National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
White House.gov
As a Nation, we look to our service men and women as examples of courage and sacrifice. When our country and the world have needed brave Americans to advance the cause of freedom, our men and women in uniform have proudly stepped forward and selflessly endured hardships to defend liberty. We are grateful to all who have served, and on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we give special honor to the extraordinary patriots who have been prisoners of war and to those who are still missing in action. We take inspiration from their valor and loyalty and will not rest until we have accounted for them all.
On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the National League of Families POW/MIA flag is flown over the White House, the Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense, and Veterans Affairs, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, U.S. military installations, national cemeteries, and other locations across our country. The POW/MIA flag is a symbol of our Nation’s resolve never to forget the service and great sacrifice of the heroes who have carried out liberty’s urgent and noble mission, even at the cost of their own freedom. On this day, we express our deep appreciation to each of our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines and our enduring commitment to achieve the fullest possible accounting for all of our men and women in uniform who have been prisoners of war or are missing in action.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States do hereby proclaim Friday, September 15, 2006, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I call upon the people of the United States to join me in paying solemn tribute to all former American prisoners of war and those missing in action who valiantly served our great country. I call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, U. S. Marine Corps, will host the Pentagon ceremony for National POW/MIA Recognition Day at the Mall Entrance Parade Field on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006, at 11 a.m. EDT. Congressman Rob Simmons, Chairman of the Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment subcommittee, will be the guest speaker
Louis T. Dechert,
National President, KWVA/US
Wild Thing’s comment……
According to a July 13, 2005 DPMO report, the total number of remains that had not been accounted for totaled 8,114. Still a long way to go. Meanwhile, the families wait!
You are invited to visit my POW MIA page at my website. You can also click on each of the names on that page to read about them. Turn up the volume if you lilke as well.
Thank you so much, these are the forgotten families, we can’t forget them. I was priviledged to have known a survivor of Bataan’s death march,this gentleman mourned the loss of his fellow prisoners the rest of his life, most of whom’s remains have been forever lost. My mother-in-law who is in her mid eighties has pictures of her classmates and still mourns their loss in WWII, all MIA’s, her childhood sweetheart was lost over the English Channel when his bomber went down at sea. You have done a magnificent job WT on your POW MIA page, we must never forget that these are fellow Americans whose families have never had closure, nor that Senator McCain has written a bill to bury further searches for them.
Another place to look up names is here.
Their families will find them again in the next world, but it is always nice to find them before that.
Jack I am so sorry your mother in law’s childhood sweatheart was lost over the English Channel. It is very special to share about that.
You have such great things you share about Jack it really means a lot to me, like knowing one of the suriviors of the Bataan’s death march. Thank you so much.
Tom they sure will. Thanks Tom.