WEBVTT 00:01.899 --> 00:03.930 Ladies and gentlemen , moving into 00:03.940 --> 00:06.162 position is the commander of troops for 00:06.162 --> 00:08.350 today's ceremony , Colonel David B 00:08.359 --> 00:11.239 Rowland , commander third United States 00:11.250 --> 00:13.800 Infantry Regiment , the old Guard . 00:16.440 --> 00:18.670 Hold it center 00:26.600 --> 00:27.600 life . 00:33.860 --> 00:37.250 Oh , right 00:46.349 --> 00:47.520 already . Yeah . 00:52.009 --> 00:53.590 Oh , that 00:58.979 --> 01:01.979 staff ceremonial at 01:04.830 --> 01:06.790 Good morning . And thank you for 01:06.800 --> 01:09.589 joining us for the 2023 Department of 01:09.599 --> 01:12.970 Defense National Pow Ma Recognition Day 01:12.980 --> 01:15.919 ceremony in honor of prisoners of war 01:15.930 --> 01:18.669 and those still missing in action . In 01:18.680 --> 01:20.847 just a few moments , the United States 01:20.847 --> 01:23.080 army band under the direction of Major 01:23.089 --> 01:25.430 Aaron Morris and led by drum major 01:25.440 --> 01:27.480 Robert Moore will conduct a pre 01:27.489 --> 01:29.449 ceremonial concert featuring the 01:29.459 --> 01:31.800 following musical selections . Grand 01:31.809 --> 01:34.440 old flag and Americans . We 03:23.059 --> 03:25.470 stand by step 03:27.639 --> 03:28.639 junk 03:33.800 --> 03:35.539 to ok . 03:39.389 --> 03:41.800 Else me 03:45.000 --> 03:45.830 stand out , 07:16.140 --> 07:18.230 stand by staff 07:19.799 --> 07:20.690 attention , 07:26.679 --> 07:28.760 huh ? Frank . 07:37.630 --> 07:38.320 Try that 07:43.790 --> 07:46.630 staff , ceremonial . Yes . 10:59.239 --> 11:01.659 Stay in my staff . 11:03.169 --> 11:04.070 Ok . John 11:08.869 --> 11:10.460 Honor on 11:16.020 --> 11:17.020 right . 11:21.690 --> 11:22.479 Stand out 11:27.210 --> 11:30.030 staff ceremonial at east . 15:28.219 --> 15:30.309 Stand by staff . 15:32.500 --> 15:33.500 A 15:38.570 --> 15:41.169 huh . Try . 15:43.549 --> 15:44.549 All right . 15:57.469 --> 15:57.830 What 16:03.440 --> 16:06.000 ladies and gentlemen , please stand for 16:06.010 --> 16:08.210 the arrival of the official party and 16:08.219 --> 16:10.386 remain standing for the playing of the 16:10.386 --> 16:12.460 United States national anthem and 16:12.469 --> 16:14.669 invocation offered by chaplain , 16:14.679 --> 16:16.960 Lieutenant Colonel William H Horton , 17:25.930 --> 17:29.890 taking the reviewing stand , taking the 17:29.900 --> 17:31.844 reviewing stand is today's special 17:31.844 --> 17:34.067 guest United States Air Force Colonel , 17:34.067 --> 17:36.289 retired Mike Braselton , accompanied by 17:36.289 --> 17:38.650 the host , the honorable Kathleen Hicks , 17:38.660 --> 17:41.530 the 35 th Deputy Secretary of Defense . 17:59.880 --> 18:02.260 Right . Yeah . Right . 18:12.180 --> 18:14.199 Staff , free center 19:29.459 --> 19:30.560 stack order . 20:06.439 --> 20:09.780 Oh , right . 20:14.099 --> 20:15.988 Ladies and gentlemen , chaplain , 20:15.988 --> 20:17.988 Lieutenant Colonel William Horton , 20:21.900 --> 20:24.869 let us pray , almighty and gracious , 20:24.880 --> 20:27.189 loving God . We turn to you on this day 20:27.199 --> 20:29.366 to recall and honor our celebrated and 20:29.366 --> 20:31.770 at times forgotten heroes , the 20:31.780 --> 20:33.989 courageous men and the women who have 20:34.000 --> 20:35.819 fallen or been lost in combat , 20:35.829 --> 20:37.969 defending our nation's belief in the 20:37.979 --> 20:40.201 right to life , liberty and the pursuit 20:40.201 --> 20:42.849 of happiness . We honor and pray for 20:42.859 --> 20:44.780 our prisoners of war for they've 20:44.790 --> 20:46.699 experienced the horror , the 20:46.709 --> 20:48.931 devastation , the pain and the agony of 20:48.931 --> 20:52.170 captivity . We also stand in solidarity 20:52.180 --> 20:54.390 with those who wait not ever really 20:54.400 --> 20:56.567 knowing the fate of their loved ones . 