was 19. know we can't make it together - and it doesn't make sense to be unhappy when notoriety and publicity to me and, unfortunately, the legal situation that I Veder's pick, which he instantly titled Burst of Joy, was sent out over the news-service wires, published in newspapers around the nation and went on to win a Pulitzer Prize in 1974. Comfort the family with flowers or a sympathy gift. that St. Patrick's Day in 1973, but she alluded to it in the letter handed to "I'm the one that lives CANDLE HAS BEEN LIT CANDLES HAVE BEEN LIT, We are reviewing your submission. From left to right, Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm, Lorrie Stirm, Bo Stirm, Cindy Stirm, Loretta Stirm, and Roger Stirm. Burst of Joy. But the photo per se didn't really change my life--it was my father coming home that changed my life." coming home that changed my life.". Cookie Policy "It's a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into," she says. Zip code 94040 (Mountain View) average rent price for two bedrooms is . 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.The Pulitzer Prize-winning picture that captured that very personal, yet most public of moments symbolizes the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, the bittersweet homecoming of 591 American POWs in 1973. With the signing of the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973 American involvement in the Vietnam was over. "I love you - we all love you, but you must remember how very unhappy we were together," it said. Though it revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see the picture again . He followed in his father's footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. I didn't really know him when he left and I thought it would be wonderful to have a dad because all my friends had dads at their functions.". . Today, she is Cindy Pierson, the 31-year-old mother of an 8-year-old girl. I have changed drastically--forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up, the letter read in part. He points to the picture, to the tall woman - just outpacing her younger son - dressed in a blue-and-white pleated skirt and blue sweater, sporting a large corsage. Filoli, Hour 1. "I have changed drastically--forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up," the letter read in part. Thats a strong incentive.. Lorrie Kitching is 65 years old and was born on 08/02/1957. Stirm was shot down over Hanoi on 27 October 1967, while leading a flight of F-105s on a bombing mission, and not released until 14 March 1973. "I would like to see you when you come home, but will understand if you would rather not. "In some ways, it's hypocritical, because my former wife had abandoned the I would like to see you when you come home, but will understand if you would rather not.. Home; Blog; Nosotros; Contacto; Nuestros Clientes; Copia de Home V2; lorrie stirm kitching [4] Smithsonian Magazine says that "In less than half an hour, Veder and his AP colleague Walt Zeboski had developed six remarkable images of that singular moment. discoveries. 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. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. picture does not show the realities that she had accepted proposals of Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. Lorrie Stirm, daughter of POW Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, recounted in a 2005 Smithsonian magazine article what it was like to wait for her father at Travis after he was released from six years of imprisonment in March 1973. He returned a few years ago, however, after the company that hired him as a corporate pilot went bankrupt. Stirm kt hn mt ln na ri li ti hn. Lorrie Stirm Kitching, the girl with open arms in the picture, does not see her parents' failed marriage in the photo. Advertising Notice Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. Still, he says, the couple has come together for weddings and other family events, and all four children are on good terms with both parents. Use (650) 968-1971 to contact Lorrie with caution. Adding insult to injury, the divorce became a rather publicized affair, with Loretta getting custody of two of their kids, the family home and nearly 43 percent of Stirms retirement pay. Burst of Joy became and remains an iconic photo marking the end of the US involvement in Vietnam. "It never would have gone away in my mind, but seeing that photo brings it all back again--just all the joy that was there." She lives in Mountain View, California, with her husband. He rushed to a makeshift darkroom in a ladies' bathroom on the base (United Press International had commandeered the men's). The last assessment recorded was taken in the year 2015 with a value of 283184. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. a pattern of misconduct on her part during Stirm's imprisonment. Robert Stirm Jr. is 34 now, the father of three sons and a dentist in Concord, Calif. His sister, Cindy, is his office manager. clark orwick ded bob obituary clark orwick ded bob obituary Please contact the site manager for inquiries. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the picture recently and saw herself at 15, about to leap into her father's arms, her feet shod in her first pair of high heels. Roger, 12 at the time, trails everyone. 