wife that I wanted to get back to see. Cookie Settings. 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. Lorrie is her husbands universe and will be forever loved and deeply missed. It portrays (that) everybody there was happy to see me." Thats a strong incentive.. . never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. Though it revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see the picture again from time to time. Theres some sort of notoriety in that. the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. "You could feel the energy and the raw emotion in the air," says Veder, then 46, who had spent much of the Vietnam era covering antiwar demonstrations in San Francisco and Berkeley. For so many other children, their father's never came home from Vietnam. I don't feel like I was really a part of it. It is a tangible reminder that what kept him alive for those five years as a prisoner of war was, in part, an illusion. 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. "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." Your Privacy Rights She works in the sales department of MediaSourcery, marketers of multimedia software. Lives in Waynesboro, Georgia. In the photo, he is 14, partially blocked by Lorrie, a broad smile on his face. Send a note, share a story or upload a photo. Rdr2 Catherine Braithwaite Brooch, Votre adresse de messagerie ne sera pas publie. MediaSourcery, marketers of multimedia software. WIKITREE HOME | ABOUT | G2G FORUM | HELP | SEARCH. "[5], Donald Goldstein, a retired Air Force colonel and a co-author of a prominent Vietnam War photojournalism book, The Vietnam War: The Stories and The Photographs, says of Burst of Joy, "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. War, the bittersweet homecoming of 591 POWs in 1973. Thanks to Veders Burst of Joy, Stirm would join the small cadre of prisoners captivating public interest. Laura Kitchings Parker. HistoryNet.com contains daily features, photo galleries and over 25,000 articles originally published in our nine magazines. You knew Christmas was going to be great, but you If not, see our friends at Ancestry DNA. Hi, Im Claire. Everybody's face is genuinely happy.". . Three days before Stirm landed at Travis, a chaplain had handed him a Dear John letter from his wife. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. It's not just," Stirm says today. 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. Get notified of updates. [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. 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. The photograph came to symbolize the end of United States involvement in the Vietnam War, and the prevailing sentiment that military personnel and their families could begin a process of healing after enduring the horrors of war. She lives in Mountain View, California, with her husband. . Bob, I feel sure that in your heart you know we cant make it together--and it doesnt make sense to be unhappy when you can do something about it. 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. "There's some sort of notoriety in that. I look at the picture and I dont see me. His horrific prison experience was a far cry from the suburban comforts of . States. Enter a grandparent's name. 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. Hoi Linh Famed Wait for Me, Daddy Photograph Has a Complicated History, POWs: Returning to a Society They Did Not Recognize. Lorrie Alynne Stirm Kitching in Tahoe City, CA Age 64 (August 1957) Home address, vacation, business, rental and apartment property addresses for Lorrie. I dont feel like I was really a part of it. ", The minutes crept by like hours, she recalls, and then, all at once, the car door opened. Why? 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. [9] Loretta died on August 13, 2010 from cancer. "Bob, I feel sure that in your heart you Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. "Because of her," he said simply. History is a guide to navigation in perilous times. She lives in Mountain View, Calif., with her husband. She had Coating with lard! "[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. . [5] The picture also reminds Lorrie of the soldiers who did not come home. Lorrie says, "So much had happenedthere was so much that my dad missed out onand it took a while to let him back into our lives and accept his authority." From left to right, Lt Col Robert L. Stirm, Lorrie Stirm, Bo Stirm, Cindy Stirm, Loretta Stirm, and Roger Stirm. Lorrie A S Kitching, Age 64 Remove Record. "You knew Christmas was going to be great, but you didn't really know what was going to happen on Christmas, and that was just like when Dad came home. "That moment was all our prayers . Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. Even though there were only twenty POWs of that first increment released aboard the plane, almost 400 family members turned up for the homecoming. Her parents were divorced within a year of his return. 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. 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. To Stirm, now 60, it is cruel irony that so public a reunion had so hollow a core. The children and I Lorettas mindset was nothing new. Lorrie was born on December 14, 1935 to James and Hazel (Reed) Mrosko, in Marlin, TX. He gazed at it. Lorrie Allynstirm Kitching is a 64 year old female who lives in Mountain View, California. 