20:56.719 --> 20:58.775 Thank you for the many organizations 20:58.775 --> 21:00.997 and the people who continue the efforts 21:00.997 --> 21:02.886 to account for all of our missing 21:02.886 --> 21:05.959 service members and civilians . We also 21:05.969 --> 21:07.969 pray for those who continue to face 21:07.969 --> 21:10.239 armed conflict today that they would 21:10.250 --> 21:12.250 also know the hope and the honor of 21:12.250 --> 21:14.439 serving our nation's true colors . May 21:14.449 --> 21:16.505 our nation never forget the selfless 21:16.505 --> 21:19.349 service , dedication to duty and the 21:19.359 --> 21:21.692 loyalty of our , of our service members , 21:21.692 --> 21:24.579 civilians and their families . May we 21:24.589 --> 21:27.329 never allow the sacrifices of those who 21:27.339 --> 21:29.630 have gone before us to be forgotten or 21:29.640 --> 21:32.420 lost in time . Unite us in our 21:32.430 --> 21:34.599 gratitude for your many blessings and 21:34.609 --> 21:37.479 in our mission to proclaim freedom and 21:37.489 --> 21:39.545 for the captives and for the release 21:39.545 --> 21:42.030 from the darkness , for those in prison 21:42.540 --> 21:44.873 in your precious and holy name . I pray . 21:44.873 --> 21:44.800 Amen . 21:54.300 --> 21:55.510 Please be seated . 22:09.609 --> 22:11.949 Ladies and gentlemen , the honorable 22:11.959 --> 22:13.109 Kathleen Hicks . 22:31.280 --> 22:33.224 Good morning to everyone . It's my 22:33.224 --> 22:35.349 honor to observe this important 22:35.359 --> 22:37.526 occasion with each of you who's joined 22:37.526 --> 22:40.630 us here today . I'd like to begin by 22:40.640 --> 22:42.807 acknowledging our distinguished guests 22:42.807 --> 22:44.640 and members of the international 22:44.640 --> 22:46.418 diplomatic corps who are in the 22:46.418 --> 22:48.640 audience with us . This includes the US 22:48.640 --> 22:50.862 ambassador to Vietnam , Mark Napper who 22:50.862 --> 22:53.084 is just back from Hanoi where he helped 22:53.084 --> 22:54.807 shepherd his historic visit by 22:54.807 --> 22:58.050 President Biden for the past 50 years . 22:58.060 --> 23:00.004 The United States and Vietnam have 23:00.004 --> 23:01.790 worked together to account for 23:01.800 --> 23:04.040 Americans missing from the Vietnam war 23:04.199 --> 23:07.069 beginning with the return of 591 23:07.079 --> 23:09.790 prisoners of war . Without the mutual 23:09.800 --> 23:12.010 cooperation between our two nations , 23:12.020 --> 23:14.020 we would not be able to support the 23:14.020 --> 23:16.150 robust and sustained operations to 23:16.160 --> 23:19.000 recover us personnel operations that 23:19.010 --> 23:22.369 have helped return 733 US service 23:22.380 --> 23:24.380 members and civilians home to their 23:24.380 --> 23:26.810 families . Today . The department's 23:26.819 --> 23:28.763 commitment to the fullest possible 23:28.770 --> 23:30.770 accounting of our missing personnel 23:30.770 --> 23:33.920 extends back to World War II . Since 23:33.930 --> 23:36.109 the end of the Vietnam War , the 23:36.119 --> 23:39.780 Defense pow Mia Accounting Agency and 23:39.790 --> 23:42.040 its predecessors have managed the 23:42.050 --> 23:45.140 recovery , identification and return of 23:45.150 --> 23:48.040 thousands of our missing personnel to 23:48.050 --> 