Capt. Thomas “Jerry” Curtis at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP), Thailand, summer 1965, one month before shoot-down and capture. HH-43 in background. (Curtis collection)

Capt. Thomas “Jerry” Curtis at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base (NKP), Thailand, summer 1965, one month before shoot-down and capture. HH-43 in background. (Curtis collection)

Thomas “Jerry” Curtis (left) on release day, Feb. 12, 1973, walking to board C-141 at Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, Vietnam, with USAF escort officer (middle) and Will Forby (right), the downed fighter pilot Curtis was attempting to rescue when he himself was shot down. (Curtis collection)

Thomas “Jerry” Curtis (left) on release day, Feb. 12, 1973, walking to board C-141 at Gia Lam Airport, Hanoi, Vietnam, with USAF escort officer (middle) and Will Forby (right), the downed fighter pilot Curtis was attempting to rescue when he himself was shot down. (Curtis collection)

Dinner celebration in honor of Son Tay Raid Special Ops Forces given by H. Ross Perot in 1973. Curtis (left), Clint Eastwood (center), member of Special Ops Forces (right). (Curtis collection)

Dinner celebration in honor of Son Tay Raid Special Ops Forces given by H. Ross Perot in 1973. Curtis (left), Clint Eastwood (center), member of Special Ops Forces (right). (Curtis collection)

Curtis inspecting the “jungle penetrator,” the hoist seat extended from the helicopter into the jungle to pick up airmen. (Curtis collection)

Curtis inspecting the “jungle penetrator,” the hoist seat extended from the helicopter into the jungle to pick up airmen. (Curtis collection)

Tin-roofed hooches erected as a radar and rescue post at NKP, 1965. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Tin-roofed hooches erected as a radar and rescue post at NKP, 1965. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Refueling an HH-43 at NKP. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Refueling an HH-43 at NKP. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Curtis (right) with Maj. Robert W. Wilson (left) just after rescue when his F-105 was shot down in Nugia Pass, Laos, June 1965. After ejection, Wilson landed in a tree, and Curtis’s crew lowered the jungle penetrator from HH-43 to pull the pilot out. (Curtis collection)

Curtis (right) with Maj. Robert W. Wilson (left) just after rescue when his F-105 was shot down in Nugia Pass, Laos, June 1965. After ejection, Wilson landed in a tree, and Curtis’s crew lowered the jungle penetrator from HH-43 to pull the pilot out. (Curtis collection)

Curtis (back to camera) checking an HH-43 just before a rescue mission. Pararescue jumper Neil Black (left) was part of Curtis’s crew when his helicopter was shot down on Sept. 20, 1973, and was also captured by the North Vietnamese. (Curtis collection)

Curtis (back to camera) checking an HH-43 just before a rescue mission. Pararescue jumper Neil Black (left) was part of Curtis’s crew when his helicopter was shot down on Sept. 20, 1973, and was also captured by the North Vietnamese. (Curtis collection)

Curtis (back to camera) adjusting survival vest before flying a rescue mission. (Curtis collection)

Curtis (back to camera) adjusting survival vest before flying a rescue mission. (Curtis collection)

Curtis examining map of Laos and North Vietnam for a mission. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Curtis examining map of Laos and North Vietnam for a mission. (USAF Air Rescue Operations: National Archives)

Terry Curtis sharing Jerry’s first letter from prison in 1970, five years after capture, with son, Tommy, and daughter, Lori. (Curtis collection)

Terry Curtis sharing Jerry’s first letter from prison in 1970, five years after capture, with son, Tommy, and daughter, Lori. (Curtis collection)

Release day in Hanoi, Feb. 12, 1973, as prisoners get off buses at Gia Lam Airport to be repatriated by US military officials. Curtis in far back row. (Curtis collection)

Release day in Hanoi, Feb. 12, 1973, as prisoners get off buses at Gia Lam Airport to be repatriated by US military officials. Curtis in far back row. (Curtis collection)

Jubilation from released prisoners as the C-141 Starlifter leaves North Vietnam air space: flight to freedom during Operation Homecoming, Feb. 12, 1973. Curtis in second row, extreme right side, next to Will Forby, the man he was trying to rescue when captured.

Jubilation from released prisoners as the C-141 Starlifter leaves North Vietnam air space: flight to freedom during Operation Homecoming, Feb. 12, 1973. Curtis in second row, extreme right side, next to Will Forby, the man he was trying to rescue when captured.

Home at last: the Curtises together again after eight years, just behind couple in front, also a returning POW. (UPI photo, Sun Herald, Biloxi, Mississippi)

Home at last: the Curtises together again after eight years, just behind couple in front, also a returning POW. (UPI photo, Sun Herald, Biloxi, Mississippi)

Son, Tom, and daughter, Lori, (near airplane) running to greet their dad for the first time after arriving home, Feb. 15, 1973. (Curtis collection)

Son, Tom, and daughter, Lori, (near airplane) running to greet their dad for the first time after arriving home, Feb. 15, 1973. (Curtis collection)

White House dinner invitation, May 24, 1973. (Curtis collection)

White House dinner invitation, May 24, 1973. (Curtis collection)

Col. and Mrs. Curtis with Gen. P. K. Carlton at awards ceremony where Curtis received the Air Force Cross. (Curtis collection)

Col. and Mrs. Curtis with Gen. P. K. Carlton at awards ceremony where Curtis received the Air Force Cross. (Curtis collection)

Two former POWs reunited: Col. Joe Kittinger, USAF (Ret.), internationally known balloonist who set free-fall record from 19 miles above the earth as featured on cover of Life magazine, 1960, and enshrined in Aviation Hall of Fame, and Col. Curtis at 2015 event in Orlando, where Col. Curtis was guest speaker. Kittinger was shot down over North Vietnam and taken prisoner on May 11, 1972. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Stan Hand)

Two former POWs reunited: Col. Joe Kittinger, USAF (Ret.), internationally known balloonist who set free-fall record from 19 miles above the earth as featured on cover of Life magazine, 1960, and enshrined in Aviation Hall of Fame, and Col. Curtis at 2015 event in Orlando, where Col. Curtis was guest speaker. Kittinger was shot down over North Vietnam and taken prisoner on May 11, 1972. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Stan Hand)

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Medal of Honor, awarded to Col. Thomas J. Curtis. (Curtis collection)

The National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution, Medal of Honor, awarded to Col. Thomas J. Curtis. (Curtis collection)

POW bracelet campaign represented one of the primary ways families promoted awareness of POWs/MIAs during the war. More 500 of these were returned to him after Curtis came home in 1973. Curtis answered each one with a personal letter of thanks. (Curtis collection)

POW bracelet campaign represented one of the primary ways families promoted awareness of POWs/MIAs during the war. More 500 of these were returned to him after Curtis came home in 1973. Curtis answered each one with a personal letter of thanks. (Curtis collection)