Scope and Contents

Approximately half a linear foot of material about Operation Homecoming collected by Lucile Strausser who worked at March Air Force Base with the POWs returning home. The collection includes lists of POW's returning, press releases, news clippings and papers about POWs and their return, transcripts of speeches and statements given by POWs, press handouts with background info on various POWs, photos, maps, and POW bumper stickers.

Biographical / Historical

Lucile Strausser was born in 1907, in Mexia, Texas. Mrs. Strausser graduated with her BS in psychology from Montana State University. She served as a secretary for the U.S. government for 30 years, most of which were spent with the U.S. Air Force. Mrs. Strausser was a command officer's secretary, worked in the office of information, and was involved in both the U-2 project and the return of Vietnam POWs. Throughout her many years of service she was stationed at Moffit Field, Palo Alto; Santa Ana Western Flying Training Command; Travis Air Force Base and March Air Force Base. Her favorite experience while working for the Air Force was greeting the POW's as they arrived at March Air Force Base from Vietnam. In 1977, she retired, at which time she held the rank of G.S. 12. Mrs. Strausser passed away on October 13, 2006, and her collection was donated to the Archives by her daughter, Bonnie Burns.