The Longest Rescue: The Life and Legacy of Vietnam POW William A. Robinson

5. Forget and Move On

159 5 Forget and Move On in mid-april 1973 Robinson underwent a series of extensive medical procedures. The first dealt with a foot problem commonly known as hammertoe or claw toe, a contracture or bending of one or more joints in the second, third, fourth, or little toe, which causes the foot and toes to resemble a claw or hammer. The patient’s symptoms include pain when wearing shoes and inflamed or burning sensations in the affected areas. over the years Robinson’s weight had placed a strain on his feet, but the seven and a half years of captivity without proper footwear and the prolonged periods of malnutrition precipitously aggravated the condition. The surgery, which at the time was experimental, involved a tendon-relief corrective. in layman’s terms, the tendons at the end of the toes “were disconnected from the toes, which would allow the toes to fall back down.” Then the toes and tendons were reconnected in an effort to provide some sort of relief. Robinson gained some temporary benefit from the first surgery, but additional surgeries were required. as Robinson ’s condition improved, he completed several professional military training programs, including one at maxwell air force base in alabama, where he attended “an upgrade school to be reintroduced to everything.”1 Washout in august 1973 air force doctors declared Robinson fit for duty, at which time he received ninety days of leave. although he was ready to go back to work, he accepted a free trip to disney World in september, but while there he received word that there would be an awards and decoration ceremony in san antonio, Texas, at Lackland air force base, and so he cut his trip short.2 The air force was prepared to recognize Robinson’s heroism and service during 160 THE LONGEST RESCUE the Vietnam War. These awards were not given because Robinson had been tortured and held as a prisoner of war. in fact, he received the silver star, the third-highest combat military decoration of any branch of the u.s. armed forces, for a rescue mission conducted on 17 may 1965, four months before his shootdown. air force captain James L. Taliaferro Jr. “had ejected from his crippled” f-105 Thunderchief after sustaining thirty-seven-millimeter anti-aircraft fire during an armed reconnaissance mission along Route 7 near ban Kia na, north Vietnam. Two helicopter crews from the 38th air Rescue service responded to the call, and Robinson served as the crew chief or flight engineer on the high-bird helicopter. en route, they encountered heavy rain and clouds and were forced to detour around known flak positions. as the rescuemen reached the scene, u.s. fighter aircraft were aggressively attempting to suppress enemy ground fire. having located captain Taliaferro, the low bird descended , but it attracted heavy enemy fire “from a .50-caliber machine gun and small arms,” which originated “about fifty yards behind and below the hovering chopper.” “it was impossible to move the chopper nearer than about twenty feet from captain Taliaferro,” recalled the low-bird pilot. “our blades were clearing trees by five feet or less [the bamboo at the site was almost one hundred feet high] and the undergrowth was brushing underneath us.” Positioned as best they could, the low bird lowered the hoist cable to the maximum. at this point the high-bird helicopter moved in and orbited the lead chopper, allowing Robinson and airman second class marvin f. brenaman to “cut loose with their m-16s at the ground forces firing at them.” because of the dense undergrowth, Taliaferro took more than five minutes to reach the hoist, as the firefight raged above and around him. once aboard the rescue helicopter, Taliaferro joined the others in answering enemy fire by unloading his .38-caliber revolver. The two-hundred-mile flight to the recovery site and back to Tan son nhut air base in the ill-equipped hh-43s exemplified the high-risk nature of air rescue during the early stages of the Vietnam War. all eight members of the two rescue teams received the silver star for the Taliaferro rescue mission. Robinson was the only one who had to wait more than eight years to receive his medal.3 The silver star was not the only medal Robinson received at Forget and Move On 161 Lackland’s awards and decoration ceremony. for his actions on 20...