Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Norquist hosts the annual POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony at the Pentagon in honor of those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain unaccounted for from past conflicts. The program includes remarks by Air Force Gen. John E. Hyten, vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and a flyover by Army UH-60 helicopters performing the missing man formation, September 18, 2020.

Transcript

Oh, say, can you see by the dawn’s early light What so proudly we head at the twilight’s last gleaming Who’s what stripes and bright stars through the perilous fight or the ramparts we want were so gallantly streaming on the rockets Red glare The bombs busting it in er gave proof through the night that our flag was still there ho say, does that star spangled manner yet wave save or the land of the free On the home of the brave Ladies and gentlemen, please join me as we mark this occasion in a word of prayer Almighty and everlasting God, we ask for your blessings on this ceremony as we gather today to remember into honor two special groups within our nation those who have been held by our enemies as prisoners of war and those who remain missing in action. Lord, we’re grateful for the service and sacrifice of willing men and women who gave their all be with those who have borne the pain of captivity and grievous loss. Lord, bring comfort to those who wait compassion to those who mourn and strength of those who long for liberation. Oh, gracious and benevolent one. Help us our nation to always remember our POWs and MIAs. May we be ever mindful that our freedoms have been secured at the cost of the liberty and security of our fellow Americans. Lord, shine your light in the darkness bring hope and peace to our conflict field in war torn world Give our nation and military leaders wisdom in addressing the issues of the day. Protect our men and women in harm’s way. And I asked these things in your holy and mighty and righteous name. Amen. Please be seated. Mhm. Ladies and gentlemen, General John Heighten, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff doesn’t matter. Yeah, good afternoon, everybody. W Secretary Norquist, Distinguished guests and especially the former prisoners of war and families of those missing in action watching from across the nation. Thank you for participating in this afternoon ceremony on the hollowed ground of cemeteries in France, in Tunisia, Philippines and many other places rest unidentified American service members lying beneath grave markers upon which stretched the words here rests in honored glory. A comrade in arms known but to God, many of them are American heroes. One of my personal heroes, Colonel Leo Thor Snus was shot down over Vietnam in 1967. He spent a lot of time in my home town of Huntsville, Alabama, but he endured six years in captivity three years of that and torture three years in solitary confinement, unspeakable pain and suffering, all those former prisoners of war, those who endured so much pain, hunger, isolation, the mental torment and physical torture that push you to the very brink. You represent the best in all of us. You’re the epitome of resilience and dedication to duty and country, many of who continued to serve after captivity. Thank you for your continued service and sacrifice. May God bless you and your families. Leo Thorsen has returned to his family after so many years as a POW nine in 2020 nearly 100 service members have been accounted for. Now that’s a pretty remarkable feat, and many have recently been brought home. They knew and fought for us. They knew it would not forget them, that we would do everything in our power to bring them home. And we’ve made good on that promise. Army Sergeant John Hurlbert new this. He was killed on 7 July 1944 during a massive Japanese attack against 105th Infantry Regiment Regiment on the island of SaiPan. Sergeant Herbert was accounted for on 19 August of this year. Marine Corps Reserve private Jacob Kruse knew we would bring him home on 22 November 1943 he died intense fighting with the first Battalion, sixth Marine Regiment on the small island of Betty Yao. In Tarawa, a toll private cruise was accounted for. On 14 April this year. Air Force Colonel Roosevelt Hessel Junior knew we would not leave a fallen comment. He was a pilot assigned to the three 88th Tactical Fighter Squadron and was lost over the town of Ty, Gwyn and Vietnam while evading surface to air missiles. On 6 July 1966 we brought Colonel Hessel home, and he was laid to rest on American soil. 13 April 2018. Despite these examples of us following through on our solemn pledge to never leave a fallen comrade behind, we know there are still those who remain unaccounted for. Almost 82,000 are still missing today, and there are no words of comfort and solace that can fill the void of a missing loved one. The pain that brings could be a times overwhelming. But what we can do is remember what they fought for. Remember what they sacrificed for. Remember what wearing the