September 19 is POW/MIA Recognition Day, which honors the commitments and the sacrifices made by our nation's prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action. By custom, it is on the third Friday in September.
A Pentagon ceremony for National POW/MIA Recognition Day will be held on Friday, Sept.19, 2008. This ceremony will feature troops from each of the military services. The president will issue a proclamation commemorating the observances and reminding the nation of those Americans who have sacrificed so much for their country.
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. The flag is to be 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.
Today there are approximately 630,498* POW/MIA unaccounted for from all U.S. Wars. (*Information provided from http://www.mrfa.org/pow_mia.htm).
ON THIS SPECIAL (POW-MIA RECOGNITION) DAY, LET US COMMIT OURSELVES TO REMAINING STRONG IN OUR DEVOTION TO THE PRINCIPLES FOR WHICH SO MANY COURAGEOUSLY FOUGHT AND SACRIFICED.
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That which does not kill me postpones the inevitable.
My dad always said he was greatful there wasnt a war for his son to go fight. He saw war for 3 years in Korea. He lost friends over there. He knew the sacrifice it entailed.
For the families that paid the ultimate price and for those who never had the comfort of their loved ones remains being brought home...we owe a huge debt of gratitude.
