National POW MIA Recognition Day

Melrose-Wakefield Veterans' Services Office will honor National POW MIA Recognition Day in Wakefield on Friday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. The ceremony will take place at the World War II Memorial at the Wakefield Town Center on Main Street.

National POW MIA Recognition Day is traditionally held on the third Friday in September. Recognition day ceremonies began in 1979 to honor and remember the sacrifice of prisoners of war and missing in action.

Ordered annually by presidential proclamation, National POW MIA recognition days are held across the country in cities, towns and at military installations. It is one of six days annually where it is mandated to fly the National League of Families’ POW MIA flag.

The 2012 Melrose-Wakefield ceremony, organized by District Veterans' Services Officer Andrew Biggio, will feature Melrose WWII veteran and former POW Minor McLain who has been asked to serve as the keynote speaker. McLain, a history professor, is a dynamic orator whose knowledge of history and veteran affairs is a credit to the 'greatest generation.'

The event will also feature the Rolling Thunder, an organization dedicated to publicizing POW MIA issues with a long track record of supporting all veteran causes. Their slogan, “When one American is not worth the effort to be found, we as Americans have list,” encompasses the spirit of the day. We are honored to have Massachusetts’ Chapter President Joseph D'Entremont will also speak.

At the conclusion of the ceremony, a special flag raising ceremony will fly a new POW MIA flag below the stars and stripes at the Wakefield commons.

We invite veterans from Melrose, Wakefield and the surrounding area to attend this important event and help us “never forget.”

For more information, contact Andrew Biggio at Wakefield Veterans' Services Office at 781-246-6377.