National POW/MIA Recognition Day

POW/MIA flag with the silhouette of a soldier, guard tower, and barbed wire. Words across top: POW MIA. Words across bottom: You are not forgotten.

A Proclamation on National POW/MIA Recognition Day

From Belleau Wood to the Battle of the Bulge, Korea to Vietnam, Afghanistan to Iraq, and around the world, American patriots have dared all, risked all, and given all to defend our nation and protect our liberties. Now and always, we honor their service, valor, and sacrifice. We also continue the righteous work of bringing home our heroes who remain unaccounted for.

On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we pledge to seek out answers for the families of service members still missing in action. We commit to doing all in our power to identify and recover America's missing sons and daughters. And we pay tribute to former prisoners of war — individuals who exhibited remarkable courage, love of country, and devotion to duty to protect our Nation's safety and freedoms.

–National League of Families of American Prisoners & Missing in Southeast Asia website as taken from the Vietnam Veterans of America website

Friday, September 18 was POW/MIA Remembrance Day. In 1979 President Jimmy Carter issued a proclamation designating the third Friday in September be so designated; every President thereafter has issued a similar proclamation.

The iconic POW/MIA flag was designed in the early 1970s by Newt Heisley, a World War II pilot, at the request of Mary Hoff, the wife of Vietnam POW Lt. Cdr. Michael Hoff. Hoff's A-7A Corsair was shot down in early January 1970. Although presumed dead by many, his remains have never been recovered, and he is officially listed as MIA on Panel 14W, Line 8, on the Vietnam War Veterans Memorial ("The Wall") in Washington DC.

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, there are 83,000 servicemen missing from World War II to the present; about 88% are from World War II with many lost at sea. In the last 30 years, there are 6 American men still missing.

Margot Theis Raven, the wife of Lt. Col. Tom Hanton (USAF), wrote the children's book America's White Table to help children understand the concept of missing soldiers and remember the families of those missing. The Medal of Honor Society recorded MOH recipient Woody Williams (USMC, World War II) reading this children's story. A link is included below.

Several POW/MIAs were later awarded the Medal of Honor, our nation's highest military honor. Among them were Col. George Everett "Bud" Day (USAF, Vietnam), Cpl. Tibor Rubin (USA, Korea), VADM. James Bond Stockdale (USN, Vietnam), and Capt. Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace (USA, Vietnam). Stockdale would later become a US Vice Presidential candidate in 1992. Versace was last seen alive in September 1965 as he was taken from a North Vietnamese POW camp for additional torture; fellow POWs reported that he was loudly singing "God Bless America" as he was being led away. Later that month, his death (execution) was announced over North Vietnamese radio; his remains have never been recovered.

Picture of the headstone for Capt. Lynn K. Powell (USAF) in Arlington National Cemetery — Capt. Lynn K. Powell (USAF) was KIA in 1967 when his plane was shot down over Vietnam. His remains were accounted for in 1983, and he was later buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Photo credit: ANC X (@ArlingtonNatl) August 2023

Picture of headstone for MSgt. Harry Brassfield (USA) in Arlington National Cemetery — MSgt. Harry Brassfield (USA) died while a POW during the Korean War. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Photo credit: ANC X (@ArlingtonNatl) July 2023

Picture of headstone for SSgt. Roy Carney (USAAF) in Arlington National Cemetery — SSgt. Roy Carney (USAAF) was KIA in World War II when his plane was shot down over Romania. His remains were identified in 2022, and he was buried in Arlington National Cemetery 11 months later. Credit: ANC Explorer, ANC X (@ArlingtonNatl) July 2023

National POW/MIA Recognition Day: 'Though not here ... their sacrifice is not forgotten' September 18, 2023 #NotForgotten

Two men standing side-by-side — Bob Eble with Vietnam POW veteran 1Lt. Ralph Galati (USAF). Galati is a recipient of the Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal (with combat "V") (twice), and the Prisoner of War Medal. He was piloting an F-4 Phantom when he was shot down over North Vietnam and taken prisoner in February 1972. He was released in March 1973. He is the second youngest POW of the Vietnam era. Photo credit: Bob Eble (June 2021)

Grave marker for a husband and wife; a 21-year-old son, missing in action, is also included on the engraving — Grave marker in a Pittston (PA) cemetery remembering a son (Sgt Eugene J. Donnelly, USA) who was MIA in the Korea War. He was presumed dead in December 1953. Photo credit: Bob Eble (June 2016)