National POW/MIA Recognition Day

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By Terry Orr

(Retired Vet)

I cannot begin to imagine the pain and suffering people endure having a love one who is a POW/MIA – especially those from the Vietnam era – all those years that have gone by and still unable to find closure. At times I become physically sick – thinking about those spineless, gutless, un-American politicians and so-called leaders in the government allow this atrocity to happen and continue on all these years.  In hindsight, it was just the beginning or maybe the continuation of poor leadership.  I am thankful that my love ones did not have to cope with this during my service to this country.

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Following up on our article from last year article “Let's Bring Them Home!” (http://kisbyto.blogspot.com/2011/09/lets-bring-them-home.html ) a couple of additional historical facts and commentary by yours truly.

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Observances of National POW/MIA Recognition Day are held across the country on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans' facilities. It is traditionally observed on the third Friday in September each year. This observance is one of six days throughout the year that Congress has mandated the flying of the National League of Families' POW/MIA flag. The others are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.

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Prisoners of War and Missing-in-Action (POW/MIA) personnel has been a mystery for some time – in that after the action has been completed – why keep them and or information regarding them from their home country.  Yes, that my sound a bit naïve, but is there any good reason to withhold that information?

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Rolling Thunder has done an excellent job of honoring our POW/MIA’s and veteran’s – as has other support groups – but in general – most folks just don’t care from my perspective.  It is a shame and disgrace to our men and women in the past, those currently severing and those who will continue to answer the call of protecting America.

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Today is Friday, September 21, 2012 – please take a moment to remember and remember on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 those who have fail us and those who show promise of changing the status quo. Thank you!

References and Links:

http://www.dtic.mil/dpmo/pow_day/

Let's Bring Them Home!

National POW/MIA Recognition Day

On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, recognizing the National League of Families POW/MIA Flag and designating it "as a symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia. Thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation." Beyond Southeast Asia, it has been a symbol for POW/MIAs from all American Wars.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established to honor Americans held as Prisoners of War and to renew our nation’s commitment to account for US personnel still missing from our nation’s past wars and conflicts.  While earlier Recognition Day events were scheduled during the National League of Families’ annual meetings each summer, a change was needed to ensure all POW/MIAs from all of America’s past wars were included and honored.

In 1986, The National League of Families recommended that the third Friday in September be deemed National POW/MIA Recognition Day, a date not associated with any particular war, nor in conjunction with any organizations’ annual meetings/national convention.

On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, ceremonies take place across the country and around the world to honor and remember our nation’s Prisoners of War and our unreturned veterans, America’s MIAs.

There are 1,741 American personnel listed by the Defense Department's POW/MIA Office as missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, as of April 2009. The number of United States personnel accounted for since the end of the Vietnam War in 1975 is 841. About 90 percent of the 1,741 people still missing were lost in Vietnam or areas of Laos and Cambodia under Vietnam's wartime control, according to the National League of Families website (cited in the United States Army website).

"Keeping the Promise", "Fulfill their Trust" and "No one left behind" are several of many mottos that refer to the efforts of the Department of Defense to recover those who became missing while serving our nation. 

The mission requires expertise in archival research, intelligence collection and analysis, field investigations and recoveries and scientific laboratories. Hundreds of Defense Department men and women -- both military and civilian -- operators and scientists, work in organizations around the world as part of DoD's personnel recovery and personnel accounting communities. They are all dedicated to the single mission of finding and bringing our missing personnel home.