Newly colorized footage captures the emotional moment John McCain and fellow troops imprisoned in Vietnam began their long journey home to the United States.
The historic video, shot in 1973, shows US soldiers stepping off a bus at Gia Lim Airport in Hanoi as they prepare to go through a release ceremony to repatriate them to the United States.
The Arizona senator was captured and subsequently imprisoned on October 26, 1967 when his A-4E Skyhawk was shot down by a missile during a bombing mission over Hanoi.
Heading home: POW are seen on one of the 54 flights heading home to the US from Vietnam between February and April in 1973
The release of the US forces formed part of an exercise called Operation Homecoming which saw 591 American POWs returned to the US between February and April of that year
Once boarded onto an aircraft, the troops happily chatted and smiled, eager to return home
What did we miss? Some of the POWs missed historical events including the assassination of JFK and the moon landing
McCain was not only seriously wounded and subjected to torture, he was also placed in solitary confinement in March of 1968, where he would spend two years.
Despite this, he refused early repatriation, offered on account of his father’s new role of Commander of all US forces in Vietnam, saying he would continue to refuse until every man imprisoned before him was also released.
McCain was subjected to severe torture at the hands of the Vietnamese, bound and beaten on a daily basis to the point of attempting suicide, which was stopped by guards.
His eventual release came on March 14, 1973 and despite a grueling 18 months of rehabilitation, McCain’s wartime injuries left him permanently incapable of raising his arms above his head.
The footage marks some of the final moments in the conflict between the two countries after a cease-fire was mandated in January 1973.
The troops are seen happily chatting, and reading newspapers, no doubt eager to catch up on the news of the day.
McCain shakes the hand of a high ranking officer as he gets off the plane and before boarding a large aircraft along with fellow, newly released troops
Surely eager to catch up with loved ones and events that took place while he was imprisoned, McCain and fellow POWs exit a bus in Hanoi in 1973
Dashing: Newly colorized video shows a smiling John McCain released after five-years of imprisonment in North Vietnam
The release of the US forces formed part of an exercise called Operation Homecoming which saw 591 American POWs held by the North Vietnamese returned to the US between February and April of that year, with a total of 54 flights being made.
Many of the men in the footage struggled to reintegrate into society and American culture after being captive for up to ten years in some cases.
POWs had missed major events in US history such as the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy as well as Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin becoming the first men on the moon.