The Real Heroes Who Saved America

Millions of Americans have heeded the call to serve in our military. However, thousands have never made it home…

Some were taken as prisoners, some went missing. Their family and country miss them… that’s why we dedicate a day to remember these brave souls.

POW/MIA Day is a US national holiday that honors “prisoners of war” and service members who were “missing in action.” Most of these are people who were killed in military-related situations.

For the last 20 years, the American Legion Post 57 – This organization provides assistance for veterans, military personnel, their families, and communities in thousands of ways every day around the world – has held a ceremony to honor POWs and war vets. 

The table always included elements representing the lives the military members lost. There were white table cloths, empty chairs, a Bible, black napkins, a single red rose, a yellow candle, a ribbon, slices of lemon, salt, and an upside-down wine glass. 

All these objects represent the purity of heart, the acceptance of the country’s call, the bitterness of the soldier’s absence, and the hope of their return. 

But for this year, we have a new person in charge to lead the event– Charles Watson, the officer for American Legion Post 57. 

According to Watson, “82,000” soldiers are unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. He’s also sincere in honoring our fallen Americans. Watson said, “We want to honor the MIAs and have support for the families.”

There will be a ceremonial table with six seats set for the program. Five of the seats will represent the different branches of the military: Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Coast Guard. At the same time, the sixth seat represents the civilians.

The program will also open a moment of silence and laying of 13 roses. This is to honor the 13 service members killed during the attack at the Kabul Airport in Afghanistan this past August.

POW/MIA Day will be celebrated on September 17 at noon in the main lobby of the Grand Hotel in Minot, North Dakota. The program is open to everyone.

Several places across the country are also holding memorials and services to recognize our fellow POWS and MIAs. You can visit them in:

• Hero’s Walk & Freedom Trees – in Jacksonville, Florida
• Chapel of the High-Speed Pass – in Jacksonville, Florida
• Gold Star Families Memorial – in Chicago, Illinois
• Mary Hoff Memorial Park – in Jacksonville, Florida
• POW/MIA Museum – in Northeast Florida

The Department of Defense also revealed the POW/MIA commemorative “poster” last July. It highlights the department’s efforts to honor soldiers, sailors, marines, and airmen still missing from past conflicts.

Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks explained that since the Revolutionary War, “more than half-million” US service members were held as prisoners of war. 

She said, “Working closely with partner nations, the Department of Defense is firmly committed to the fullest possible accounting for those U.S. personnel who remain missing. … We owe nothing less to the families who continue to wait for answers about the losses of their loved ones.”