On Saturday, 35 people gathered at the Osceola Museum of Military History, among them many veterans, for National POW/MIA Recognition Day. This national day,
This national day, authorized by Congress in 1979, is observed on the third Friday in September. The day serves to remember the sacrifices and service of those who were prisoners of war (POW), as well as those who are missing in action (MIA), and their families in America’s armed conflicts.
Museum Executive Director Chris Robertson made the opening comments and then the audience viewed a video presentation on Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, Central Florida native and Orlando resident. An aviation pioneer in extremely high-altitude parachute test jumps needed for the early space program, Kittinger also spent 11 months as a POW in North Vietnam in the 1970s. He called it his “lousiest assignment in the Air Force.”
On display for the observance were a POW Table and a “battlefield cross”. The table is set with a white tablecloth, a single candle, a book of faith, an inverted glass, and a single red rose in a vase, around which is tied a yellow ribbon. There is also a plate containing a slice of lemon and a small amount of salt. The scene invokes the lonely and bitter existence of a POW and the faith and hope needed to return home.
The battlefield cross has its origins in the Civil War and World War I. As soon as combat ceases for a time, a fallen or missing soldier’s rifle is driven into the ground by the bayonet. If available, dog tags, boots, and a helmet are added to the display.
In the heat and fog of war, soldiers are declared “missing” anytime they cannot be accounted for after a battle and are only classified as POWs when information is received from either the enemy or a neutral organization such as the Red Cross.
American prisoners of war, throughout history, have faced horrific ordeals at the hands of their captors. At the same time, they must adhere to a strict Code of Conduct, developed from the experiences of previous captives, and attempt escape whenever possible.
Many people wonder what the black and white flag, displayed under the U.S. flag at many government buildings and other locations, represents. The flag, created for the National League of POW/MIA Families, features a silhouette of a young captive American servicemember from the Vietnam War, a war prison camp watchtower with a guard on lookout, and a strand of barbed wire. There is also a wreath above the motto “You Are Not Forgotten” written in white letters and is commonly referred to as the “POW/MIA Flag”.
From World War II to the present, almost 100,000 military members remain missing, including 41,000 from World War II considered lost at sea.
Both the Department of Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and private efforts such as Project Recover continue to seek out and identify the remains of these missing Americans.
