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In 2014 Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was freed from captivity to the relief of his supporters in Idaho. But another tide turned: those who had waited for this day found themselves caught in political crossfire and lacking the broad support they had leaned on when he had been a P.O.W. Northwest News Network told the story of Hailey, Idaho and Bergdahl's family before and after his release in 2014.

Would-be Day Of Celebration In Bergdahl's Hometown Passes Quietly

Jessica Robinson
/
Northwest News Network

A day of planned celebration of Bowe Bergdahl in his Idaho hometown turned out to be a pretty uneventful one. Hailey, Idaho, cancelled Saturday’s event after the city received threats.

It was all going to happen in Hop Porter Park in downtown Hailey. You would have heard hundreds of motorcycles here -- members of POW and veterans groups from all over were expected to come. The singer Carole King was scheduled to perform. You also would have seen U.S. senators, Miss Idaho and, of course, the Bergdahl family.

But instead, the park was pretty quiet. A handful of bikers from Twin Falls did show up briefly in solidarity with Bergdahl.

Over the weekend, one of the organizers sent an email to the media. She was frustrated that threats from what she called ‘mean, nasty people’ forced the cancellation of the event. And she thanked Bergdahl’s supporters.”

There continues to be debate over Bergdahl’s release and whether he walked off his base in Afghanistan. Army investigators say they are holding off on interviewing Bergdahl while he goes through a recovery process in Texas.