Paul Whelan, left, Watches as President Biden Pins his Own American Flag Pin on Him During a Low-Key Homecoming  Event Last Night.

The  Aircraft Arriving at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, with Freed American Aboard It Last Night at Precisely 11:40 pm.

Vice President Kamala Harris and President Joe Biden Walk Onto the Tarmac at the Airport in Preparation for the Arrival of the Freed Americans From Russia Prisons.

Evan Gershkovich, Second off the Plane, Talked Briefly to Reporters, Some of Whom were his C olleaagues at “The Walal Street Journal,” his Employer.

At precisely 11:40 pm last night, a plane carrying three freed Americans just released from Russian prisons touched down at Joint Base Andrews to begin  their recovery from years in prison to which they were injustly convicted.  The homecoming was low key by DC standards,  but the air was full of joy and relief as they emerged at intervals, one-at-a-time  from the plane that had brought them home in a fourteen hour flight from Turkey.

First off the plane was Paul Whelan. 54.  who’d been held the longest – almost six years in spurious captivity.  He’d been on vacation for two weeks in Russia when he was snatched. Following  warm welcomes on the tarmac by President Biden and Vice President Harris, he hugged his sister Elizabeth Whelan, a portrait artist from Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts.. That was followed by another memorable moment.  That came  when President Biden removed the American flag pin from his suit lapel.  He pinned it onto the shirt of Paul Whelan as the newly freed American looked on..

Second off the plane was Evan Gershkovich, a reporter for “The Wall Street Journal” .   When he stepped onto the tarmac and found himself alone because the President and Vice President were otherwise engaged, he called out:    “I’m right here.” in a light moment that showed he still had his sense of humor in the midst of his horrific ordeal in Russian captivity. After a warm welcome from them, Gershkovich  gave his mother a huge bear hug lifting her off the ground in  his embrace.  As a member of the press he talked briefly to members of the press gathered at the edge of the tarmac at the Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland.  Some of whom were believed to be colleagues of his as he greeted them affectionately.  “I’m home,” he said more than once.  “I’m home.”

The third and final passenger on this Flight from Hell was Alsu Kurmasheva,. a reporter for “Radio Free Europe.” and a Russian-American.  She had been detained since last October after a visit to Russia to visit her sick mother. After her welcome home from the President and Vice President, she had an emotional reunion witht her two daughers:  One of whom is celebrating her 13th birthday today – with mom back home..

Moments after midnight, President Biden took questions from the  press gaggle in what turned out to be an impromptu press conference.  The President told the press that the decision to participate in the prisoner swap was “very hard for Germany and Slovenia to do.  I don’t believe we can let people rot in jail.”  Both nations released prisoners to meet the demands of Putin in the swap.  Vice President Kamala Harris, who is also the Democratic candidate for President of the US, said:  “This is an unbelievable day.  It shows the power of diplomacy here and what the strenghtening of alliances can achieve.  Three great Americans have been released because the President has worked to release them.”

The President said this prisoner swap “would not have happened without the German Chancellor’s agreement.”    He added that he thought the complicated prisoner swap would happen because of “our relations with heads of state.”  They are relationships that President Biden  has worked to rebuild after the destructive policies of his predecessor – Trump.   Trump has made clear his preference for Putin over Buden and other autocrats that he emulates and seeks to join.  It took the participation of seven countries to pull off the most complex and largest prisoner swap since the Cold War.

Although it was not seen by the public. the President went into the plane cockpit to thank the pilots and other personnel on board for their safe delivery  home of their special cargo according to reporter Peter Baker.

In a cable news interview this morning, US Representative Eric Swalwell (D-CA) asked:  “Why can’t Trump just be happy with the return home of these Americans?   It’s not about him.”  Except it always is.