POW/MIA Recognition Day Events Held Nationwide

Various events across the United States honored POW/MIA Recognition Day, which was established in 1979. In Lafayette, Indiana, the Veterans of Foreign Wars hosted a 5K run and motorcycle ride to recognize over 80,000 POW/MIAs still unaccounted for. The Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 224 held a ceremony in Wisconsin, lighting candles and reading names of local Vietnam War POW/MIAs. San Diego's Air & Space Museum, in partnership with the Spirit of Liberty Foundation, held a ceremony attended by veterans and featured the ringing of America's Freedom Bell 81 times for the missing service members. National events included speeches by President Biden and Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, emphasizing the enduring commitment to honor these service members and their families. Additional local ceremonies in places like Omaha, Nebraska, and Vernon Parish, Louisiana, highlighted personal stories and the importance of remembering those who never returned.