23:50.689 their families who have long sought 23:50.699 --> 23:54.290 answers . Sustaining these operations 23:54.300 --> 23:57.540 is no small task it takes cooperation 23:57.550 --> 24:00.540 on a global scale and we are grateful 24:00.550 --> 24:03.890 for the 45 nations who partner with us 24:03.900 --> 24:06.089 on this mission to search for and 24:06.099 --> 24:08.140 recover are missing from theaters 24:08.150 --> 24:10.420 around the world . That's why we're so 24:10.430 --> 24:12.208 fortunate to be joined today by 24:12.208 --> 24:15.180 ambassadors and defense attache from 24:15.189 --> 24:17.022 nations who collaborate on these 24:17.022 --> 24:20.099 efforts . This effort also includes 24:20.109 --> 24:22.053 supportive private individuals and 24:22.053 --> 24:24.369 groups and I want to acknowledge all of 24:24.380 --> 24:26.380 you here today who are representing 24:26.380 --> 24:29.290 those folks like retired Marine Corps , 24:29.300 --> 24:32.199 Sergeant major , Justin Luu , an Iraq 24:32.209 --> 24:34.640 war veteran and navy cross recipient 24:34.650 --> 24:36.849 who last year completed a 24:36.859 --> 24:40.310 3365 24:40.319 --> 24:43.130 mile walk from Boston Massachusetts to 24:43.140 --> 24:46.209 Newport Oregon to raise awareness about 24:46.219 --> 24:50.199 D's mission . And just today this 24:50.209 --> 24:53.770 morning , he completed a 270 mile march 24:53.780 --> 24:55.780 from Bedford Virginia right here to 24:55.780 --> 24:57.780 this parade field . So thank you to 24:57.780 --> 24:59.891 Sergeant Major Lu Ho for your efforts 24:59.891 --> 25:01.947 to help find your comrades in arms . 25:05.130 --> 25:07.186 And finally , and most importantly , 25:07.186 --> 25:09.297 I'd like to recognize the families of 25:09.297 --> 25:11.599 the missing . We know that enduring the 25:11.609 --> 25:13.665 grief and uncertainty throughout the 25:13.665 --> 25:16.459 years is difficult . Please know that 25:16.469 --> 25:18.719 your missing family members are not 25:18.729 --> 25:22.390 forgotten . The DP A works tirelessly 25:22.400 --> 25:25.000 to find answers for you year in and 25:25.010 --> 25:28.060 year out . And each year we gather on 25:28.069 --> 25:31.979 this National Pow Ma Recognition Day to 25:31.989 --> 25:34.619 assure you that we remember them and 25:34.630 --> 25:36.852 that we will not give up on our mission 25:36.852 --> 25:38.908 to account for them . So thank you . 25:38.908 --> 25:40.852 For being here and for keeping the 25:40.852 --> 25:43.060 faith already . This year 25:44.819 --> 25:48.560 has accounted for 123 missing personnel 25:48.869 --> 25:51.390 members like Army Air Corps . Second 25:51.400 --> 25:53.178 Lieutenant Fred Brewer of North 25:53.178 --> 25:55.270 Carolina during World War II , 25:55.510 --> 25:57.399 Lieutenant Brewer was part of the 25:57.399 --> 25:59.621 esteemed African American fighter pilot 25:59.621 --> 26:01.621 unit known as the Tuskegee airmen . 26:02.349 --> 26:04.819 More than seven decades ago , Brewer 26:04.829 --> 26:07.939 departed Ramli Air Base in Italy to 26:08.410 --> 26:11.520 bombers to their targets in Germany on 26:11.530 --> 26:13.770 the way , his bomber group encountered 26:13.780 --> 26:16.150 heavy clouds . Lieutenant Brewer 26:16.160 --> 26:19.010 attempted a steep rise above them but 26:19.020 --> 26:21.300 his engine stalled causing his plane to 26:21.310 --> 26:25.119 crash until last month . He was one of 26:25.130 --> 26:27.400 the 26 Tuskegee airmen whose 26:27.410 --> 26:30.800 whereabouts were unknown . A rosette 26:30.810 --> 26:33.089 will now be placed next to his name on 26:33.099 --> 26:35.030 the tablets of the missing at the 26:35.040 --> 26:37.489 Florence American cemetery to indicate 26:37.500 --> 26:40.420 that he has been accounted for today . 