Community Corner
Bracelet to be Returned to Family 40 Years After Captain Went Missing In Action
The American Legion shared stories of sacrifice and honored the service of a pair of veterans at a special recognition ceremony Friday night.
A special ceremony at the American Legion Andy Anderson Post 125 honored American military members who are missing in action and those who were prisoners of war. During the Friday ceremony, a veteran shared a story about one of the missing.
The inscription on the Missing In Action bracelet reads Captain Ronald Packard. A local veteran bought the bracelet for $10 when he was a private in the Army in Oklahoma in 1968. The Air Force Captain went missing on a reconnaissance mission over Northern Vietnam on July 31, 1967.
Allan Holmes has held onto Packard's bracelet for more than 40 years. He searched for Packard's status over the years learning his remains were identified in 1997.
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Holmes then searched for Packard's family so he could return the bracelet to them. Through online searches he found Packard's sister in Oklahoma just last week. The bracelet will head back to Oklahoma by mail on Monday.
"It meant everything to me finding (the family). I love doing what I do for the VFW and American Legion," Holmes said.
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More than 83,000 Americans are missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War and the 1991 Gulf War. POW-MIA Recognition Day honors prisoners of war that returned and those who are still missing. Each year the president proclaims the third Friday in September as the National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
The post also honored the family of former Prisoner of War Frank Mancinelli who passed in 2006. Mancinelli and his wife moved to Dunedin in the 1980s. Captured in Africa Mancinelli was a prisoner for 25 months.
"It took a toll on his health. His strong faith kept him going. He kept saying the rosary. The packages from home and the letters kept him going. Our mother sent him letters," Mancinelli's family said.
The Statue of Liberty was a wonderful site for men as they returned home on Memorial Day in 1945. Mancinelli was proud to serve and spoke often to schoolchildren about his time in the military. He and Rose married and had four children and five grand children.
Mancinelli received medals including: POW medal, Purple Heart, European Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal, and French Morocco with two Battle Stars.
The veterans at the post shared the importance of remembering those who served.
"It's always important that we never forget those who gave their lives so we can remain free. I hope we never forget that," said Veteran Andy Anderson.