735 Leona Ln, Tahoe City, CA 96145-Current; 735 Leona Ln, Mountain View, CA 94040; 743 Leona Ln, Mountain View, CA 94040; 1030 Sweet Ave, San Jose, CA 95129; 2755 N Lake Boulevard, Tahoe City . His daughters and sons can be seen running towards him at breakneck speed, while his wife, Loretta, seems happy, but in no hurry. He worked well past the age of 60, and is currently 86 years of age. She simply couldn't believe they were about to be reunited. From left to right, Lt Col Robert L. Stirm, Lorrie Stirm, Bo Stirm, Cindy Stirm, Loretta Stirm, and Roger Stirm. Just three days before Stirms March 1973 arrival at Travis Air Force Base, California, he received a Dear John letter from his wife of 18 years, Loretta. "I can't begin to tell you how proud we are of you. She also received the home and 42.9 percent of Leave a message for others who see this profile. Life is too short.. "We didn't know if he would ever come home," Lorrie says. 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. Three days before Stirm landed at Travis, a chaplain had handed him a Dear John letter from his wife. never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. Stirm was shot down over Hanoi on October 27, 1967, while leading a flight of F-105s on a bombing mission, and not released until March 14, 1973. She lived a lie.. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. His horrific prison experience was a far cry from the suburban comforts of . the ground, face split wide in a giddy smile. Bill Dowell, a long-ago colleague of mine, pointed out that the photo hardly hinted at the truth: The day after he was released from more than five years in captivity and before he was flown home to the States, Air Force Lt. Col. Robert L. Stirm received a letter from his wife Loretta (2nd from right) telling him their marriage was over. Boyle, John, director. North Vietnam Tried to Exploit American Racism with POWs. She also received the family home and 42.9% of Stirms retirement pay, though the judge noted a great deal of evidence was presented to show a pattern of misconduct on her part during Stirms imprisonment. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. Loretta Stirm remarried in 1974 and moved to Texas with her new husband. She had a rough job, raising four children on her own, Lorrie said. I don't see me. comme une vidence grand corps malade analyse. "You were racing down the stairs because we knew that there was a great present waiting for us. She lives in Mountain View, Calif., with her husband. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a Across party lines, across religious, social and economic classifications people will be grateful for life. She is a senior executive assistant to director of operations and infrastructure who is currently employed at Raytheon. that. Tears filled her eyes as she looked at the picture recently and saw her 15 Get notified of updates. In his home near San Francisco, a Vietnam history book is opened to that It brought basket after basket of fan mail and newspaper clippings from all over the world, she recalls. Current Address: 735 Leona Ln, Tahoe City, CA 96145 . She works in the sales department of Media-Sourcery, marketers of multimedia software. No detail was too small to bring these American prisoners home. . . Stirm later learned that Loretta had been with other men throughout his captivity and had received marriage proposals from three of them. It portrays (that) everybody there was happy to see me.. ", The minutes crept by like hours, she recalls, and then, all at once, the car door opened. But the photo per se didn't really change my life - it was my father coming home that changed my life.". She is married to an attorney and still lives in Foster City, but declined to be interviewed. Stirm retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years of service. It was 15-year-old Lorrie Stirm, who was closely followed by her siblings and her mother. Such is the case with Burst of Joy. Stirm was shot down over Hanoi on October 27, 1967, while leading a flight of F-105s on a bombing mission, and was not released until March 14, 1973. In his home near San Francisco, a Vietnam history book was opened to that page of Stirm's life. It brought basket after basket of fan mail and newspaper clippings from all over the. Still, he said, the couple have come together for weddings and other family events, and all four children are on good terms with both parents. It portrays everybody there as happy Lorrie Kitching Senior Executive Assistant to Director of Operations and Infrastructure at Raytheon San Francisco Bay Area 115 followers 113 connections Join to connect Raytheon College of San. "Bob, I feel sure that in your heart you know we can't make it together--and it doesn't make sense to be unhappy when you can do something about it. It brought basket after basket of fan mail and "I'm the one that lives with all the aches and pains from my imprisonment, but she continues to get paid.". "I can't help but feel ambivalent about it," Stirm says today of the photograph. "[5], Last edited on 22 February 2023, at 23:15, U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yInvz73m_8, "POW's Homecoming a Picture of Joy, but a Tapestry of Sadness", "Loretta Adams Obituary (2010) San Francisco Chronicle", "Coming Home: To a war-weary nation, a U.S. POW's return from captivity in Vietnam in 1973 looked like the happiest of reunions", https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/roadshow/watch/episode/2701K1-filoli-hour-1/, Pilots from Takhli and Korat Airbases shot down between 19651972, Sad Story Behind 'Burst of Joy' Vietnam POW Photo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Burst_of_Joy&oldid=1141017147. 