The American Legion and Auxiliary Honor Guard stand at attention during the program.

By Deb Patterson
InkFreeNews

SYRACUSE — A Prisoner of War/Missing In Action Remembrance Ceremony was conducted by Syracuse American Legion Post 223, its Auxiliary and Sons of the American Legion Friday evening, Sept. 18. The 20-minute ceremony was held on the south side of the Legion hall with a small group of Legion members attending.

American Legion Commander Mark Davis welcomed those who attended the POW/MIA Remembrance Day, “to honor and remember all the men and women who were or still are held as POW’s and still MIA from all of our wars and conflicts.”

A remembrance ceremony for all prisoners of war and those missing in action from all US wars were remembered in a service Friday night.

The ceremony included singing of the National Anthem, reading of the numbers of POW/MIA’s from all U.S. Wars, an explanation of the POW/MIA table and several poems. American Legion First Vice Commander and Chaplain and Auxiliary President Carolyn Gunden provided the opening and closing prayers as well as played taps following the 21-gun salute.

Chris Longenbaugh, American Legion Service Officer and SAL Historian, provided the numbers of POW’s and MIA’s from the War of the Revolution through the Iraq War. The reading ended with the names of local Legion members who were POW’s and the wars they were involved. Those names included: Civil War — George Epert, POW, Richmond, Va; James Veneman, POW, Andersonville, Ga,; World War II — Harry Coy, POW, Italy; Ronald Kramer, POW, Germany; Charles McKibben, POW, Italy; Dale Miller, POW, Battle of the Bulge; Korean War — Marion Sawyer, MIA in 1951, later reunited with his unit; Vietnam War — Steve Lamley.

Jon Piercy, SAL and assistant director of the American Legion Riders, read The POW/MIA Table, “A Place Setting For And, A Table for All,” It is a tradition of setting a separate table in honor of POW’s and missing service members since the end of the Vietnam War. The way in which the table is decorated is full of special symbols to help remember. This reading recognized and explained why the table is smaller than other tables, the meaning of the white tablecloth, the empty chair, the round table and the items on the table — a Bible, black napkin, single red rose, yellow candle and its ribbon, a slice of lemon, salt on the plate and an inverted wine glass.

Piercy also read the poem by Jose Garcia Acosta, Louisiana, titled “Missing In Action,” and “POW-MIA Missing But Not Forgotten,” whose author is unknown.