Reverend M. William Howard, Jr.

No, I don't think either of us who traveled to Iran had that feeling. Why? Number one, we'd been invited. And number two, from the beginning, there was a sense of genuine respect for the religious heritage Of the hostages. Unitary. I mean, there were people there who were orthodox. There were non-believers. But there was a presumption that they were Christian.

And remember, the Iranian government was overwhelmingly Shiite Islam. And they wanted to show respect for the Christian faith. Now, keep in mind that Prior to that time, a lot of the public discourse, news media, they referred to these people as communists. See, they were very devout Muslims from all that I could tell before and during this event.

And remember, the Iranian government was overwhelmingly Shiite Islam. And they wanted to show respect for the Christian faith. Now, keep in mind that Prior to that time, a lot of the public discourse, news media, they referred to these people as communists. See, they were very devout Muslims from all that I could tell before and during this event.

And remember, the Iranian government was overwhelmingly Shiite Islam. And they wanted to show respect for the Christian faith. Now, keep in mind that Prior to that time, a lot of the public discourse, news media, they referred to these people as communists. See, they were very devout Muslims from all that I could tell before and during this event.

But remember, this is at Christmas, and Mom was responsible for assembling toys and things like that while I was away. She made me aware that she had quite a struggle getting him ready for Christmas. Right. But the interesting thing about this... is that the Iranian hostage crisis was the breaking news all day, you see? And Matthew literally could watch his father on television.

But remember, this is at Christmas, and Mom was responsible for assembling toys and things like that while I was away. She made me aware that she had quite a struggle getting him ready for Christmas. Right. But the interesting thing about this... is that the Iranian hostage crisis was the breaking news all day, you see? And Matthew literally could watch his father on television.

But remember, this is at Christmas, and Mom was responsible for assembling toys and things like that while I was away. She made me aware that she had quite a struggle getting him ready for Christmas. Right. But the interesting thing about this... is that the Iranian hostage crisis was the breaking news all day, you see? And Matthew literally could watch his father on television.

It didn't feel, I guess, to him that I was so far away.

It didn't feel, I guess, to him that I was so far away.

It didn't feel, I guess, to him that I was so far away.

Well, let me just say, I think propaganda is always part of something like this. But on the other hand, we had a public that was quite riled up, who knows what might have resulted if this issue were not somehow addressed. In other words, might there be an American invasion, an attempt to rescue the hostages in a militaristic way?

Well, let me just say, I think propaganda is always part of something like this. But on the other hand, we had a public that was quite riled up, who knows what might have resulted if this issue were not somehow addressed. In other words, might there be an American invasion, an attempt to rescue the hostages in a militaristic way?

Well, let me just say, I think propaganda is always part of something like this. But on the other hand, we had a public that was quite riled up, who knows what might have resulted if this issue were not somehow addressed. In other words, might there be an American invasion, an attempt to rescue the hostages in a militaristic way?

And frankly, I saw this as an opportunity to reduce that possibility. And this thing just kept going on and on. And a lot of vigorous protests. I don't know if you would recall. I mean, I wasn't alive. You may have read about the yellow ribbons. Right, right. That thing, I think it was taken from a popular song.

And frankly, I saw this as an opportunity to reduce that possibility. And this thing just kept going on and on. And a lot of vigorous protests. I don't know if you would recall. I mean, I wasn't alive. You may have read about the yellow ribbons. Right, right. That thing, I think it was taken from a popular song.

And frankly, I saw this as an opportunity to reduce that possibility. And this thing just kept going on and on. And a lot of vigorous protests. I don't know if you would recall. I mean, I wasn't alive. You may have read about the yellow ribbons. Right, right. That thing, I think it was taken from a popular song.

As I recall, we went to the airport, JFK, and it was evident that we were getting... I'm not sure who was giving us this assistance. I thought maybe the airport authorities because we were taken through a private entrance to the airport and held in a very lovely private lounge, not in the normal sort of place until our flight left. It's like you enter a situation, it's ordinary in some ways,

As I recall, we went to the airport, JFK, and it was evident that we were getting... I'm not sure who was giving us this assistance. I thought maybe the airport authorities because we were taken through a private entrance to the airport and held in a very lovely private lounge, not in the normal sort of place until our flight left. It's like you enter a situation, it's ordinary in some ways,

As I recall, we went to the airport, JFK, and it was evident that we were getting... I'm not sure who was giving us this assistance. I thought maybe the airport authorities because we were taken through a private entrance to the airport and held in a very lovely private lounge, not in the normal sort of place until our flight left. It's like you enter a situation, it's ordinary in some ways,

But the gravity of it unfolds as you're in it. We arrived in Iran. We were escorted to the, I think, the Hilton Hotel. And we walked in the door and there must have been 200 or more press people. It was a circus. I mean, people from the United States, but from all over the world, wanting to meet these clergy who were about to go into the embassy. You know, I'm a Protestant clergyman.