Bergen County American Legion Post Holds 24-Hour Vigil for NJ Soldiers Lost in Korean, Vietnam Wars

A Bergen County American Legion post held a 24-hour vigil over the weekend to keep alive the memories of those from New Jersey who never returned home.

The Sgt. Clendenon Newell American Legion Post 1 in Leonia held the vigil from Friday to Saturday night to honor the 240 New Jersey soldiers who disappeared or were captured during the Korean and Vietnam wars, NorthJersey.com reported.

Members read the names of the missing 240 and sat in a homemade bamboo cage out of respect to the conditions many American soldiers were kept in during the Vietnam War.

“We must remember them. Please, remember them,” post Cmdr. Richard Palka said Friday according to NorthJersey.com.

Only the remains of 29 out of the 240 New Jersey service members lost during the Korean and Vietnam wars have been recovered, according to NorthJersey.com via the Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office.