A Pulaski County native was the last American working in the U.S. embassy in Iran who was taken hostage in November 1979 -- and released along with the 65 other hostages 444 days later, on January 20th, 1981 -- The release came just minutes after Ronald Reagan was inaugurated as President. And that happened 40 years ago tomorrow.
Rick Kupke was from Francesville. Upon release, the former hostages were eventually transported to West Point, where many were reunited with family. They were later greeted at Indianapolis International Airport by a cheering crowd of nearly 500, including Governor Robert Orr. State Police conducted a caravan to take them back to Francesville.
Kupke later moved to Texas after his release.
When Kupke was taken hostage, and we learned that about him, my boss at the time -- Mike Piggott -- sent me up from Lafayette to Francesville to talk to residents in the area who knew him as he grew up there. As I recall, they said he was a good kid, sometimes quiet, who never got into trouble.
Kupke later shared with an Indianapolis TV reporter what it was like while being held captive. He said -- “It was like a prison term with no end." Kupke said that there was a very good chance he would be executed. "It’s tough. It wouldn’t do any good to fall apart at the time. You had to force yourself through it.”
