[April 5, 2023] Betrayal is an evil more profound than any human behavior we can imagine. In Dante’s Inferno, sins like torture, murder, and rape were not at the bottom of the pit (nine circles of hell); it was betrayal. The ultimate betrayal is the subject of my article today.
On March 13, 1973, U.S. Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Stirm was reunited with his family at Travis AFB. He had spent more than five years as a Prisoner of War in a North Vietnamese camp undergoing torture and regular beatings by the Communists. The photo of his reunion won a Pulitzer Prize by photographer Slava “Sal” Veder.
The centerpiece of the photograph is Stirm’s 15-year-old daughter Lorrie, who is excitedly greeting her father with outstretched arms as the rest of the family approaches directly behind her. But despite the outward appearance, the reunion was unhappy for Stirm. Three days before the picture was taken, Stirm received a letter from his wife stating that she wanted a divorce.
His wife took $140,000 of his pay while he was a POW, took his two younger kids, house, car, 40% of his future pension, and $300 a month in child support. She had to pay back only $1,500 of his money used on trips with other men. He fought and lost against her in court. He then had to live with his mom in San Francisco, taking care of his older kids.1
Take a close look at the face of Loretta Stirm. She symbolizes the ultimate betrayal as she had relationships with several men in her husband’s absence. Within a year after being shot down, his then-current wife began affairs with other men and did not even have the honor and integrity to tell the kids. She lived a lie.
He says he survived the torture, the mock executions, the dread-filled days and nights, so he could return to her, only to be handed a “Dear John” letter by a chaplain upon his release. Robert Stirm, not unsurprisingly, has anger and bitterness directed at Loretta, even more than his Vietnam captors who tortured him.
Loretta Stirm is the face of the ultimate betrayal.
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For what it’s worth, I know that several years ago she died a lingering, painful death from cancer. Col. Stirm is still living in the Bay Area.
I went through the same thing Col sturmer went through but my betrayal I later foun̈d out my kids who I loved dearly especially my daughter who I thought was daddy’s little snitcĥ and I knew would tell me in letters would tell me if something was up but my friend in the military while we were overseas in Dong Ha my son who was 14 told me there mother asked them what they thought of divorcing their father and they said yes it was the ultimate betrayal I later recieved what is called a dear John letter it just made feel all wàrm and fuzzy but Col stermer he earned his pay his ex had alread ‘F’ around and was been payed 140 k per year for having sex̌ with different
What a first class TNUC! He has every reason to be bitter after getting double humped by her actions and the courts Triple jumped if you include his incarceration, I don’t know if he is still alive, I pray he is and finally found happiness,
Well, Robert did get divorced again. Just sayin’
The daughter, Lorrie, was on Antiques Roadshow as British Citizen noted. Loretta Faye Adams, formerly Loretta Stirm, died in 2010 of cancer.
https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/georgetown-tx/loretta-adams-4347106
Well Well Well. When you betray your family, the grim reaper comes a calling sooner than you might think.
the wife Lorrie you mean
Loretta Stirm, evil incarnate.
SHAME
SHAME
SHAME
… on Loretta Stirm
👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎👎
You said it best, Linus Man.
Yes, the face of shame. But there should be more to it. We know that Loretta Stirm profited from her ex-husband’s plight as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam (for more than 5 years). I hope that she realizes that her name will forever be associated with betrayal, like those most famous for betraying their families in times of crisis. Loretta Stirm, we know who you are, we know you have no honor, we know you are a POS, we know it and will forever put you in the same category as others who betray their spouse and family. FOREVER!
The question that i have is, why court gave such a decision to deprive that man who suffered for the country of everything he has for the sake of that woman?
I can but Gen. Satterfield probably won’t allow those words here. Let’s just say she ranks right up there with Benedict Arnold.
The picture of her face should be plastered everywhere. She wears the shame she created.
As a Vietnam Vet, I am happy you published this article. I believe that Lt Col Strim’s wife is still alive. It is important that she wears he label of betrayal on her face forever. She betrayed a hero and did so in the most disgusting manner. She is a horrible person and all her acquaintances should shun her for what she did to such an honorable man. It is one thing to walk away from the marriage but completely another thing to profit from her own dishonor. I challenge her to justify anything she did right here on Gen. Satterfield’s blog. Go ahead. Make my day.
Ouch, I will add that she is a slut. Well, I cannot think of a better word.
Let’s not let the men who had “relations” with her off the hook. They knew she was married to a POW. Shame on them too.
Yes its true. Bit shes the one who must love her husband, not other men
She died in 2012 by cancer. But he still lives
She died almost 14 years ago. Good riddance to bad energy.
Loretta Stirm Adams passed away of cancer in 2010.
Thank you, Anthony for bringing me up to date.
In the end, Every person will pay for their sins. I am sure she died of excruciating cancer !!!~~~~~
she died in 2010. https://www.dignitymemorial.com/obituaries/georgetown-tx/loretta-adams-4347106
Welcome to my website, Frank.
This is a sad story. And it will echo thru time.
“What We Do Echoes Across History”
https://www.theleadermaker.com/what-we-do-echoes-across-history/
There are many examples how a dishonorable act can follow one across history. We would be remiss if we ignored this fact.
Lorrie Stirm appeared on Antiques Roadshow Season 27 Episode 1 on January 2, 2023 seeking an appraisal for an archive of items relating to the event: Lorrie’s personal print of the famous photograph (signed by the photographer in 1990), Lt. Col. Stirm’s prison uniform, Red Cross luggage with North Vietnamese tag, a spoon engraved Lt. Col. Stirm with a thunderbolt during his imprisonment and a pair of sandals the North Vietnamese claimed were made from the wheels of Stirm’s crashed plane. Auctioneer Joel Bohy valued the items as worth $2500-$3000 at auction, but said the “historical value on this is absolutely priceless.”
Sad, she is still trying to cash in on her personal betrayal and unapologetically too.
Gold-digger? Evil? Betrayer of the military and men? Evil to the core.
Lorrie is the daughter, not the wife. BTW, the wife dies 13 years ago.
This was a sad case. I had no idea of the legacy that Lt Col Stirm’s wife Loretta created for herself. She was weak and, I must say, evil.
Why is it that women are more likely to betray their men than the reverse? Is it that us women has less honor and integrity? Do we betray because we are weak? Whatever the reason, it gives men a reason not to trust us. Maybe there is something to the age old perception of keeping women pregnant and in the kitchen after all.
I’m not so sure the logic follows, but I do get your point. Women cannot be trusted as much as men.
Because we are weaker physically and MORALLY … that is sad.
Go figure!
Right, we can learn a lot from the military about honor and integrity. Women seem to ignore those qualities in our selves, yet demand them from our men. This double standard is supported by society at large, which is a way to admit openly that women do NOT have what it takes to be an equal partner in marriage and society. This betrayal is a consistent theme in literature throughout history, so there must be something about it that rings true. Loretta Stirm should be vilified for the rest of her life for her betrayal of a military man who honored us. She is indeed the face of the ultimate betrayal.
… and she is a coward to boot. 👎
No wonder most men cannot trust women to do the right thing when circumstances are difficult.
What are you even talking about? I’ve heard many stories of men leaving wives for younger women after the one they had gave them years of their lives. Give me a break on the “men do no wrong” bs. There are just as many crap guys out there as there are crap women. I think some of you posting comments are really bitter men posing as women.