[LAST OF A SERIES] In the summer of 1952 the Chinese Communists eased their efforts to force POWs into Red indoctrination classes. Only men who wanted to hear the lectures, it was announced, need attend. The "progressives," American soldiers who went, and the "reactionaries," those who stayed were clearly separated. Middletown's three repatriated prisoners - Pfc. Roland A. Hamilton, Pfc. William F. Roosa and Sgt Charles Riddell Jr. - this week discussed with some candor and much uncertainty the problems caused by the break in ranks. In prison camp, the "progressives" received special favors but not too many. At times, Middletown's POWs reported, the "pros" were given some extra food or cigarettes. The big gripe, however, against these men was their informing on fellow prisoners. "We would have to shut up when one of those guys came into the hut," Hamilton said. Hamilton, Roosa and Riddell grew angry as they talked of the men who gave in — "just plain rats" in Hamilton's words. Yet it seemed to be an anger held back by the thought that blind revenge does not move in the homes where the three soldiers were reared...

[SECOND OF A SERIES] Sgt. Charles Riddell Jr., one of Middletown’s three ex-POWs, a few days ago was reading an account of prison life published in a Chinese Communist booklet. The article was "Our Life in POW Camp No. 3" by Pfc. Richard A. Peterson. The camp was the one in which Riddell spent the past two years. Peterson was one of the camp’s "progressives." "Listen," Riddell said to the city's other repatriated prisoners, Pfc. Roland A. Hamilton and Pfc. William F. Roosa, and he read, in a mocking tone: "Instead of starvation and maltreatment we get good food and thoughtful consideration from the understanding Chinese friends." Riddell read on to himself, looking up once in a while to repeat a few of the article's clauses: "Some of the men were sick but they were immediately given medical attention... we were given soap... Sunday was a day of rest..." The soldier didn’t finish the account. He tossed the book away from him onto a luncheon table. "I can't read those things," he said. "They make me too mad..."

[FIRST OF A SERIES] Befriended, Unbothered - Middletown's three repatriated POWs are like living curios encased in a museum of paradise. Ever since late August and early September, when they came home to Middletown, the three soldiers have been the highlights of meetings, interviews, banquets and ceremonies. They have been feted, queried and stared at. They have been made uncomfortable. Sgt. Charles Riddell Jr., Pfc. Roland A. Hamilton and Pfc. William F. Roosa have not complained or admitted their discomfort. But this week, when asked if they had been bothered by too many interested Middletonians in the past month, they reddened and smiled. "We understand," Pfc. Roosa said. "These people are curious." "We really don’t mind," Sgt. Riddell added. "This place is second to heaven for us." Pfc. Hamilton, the first of the three to return, pointed out that he already was getting used to his new roles as speech-maker and target of stares...

2 Veterans Return On Same Plane - About 30 Greet Roosa, Riddell - Middletown was prepared only to welcome the first of its last two returning prisoners of war yesterday, but both of them slipped in on the same plane. Pfc. William F. Roosa stepped down from an Army transport at Wright-Patterson Field at 12:30 p.m. He was greeted by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roosa, 3008 Lefferson Rd., and a group of more than 30 relatives, friends, Veterans of Foreign Wars, reporters and photographers. Seconds later, Sgt. Charles Riddell, Jr., whose parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Riddell of Myers Road, had received no information about his arrival time, walked out of the plane. His parents were not on hand to greet him, but the Roosa party quickly turned to Riddell, too, and welcomed him back to Middletown...

Tough Readjustment - Middletown may be home but it’s not as quiet as North Korean Prison Camp No. 1. Pfc. Roland A. Hamilton, 1303 Woodlawn Ave., the city’s first returned POW, has slept very little since he arrived in Dayton's municipal airport Sunday morning. "There weren’t any television sets, machinery, radios or electric lights in prison camp. It was quiet," he said today. Last night the soldier came home from roller skating at Chautauqua about 2 a.m. He could only sleep until 6. Automobiles in the streets, railroad trains that sped over the track about 100 yards from his window, Armco's Fabricating plant across the street, and his two nephews, Donny, 5, and Rodney, 3, who raced through his apartment, all made sure that Rollo’s lids did not stay closed too long. But the city's noise is not the only thing to which Hamilton must adjust after 28 months as a prisoner of the Communists. "My old girl friends are married now" he said, pointing to a picture of one of them...

Rollo had his coffee, ice cream, banana cream pie, roller skates and mother yesterday, and he was home. The city’s first released prisoner of war, Pfc. Roland A. Hamilton, 25, met his mother, family and representatives of local veterans groups at 11:07 a.m. yesterday at the Dayton Municipal Airport, Vandalia. With the aid of the screaming sirens of a police escort, he was rushed to Middletown in 45 minutes. His mother had been waiting at the airport for more than two hours. Private Hamilton had been scheduled to arrive at 9:18 a.m. Surrounded by two sons, Don and Earle; Earle’s wife Juanita, Don’s son, Donny, and Mrs. Altha Hamilton, 1303 Woodlawn Ave., watched the 9:18 plane unload and then fly off. No soldier had left the plane. A few minutes after 11, a DC-6 landed on the field and rolled toward Gate 2...

