Bridge of No Return

Bridge of No Return

Throughout the day as I visit various sites around Panmunjeom and the JSA, I find myself being reminded of the time I lived in Berlin, Germany. When The Wall still encircled it. 1981-1985.

This bridge was yet another reminder. Here it is known as "The Bridge of No Return". Upon this bridge, Prisoners of War captured during the Korean Conflict were repatriated upon the signing of the Armistice. I believe some 18,000 North Korean POWs were returned to the North and 6,000 South Korean POWs were returned to the South. That, in itself, is a powerful statement. The POWs did not HAVE to return to their 'original' side. They could choose either/or. I never got the statistic for how many POWs on either side opted to stay put. What I did learn was once they made their decision and actually ventured across this bridge--split in the middle by the Demarcation Line, they were not able to turn back around. Never could they return to the other side. Not even some 50 years later!

In a way, this bridge reminds me of Berlin's Glienicker Bruecke. The stark metal bridge that links Berlin and Potsdam, renowned as the rendezvous point where the USSR and the USA exchanged captured spies during the Cold War. This was the bridge where Francis Gary Powers was returned back to the US in 1962. It was also the bridge where remains of servicemembers who died on the opposing side's terrafirma were repatriated.
Of special note, this was where MAJ Arthur D. Nicholson's body was handed back over to the US.

MAJ Nicholson (posthumously promoted to LTC) used to sit in front of us in church--with his wife and young daughter. He was the last US casualty of the Cold War. This is an image that will ALWAYS be etched in my mind. This is the image that flashes before my eyes when I see this "Bridge of No Return". A similar bridge literally on the other side of the Earth.

I later learn that the Bridge of No Return is where the 85 crewmembers of the USS Pueblo Incident are also repatriated 11 months to the day after they were captured in 1968. So many similarities. Yet, worlds apart!