NJ Sons Of American Legion Hold POW/MIA 'Watchfire' [PHOTOS]

NEW JERSEY — The following news release comes courtesy of Sons of the American Legion Detachment of New Jersey. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Sons of The American Legion (SAL) Detachment of New Jersey held their 36th Annual POW/MIA Watchfire on the beach of Seaside Heights on September 19th and 20th, the weekend of POW/MIA Awareness Day. The 12-hour vigil includes a bonfire stoked throughout the night "shining the way home for our Prisoners of War and Missing in Action."

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National Commander Thom Skelley, one of the first speakers of the night, began by quoting a toast said everyday at 7pm throughout the Department of Arizona - "To those who went, to those that are there still, to those who never returned, and to those who never will … we honor you."

This watchfire, started in 1990, is an event held annually by the state-level Sons to remember those serviceman who are still Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) abroad.

"Nothing speaks more to our core values as Sons of The American Legion than this Watchfire event", stated Detachment Commander Rusty Myers in speaking to those present. "On the flag next to me is written 'You Are Not Forgotten'. Those powerful words speak volumes about our commitment [as Sons] as 'Proud Possessors of a Priceless Heritage.'"

Attended by around 200 people, the event started at 7pm with a series of speeches. The POW/MIA table was also displayed, and was explained by Watchfire Chairman Rich Hodum.

"We call your attention to the small table which occupies a place of dignity and honor", recited Past Detachment Commander Carl Albern, Jr. in the scripted ceremony. "It is set for one, symbolizing the fact that members of our armed forces are missing from our ranks." The table was then explained – the white table cloth symbolizing the purity of the POW's intentions, the single rose the blood that is sacrificed, the slice of lemon representing the bitterness of the missing's fate, the salt representing the tears of their families, and the inverted glass symbolizing the POW's inability to toast with us.

Standing behind the POW/MIA Table were wooden honor rolls listing all the names of NJ's missing since 1941.

Following the ceremonial lighting of the bonfire by PDC Amel Balega, Jr, veterans also placed wreaths in honor of each of the armed services.

After a dinner provided by the Detachment, the remembrances continued, concluding with the reading of New Jersey's POW's and MIA's by the Legionnaires. The reading of 2,322 names from World War II, Korea, Vietnam, and the Cold War took about a half hour - an incredibly solemn remembrance.

The vigil continued throughout the evening, with members placing donated pallets on the bonfire, keeping lit that "beacon of hope shining the way home for the missing." Members of the community along with Legion Family members passing by dropped in throughout the evening to join those who stayed overnight to place a pallet or two on the fire - some just because they saw the event happening and wanted to be a part of it, and some in honor of a relative.

The evening was attended by National Commander Skelley of Texas, on his official visit to New Jersey that weekend. "This year, the message is simple…EVERY MEMBER MATTERS", Skelly wrote afterward. "Every member of our armed forces, past and present; those who are still amongst our ranks, those who have answered the final call, and those who are still missing and unaccounted for."

Of note is that his national project this year is focused on POW/MIA awareness through promoting the POW Table in local businesses.

The vigil concluded at 7am with a closing ceremony, attended by those who stool sentinel all evening and Legion Family members who returned.In a fairly emotional end to the 12-hour event, the group ends by singing "God Bless America."

In no way can The American Legion remember the sacrifice of those who never made it home. As noted earlier in the evening by PDC Albern, "The sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the bitterness of personal sacrifice."

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