Three U.S. pilots are released by Hanoi. They were the first POWs released since 1969. North Vietnamese officials cautioned the United States not to force the freed men to "slander" Hanoi, claiming that "distortions" about Hanoi's treatment of POWs from a previous release of prisoners in 1969 caused Hanoi to temporarily suspend the release of POWs. The conditions for their release stipulated that they would not do anything to further the U.S. war effort in Indochina. The rest of the POWs were released in March 1973 as part of the agreement that led to the Paris Peace Accords.
Also on This Day
- Lead Story
- Battle of Antietam, 1862
- American Revolution
- Indians and Loyalists burn German Flats, New York, 1778
- Automotive
- Amphibious cars arrive in Frankfurt after sailing across the English Channel, 1965
- Civil War
- Rebels and Yankees clash at the Battle of Antietam, 1862
- Cold War
- Louis Armstrong cancels trip to Russia, 1957
- Crime
- A California judge sets a record for trying criminal cases, 1884
- Disaster
- Fire threatens U.C. Berkeley, 1923
- General Interest
- U.S. Constitution signed, 1787
- Space Shuttle unveiled, 1976
- Camp David Accords signed, 1978
- Hollywood
- Vanessa Williams becomes first black Miss America, 1983
- Literary
- John Keats leaves for Italy, 1820
- Oprah launches influential book club, 1996
- Music
- The Who spark an explosion on national television, 1967
- Old West
- Cheyenne and Sioux decimate frontiersmen at Beecher's Island, 1868
- Presidential
- Washington prepares final draft of farewell address, 1796
- Sports
- Fernandomania!, 1981
- Vietnam War
- PRG presents a new peace plan, 1970
- Hanoi releases three POWs, 1972
- World War I
- Manfred von Richthofen shoots down his first plane , 1916
- World War II
- Soviet Union invades Poland, 1939
Sep 17, 1972:
Hanoi releases three POWs
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
This Week in History, Sep 17 - Sep 23
- Sep 17, 1970
- PRG presents a new peace plan
- Sep 17, 1972
- Hanoi releases three POWs
- Sep 18, 1964
- North Vietnamese Army begins infiltration
- Sep 18, 1969
- "March Against Death" to be held in Washington
- Sep 19, 1966
- Pressure mounts against continued U.S. involvement in Vietnam
- Sep 19, 1969
- Nixon cancels draft calls for November and December
- Sep 20, 1968
- U.S. officials defend use of defoliants
- Sep 20, 1972
- U.S. planes mine waters in northern Quang Tri
- Sep 21, 1961
- 5th Special Forces Group is activated at Fort Bragg
- Sep 21, 1967
- Thai troops arrive in Saigon
- Sep 22, 1964
- Goldwater attacks Johnson's Vietnam policy
- Sep 22, 1971
- Medina is acquitted of all charges
- Sep 23, 1965
- South Vietnam executes three accused VC agents
- Sep 23, 1969
- Chicago 8 trial opens in Chicago
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