PERRYVILLE, Mo. – Missouri’s National Veterans Memorial is honoring and remembering all POW’s from all wars with a Candlelight Vigil from 7-8 p.m. Friday September 16, 2022 at the Memorial in Perryville.
The third Friday in September is recognized as POW/MIA Recognition Day, a time to remember the sacrifices of prisoners of war (POW) and service members who are missing in action (MIA).
Until 1979, there was no formal recognition day set aside for these important men and women in uniform. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) official site says more than 81,000 service members are missing from conflicts from World War II to the present time.
Of that number, the majority (more than 72,000) are missing from World War II.
The number of POW/MIAs from the Korean conflict number just above 7,500.
Vietnam has over 1,582 listed, with the Cold War at 126 listed as POW/MIA.
Conflicts since 1991 have six people still unaccounted for.
THE POW/MIA Flag is to be flown on POW/MIA Recognition Day at major military installations, national cemeteries, 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.
This observance is one of six days throughout the year that Congress has mandated the flying of the POW/MIA flag.
The other days are Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.