Rank/Branch: O2/ United States Air Force
Date of Birth: 25 October 1941
Home City of Record: Orlando FL
Country of Loss: Norrth Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 213700 North 1054900 East
Status (in 1973): Returnee -- Originally listed
Aircraft/Vehicle/Ground: F105 # 0158
Other Personnel in Incident:
Refno: 0389
Source: Compiled by P.O.W. NETWORK from one or
more of the following: raw data from U.S.
Government agency sources, correspondence with
POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
REMARKS:
SOURCE: WE CAME HOME copyright 1977
Captain and Mrs. Frederic A Wyatt (USNR Ret),
Barbara Powers Wyatt, Editor P.O.W. Publications,
10250 Moorpark St., Toluca Lake, CA 91602
Text is reproduced as found in the original
publication (including date and spelling errors).
Ralph T. Browning
Captain- United States Air Force
Shot Down: July 8, 1966
Released: February 12, 1973
Hi - allow me to introduce myself - USAF Captain
Ralph Thomas Browning (Tom); my wife, Ann; and
our son, Scott. I was born in Holyoke,
Massachusetts on 25 October 1941 to Sgt. and Mrs.
C. K. Browning. My Dad left shortly thereafter
for Europe and WW II where he was a navigator/
bombadier on a B-17B, was subsequently shot down
and spent 19 bleak months as a POW in Stalag 17B.
Since he remained in the Air Force after its
formation in 1947 we traveled around a great deal
but ended up in Orlando, Florida in 1955 where I
lived with them and three younger sisters through
graduation from high school in 1960. While at
Edgewater High I crowned my wife-to-be, Ann
Pharr, Homecoming Queen.
After high school, I was off to the Air Force
Academy. On 3 June 1964, I received my commission
and a B. S. degree in Engineering Science. The
next two found me at Vance AFB, Enid, Oklahoma,
in Pilot Training, then at Nellis AFB, Las Vegas,
Nevada for F-105 school. Then in late May 1966, I
went off to fight a war.
In the late afternoon of 8 July 1966, my F-105
took a direct hit from 85 mm anti-aircraft fire,
burst into flames, went out of control, and I
ejected. While on the ground, before I was
captured, I buried my wedding ring and a small
Bible given to me the night before I left, which
I always carried. I reasoned that they would rob
me of everything (which they did), and that if I
couldn't keep them, I certainly didn't want the
North Vietnamese to have them.
The gory details of my six and a half years of
confinement aren't much different from those of
many of my fellows, so I won't bore the reader
with them other than to mention one personal
note: I wasn't allowed a letter until 15 April
1970. The letter told me that I had a son named
Scott. Earlier, on 5 February 1969, I had
received a picture of him in a small package.
12 February 1973 was the big day when the third
of three Air Force Evac C-141's took me with 27
others from Hanoi's Gia Lam Airport to Clark AB
in the Philippines and FREEDOM! Five days later
at 0030, I was reunited with my son for the first
time at Maxwell AFB, Alabama. These two events
are undoubtedly the happiest of my life, followed
by the night of 2 March when I returned to
Orlando with many old and new friends and home!
As for the future: I plan to stay in the Air
Force and we have high hopes for raising a family
in a happy home.
What sustained me? Faith. Faith in God; faith in
the government and people of the United States;
faith in my wife and family; and faith in my
fellow POWs.
During my captivity I was at times as depressed
and dejected as I feel a human being can be. It
was a profound faith in God and belief that He
would see me through that helped raise me from
these depths of despondency and helped sustain me
through the years. Although imprisoned for six
and a half years, there was never any doubt that
someday I would be going home. There was never a
doubt that the United States of America, from the
President, himself, through the vast majority of
American citizens, would never let us down and
would do everything in their power to insure that
we came home under honorable conditions. It would
be impossible to explain to the uninitiated how
unshakable bonds of friendship can be built
through dismal walls without so much as a
handshake or fleeting glimpse. But this was a
fact in many cases. I was prepared to take my
lumps for the sake of my fellows and what we
believed and they would do the same for me; and
we did. This faith was knowledge and from this
knowledge I derived strength.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank
everyone for their thoughts, prayers and concern.
We have answered some 1000 cards and letters from
bracelet-wearers and well-wishers, and again,
thank you for caring.
November 1996
Ralph Browning retired from the United States Air
Force as a Brig. General. He and his wife Julie
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