Former Iran hostage to speak at base POW/MIA Day

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Bryan Bouchard
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz - --  More than 25 years after his release from captivity, retired Air Force Col. Tom Shaefer is going to speak about "converting conflict and change into opportunity" during Luke's annual POW/MIA Day observance at 4:30 p.m.
Wednesday adjacent to the 56th Fighter Wing headquarters building and base flag pole.
In 1978, Colonel Schaefer was the Air and Defense Attaché to Iran in the country's capital city of Tehran. When the Shah of Iran fell from power the following year, militant student activists forcibly took over the U.S. Embassy and
initially took more than 60 diplomats hostage, including Colonel Shaefer. For 444 days, Colonel Shaefer kept faith in his comrades and was eventually freed Jan. 20, 1981.

Every year, Congress sets aside one week in which organizations and individuals can reflect and remember those who were once captured and those who have yet to be found. While the official remembrance day is Sept. 21, the government allows military installations to observe the day any time during that designated week to avoid conflicts with mission requirements.

Also at the event will be other former prisoners of war, as well as many military members and community leaders.