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5h ago

Nation Marks POW/MIA Recognition Day as Pentagon Reaffirms Mission to Bring the Missing Home

DPAA figures highlight the scale of the mission to identify and return the missing.

Members of the VFW Post 304 Honor Guard stand behind The Missing Man Table as the ceremony takes place. A ceremony is held at the Maryland World War II Memorial to mark National POW/MIA Recognition Day- a day established by Congress to honor the sacrifice and courage of American prisoners of war (POW) and Americans still missing in action (MIA). (Paul W. Gillespie/Staff)
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Maria Williams of Wallingford, lays flowers at her husband, Raymond Williams, headstone before the Veterans Day Ceremony at the State Veterans Cemetery in Middletown on Monday, Nov. 11, 2024. Raymond served in the Army. (Aaron Flaum/ Hartford Courant)
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Overview

  • At the Pentagon ceremony, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth called it a sacred duty to return every fallen hero, with families recognized and a Navy aircraft flyover concluding the event.
  • Communities across the country held observances featuring the Missing Man Table, TAPS, and wreath-laying, including events in Massachusetts, Maryland, and Knoxville, Tennessee.
  • The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency reports that more than 80,000 U.S. service members remain unaccounted for from past conflicts, with Tennessee listing 1,390 missing and nearly 1,200 from World War II.
  • California’s governor issued a proclamation noting DPAA progress, citing 1,052 identifications since 2019, including 139 so far in 2025.
  • The POW/MIA flag was displayed at national landmarks and federal and military sites, including the Capitol, the White House, major memorials, and VA facilities.