Although not marked as an official holiday on any calendar, Sept. 19 holds a special place in the hearts of thousands of Americans.
For those who recognize the day's significance, it is a day of remembrance, honor, sorrow and hope that is being observed for its 25th year.
This year, the members of the Fort McPherson and Fort Gillem communities joined Americans throughout the nation on this day, National Prisoner of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Recognition Day, to remember all of the heroes who haven't made it home.
"Today we are gathered again to honor the unwilling captives and missing countrymen who fought for freedom but have not yet come home," said Sgt. 1st Class Mark Steinfeld, U.S. Army Garrison Equal Opportunity Office. "We gather to honor their Families ... reaffirming this sacred creed: to never forget these brave warriors, to always remember those who returned and those who are missing still."
Remembering POWs and MIAs, while always important, is even more significant with members of today's armed forces serving in harm's way in Iraq, Afghanistan and other areas throughout the world, said Command Sgt. Maj. Charles Durr Jr., command sergeant major, U.S. Army Installation Management Command-Southeast.
Durr, who served as guest speaker, said amid all the uncertainties of war, every servicemember headed off to war is entitled to the certainty that he or she will not be forgotten.
"Because we are in a time of war, the focus is to ensure that America remembers to stand behind those who serve our nation," he said. "It's assumed that all of our servicemembers will come home. But sadly, that may not be true. Everyday our servicemen and women risk the possibility of not just injury or death, but also of joining the heartbreaking ranks of the POW and MIA."
Sending Soldiers off to war knowing that they will never be forgotten by Americans is one way to help them maintain their faith in the nation and America's ability to bring them home no matter what, Durr said.
"When American personnel remain captive, missing or otherwise unaccounted for, they must know that we will keep our solemn pledge to remain committed to the fullest possible accounting of every man and woman in uniform," Durr said.
To illustrate the commitment of the nation in spending all necessary resources to recover POWs and MIAs, those in attendance were told the stories of U.S. Air Force Capt. Lorenza Conner, a Cartersville, native who was shot down over North Vietnam Oct. 27, 1967, and U.S. Navy pilot, Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, who was shot down Jan. 17, 1991, during Operation Desert Storm. Although both were killed in action, they spent several years listed MIA as America tried to find them, a task eventually completed.
"On Oct. 24, 2008, Capt. Conner was brought home to his family and community in Cartersville. Almost 42 years after his death, America continues to fulfill the solemn pledge to provide the fullest possible accounting of our missing servicemembers," Durr said.
Likewise, Aug. 13, 2009, 11 days after finding his remains in Iraq, Speicher arrived home and was laid to rest in Jacksonville Memory Garden, Jacksonville, Fla. Although a sad day, the Family expressed their gratitude to the DoD for staying the case.
With more than 140,000 servicemembers deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan, Durr said the government is expending even greater efforts to find those missing from past and present conflicts.
Records show that more than 78,000 Americans are unaccounted for from World War I, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq, including Spc. Ahmed Qusai al-Taayie in Iraq and Pfc. Bowe Bergdahl in Afghanistan.
"(We need to be) dedicated to keeping alive the memory of the men and women who lost their freedom while defending our own freedom," Steinfeld encouraged those in attendance.
To help keep those memories close at hand, everyone was given a single blank dog tag to serves as a reminder to never forget the service and sacrifice of those missing.
Remembering those men and women is vital, Durr said, reciting the words of President Abraham Lincoln that, "A nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure."
"The quest for answers continues," Durr said. "Our ability to get real answers has improved, but the pain continues for many. Let us not forget to pray for the Families who have no grave to visit to visit or no peace from the gnawing questions that last a lifetime.
"On this third Friday in September, and throughout the year, we can and should pay tribute to these extraordinary American heroes," he added.
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