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. . had four neat children," he says quietly, "and what I believed to be a neat It is a tangible reminder that what kept him alive for those five years as a prisoner of war was, in part, an illusion. It brought basket after basket of fan mail and newspaper clippings from all over the world, she recalls. SUPPORTING UKRAINE TOGETHER. 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. In his home near San Francisco, a Vietnam history book was opened to that page of Stirms life. . Within hours, Veders image was on the cover of most newspapers across the country and earned him a Pulitzer Prize. Robert's flight, as part of Operation Homecoming, brought 20 POWs back . The children and I never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. She had turned 11 only two days before. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Such was the unfortunate case for Bob Stirn, a Vietnam veteran whose return from being a POW for over half a decade was captured in the Pulitzer Prize-winning photo, Burst of Joy.. His older daughter is racing to meet him, arms outstretched, both feet off the ground, face split wide in a giddy smile. Loretta would later marry an attorney. Phone Numbers: "I have changed drastically--forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up," the letter read in part. This Thanksgiving, across the nation, people will gather around a table to eat. 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. Stirm retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years of service. It brought basket after basket of fan mail and . They divorced a year after Stirm returned from. [5], Lorrie Stirm appeared on Antiques Roadshow Season 27 Episode 1 on January 2, 2023 seeking an appraisal for an archive of items relating to the event: Lorrie's personal print of the famous photograph (signed by the photographer in 1990), Lt. Col. Stirm's prison uniform, Red Cross luggage with North Vietnamese tag, a spoon engraved Lt. Col. Stirm with a thunderbolt during his imprisonment and a pair of sandals the North Vietnamese claimed were made from the wheels of Stirm's crashed plane. Possible relatives for Robert Stirm include Kristine Vanni, Patricia Phillips, Sharon Stirm and several others. "You were racing down the stairs because we knew that there was a great present waiting for us. managed to make each other miserable. Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. Cookie Policy The photograph Burst of Joy. "It's not fair. His older daughter is racing to meet him, arms outstretched, both feet off wonderful to have a dad because all my friends had dads at their functions.". He kept copies of the image, but none are on display. The photo is in the house of every member of the family, except Stirm. She lived a lie. to grow up," the letter read in part. "It's a wonderful piece of history that we just happened to stumble into," she said. He returned a few years ago, however, after the company that hired him as a corporate pilot went bankrupt. 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. She also received the family home and 42.9 percent of Stirm's retirement pay, though the judge noted a great deal of evidence was presented to show a pattern of misconduct on her part during Stirm's imprisonment. And Loretta? The family story it was telling was of the United States. "I look at the picture, and I don't see me. We were very excited. "[7], Despite outward appearances, the reunion was an unhappy one for Stirm. She was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce. 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. Stirm was later promoted to full Colonel and retired from the Air Force in 1977. A Brief History of Hair : Dyeing. Hi Class of 1975. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. was very young.". I have a Master's degree in military history from King's College, London and my cornucopia of interests include: World War II, World War II, and World War II. 1/2-year-old self about to leap into her father's arms, her airborne feet in True Grit is the soundtrack album by Glen Campbell and Elmer Bernstein for the film True Grit starring John Wayne. "I love you - we all love you, but you must remember how very unhappy we Through a series of diplomatic negotiations a deal . Posted by ; On Maj 26, 2022; Travis, , , 15 Lorrie Stirm . 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. [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. Getentrepreneurial.com: Resources for Small Business Entrepreneurs in 2022. you can do something about it. 2023 SCI SHARED RESOURCES, LLC. "We have this very nice picture of a very happy moment," Lorrie says, "but every time I look at it, I remember the families that weren't reunited, and the ones that aren't being reunited todaymany, many familiesand I think, I'm one of the lucky ones. notoriety and publicity to me and, unfortunately, the legal situation that I In his home near San Francisco, a Vietnam history book is opened to that page of Stirm's life. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr., and Loretta was given custody of Roger and Cindy. He pointed 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. "People recognized this photo," he says. . 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. 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. 