News
Veterans Day lesson at Harmony Hill
November 10, 2011 - Commander Jim Valenti, Mr.
John Lepine and Mr. Keith from American Legion Post 1450 visited
Harmony Hill School this week to perform POW/MIA Ceremony for
students at the school. The veterans discussed the symbolism of the
POW/MIA flag, the history of how the flag came to be and the number
of men and women who are still listed as POW/MIA from various wars.
The POW/MIA flag is an American flag designed as a symbol of citizen concern about United States military personnel taken as prisoners of war (POWs) or listed as missing in action (MIA). The POW/MIA flag was created by the National League of Families and officially recognized by the Congress in conjunction with the Vietnam War POW/MIA issue.
According to the Department of Defense, there are more than 80,000 American soldiers who are classified as POW/MIA, dating back to WWII. Families of POW/MIAs continue to be notified as soldiers or soldiers' remains are found or identified. Most recently, on September 27, 2011, the family of a WWII soldier was notified that his remains had been identified. Staff Sgt. John J. Bono, U.S. Army Air Forces, 327th Bomb Squadron, 92nd Bomb Group, was lost on Sep. 13, 1944, when his B-17G was shot down near Neustaedt, Germany.
With the passage of Section 1082 of the 1998
Defense Authorization Act during the first term of the 105th
Congress, the POW/MIA Flag was specified to fly each year on:
Armed Forces Day—Third Saturday in May
Memorial Day—Last Monday in May
Flag Day—June 14
Independence Day—July 4
National POW/MIA Recognition Day—Third Friday in September
Veterans Day—November 11
more than 80,000
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