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. In some ways, its hypocritical, because my former wife had abandoned the marriage within a year or so after I was shot down. It was Christmas morning. newspaper clippings from all over the world, she recalls. She is wearing her favorite dress, a black jumper with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes. And Loretta? Lorrie Allynstirm Kitching is a 64 year old female who lives in Mountain View, California. These men earned his respect and the respect of the nation. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. He joined Ferry Steel Products, the business his grandfather started in San Francisco, but found it ungratifying. Lorettas mindset was nothing new. In 1974, the Stirms divorced and Loretta remarried, but Lieutenant Colonel Stirm was still ordered by the courts to provide her with 43% of his military retirement pay once he retired from the Air Force. A phone number associated with this person is (864) 242-1770 , and we have 5 other possible phone numbers in the same local area codes 864 and 208 . Famed Wait for Me, Daddy Photograph Has a Complicated History, POWs: Returning to a Society They Did Not Recognize. Though it revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see the picture again from time to time. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr.; Loretta was given With over 1,900 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year. like when Dad came home. States. FOSTER CITY, Calif. His older daughter is racing to meet him, arms outstretched, both feet off the ground, face split wide in a giddy smile. Coating with lard! "I can't begin to tell you how proud we are of you. In many ways, thats what makes the picture unworthy of being displayed in the retired pilots home. She was born on August 1957. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr., and Loretta was given custody of Roger and Cindy. And Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons. "There's some sort of notoriety in A Memorial Service and reception will be held on Saturday, August 28, 2010, 2:30pm, at St. Matthews Episcopal Church, 1 S. El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA. Lorrie is her husbands universe and will be forever loved and deeply missed. I would like to see you when you come home, but will understand if you would rather not.. It Didnt Work. This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. Travis, , , 15 Lorrie Stirm . anti emmeleur feeder. Why? She did not even have the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. "After years of fighting a war we couldn't win, a war that tore us apart, it was finally over, and the country could start healing.". Lorrie is survived by her husband, Thomas B. Adams; children, Lorrie Kitching and husband Norm, Robert Stirm, Roger Stirm and wife Nevert, Cindy Pierson and husband Steve; loving grandchildren, Christopher Clark, Jessica Pierson, Nicholas, Ryan, Cody and Sommer Stirm, Norman Kitching IV, Ralph, Irene and Rhoda Minderhoud; and one great-grandchild Three days before this picture was taken, Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, the soldier in the picture, received a Dear John letter from his wife, Loretta. Im the one that lives with all the aches and pains from my imprisonment, but she continues to get paid.. Lives in Waynesboro, Georgia. Stirm when he arrived in the Philippines before returning to the United He gazes at it. Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, []. The photograph Burst of Joy. Stirm's anger and bitterness two decades later seem directed more at the woman in the famous black-and-white photo--his former wife, Loretta--than at the Vietnamese captors who tortured him. 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. Your entry has exceeded the maximum character limit. 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 said of the photo, taken by Associated Press photographer Sal Veder. Starting on February 12 and continuing until March 29, 1973, almost 600 American POWs were released from North Vietnamese POW camps. Burst of Joy is not an image of the Stirm family. 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. [8] Stirm was later promoted to full Colonel and retired from the Air Force in 1977. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. than at the Vietnamese captors who tortured him. He followed in his father's footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. you can do something about it. Though the picture revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see it again from time to time. Its a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into, she said. Its a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into, Lorrie recalled. The best result we found for your search is Lorrie A Kitching age 60s in Mountain View, CA in the Miramonte-springer neighborhood. Thanks to Veders Burst of Joy, Stirm would join the small cadre of prisoners captivating public interest. Her mother, Loretta, and three younger siblings were only steps behind. He endured nearly six years of mock executions, torture, illness, and starvation while living in the notorious Hanoi Hilton. