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A reunion of Vietnam POWs

A youngster greets Larry Chesley, left, 74, of Queen Creek, Ariz., a fighter pilot who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for seven years.

A youngster greets Larry Chesley, left, 74, of Queen Creek, Ariz., a fighter pilot who was a prisoner of war in Vietnam for seven years.  (Allen J. Schaben /Los Angeles Times)

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Nearly 200 Vietnam prisoners of war -- plus their families -- gathered at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library in Yorba Linda. The reunion commemorated the 40th anniversary of both their return to U.S. soil and the star-studded White House dinner hosted for them by President Nixon -- still the largest dinner ever held at the White House. Video

Friends from long ago

Dick Vaughan, left, of Summerville, S.C., and Jack Ensch of San Diego, both former POWs, point out their friends in a photo exhibit of one of the last flights out of Hanoi, Vietnam, on March 29, 1973.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A lot of yellow ribbons

Tony Orlando sings “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Ole Oak Tree” at the ceremony honoring former POWs at the Nixon Library in Yorba Linda.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A meeting comes true

Carol Stark, right, of Fullerton meets with Cordine McMurray of Detroit, a Vietnam veteran and prisoner of war for five years, seven months and 23 days. Stark had kept McMurray’s POW bracelet since 1968 and had always wanted to meet him.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A warm welcome

Dale and Kathy Lelli of Yorba Linda join the rest of the crowd in saluting the former POWs.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

A presidential brother

Ed Nixon, the youngest and only surviving brother of President Nixon, is introduced at the ceremony.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Silence and reflection

A Vietnam veteran and former prisoner of war takes off his hat during a prayer at the ceremony in Yorba Linda.   (Allen J. Schabe / Los Angeles Times)

An emotional greeting

Harley Chapman, a Vietnam veteran and former POW, shows his feelings as he is greeted with a hug by a reunion attendee.  (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Coming home

From left: Doris Tyler -- whose husband, Donald Morris, died serving in Vietnam -- Kendall Tyler, and Stacye and Mark Teachman are emotional as they watch a POW homecoming video and look for their father, Charles Tyler, a prisoner for 5 1/2 years.   (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

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