Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, Icon of the ‘Burst of Joy,’ Passes Away at 92

Reflection on a Remarkable Life

Air Force Lt. Col. Robert Stirm, whose poignant return from captivity during the Vietnam War became immortalized in the renowned “Burst of Joy” photograph, has died at the age of 92. Stirm passed away on the morning of Veterans Day, as confirmed by his family.

Captivity and Homecoming

Stirm served as a prisstartr of war in Vietnam for five harrowing years before being released in 1973. Upon his return to Travis Air Force Base in Northern California, a striking photograph captured a heartwarming moment between him and his daughter, Lorrie Kitching, then a 15-year-old. In the image, Kitching is seen running toward her father with open arms, a moment she later described as a “glorious moment of time” for their family.

Reflecting on that day in an interview with CBS Sacramento, Kitching recalled, “It is just a glorious moment of time of my dad coming home to his family.” She cherished the letters her father wrote from the prison camp, revealing his deep pride in her during a difficult period.

Legacy and Commemoration

Stirm’s shared experiences as a POW included time with notable figures, such as the late Senator John McCain, who was shot down just a day before Stirm. The “Burst of Joy,” captured by Associated Press photographer Slava Veder, garnered the prestigious Pulitzer Prize for Feature Photography in 1974, marking a significant moment in American history.

Stirm’s legacy will continue to resonate, not only through his personal story of resilience and family reunification but also through the powerful imagery that defined a pivotal moment in the narrative of the Vietnam War.