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. I didn't really know him when he left and I thought it would be "[7], Despite outward appearances, the reunion was an unhappy one for Stirm. [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. In the lead is 15 year old Lorrie followed by Robert Jr., Cindy, Roger and wife Loretta. The centerpiece of the photograph is Stirm's 15-year-old daughter Lorrie, who is excitedly greeting her father with outstretched arms, as the rest of the family approaches directly behind her. Because his back is to the camera, as Veder points out, the officer seems anonymous, an everyman who represented not only the hundreds of POW's released that spring but all the troops in Vietnam who would return home to the mothers, fathers, wives, daughters and sons they'd left behind. "It's not fair. charles carl roberts iv obituary; challenges of inseparability. you were gone and the children have not forgotten their father. It . He returned a few years ago, however, And Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons. To Stirm, now 60, it is cruel irony that so public a reunion had so hollow a core. All four of Robert Stirm Sr.'s children have a copy of Burst of Joy hanging in a place of honor on their walls. "It's a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into," And while all four children have Burst of Joy hanging in their homes, its more complicated and bittersweet for Stirm. The Veder entitled the prize-winning photo he'd snapped "Burst of Joy.". People recognized this photo, he said. To this day, Robert Stirm cannot enjoy this picture capturing the joy of his family. She works in the sales department of She was very young.. When has your joy been interrupted with sadness or pain? Lorrie, 35, lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an It's not just," Stirm says now. "She was very young.". principles of language teaching ppt; best hvac systems 2020 consumer reports After his promotion to Colonel and retirement in 1977, Stirm went to work for a steel company and as a corporate pilot. But the photo per se didnt really change my life--it was my father coming home that changed my life.. Why? And Loretta? Burst of Joy. In every home there is something broken; a dream unfulfilled, a relationship torn apart or a heart broken. running, are his two grinning boys; his younger daughter; his tall, attractive turned 11 two days before her father returned home. The most comprehensive and authoritative history site on the Internet. . Robert's flight, as part of Operation Homecoming, brought 20 POWs back . It was Christmas morning. Our mission is to get Southern California reading and talking. (650) 342-1481 Directly behind Lorrie in the photo is Cindy, the youngest child. She works in the sales department of MediaSourcery, marketers of multimedia software. WIKITREE PROTECTS MOST SENSITIVE INFORMATION BUT ONLY TO THE EXTENT STATED IN THE TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICY. "I just wanted to get to Dad as fast as I could," Lorrie says. But there was more to the story than was captured on film. 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 Solano County, California, United States. Stirm's retirement pay, though the judge said a great deal of evidence showed The children and I never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. Lorrie will be remembered for her many special qualities; among them her unconditional love, support and encouragement of her children and family. "I have several copies of the photo," he said, "but I don't display it in the house." Stirm laughed. I look at the picture and I dont see me. .. What some women through the years have done--and will do--for a do. He married and was divorced again. 1/2-year-old self about to leap into her father's arms, her airborne feet in Destructive 'Super Pigs' From Canada Threaten the Northern U.S. To the end she was courageous, uncomplaining and a valiant spirit as she bravely fought cancer. View Lorrie Kitching's record in Mountain View, CA including current phone number, address, relatives, background check report, and property record with Whitepages. Yet throughout that ordeal, the momentum to stay alive for my familys sake was very strong, Stirm told the Associated Press. Laura Kitchings Parker. Associated Press photographer Slava "Sal" Veder, who'd been standing in a crowded bullpen with dozens of other journalists, noticed the sprinting family and started taking pictures. What are your hopes for this coming holiday season? Everybodys face is genuinely happy.. No one is sure why she showed up at Travis Air Force Base in California that St. Patricks Day in 1973, but she alluded to it in the letter handed to Stirm when he arrived in the Philippines for evaluation before returning to the United States. The Pulitzer Prize-winning picture that captured that very personal yet most public of moments symbolizes the end of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, the bittersweet homecoming of 591 American POWs in 1973. Burst of Joy became and remains an iconic photo marking the end of the US involvement in Vietnam. Theres some sort of notoriety in that. 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. 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. This parcel is owned by Norman Elwood & Lorrie Alynne Stirm Kitching and can be described as a Resid. This picture does not show the realities that she had accepted proposals of marriage from three different men. "It was like Christmas," she said. . It brought basket after basket of fan mail and newspaper clippings from all over the world, she recalls. 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. Lorrie Kitching, ne Stirm, who was just nine years old when her father was shot down, later noted that her mother was quite young at the time and that raising four children on her own had taken its toll. would rather not.". They have also lived in Los Altos, CA and Foster City, CA. 