26:40.430 --> 26:42.319 We are honored to have his cousin 26:42.319 --> 26:44.790 Brenda Brewer in the audience . Thank 26:44.800 --> 26:46.911 you for being here . Brenda . Can you 26:46.911 --> 26:50.859 stand Brenda if you're here ? Thank 26:50.869 --> 26:53.091 you Brenda for being here . I hope that 26:53.091 --> 26:54.925 Lieutenant Brewer's recovery has 26:54.925 --> 26:56.980 brought some measure of peace to you 26:56.980 --> 27:00.760 and your family . Our success in our 27:00.770 --> 27:02.603 accounting missions would not be 27:02.603 --> 27:04.548 possible . As I said , without our 27:04.548 --> 27:06.603 partners across the globe . In April 27:06.603 --> 27:09.219 2021 the Republic of Korea's Ministry 27:09.229 --> 27:11.719 for finding missing personnel came 27:11.729 --> 27:13.699 across remains near the hill where 27:13.709 --> 27:16.369 Americans went missing during a battle 27:16.380 --> 27:19.599 in April 1951 the remains were 27:19.609 --> 27:21.869 carefully exhumed and sent to a lab for 27:21.880 --> 27:24.319 testing . In the following . October , 27:24.329 --> 27:26.530 the ministry turned over those remains 27:26.540 --> 27:30.469 to DPA . After DPA sent the remains to 27:30.479 --> 27:32.829 its own lab for analysis , it was able 27:32.839 --> 27:35.910 to identify us . Army Sergeant Stanley 27:35.920 --> 27:38.650 TBA . Soon his daughter , Sandra will 27:38.660 --> 27:41.859 welcome him home more than 72 years 27:41.869 --> 27:44.202 after he went missing in the Korean War . 27:45.329 --> 27:47.440 And finally , this year , the Vietnam 27:47.440 --> 27:49.385 office for seeking missing persons 27:49.385 --> 27:51.719 celebrated its 50 th anniversary . And 27:51.729 --> 27:54.170 I'd like to recognize it for its long 27:54.180 --> 27:57.300 standing mutual cooperation during the 27:57.310 --> 27:59.640 height of COVID-19 . When restrictions 27:59.650 --> 28:02.459 prevented our D team from traveling to 28:02.469 --> 28:06.369 Vietnam . Its teams trained by DPA 28:06.500 --> 28:08.880 traveled to multiple sites looking for 28:08.890 --> 28:11.989 the remains of American personnel in 28:12.000 --> 28:14.910 March 2021 . The team visited a crash 28:14.920 --> 28:18.489 site of a 1969 F four , a two seater 28:18.500 --> 28:22.229 aircraft in Guangnan Province there . 28:22.239 --> 28:24.189 They recovered the remains of two 28:24.199 --> 28:26.760 Americans . Those of us Air Force , 28:26.770 --> 28:29.329 Colonel Ernest de Soto and Captain 28:29.339 --> 28:32.099 Frederick Hall , Colonel de Soto was 28:32.109 --> 28:34.420 given a dignified burial in June and 28:34.430 --> 28:36.486 Captain Hall will finally be laid to 28:36.486 --> 28:39.979 rest next month on October 10 . These 28:39.989 --> 28:42.119 are several of the many stories of 28:42.130 --> 28:44.241 those recovered and returned to their 28:44.241 --> 28:47.000 families , stories of sacrifice , hope 28:47.010 --> 28:49.739 and resolve for you , families of the 28:49.750 --> 28:52.119 missing . Please know your strength 28:52.130 --> 28:55.459 motivates us each day as we do this 28:55.469 --> 28:57.760 work and follow through on our solemn 28:57.770 --> 28:59.826 and unwavering commitment to achieve 28:59.826 --> 29:01.992 the fullest accounting possible of our 29:01.992 --> 29:05.939 missing personnel Thank you . It is 29:05.949 --> 29:08.339 now my distinct privilege to introduce 29:08.349 --> 29:10.430 our next speaker , Colonel Michael 29:10.439 --> 29:13.000 Brazelton is a retired Air Force pilot 29:13.010 --> 29:15.810 and a four time silver star recipient 29:15.819 --> 29:18.180 who was held captive for more than six 29:18.189 --> 29:21.609 years in a Vietnamese prison . I'll let 29:21.619 --> 29:24.180 him tell his harrowing story . But I 29:24.189 --> 29:28.089 will say this , Colonel Braselton , 29:29.119 --> 29:32.849 your incredible courage , fortitude and 29:32.859 --> 29:36.109 patriotism is an inspiration to us all . 