The United National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed across the nation on the third Friday of September each year. Jena Mayor La-Dawn C. Edwards has issued a proclamation proclaiming the month of September as National POW/MIA Recognition Month and Friday, Sept. 16th, as National POW-MIA Recognition Day. Many Americans take the time to remember those who were Prisoners of War (POW) and those who are Missing in Action (MIA), as well as their families.

All military installations and all other government buildings, as well as many individual Americans fly the National League of Families POW/MIA flag, which symbolizes the nation’s remembrance of those who were imprisoned while serving in conflicts and those who remain missing and never returned home. Every year, the President of the United States, as well as local leaders sign a proclamation designating National POW/MIA Recognition Day. On this day, every American citizen should pause for a moment to remember those who sacrificed so much for our country. The soldiers who were captured as prisoners of war were usually forced to endure beatings, starvation, thirst, and solitary confinement, as well as other cruel torture.

Some were held for many years while others died or were killed while in captivity. Their only crime was serving our country. To them and those that are still missing, we owe a debt that can never be repaid.

There are thousands of soldiers still missing and unaccounted for, from all of the wars, from the Revolutionary War to present day.

The POW/MIA Flag The POW/MIA flag is an American flag designed as a symbol of citizen concern about U.S. military personnel taken as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action. The POW/MIA flag was created by the National League of Families and officially recognized by Congress in conjunction with the Viet Nam POW/MIA issue as the nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fate of Americans still prisoners, missing, and unaccounted for. The flag is black and in the center is a white disk bearing in black silhouette the bust of a man, watchtower with armed guard and a strand of barbed wire. Above the disk are the white letters POW and MIA framing a white 5-pointed star. Below the disk is a black and white wreath above the white motto, “You Are Not Forgotten.”

This flag is flown over the White House and other government buildings on National POW/MIA Recognition Day and is the only flag other than the American flag to fly over the White House.