Hattiesburg pays tribute to nation's missing soldiers and prisoners of war at annual event
More than 81,000 Americans remain unaccounted for in wars and military conflicts since World War II.
In Hattiesburg, a group of veterans held a ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park to honor those who are missing and others who were prisoners of war on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, which is commemorated annually on the third Friday in September.
"Our purpose is to show that our veteran community and our city do remember," said Ted Tibbett, chairman of the Hattiesburg Veterans Committee.
The program included readings from the American Legion, VFW Post 5397, the Disabled American Veterans and VFW Post 3036 to remember and honor those who were held captive or never returned home.
Among the local prisoners of war remembered at the event was the late Air Force Col. George Robert Hall, who was held prisoner in Vietnam for more than seven years — 2,695 days — one of the longest in captivity.
Most of his time as a prisoner was in solitary confinement, said retired Army Col. Sheila Varnado, who gave a brief speech during the recognition ceremony.
"In 1965, when Col. Hall became a prisoner, I was a junior in high school," Varnado said. "By the time he was released, I was one month away from graduating college.
"I have not endured the hardships that he has, but I appreciate his service and his sacrifice."
By the numbers
73,515 from World War II
7,841 from the Korean War
1,626 from Vietnam
126 from the Cold War
6 from conflicts since 1991
Source: Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Hattiesburg marks National POW MIA Recognition Day
