Robert Polhill

Robert Polhill, an American professor at Beirut University College who was held hostage in the Middle East for 39 months, died Thursday at Georgetown University of complications from throat cancer. He was 65. Polhill, a native of New York who was recently living in Arlington, Va., was working as an assistant professor of business when he and three other faculty members were seized Jan. 24, 1987, by gunmen.

Robert Polhill, an American professor at Beirut University College who was held hostage in the Middle East for 39 months, died Thursday at Georgetown University of complications from throat cancer. He was 65. Polhill, a native of New York who was recently living in Arlington, Va., was working as an assistant professor of business when he and three other faculty members were seized Jan. 24, 1987, by gunmen.

Now that spring is here, Frank H. Reed is heading for the golf course, trying to tone up muscles still flabby from the 44 months he spent as a bound and blindfolded hostage in Beirut. Robert Polhill, a captive for 22 months, is fighting to learn to speak again, having lost his larynx to throat cancer surgery. It has been a year since Reed and Polhill were released, the last two Americans to emerge from imprisonment.

Now that spring is here, Frank H. Reed is heading for the golf course, trying to tone up muscles still flabby from the 44 months he spent as a bound and blindfolded hostage in Beirut. Robert Polhill, a captive for 22 months, is fighting to learn to speak again, having lost his larynx to throat cancer surgery. It has been a year since Reed and Polhill were released, the last two Americans to emerge from imprisonment.

It had been a sleepless night, as was the night before, as would be the two nights after. Edward P. Djerejian, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, was operating on catnaps when, after a long afternoon of anxious waiting, Robert Polhill walked in. For Polhill, it was the end of more than three years as a hostage in Lebanon.

Some thoughts on the report of Robert Polhill's cancerous larynx. Unfortunately, this man has been, as millions are, held hostage by the tobacco industry. If this isn't terrorist activity, what is it? Just a business, they say. The terrorists group that kidnaped Robert Polhill released him, safe and alive. Can the tobacco people assure him the same? KEN JOHNSON Buena Park

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill was reported in good condition today following surgery to remove his voice box because of a cancerous growth around his vocal cords. "He is resting in intensive care," said Ben Smith, spokesman for Walter Reed Medical Center, where Polhill underwent four hours of surgery. "His condition is good. The surgeons characterized the operation as successful."

"He didn't know about the Berlin Wall falling. And, since he's quite a sports fan, he's asked a lot of questions about the World Series, and football.' A U.S. official on ex-hostage Robert Polhill

Freed hostage Robert Polhill returned to American soil today after 39 months of captivity in Lebanon. The military plane bearing the 55-year-old business professor touched down at Andrews Air Force Base outside Washington. Polhill was released by his captors in the Middle East on Sunday and underwent medical tests and intense debriefing at a U.S. Air Force Hospital in Wiesbaden, West Germany.

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill has a cancerous growth around his vocal cords that will require surgeons to remove his voice box, his physicians said Wednesday. Such radical surgery, scheduled for today, might have been avoided if the tumor had been diagnosed sooner, doctors said. The tumor "is quite old, probably at least a year," said Col. Russ Zajtchuk, deputy commander of clinical services at Walter Reed Medical Center.

After 39 months of captivity in the Middle East and another five months recovering from throat cancer, Robert Polhill finally returned home Sunday. Polhill, 56, was welcomed with a parade and hundreds of well-wishers wearing yellow ribbons. More than 500 people lined Main Street in this Hudson River city to catch a glimpse of the former hostage and listen to a brief ceremony held in his honor.

Some thoughts on the report of Robert Polhill's cancerous larynx. Unfortunately, this man has been, as millions are, held hostage by the tobacco industry. If this isn't terrorist activity, what is it? Just a business, they say. The terrorists group that kidnaped Robert Polhill released him, safe and alive. Can the tobacco people assure him the same? KEN JOHNSON Buena Park

Surgeons removed the voice box of former hostage Robert Polhill on Thursday in what doctors called a successful operation to rid his body of cancer. "He's in intensive care after undergoing surgery," Walter Reed Army Medical Center spokesman Ben Smith said. "His condition's good. Smith quoted doctors as saying the cancer had not spread beyond Polhill's larynx, or voice box. Polhill, 55, was freed April 22 after more than three years in captivity in Lebanon. Army Dr.

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill has a cancerous growth around his vocal cords that will require surgeons to remove his voice box, his physicians said Wednesday. Such radical surgery, scheduled for today, might have been avoided if the tumor had been diagnosed sooner, doctors said. The tumor "is quite old, probably at least a year," said Col. Russ Zajtchuk, deputy commander of clinical services at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill was reported in good condition today following surgery to remove his voice box because of a cancerous growth around his vocal cords. "He is resting in intensive care," said Ben Smith, spokesman for Walter Reed Medical Center, where Polhill underwent four hours of surgery. "His condition is good. The surgeons characterized the operation as successful."

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill has a cancerous growth on his left vocal cord and his entire larynx--voice box--will be removed by surgeons Thursday, doctors at Walter Reed Army Hospital said today. Polhill was released by his Shiite Muslim captors in Lebanon on April 22, and has spent most of the time since at Walter Reed. His raspy voice prompted an early discovery of the tumor, which proved malignant in biopsy tests, according to Col. Russ Zajtchuk, deputy commander of the hospital.

Freed American hostage Robert Polhill is recovering quickly after his three-year ordeal in Lebanon and will leave for the United States today, officials said Wednesday. A brief announcement by the U.S. military in Wiesbaden, where Polhill has been treated since his release Sunday in Beirut, said no precise details of the professor's travel plans will be announced. Looking thin but happy, Polhill, 55, posed for pictures Wednesday on a balcony draped with U.S.

Surgeons removed the voice box of former hostage Robert Polhill on Thursday in what doctors called a successful operation to rid his body of cancer. "He's in intensive care after undergoing surgery," Walter Reed Army Medical Center spokesman Ben Smith said. "His condition's good. Smith quoted doctors as saying the cancer had not spread beyond Polhill's larynx, or voice box. Polhill, 55, was freed April 22 after more than three years in captivity in Lebanon. Army Dr.

"He didn't know about the Berlin Wall falling. And, since he's quite a sports fan, he's asked a lot of questions about the World Series, and football.' A U.S. official on ex-hostage Robert Polhill

Freed hostage Robert Polhill has a growth on his vocal cords, a doctor disclosed Friday, as a silent Polhill said through his wife that he hoped soon to be welcoming others home from captivity in Lebanon. Polhill, in a statement read for him by his Lebanese-born wife, Firyal, said he and his family hoped his release Sunday marked "the beginning of the end to the hostage situation."