Photo By Staff Sgt. Ariel Owings | A POW/MIA flag waves during the National POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony hosted by...... read more read more
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HONOLULU -- The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) hosted a National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (NMCP), Honolulu, Hawaii, Sept. 15, 2023.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day began in 1986. Every year since, the President of the United States issues a proclamation commemorating the holiday on the third Friday of September. More than 300 people attended this year’s ceremony. The hour-long event had service members and civilians across the island gather to honor both the sacrifices of American prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.
After U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Band played the national and state of Hawaii anthems, Joseph Dunbar, DPAA logistics management and budget analyst, delivered a proclamation signed by Governor Josh Green, commemorating National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
“As we gather on these hallowed grounds here at the beautiful Punchbowl, we demonstrate a heartfelt appreciation to those who sacrificed so greatly for our nation, our ideals and to protect our allies,” said Fern Sumpter Winbush, DPAA principal deputy director. “We also take this moment to ensure that this generation and the generations to come remember the consequences of war, the individual stories of those who never returned and to show appreciation to every former POW who endured horrific circumstances while in captivity. We must never take for granted what they who came before us did.”
Sumpter Winbush also addressed the significance of DPAA and its continuing promise.
“Since the end of the Vietnam War, DPAA and its predecessors have managed the recovery, identification and return of thousands of our missing Americans to their families who have actively sought answers,” said Sumpter Winbush. “We have been our nation’s promise keepers, not only to those we continue to search for, but for those who are serving today, that should you go missing and do not return, we will come for you.”
After her speech, Sumpter Winbush introduced the keynote speaker, Allen Hoe, a Vietnam veteran and veteran advocate. Hoe told the crowd that no matter what, no one is really gone as long as we hold them in our memories.
“I will never stop caring for those who wear our nation's uniform in my defense,” said Hoe. “At the rising of the sun and its going down, we will remember them. At the beginning of the year, and when it ends, we will remember them. As long as we live, they too will live. They are a part of us. We will remember them. We will not forget. Thank you.”
Each year we remember that the search for our missing personnel continues, and through each ceremony we host, we hold them in our hearts until they all come home.
“For us every day is National POW/MIA Recognition day, we are tireless and we will never quit until we fulfill our nation’s promise to provide the fullest possible accounting for our families and the nation,” said Sumpter Winbush.
For more information and to watch the live broadcast visit our website at dpaa.mil
| Date Taken: | 09.15.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 09.16.2023 00:58 |
| Story ID: | 453595 |
| Location: | HONOLULU, HAWAII, US |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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