Man Claims to Be U.S. Deserter in Sweden Since 1984

A U.S. Air Force deserter who's lived secretly in Sweden since 1984 has revealed his identity and contacted his family in the United States who were overwhelmed to hear he was still alive. The man said on Monday he was David Hemler who had deserted aged 21 while serving at a U.S. Air Force base in Germany, after getting involved with a pacifist church and becoming disillusioned with the policies of former President Ronald Reagan. He hitchhiked from Denmark to Sweden where he settled down and lived under an assumed name for the last 28 years - not revealing his true identity to anyone.