The iconic photograph “Burst of Joy” was taken on March 17th, 1973 at Travis Air Force Base in California. It depicts Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Stirm, an American POW during the Vietnam War, reuniting with his family. Even though only twenty POWs landed at Travis Air Force Base, four hundred family members welcomed them home. The impactful photo, snapped by Associated Press photographer Slava “Sal” Veder, won the 1974 Pulitzer Prize for photography. Despite the image’s joyous aura, the story the photo tells does not have a happy ending. Loretta, Lt. Col. Stirm’s wife, had cheated on him with various other men during his time in Vietnam, and the two divorced. The Stirm children, depicted in the photograph, have “Burst of Joy” proudly displayed in their homes. Lt. Col. Stirm cannot bring himself to display the photo in his home.