American Legion Family shares POW/MIA issue with communities nationwide.
The American Legion remains committed to achieving a full accounting of all U.S. servicemembers from all war eras who are either imprisoned or listed as missing in action. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) reported at The American Legion National Convention in New Orleans in August that from World War II to the present, more than 81,000 servicemembers are unaccounted for.
One mechanism to raise awareness about the POW-MIA issue outside of the non-veteran community is to stage events honoring our missing in action. And American Legion Family members across the nation took that responsibility to heart on or around Sept. 20 with the conducting of National POW/MIA Recognition Day events.
From New York to Texas, and stops all along the way, American Legion posts either hosted or took part in commemoration ceremonies or events that brought in community members, government leaders and others to honor those who remain unaccounted for, dating back to World War II.
In Indianapolis, American Legion National Headquarters was one of the sponsors of the POW-MIA Indianapolis Council’s annual POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony at the Indiana War Memorial. Government leaders and others gathered for the ceremony, which featured guest speaker and Legionnaire Taylor Kiland. A former U.S. Navy officer, Kiland has spent several years researching and bringing to attention the relentless efforts of families of prisoners of war and their pressure on the government to bring loved ones home, as well as extensive research on the former prisoners of war and how the skills and resilience they applied in captivity may have aided many former POWs to have a higher success rate in their professional life upon their release and increased longevity in their life span.
In Florida, more than 200 motorcycles took part in the American Legion Department of Florida’s fourth annual Seven Bridges POW/MIA Remembrance Ride across the seven bridges that cross the St. John’s River in the Jacksonville area. The ride ended at the National POW/MIA Memorial & Museum on former NAS Cecil Field in Jacksonville for a day of celebration and remembrance in honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day which was observed Friday.
View some photos of the ride here.
And nationwide, Legion posts and American Legion Family members did their part to ensure American’s prisoners of war and those missing in action are remembered. The following are a few examples of those efforts; Legionnaires are urged to share their own efforts on www.legiontown.org.
Arizona
In Peoria, John J. Morris Post 62’s National POW/MIA Recognition Day effort included creating a display set up in the post’s dining hall that focused on those missing in action from Arizona. A remembrance banner was placed on the side of the building, a toast took place at 7 p.m., and those in attendance were asked to think of the families of the missing and what they are going through. American Legion Auxiliary Unit 62 provided black ribbons for everyone to wear.
Florida
In Sebastian on Sept. 19, the Sebastian Area Veteran Honor Guard – which is composed of American Legion Post 189 Legion Family members and VFW Post 10210 – and American Legion Riders Chapter 189 and 39 provided a funeral service for U.S. Army Private William Hurst, who was captured by the Japanese and wounded during the Bataan Death March. He succumbed to his wounds and died while in captivity; his remains were located by the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency and returned to Florida.
Georgia
In Fayette County, members of American Legion Post 105 hosted a ceremony on the front steps of the historic Fayetteville Log Cabin. During the ceremony, the symbolism of the empty chair table was explained, and a presidential proclamation from President Biden was read.
Illinois
In Geneva, members of American Legion Post 75 and Charles American Legion Post 342 were part of a ceremony that included family members of missing U.S. servicemembers at the Kane County Veterans Memorial.
Massachusetts
In Pittsfield at South Street Memorial Park, Charles Persip American Legion Post 68 conducted its second annual remembrance event that included guest speakers, Post 68 Chaplain Richard Kurek read the invocation and benediction, and a POW/MIA table of remembrance ceremony took place.
At the event, American Legion Post 1236 Commander Brian Sedgewick displayed a photo of Lt. Col. John Francis Overlock, an Air Force pilot who went missing in action in 1968.
“Our country does a good job of still looking and searching and expending every bit of material effort possible to bring home remains to their loved ones," Sedgewick said. "My hope is someday, and so many of us others, is that John Overlock's remains are found some time and we'll just keep looking for that and hoping for that day to come."
Michigan
In Petoskey, Carl O. Weaver Post 194 held a ceremony at the Veterans Memorial in Pennsylvania Park. Post members led the ceremony, which included an explanation of the POW/MIA table, a moment of silence and the reading of the names of Michigan servicemembers still listed as missing in action from the Vietnam War.
New Jersey
In Seaside, the Sons of The American Legion Detachment of New Jersey conducted its 34th annual POW MIA Watchfire. The Watchfire is a 12-hour bonfire where members of the entire American Legion Family participate in the event, including Legionnaires reading the names of the missing.
New York
In Endicott, George F. Johnson hosted its 16th National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony that included prayers, words from local officials, the playing of taps and the POW/MIA table.
"As the World War Two veterans pass on, we get to Korean then Vietnam vets, and then we go to the Iraqi vets and like that, they're all just as important. But it's very important for our future generations," Post 1700 Commander Dave Williams said. "I have eight grandchildren. We all have grandchildren and friends and neighbors. And we want to continue this on till they're all accounted for. We know they can't all be accounted for, but let's get as many back home as we can because they made it possible for us to be here today."
Ohio
In Berea, Albert E. Baesel American Legion Post 91 conducted its annual POW/MIA ceremony. Those in attendance included Dan Wiley, the leading candidate for 2025-2026 American Legion national commander.
Pennsylvania
American Legion Post 473 and American Legion Riders Chapter 473 teamed with Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5010 for a POW/MIA observance at Freeland Public Park. Included in the ceremony was a release of 13 balloons – each with the name of a Freeland-area POW or MIA on it – by Freeland Boy Scout Troop 473.
Seven white balloons also released for seven MIAs from the Freeland area. The Freeland Fire Department rang its bell as each name was read.
South Carolina
In North Augusta, American Legion Post 71 honored those missing U.S. servicemembers during its monthly spaghetti dinner.
“We want to make people aware of that, so they are reminded of the sacrifices they did and that their families had done,” Post 71 Commander Phil Homan said. “It’s not just a flag flying at a post office or military installation, or somewhere else, it has a true meaning.”
Texas
In The Colony, American Legion Holley-Riddle Post 21 conducted its annual POW/MIA Sunset Ceremony to pay tribute to U.S. POWs, MIAs and their families. The ceremony kicked off with a group of Fourth District American Legion Riders carrying the POW/MIA flag into the ceremony.
Photos of five MIAs accounted for by the DPAA were on display during the ceremony.
Wisconsin
In a perfect display of timing, members of Wisconsin’s American Legion Riders provided an escort to former U.S. Army Air Force Staff Sgt. Ralph H. Bode, who went missing in action in World War II, to his home to Racine on POW/MIA Remembrance Day.
- Honor and Remembrance