I see it everywhere, the POW/MIA flag. It has a black background with a silhouette of a gaunt man, a guard tower, and barbed wire in a white circle with words "You are not forgotten" written below.
In 1970, Mrs. Mary Hoff, the wife of Navy CDR Michael Hoff, who was declared MIA after a mission over Laos recognized the need for a symbol honoring POW/MIAs.
Mrs. Hoff, a member of the National League of POW/MIA families, contacted Normans Rivkees, the Vice President of Annin and Co. about creating a flag to represent our missing military. Mr. Rivkees and Newt Heisley an Annin advertising employee designed a flag.
In January 1972 the League of Families Board of Directors approved the design, choosing not to trademark or copyright it so that it could be widely disseminated.
The flag was flown over the White House for the first time in September 1982. It is the only flag other than the U.S. flag that is flown there.
In August 1990 the 101st Congress passed US Public Law 101-355 which recognized the flag and made it " the symbol of our Nation's concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation."
Blog note:
National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 through a proclaimation signed by President Jimmy Carter. Since then, each subsequent president has issued an annual proclaimation proclaiming the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
In 1997 the law also designated 6 days per year when the POW/MIA flag is required to be flown at certain federal government locations.
Yearly the National POW/MIA day is observed at the Pentagon by each branch of the military and has high-ranking officials participate. Ships at sea, state capitols, schools, veterans facilities, and service organizations also observe the day.
The purpose of these ceremonies whereever they are held is to honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who ar still missing.
This year Nationa POW/MIA day will be observed on Friday September 15, 2023.
Source of this information is a handout found at VFW convention from 111.dpas.mil.