cloth of this country signifies And remember why we fight the defense Pow. My accounting agency vows to provide the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families in this nation. Its members literally commit their blood there, sweating their tears to bringing our fellow Americans home. Ah, mission they fully embrace. And I thank all those that have shown their dedication to the d. P. A solemn mission. All of us in uniforms took an oath of allegiance and we swore to support depend the Constitution of the United States of America. I think we’re the only military in the world I know of. That swears it’s oath off allegiance to an idea. Most military has taken oath of allegiance. They do so to a country and national state of political party. A king, a queen, a dictator, whatever it might be. But they don’t take an oath to an idea way Americans do Just that, on that idea is quite simple. It’s an idea that has brought down tyrannies toppled dictators. It’s an idea that has built countries and brought together nations. It’s an idea for which all of us in uniform are committed to each and every day. And that idea has permitted every climb in place. And all it says is that you and I, no matter who you are, where you come from, what you look like or what you believe are created free and equal. And for that idea, we in uniforms are not only sworn to protect but are willing to die. We’re willing to give our life and suffer grievous injury. We’re willing to be missing in action and to be a prisoner of war, were willing to give it all on the altar of freedom so that Americans of this generation and every generation to come will remain free. We’re willing to sacrifice the brightness of her tomorrow’s for the promise of others. Today’s so today we renew our promise to never forget those missing their sacrifice and to bring them home with relentless pursuit and undaunted action. We will find you. We will go to any length to bring you home. We will scour every inch of land from the Hurtgen Forest of Germany’s the jungles of Laos, Cambodia. We’ll dive every shore from the Solomon and Philippine islands to the atos of Tara Tarawa. We will plunge into every depth of the Pacific, and the Atlantic oceans will comb every bit of the Korean and Italian peninsula’s on the unmarked graves from Belgian to Burma. And we will find you, we will never forget. And we will never leave a fallen comrade, thank you very much. And God bless America, Ladies and gentlemen, the honorable David Norquist, the deputy secretary of defense. Good afternoon, everyone. I am truly honored to join you again this year. To our distinguished guests, former prisoners of war, our veterans and veteran advocates and the families of our prisoners of war and those still missing in action. I want to welcome you all. I would like to thank the vice chairman for his remarks and our protocol team for organizing today’s event. National P O W M. I. A Recognition day began in 1979 toe honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. They illustrate the commitment, courage and resolve that makes our country stronger. Therefore, today we reinforce our promise to them. We will never forget their sacrifice. Since the Revolutionary War, more than 500,000 American service members have been held as prisoners of war. These air patriots, like Colonel Michael Brazleton, United States Air Force retired, who was shot down a Tigran on August 7th, 1966 during his 120th combat mission. He was held captive for 6.5 years. He is here with us today. And thank you for your sacrifice and service. Moreover, thank you for your resilience. You are an inspiration for all of us. And it is a privilege to have you here today. Yeah. Colonel Basildon is joined by his wife, Gloria and data Adriana, an Army major. Welcome. And thank you for being here. We greatly appreciate your enormous sacrifice and support. I want to thank Miss Robin David, who is representing the coalition of families of Korean and Cold War POW M I A’s and Miss and Mills Griffith, who is CEO of the National League of Families of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from Southeast Asia. Your work is incredibly important and impacts countless lives. Today we remember Mr Abbott’s uncle, Army Corporal William E. Douglas, who remains unaccounted for, and Mrs Mills, Griffin’s brother, Navy Commander James B. Mills, who is accounted for in 2018. We’re also here to acknowledge the many questions that have gone unanswered. We’re joined by Mrs Mrs Boukar Hess and Colonel Richard Dean, the second, both of whom have loved ones who remain unaccounted for. We know that no matter how much time has passed, we will not give up every day. Our defense POW M. I, a accounting agency works diligently to deliver answers to our families. While we cannot imagine your grief, it is our relentless pursuit toe offer you some consolation as we strive for closure. This is why we’re still accounting for individuals from always and conflicts dating back to World War two. For example, just one week ago, we accounted for Navy musician