Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site Receives American Pilot's Relics in Nghe An

(Baonghean.vn) - On the morning of October 20, in Vinh City, the Museum of Military Region 4 held a ceremony to hand over the relics of Walter Eugence Wilber - US Lieutenant Colonel pilot - who flew the US military F4 fighter plane that was shot down by our army and people in the sky of Thanh Chuong in 1968 to the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board (Hanoi).

Representatives of Military Region 4 Museum and Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board at the handover ceremony of relics of former American prisoners of war.

Attending the ceremony were representatives of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board and the Military Region 4 Museum, along with Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber - son of American pilot Lieutenant Colonel Walter Eugence Wilber.

The artifacts handed over include: 2 sets of clothes of Mr. Walter Eugence Wilber issued at Hoa Lo Prison, 2 packs of cigarettes still unopened, a commanding officer badge and a badge with the word Wiber, which were part of the flight uniform he used during the Vietnam War.

Representatives of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board received the relics from the Military Region 4 Museum handed over by Colonel Nguyen Cong Thanh, witnessed by Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber.

On June 16, 1968, the plane piloted by Mr. Walter was providing support for bombers bombing the North and was shot down in Nghe An. Mr. Walter was lucky to parachute safely and was imprisoned in Hoa Lo Prison (Hanoi).

During nearly 5 years of imprisonment at Hoa Lo, he was treated humanely and leniently by the officers and soldiers of the prison camp. Here, he truly realized the nature of the fierce war caused by the United States. Since then, he has made many reports calling on the US Government to end the war against the Vietnamese people.

On February 12, 1973, Lieutenant Colonel Walter Eugence Wilber was returned to the United States by the Vietnamese Government, in accordance with the Paris Agreement. He also brought back to the United States the relics from his time in Hoa Lo Prison and carefully preserved them for 50 years as precious treasures in his life. He always longed to return to Vietnam to visit the old battlefield and meet his benefactors. However, due to serious illness, Walter passed away on July 8, 2015 and was unable to fulfill his last wish.

Mr. Wilber's memorabilia from the Vietnam War 50 years ago

Following his father's will, Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber went to Vietnam to look for historical witnesses. And he was lucky to meet kind friends who helped him identify the area where the plane crashed and meet the people he was looking for. They were Mr. Bui Bac Van and Nguyen Van Thu, 2 of the first 3 people to arrest Walter Eugence Wilber after the plane was shot down.

Returning to Vietnam in April 2016, he brought his father's military memorabilia - memorabilia bearing the mark of Vietnam and the fierce war years - to the Military Region 4 Museum.

Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber shares his memories of each item, talking about how his father has treasured and carefully preserved them for nearly 50 years.

According to the wishes and to serve the work of visiting the relic, on the morning of October 20, the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board received the relics from the Military Region 4 Museum under the witness of Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber.

Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board and Mr. Thomas Eugene Wilber visited the Military Zone 4 Museum.

At the handover ceremony, a representative of the Hoa Lo Prison Relic Management Board said that the artifacts received today are of great significance, helping the Relic Management Board have more valuable artifacts of former American prisoners of war. That will contribute to enriching the content displayed at the relic, helping visitors better understand the cruelty of war and the humanitarian and lenient policies of the Vietnamese Party and State at that time./.

Thuy Vinh - Vuong Van