September 21, 2012 POW/MIA DAY

The third Friday in September is National POW/MIA Recognition Day, this year it is September 21.
A day, and a matter that is close to the heart of every veteran of our Armed Forces.

We must hold true to the "No Man Left Behind" that makes this a burden on our country, a blot
on our history that must be cleansed. Bring Them Home.

As Americans we must demand that all countries provide a full and complete accounting of all
POW/MIA's and that all those still held, or any remains be repatriated as soon as possible.

We will never forget and must do all possible to honor those still missing. To provide closure to
the families of the missing and the return of their loved ones.

The American Legion has a policy starting with Resolution No. 288 adopted at the 67th National
Convention that calls for designating a POW/MIA Empty Chair at all official Legion meetings.

The American Cold War Veterans have asked Congress to expedite the return of all missing
personnel, military and civilian from all wars.

The numbers of missing according to the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO)
are:
WWII 73.000
Korea 7,500
Cold War Era 126 (although other sites claim 172 and 343)
Vietnam 1,600
Iraq 6
Others listed
USS Stark 1
Grenada 4
Persian Gulf War 21
Somalia 2
The closest I could find for Afghanistan is 2 MIA as of 2011

I also could not find information on civilian or contract workers that are missing. They are no less
deserving of our honor and respect and the demand of their return.

Please contact your elected officials asking them to demand this full accounting of all POW/MIA


---- Jerald Terwilliger Former Chairman American Cold War Veterans "We Remember" ---------------- "And so the greatest of American triumphs... became a peculiarly joyless victory. We had won the Cold War, but there would be no parades." -- Robert M. Gates, 1996