“The real cheer went up when the captain came on the intercom and said that we had flown out of Vietnamese air space.” (Audio interview, 29:46)

Richard Lyman Bates

War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Air Force Unit: 433rd Tactical Fighter Squadron, 8th Tactical Fighter Wing Service Location: Edwards Air Force Base and Sacramento, California; Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base, Thailand; Germany Rank: Major POW: Yes Place of Birth: SD

After six months flying missions out of the Ubon Royal Air Force Base in Thailand, and with approximately a hundred and thirty-five missions under his belt, Air Force Major Richard Lyman Bates was shot down over enemy territory on October 5, 1972. Captured by the North Vietnamese, he spent the next six months as a prisoner of war. To keep his mind sharp, he made endless mental lists of the names of states, capital cities, and people he knew. Returning to the States in March 1973, he served in the Air Force for 17 more years, which he credits with letting him follow his passion for flying airplanes.