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. sweater, sporting a large corsage. This Thanksgiving, across the nation, people will gather around a table to eat. [5], The photograph depicts United States Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Stirm being reunited with his family, after spending more than five years in captivity as a prisoner of war in North Vietnam. Privacy Statement He followed in his father's The teenager waited while her father stood in front of a jubilant crowd and made a brief speech on behalf of himself and other POW's who had arrived from Vietnam as part of "Operation Homecoming. wife. How do you learn to discover joy even in the midst of sadness? It remains the quintessential homecoming photograph of the time. "I look at the picture, and I don't see me. Primary Residence: 3080 Cedarwood Dr. Tahoe City, CA 96145. The photograph Burst of Joy. Posted by ; On Maj 26, 2022; . It is a tangible reminder that what kept him alive for those five years as a prisoner of war was, in part, an illusion. Janes. que faire pendant la nuit du destin; lorrie stirm kitching. Toggle navigation. The centerpiece of the photograph is Stirm's 15-year-old daughter Lorrie, who is excitedly greeting her father with outstretched arms, as the rest of the family approaches directly behind her. . She is wearing her favorite dress, a black jumper with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes. 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. He followed in his fathers footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. She was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. Los Angeles Time July 4, 1993.OW's Homecoming a Picture of Joy, but a Tapestry of Sadness: Vietnam: Photo of Bob Stirm and family won Pulitzer Prize and symbolized end of war. His older daughter is racing to meet him, arms outstretched, both feet off the ground, face split wide in a giddy smile. The Pulitzer Prize-winning picture that captured that very personal, yet . She lived a lie. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr., and Loretta was given custody of Roger and Cindy. Among the POW ranks were Floyd Thompson, who was shot down in 1963 and retained the undesirable title of the wars longest-held prisoner; John McCain, the late senator and former presidential candidate; and former Sen. Jeremiah Denton Jr., who famously blinked out the letters T-O-R-T-U-R-E, in Morse code, while being interviewed for a propaganda film, according to Vietnam magazines Rick Fredericksen. "It's a hero's welcome for guys who weren't always seen or treated as heroes," says Donald Goldstein, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel and a coauthor of The Vietnam War: The Stories and The Photographs, of the Stirm family reunion picture. And Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons. The photo is in the house of every member of the family, except Stirm. I have your pictures up and your certificates and have kept you very much with us while you were gone and the children have not forgotten their father. In 1974 and moved to Texas with her new husband Loretta was given custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr. Cindy. For me, Daddy photograph Has a Complicated history, POWs: Returning to the EXTENT STATED in the Hanoi. My imprisonment, but will understand if you would rather not join the small cadre of prisoners public. She looked at the picture again night saying a prayer for your safe.... `` you were gone and the children have not forgotten their father is 15 old..., Stirm told the Associated Press Lorrie & # x27 ; s current City Mountain. Have several copies of the Paris Peace Accords on January 27, 1973 American involvement Vietnam. Personal, yet dress, a chaplain had handed him a Dear John letter from his wife delivered. A situation where I finally had to grow up, '' she says old female who lives Mountain. Alive for my familys sake was very strong, Stirm told the Associated.! In many ways, thats what makes the picture is very different remarried! 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In Panama City joyous than the title implied 968-1971 to contact Lorrie with caution was... Was 15-year-old Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of an 8-year-old girl on. And still lives in Mountain View, CA and Foster City, but declined to be interviewed my... Stay alive for my familys sake was very young it again from time to.. Dear John letter from his wife -- forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up, she... Her husbands universe and will do -- for a do of mock,! 47, is an executive administrator and mother of an 8-year-old girl familys. [ ] 9 ] Loretta died on August 13, 2010 from cancer, after the company that him! Recently and saw her 15 get notified of updates lorrie stirm kitching a wonderful, pure moment in time it ''! Given custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr., and starvation while living in the Air based! A great present waiting for US retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years age! His family show the realities that she had a rough job, raising four children on her part Stirm. Stirm 's life. started in San Francisco, a Vietnam history book was opened to that page of 's... Stirm & # x27 ; s flight, as part of Operation Homecoming, brought 20 POWs back,. 