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. [5] Lorrie later recounted in 2003: "We were in a car behind the aircraft on the tarmac, and then they said, "You can get out now." Synopsis: A young woman named Mattie Ross (Kim Darby) hires a renegade marshall, Rooster Cogburn (John Wayne), to help her track down and capture her father's murderer who is in hiding in Indian . I have changed drastically--forced into a situation where I finally had to grow up, the letter read in part. 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. . Lorrie is 35 today and lives in San Mateo, Calif., with her second husband and an 11-year-old son from her first marriage. The two youngest children, Cindy and Roger, remained with Loretta. Last updated 1 year ago. was going to be faced with, and it was kind of unwelcomed," Stirm said. Burst of Joy became and remains an iconic photo marking the end of the US involvement in Vietnam. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. In some ways, its hypocritical, because my former wife had abandoned the marriage within a year or so after I was shot down, Stirm recounted. If so, login to add it. May we all reap this harvest with shouts of joy. Previous to Lorrie's current city of Mountain View, CA, Lorrie Kitching lived in Tahoe City CA. To Stirm, now 60, it is cruel irony that so public a reunion had so hollow a core. principles of language teaching ppt; best hvac systems 2020 consumer reports I wn't be able to make it to our 40 year HS reunion - is there anyone interested in getting together here in the San Francisco Bay Area? Stirm was imprisoned in North Vietnam for . "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. coming home that changed my life.". His arrival, however, would leave him feeling anything but loved. to see me.". All content Copyright @ 2015-2018. "It seems like another lifetime ago," she says. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "stirm" Flickr tag. He points to the picture, to the tall woman - just "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.". The families who did not get a reunion like hers. He pointed 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. I was so young. Bleaching. This picture does not show the realities that she had accepted proposals of marriage from three different men. Lorrie Kitching is 65 years old and was born on 08/02/1957. were together," it said. In the photo, he is 14, partially blocked by Lorrie, a broad smile on his face. Download Record Provide Feedback. "I look at the picture, and Close behind on the Tarmac, also running, are his two grinning boys, his younger daughter and his tall, attractive wife. It remains the quintessential homecoming photograph of the time. No one is sure why she showed up at Travis Air Force Base in California Directly behind Lorrie in the photo is Cindy, the youngest child. Copyright 2023 PopularMilitary | All Rights Reserved. It portrays everybody there was happy to see me.". I have several copies of the photo, he said in 1993, but I dont display it in the house. They divorced a year after Stirm returned from Vietnam, and each remarried within six months. 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. However, one can only fathom what exclusive and vile corner of Hell awaits those who cheat on spouses held in captivity by an enemy during wartime. 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. The matter was not lost on the judge, who had noted Lorettas infidelity while Stirm was enduring torture, isolation and fake executions. She works in the sales department of Media-Sourcery, marketers of multimedia software. 2755 N LAKE BLVD 60 contains 957 square feet of living area and was built in 1972. . Stirm laughs. Her mother remarried in 1974 and lives in Texas with her husband. It portrays (that) everybody there was happy to see me.. Here are 10 you cant miss. "She https://www.historynet.com/for-airman-famed-burst-of-joy-photograph-rings-hollow/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, These 7 Foreigners Helped Win the American Revolution, How Operation Homecoming Was Sprung into Action to Repatriate American POWs. "It seems like another lifetime ago," she said. "I have changed drastically - forced into a situation where I finally had But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. he returned from Vietnam, and each remarried within six months. . Cindy Pierson, a waitress, resides in Walnut Creek with her husband and has a daughter in college. discoveries. Join our community book club. 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 . But he says he can't bring himself to display the picture. All Rights Reserved, FAMED PHOTO IS TARNISHED FOR POW WHO CAME HOME, Utah social media influencer charged with throwing metal bar stools, wooden play set at boyfriend, Bill mandating counties to provide homeless shelters, enforce camping laws passes Utah House, Sen. Mike Lee to Japan on failure to return imprisoned U.S. officer: What goes around comes around, Media groups oppose bill requiring police to seek consent before identifying child homicide victims, Biden touts plan to raise taxes on the rich, but its unclear he has support in the House, 1 in critical condition after auto-bicycle accident. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. She is wearing her favorite dress, a black jumper with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes. Filoli, Hour 1. 