Commemorated the third Friday of September. In 2024 this will be 19 September. It is commemorated by displaying the POW/MIA Flag and placement of a Missing Service Person Table in the vicinity of the flag.
American POW Numbers
According to a Congressional Research Service report on POWs:
130,201 World War II service members were imprisoned; 14,072 them died.
7,140 Korean War service members were imprisoned; 2,701 of them died.
725 Vietnam War service members were imprisoned; 64 of them died.
37 service members were imprisoned during conflicts since 1991, including both Gulf wars; none remain in captivity
American MIA Numbers
According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, 83,114 Americans who fought in those wars are still missing, including:
73,515 from World War II (an approximate number due to limited or conflicting data)
7,841 from the Korean War
1,626 from Vietnam
126 from the Cold War
6 from conflicts since 1991
Missing Service Person Table
Each item on the Missing Service Person Table represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who did not come home. The table symbolizes that they are with us in Spirit. We should not forget the brave men and women who answered the Nation’s call and fought for our freedom with honor.
The table is round to show our everlasting concern for our missing comrade.
The tablecloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.
The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the lives of these Americans and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith while seeking answers.
The red ribbon symbolizes our continued determination to account for the missing.
A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate; captured or missing in a foreign land.
Salt symbolizes the tears of our missing and their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty.
The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead.
The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost for our country, founded as one Nation under God.
The glass is inverted, symbolizing their inability to share a toast.
The chair is empty, the seat that remains unclaimed at the table.
This table is in remembrance of all POW’s and MIA’s from all of our Nation’s conflicts.
Sponsored by the Sergeant Major John Champe Chapter, Virginia Society Sons of the American Revolution. www.johnchampe-sar.org