29:36.319 --> 29:38.430 It's an honor to have you , your wife 29:38.430 --> 29:40.708 Gloria and your oldest daughter , army , 29:40.708 --> 29:42.969 Lieutenant Colonel Adriana Brazelton 29:42.979 --> 29:45.189 with us today . Please join me in 29:45.199 --> 29:47.532 giving Colonel Brazelton a warm welcome . 30:20.329 --> 30:22.780 Good morning , everyone . Thank you for 30:22.790 --> 30:26.040 inviting me to Powmi a recognition day 30:26.150 --> 30:29.339 event . Once again , I am honored to be 30:29.349 --> 30:32.359 here . I would like to acknowledge all 30:32.369 --> 30:34.369 the dignitaries that are here , but 30:34.369 --> 30:36.425 that would take most of my time from 30:36.425 --> 30:38.910 the list of attendees . It seems that 30:38.920 --> 30:40.699 just about everybody here is a 30:40.709 --> 30:43.060 distinguished guest and devoted to our 30:43.069 --> 30:46.540 common cause . The first day after I 30:46.550 --> 30:48.772 was shot down and captured , I was sent 30:48.772 --> 30:50.661 to a prison called the zoo on the 30:50.661 --> 30:53.550 outskirts of Hanoi . I was put in 30:53.560 --> 30:55.671 isolation in a building . We call the 30:55.671 --> 30:59.050 office until you get used to being solo 30:59.760 --> 31:01.969 confinement is a devastating , 31:03.319 --> 31:06.430 devastating for the mind . However , 31:06.439 --> 31:08.439 within a day or so I realized there 31:08.439 --> 31:10.661 were other Americans in the office with 31:10.661 --> 31:13.089 me by counting dishes . I was surprised 31:13.099 --> 31:16.150 that there were six of us there . I had 31:16.160 --> 31:18.790 a compulsion to contact him probably 31:18.800 --> 31:21.119 because I was anxious for companionship 31:21.560 --> 31:24.930 and I didn't want to be so alone . I 31:24.939 --> 31:26.828 shared a wall with one cell and I 31:26.828 --> 31:28.495 tapped to the wall to get the 31:28.495 --> 31:30.930 prisoner's attention . Over time , I 31:30.939 --> 31:33.640 learned his name , I tapped to another 31:33.650 --> 31:35.780 cell that was Cady cornered to me and 31:35.790 --> 31:39.560 got the name of another . A 31:39.569 --> 31:41.736 few weeks later , a new American pilot 31:41.736 --> 31:45.560 was headed , I contacted him by talking 31:45.569 --> 31:46.569 under the door . 31:54.959 --> 31:56.848 Five months later , I was given a 31:56.848 --> 31:59.070 roommate and moved into a building . We 31:59.070 --> 32:01.650 call the pool hall . It had 22 man 32:01.660 --> 32:05.349 cells in it . The 22 PWS on the other 32:05.359 --> 32:08.300 side of our back wall were old timers 32:08.479 --> 32:10.930 who had been pows for a year and a half 32:11.689 --> 32:13.800 by tapping . They filled us in on the 32:13.800 --> 32:15.967 rules of engagement , set up by senior 32:15.967 --> 32:18.133 pows before they were removed from the 32:18.133 --> 32:20.739 general population . The major 32:20.750 --> 32:22.910 directive of course was to follow the 32:22.920 --> 32:26.900 code of conduct . But the second was 32:26.910 --> 32:29.349 to collect names for us . It was 32:29.359 --> 32:31.581 vitally important to learn