Plans are being made to have the manager of Armco Steel Corporation's west coast offices represent the city and Mrs. Altha Hamilton Saturday when the city's first released prisoner, Pvt. Roland A. Hamilton. arrives in San Francisco at 11 a.m. on the transport General W. F. Hase. The local Red Cross is requesting Army officials in San Francisco to allow the Armco official, Wally Kuenzel, a former resident of Middletown, to meet the ship. Present regulations, the Red Cross says permit only relatives to greet the returning POWs. By this morning the Red Cross had received no answer to its request. A program to drive Private Hamilton, who was released August 10, from the Ohio airport on which he lands to his home at 1303 Woodlawn Ave. is also being formulated, but as yet nothing definite has been announced...

Four years to the week after he left home for Fort Knox, Ky., Sgt. Charles Riddell, 21, Middletown's longest interned prisoner of war, was released last night by his Communist captors. His parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Riddell, Myers Road, received the news yesterday at 11:15 p.m. by telephone from their daughter, Mrs. Robert Walton, who had heard it on a TV program. “She couldn't talk for crying,” was the way the daughter described Mrs. Riddell's reaction, "I was nervous then and I'm nervous now,” the ex-POW s mother said this morning. “I'm nervous, but I'm happy.” The parents' view of Sgt. Riddell's POW career has been unusual with an unidentified photograph and brief notes from their son coming before the Defense Department ever verified his prisoner status...

Old Friend Tells Family Good News - William Roosa Is Coming Home - Mr. and Mrs. Fred Roosa of 3008 Lefferson Rd. would grow nervous each night as they sat in front of their television set and watched and waited for news of their POW son, Pvt. William Roosa, 25. So, instead of watching and waiting last night, they took a load of eight hogs to the Cincinnati stockyards. They returned home at 10 p.m., opened their front door, and listened for the sound of the telephone. But the house was still. "I guess they didn’t set Bill free," Mrs. Roosa said. And then the telephone rang. Mrs. Glenn Ellis, a friend for over 25 years, informed Mrs. Roosa that Bill had just become Middletown’s second liberated prisoner of war...

Mother "Flabbergasted" - Pvt. Roland A. Hamilton, 25, last night became the first Middletown soldier released from a North Korean prison camp. His mother, Mrs. Altha Hamilton, 1303 Woodlawn Ave., a nurse's aid at Middletown Hospital, received the news about 9 p.m. She said she was "dumbfounded, although I knew it was coming," and added: "I'm too flabbergasted to express myself." Official confirmation by the Department of Defense of Private Hamilton’s release was telegraphed to Mrs. Hamilton this morning at 9:30. Private Hamilton has been a prisoner for more than two years. He entered the service on November 21, 1950, left for Korea in April, 1951, and was reported missing in action that same month. On December 18, 1951, Mrs. Hamilton received word that he was a Communist prisoner...

The parents of prisoners of war from the Middletown area have been spending the last few nights by radios and television sets, anxiously awaiting news of their sons' release. As yet, however, no local boy has been released from North Korean prison camps. There are six known POWs from this area. Another soldier is reported, without Department of Defense verification, by the Communist radio to be a prisoner. Most parents, like Mrs. Fred Roosa, 1915 Lefferson Rd., mother of Pvt. William F. Roosa, are optimistic. "I think he’ll be coming home soon," Mrs. Roosa says. "I'm just waiting, that’s all. I'm like I always was. I keep going on. I hear such weird stories about what's going on there, but I think he'll be back," she adds...

Statements in the past month from local industrial and banking leaders have made it clear that the city’s businessmen expect the Korean truce to have little long-range affect on business in Middletown and the nation. Many agree with D.G. Driscoll, president of the Sorg Paper Company that "a far-reaching change as that involved from a war economy to a peace economy might temporarily affect business activity." They are convinced, however, that any sudden business dips would not be permanent. The leaders' optimism is based on their anticipation of continued defense preparations. John W. Lawler, president of Aeronca Manufacturing Corporation, has said, for example, that his firm's contracts with the Air Force "have been chosen not with an eye to filling immediate combat needs but for the defense program which will continue after the Korean peace. As long as there is a hostile nation in the world, Americans can’t afford to be defenseless...”

There is quiet hope and caution in the hearts of Middletown area mothers and fathers whose sons are miles but perhaps only weeks away in North Korean prison camps. There are six known prisoners of war from this area. The parents know that only a few sick and wounded prisoners are certain to be exchanged, though the latest Red proposals hint a willingness to exchange all prisoners. The missing men from this area have not been reported either sick or wounded. Yet the parents wait patiently and hopefully. MRS. ALTHA Hamilton, 1303 Woodlawn Ave., mother of Pvt. Roland A. Hamilton, 25, listened to the morning news broadcast very carefully on Wednesday last week and then said, “But they’re only going to exchange 600 prisoners. That’s an awfully small number. You’d think there’d be many more. She spoke very quietly and did not look at her listener. “I’m hopeful for his return,” she said.