Marion A. Marshall

Marion A. Marshall (born December 4 1946 in Washington D.C.) was a Captain in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam War. Some of the awards that Marion received in his career were: the Prisoner of War Medal, 17 Air Medals, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, four Meritorious Service Medals, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, and the Purple Heart.

Marshall grew up in Maryland with his mother and sister. He graduated from Fredrick Douglass High School in 1964. He then went on to attend the United States Air Force Academy where he graduated in 1968. After graduating he was assigned to fly combat missions over Southeast Asia in the 13th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 432nd Tactical Reconnaissance Wing.

On July 3 1972, he was on a mission over the southern part of North Vietnam, when his aircraft suddenly became uncontrollable. He had to jump out of the plane and was captured. When Marshall regained consciousness, the Vietnamese officers had tied him up and had stripped him of his gun and flying suit. The North Vietnamese put him in an underground bunker and interrogated him. Marshall was a prisoner of war for almost a year, until his release on March 29 1973. He said that the most difficult part of his imprisonment was what he must have put his friends and family through.

After his return he received pilot training in Arizona, and then flew an F-4 Phantom II in England. Marshall then served as an Air Liaison officer in Germany. After a 22 year career, he decided to retire as a Lieutenant Colonel. After his retirement Marshall could not give up his love for flying and became an airline pilot.

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