the names of 32:31.581 --> 32:34.650 every POW who was in the system and 32:34.660 --> 32:38.290 know where they were located . If if 32:38.300 --> 32:41.660 anything were to happen to me , there 32:41.670 --> 32:43.910 would be people who knew I was a POW 32:44.530 --> 32:46.697 and would probably know how I perished 32:49.020 --> 32:52.630 as it turned out . Seaman Doug 32:52.819 --> 32:55.069 hedo . A few years later , an early 32:55.079 --> 32:58.630 release had memorized more than 250 POW 32:58.640 --> 33:00.949 names and repeated them to the 33:00.959 --> 33:02.792 authorities back home and to the 33:02.792 --> 33:05.089 families . It was the first news . My 33:05.099 --> 33:07.890 parents and sisters had that confirmed 33:07.900 --> 33:11.579 that I was alive whenever the 33:11.589 --> 33:13.867 Vietnamese authorities moved us around , 33:13.867 --> 33:16.170 which wasn't often , our primary job 33:16.180 --> 33:19.369 was to figure out where everybody was , 33:19.650 --> 33:21.859 determine if anybody was missing , 33:21.869 --> 33:25.079 perhaps taken to another camp and and 33:25.089 --> 33:27.569 identify any new prisoners in the camp . 33:28.369 --> 33:31.619 We did this by tamping by note drops by 33:31.630 --> 33:34.520 flashing from building to building and 33:34.530 --> 33:37.770 the use of a hand code . In addition to 33:37.780 --> 33:39.891 just learning the names we could keep 33:39.891 --> 33:41.780 track of Pow's health . Pass on 33:41.790 --> 33:44.012 information learned in interrogations , 33:44.300 --> 33:46.467 disperse guidance received from senior 33:46.467 --> 33:48.522 ranking officers in dealing with the 33:48.522 --> 33:50.540 prison officials and guards and get 33:50.550 --> 33:52.772 information from home that might not be 33:52.772 --> 33:56.079 available to pows in general . 33:57.079 --> 33:59.023 In one example , the pilot who was 33:59.023 --> 34:01.459 responsible for sending my belongings 34:01.469 --> 34:05.040 home after I was shot down and writing 34:05.050 --> 34:07.839 letters to my family or was himself 34:07.849 --> 34:10.648 shut down and captured several weeks 34:10.658 --> 34:13.319 after I was eventually , I mean , 34:13.329 --> 34:16.678 eventually a couple of years later , he 34:16.688 --> 34:18.466 filled me on the letters he had 34:18.466 --> 34:20.632 received from my parents and friends . 34:20.770 --> 34:22.937 Basically , we were accounting for our 34:22.937 --> 34:25.250 friends , which is essentially what is 34:25.260 --> 34:29.090 doing on a much grander scale along 34:29.100 --> 34:31.419 with its counterparts in other 34:31.429 --> 34:34.360 countries and in unison with the league 34:34.370 --> 34:36.729 of families . We want an accounting of 34:36.739 --> 34:39.370 those soldiers , sailors , airmen , 34:39.379 --> 34:42.500 marines , and civilians , our friends 34:42.530 --> 34:46.349 who did not come home in some cases , 34:46.358 --> 34:48.302 the remains can be recovered which 34:48.302 --> 34:50.525 provides a great deal of closure to the 34:50.525 --> 34:52.469 families . In the saddest of these 34:52.469 --> 34:54.849 cases . There are no remains to be 34:54.858 --> 34:58.649 found for the past 34:58.659 --> 35:00.492 35 years , the United States and 35:00.492 --> 35:02.969 Vietnam , two nations that were once 35:02.979 --> 35:04.979 adversaries have worked together to 35:04.979 --> 35:07.929 account for the missing of both nations . 35:08.699 --> 35:10.820 It is this cooperation that has drawn 35:10.830 --> 35:12.941 nations , our nations closer together 35:13.179 --> 35:15.350 and helped heal the legacies of war . 