first Class Joseph W. Hoffmann, a 24 year old US SS USS Oklahoma sailor. On December 7th, 1941 he was one of 429 crewmen killed in Pearl Harbor when Japanese aircraft attacked the ships with torpedoes. He may not be with us today, but his legacy lives on. Petty Officer Hoffman is just one of many Americans who were previously unaccounted for. Now we’re working to salvage the stories of almost 82,000 others. They’re the brave men and women who shaped our nation through some of its most defining moments the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Gulf Wars and other recent conflicts. Underlying each of these 82,000 unique stories resonates a theme that transcends time, a conviction that something greater exists and is worth protecting. This is America and her people. America is stronger when we know the individuals of our past, when we understand what compelled them to serve the country they felt was worth the fight Onley, then can we carry character into the future? Most importantly, it is our moral responsibility to our prisoners of war are missing in action and their families. They did not stop fighting for us, and we will not stop fighting for them. From the Indo Pacific to the soil beneath our feet were searching for near and far in more than 46 countries to account for our country’s selfless souls. The United States values the cooperation of our partner nations, and we work closely with them in the humanitarian effort to identify as many as possible. Last year, 2019 we accounted for 217 formerly missing persons, making this the highest yearly total on record. Of these, 140 were from World War two 72 from the Korean War and five from the Vietnam War. In order to close these cases, Deepa does a tremendous amount of work using methods such as dental and anthropological analysis to give you a sense of what is involved. I want to show you the story of First Lieutenant Alvarez Krugman, who was recently accounted for a member of the 504th Tactical Air Support Squadron. First lieutenant Krugman was conducting a visual reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet province, Laos, in 1967. During his mission, he was struck by enemy fire, causing him to crash. He was killed in the incident. Although a search and rescue team attempted to reach the crash site, they were met with resistance from enemy forces. Unfortunately, the team was forced to abort their effort to recover the first lieutenant. Well, this was the last time first Lieutenant Krugman was seen, this was not the last time someone thought of him. Last year, a. D p. A scientific recovery expert working at a crash site in Bangkok, Mark Leo’s, reported something promising the recovery of possible remains in material evidence of the first lieutenant. Ultimately, these were confirmed. Now, First Lieutenant Rockman is memorialized on the courts of the missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Honolulu, Hawaii. This instance reveals that we are determined nation. For us, unrecoverable is not synonymous with impossible. We know that we have a long way to go. However, we’re proud of the Deepa for their passion and persistence. To answer are unanswered questions and two n shine the stories of our fallen heroes like Petty Officer Hoffman and First Lieutenant Krugman forever, we appreciate your efforts immensely. While we marked this third Friday in September each year to honor our prisoners of war and those missing in action, we cannot confine our recognition to a single day. We should keep them at the front of our hearts and minds every day, just like they did for us. Let today serve as an active reminder rather than an observation of our eternal commitment to the fullest possible accounting. Welcoming back our most valiant to the land of the free. Thank you. What? All families representing prisoners of war and those still missing in action. Please stand to be honored with a moment of silence. Please be seated, Ladies and gentlemen. The benediction will be delivered by Chaplin. Major. General Soldier, Um, I invite you to join me as we close the ceremony. In a word of prayer or God, we pray that you will go before us to lead the way and bring comfort in our pain, joy and our sadness and resolve in our commitment in honoring our nation’s POWs and MIAs. May we be ever mindful of their service and sacrifice. And may we never tire in seeking their repatriation and re union with their loved ones. We ask your blessing on all your nation’s warriors and on their families as we seek to make peace in the world. Lord, as we go, may your face shine upon us. Your angels protect us and your spirit guide us in your holy name. I pray. Hey, man. Ladies and gentlemen, please direct your attention skyward for a special flyover Missing Man formation named after the Native American war leader Blackhawk. The U. H 60 entered service in 1979. The Black Hawk made its combat debut during the invasion of Grenada in 1983. Ladies and gentlemen, this concludes the Department of Defense 2020 p o w m I A Recognition Day ceremony. Thank you for joining us today.