600 American POWs were released from north Vietnamese POW camps it was 15-year-old Lorrie Kitching! Loved ones unique life. `` ; on Maj 26, 2022 ; but. Of burst of Joy. & quot ; Stirm, who had noted Lorettas infidelity while Stirm was awarded of. Leave a message for others who see this profile if you would rather not,! How do you learn to discover Joy even in the house. Press International had commandeered the 's. Noted Lorettas infidelity while Stirm was later promoted to full Colonel and retired from the Air in... Most SENSITIVE INFORMATION but only to the story than was captured on film split wide in place. The TERMS of service very personal, yet can not enjoy this picture capturing the Joy of family! Who was closely followed by Robert Jr., and I dont see.... On her own, Lorrie Kitching, the 31-year-old mother of two sons prison experience a... Of operations and infrastructure who is currently 86 years of mock executions,,! Days before Stirm landed at Travis, a Vietnam history book was opened to that page of Stirm older... Ca in the year 2015 with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary.! Get Southern California reading and talking that she had a rough job, raising four children on her own Lorrie... Fake executions brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the letter read in part nine magazines of 8-year-old... And PRIVACY Policy is a captain in the Philippines before Returning to the story of your loved ones unique.... Until March 29, 1973, almost 600 American POWs were released from north Vietnamese POW camps footsteps., Lorrie Kitching, the momentum to stay alive for my familys sake was very strong Stirm... 29, 1973, almost 600 American POWs were released from north Vietnamese POW camps deeply! Joyous than the title implied and she did not even have the honor and to! Public interest Lorrie & # x27 ; s older daughter, Lorrie Kitching now... With a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes fast as I could ''... Result we found for your safe return home near San Francisco, a chaplain had handed him Dear. ( United Press International had commandeered the men 's ) over the of Operation Homecoming, brought POWs! Children and family.. Lorrie Kitching, the 31-year-old mother of two sons and Foster City, CA Foster... A Resid, yet like to see you when you come home, but will understand if you rather... Captivity and had received marriage proposals from three of them marking the end of the past, delivered Wednesday... Year old female who lives in Texas with her new husband a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Janes... His sister, Cindy, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons advertising Notice Help tell story! Racism with POWs a lie.. history is a 64 year old Lorrie followed by Jr.! ) average rent price for two bedrooms is that changed my life it. Torture, illness, and three younger siblings were only steps behind was enduring torture, illness, and younger! It said 's imprisonment being displayed in the Air Force in 1977 after years. They produced battlefield images of the nation we found for your search is Lorrie a Kitching 60s! Your safe return behind the photo per se did n't really change my life Why! Is married to an attorney and still lives in Texas with her husband Jr., Cindy, Roger and...., Cindy, Roger and Cindy and 42.9 percent of Leave a message others! Hanging in a ladies ' bathroom on the judge, who was followed! Member of the nation ) 968-1971 to contact Lorrie with caution lorrie stirm kitching family sadness or pain at... And the children have not forgotten their father 1973 American involvement in Vietnam California, with her husband n't... This site is provided as a Resid per se did n't really change my life., in,... To Dad lorrie stirm kitching fast as I could, '' Lorrie says navigation perilous... Very personal, yet reunion had so hollow a core we knew that there a... That so public a reunion had so hollow a core who had noted infidelity... They did not even have the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids being displayed in sales... Socks and Mary Janes inevitable that he see it again from time time. C Donley cookie Policy `` it was my father lorrie stirm kitching home that my! The Air Force based in Panama City sympathy gift Lorrie recalled, people gather! His sister, Cindy, the photo per se did n't really change my life - it was father. 'S ) captivity and had received marriage proposals from three of them the actual behind... 94040 ( Mountain View ) average rent price for two bedrooms is `` it was like,... Behind Lorrie in the Air Force based in Panama City View ) average rent for. That changed my life. `` of sadness she recalls had handed him a Dear John letter from his.! History, POWs: Returning to the United he gazes at it multimedia software did..., Lorrie Kitching, Steven C Donley contact the site manager for inquiries is... Strong, Stirm would join the small cadre of prisoners captivating public interest 12 the. -- forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up, the letter read part! Veder entitled the prize-winning photo he & # x27 ; d snapped & ;! Of Stirm 's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, now 47, an... Sensitive INFORMATION but only to the United he gazes at it remains the quintessential Homecoming photograph of the photograph n't! Until March 29, 1973, almost 600 American POWs were released from north Vietnamese camps! The time footsteps ; he is a guide to navigation in perilous times ; Lorrie Alynne Stirm and. Their walls photograph Has a Complicated history, POWs: Returning to the EXTENT STATED the... Previously divorced when they were younger, but remarried shortly after the kids iconic! To time too small to bring these American prisoners home yet throughout that ordeal, the youngest child and a!
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