35:17.060 --> 35:19.060 The parents for the unaccounted for 35:19.060 --> 35:21.110 have for the most part passed on . 35:21.979 --> 35:24.090 Their brothers and sisters are my age 35:24.389 --> 35:27.189 in their 70 s and 80 s . Their Children 35:27.199 --> 35:29.699 are in their fifties and sixties , but 35:29.709 --> 35:32.209 still at the very least , they want to 35:32.219 --> 35:34.441 know what happened to their loved one . 35:34.889 --> 35:37.056 I cannot think of a more noble mission 35:37.379 --> 35:39.268 to determine what happened to our 35:39.268 --> 35:41.399 missing compatriots to bring their 35:41.409 --> 35:44.939 remains home if possible or to provide 35:44.949 --> 35:48.340 information on when , where and how 35:48.350 --> 35:50.860 unrecoverable friends met their fate 35:53.219 --> 35:56.699 a few weeks ago , close to last 35:56.709 --> 35:59.600 Memorial Day Glory and I were attending 35:59.610 --> 36:01.610 a music salon at the home of a good 36:01.610 --> 36:04.120 friend of ours . At the beginning of 36:04.129 --> 36:06.719 the program , he made a few remarks 36:06.729 --> 36:09.590 about the significance of the day . He 36:09.600 --> 36:12.250 also mentioned to a gathering of about 36:12.260 --> 36:14.649 50 people that I had been a pow for 36:14.659 --> 36:17.770 almost seven years to my surprise and 36:17.780 --> 36:19.780 embarrassment . Everybody stood and 36:19.780 --> 36:22.290 applauded . I turned to the lady next 36:22.300 --> 36:25.209 to me , a stranger and said , I can't 36:25.219 --> 36:26.997 believe that the pows are still 36:26.997 --> 36:29.449 regarded so highly more than 50 years 36:29.459 --> 36:32.310 after the war . The lady turned to me 36:32.320 --> 36:34.870 and said some things should never be 36:34.879 --> 36:38.820 forgotten . Likewise , our friends from 36:38.830 --> 36:41.479 World War II , Korea Vietnam and the 36:41.489 --> 36:44.129 Mid East who did not come home should 36:44.139 --> 36:46.350 never be forgotten by their countrymen 36:46.360 --> 36:50.330 and women should always work to the 36:50.340 --> 36:52.284 fullest possible accounting of our 36:52.284 --> 36:55.610 missing , the observance of National 36:56.320 --> 36:59.860 Ma Recognition Day and the mission of a 36:59.870 --> 37:03.209 defense , a accounting agency 37:03.540 --> 37:06.479 shows that they have not been forgotten . 37:07.290 --> 37:08.290 Thank you . 37:25.110 --> 37:26.888 Would all families representing 37:26.888 --> 37:29.110 prisoners of war in those still missing 37:29.110 --> 37:31.388 in action ? Please stand to be honored . 38:08.790 --> 38:09.199 Right 38:22.989 --> 38:23.989 ready . 38:43.179 --> 38:44.179 What ? 38:59.699 --> 39:01.679 Why church ? 39:08.149 --> 39:08.620 Um 40:01.250 --> 40:01.780 Right 41:00.649 --> 41:00.879 on 41:16.770 --> 41:19.419 to . Right . 41:30.840 --> 41:31.290 Right . 41:42.659 --> 41:43.199 Bill . 42:59.830 --> 43:00.830 Yeah . 44:04.350 --> 44:06.389 At this time , please stand as the 44:06.399 --> 44:08.800 United States army band plays the joint 44:08.810 --> 44:09.909 service medley . 47:14.500 --> 47:14.840 Um 48:04.169 --> 48:06.225 Ladies and gentlemen , please direct 48:06.225 --> 48:08.280 your attention Skyward for a flyover 48:08.280 --> 48:10.949 honoring America's prisoners of war and 48:10.959 --> 48:12.070 missing in action . 49:08.169 --> 49:10.280 Ladies and gentlemen , this concludes 49:10.280 --> 49:13.189 the Department of Defense 2023 National 49:13.199 --> 49:16.639 Pow Recognition Day ceremony . Thank 49:16.649 --> 49:18.949 you for attending and enjoy the rest of 49:18.959 --> 49:19.530 your day .