T
he third Friday of each September is reserved to salute those men and women who served our nation as prisoners of war as well as the 81,864 who remain unaccounted for. We still have Americans missing from the war in Vietnam (1,713), Cold War (125), Korean War (8,025) and World War II (74,074).
Observances of National POW/MIA Recognition Day are held across the country on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, schools and veterans’ facilities. The 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.
The flag is flown at major military installations, national cemeteries, all post offices, VA medical facilities, the World War II Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the official offices of the secretaries of state, defense and veterans affairs, the director of the selective service system and the White House.
The flag stands as a reminder of our enduring commitment to those still unaccounted for. They are never forgotten.
Visit the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office website for more info about POW/MIA Day and the work the Defense Department is doing to find those who are still missing.
Click here to read about Secretary of Defense Robert Gates’ remarks recognizing the day.
Click here to read more about the new POW/MIA Exhibit at the Pentagon.