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. But to him, it evokes bitterness and betrayal. Now 72 and retired, he lives in Foster City, California. But the photo per se didnt really change my life--it was my father coming home that changed my life.. Stirm was awarded custody of Lorrie and Robert Jr.; Loretta was given "It was like Christmas. "I'm the one that lives with all the aches and pains from my imprisonment, but she continues to get paid.". 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. He married and was divorced again. But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a wonderful, pure moment in time. Lives in Tahoe City, CA. that. . This phone number may belong to other persons L Kitching, Kathryn F Kitching, Norman E Kitching, Andrew Robles. "[11], About the picture and its legacy, Lorrie Stirm Kitching once noted, "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 todaymany, many familiesand I think, I'm one of the lucky ones. Stirm's oldest daughter Lorrie, the then fifteen-year-old girl running towards her father with her arms outstretched, still holds close memories of the photo. The war which could not be won was over. Im the one that lives with all the aches and pains from my imprisonment, but she continues to get paid.. He followed in his father's footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. Many Animals, Including the Platypus, Lost Their Stomachs. Asked why, Stirm doesnt mince words. wife. View profile Edit profile Lorrie Stirm Kitching. outpacing her younger son - dressed in a blue-and-white pleated skirt and blue General Contractor/Owner at General Contractor/Owner. Hanoi Taxis, or C-141s, ferried the sick and wounded out first, followed by the taxis for those who had been imprisoned longest. These men earned his respect and the respect of the nation. It brought basket after basket of fan mail and newspaper clippings from all over the world, she recalls. I don't see me. All eyes were glued to the soldiers, except for Veder who noticed a girl jumping out of a van. He followed in his father's footsteps; he is a captain in the Air Force based in Panama City. anti emmeleur feeder. 2008 - 2023 INTERESTING.COM, INC. . On March 17, the plane landed at Travis Air Force Base in Solano County, California. Roger, 12 at the time, trails everyone. Leave a memory or share a photo or video below to show your support. the woman in the famous black-and-white photo - his former wife, Loretta - This It . "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. Though it revives the pain, it is inevitable that he see the picture again 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. marriage within a year or so after I was shot down. after the company that hired him as a corporate pilot went bankrupt. "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. Mountain View, CA. She lived a lie. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. . 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. Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, Travis Bickle, meet Toni Morrison, in a socially probing, fiercely fun debut novel, Scott Adams says he was using hyperbole: America being programmed to see race first, Before and after photos from space show storms effect on California reservoirs, Dramatic before and after photos from space show epic snow blanketing SoCal mountains, Its really bad up here. Stranded residents in San Bernardino Mountains brace for more snow, 10 books to add to your reading list in March. "In some ways, it's hypocritical, because my former wife had abandoned the 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 two had previously divorced when they were younger, but remarried shortly after. IMPORTANT PRIVACY NOTICE & DISCLAIMER: YOU HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY TO USE CAUTION WHEN DISTRIBUTING PRIVATE INFORMATION. But he says he can't bring himself to display the picture." And Lorrie Stirm Kitching, now 47, is an executive administrator and mother of two sons. Twenty years later, the picture is very different. Zip code 94040 (Mountain View) average rent price for two bedrooms is . Help tell the story of your loved ones unique life. . What some women through the years have done--and will do--for a do. The families who did not get a reunion like hers. insights on the dynamics of community life, #15 & #16: Parts I & II of "It's Her Story". Stirm laughs. 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. "That moment was all our prayers answered, all our wishes come true.". She is wearing her favorite dress, a black jumper with a lacy pinafore, knee socks and Mary Janes. Comments. Turning his camera to the charging family, Veder quickly shot a series of photos. And she did not even have the honor and integrity to be honest with the kids. The best result we found for your search is Lorrie A Kitching age 60s in Mountain View, CA in the Miramonte-springer neighborhood. The children and I never missed a night saying a prayer for your safe return. And even though some us stand at a distance, we are the children running to embrace a loved one returning home. The actual story behind the photo, however, was significantly less joyous than the title implied. . But for Stirm's older daughter, Lorrie Kitching, the photo captures a What is your Burst of Joy moment, a time you felt overwhelming joy? like when Dad came home. 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."