Luke honors POW/MIAs

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Grace Lee
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  Airmen gathered to attend the annual POW/MIA Recognition Day Retreat ceremony Sept. 18, 2015 as the last Airman stood by the POW/MIA flag in front of the Luke Air Force Base wing headquarters building.

Hours before the ceremony, 72 Luke Airmen took shifts guarding the flag in support of the 24-hour vigil leading up to the ceremony.

The ceremony began with the arrival of the official party and the invocation by Chaplain James Lanford, before guest speaker, retired Air Force Colonel Richard Toliver took the stage. Toliver was one of the first, five African American F-4 pilots to serve under the famed Tuskegee Airman General Daniel "Chappie" James.

"As a Vietnam War veteran, I must tell you, that this is very close to my heart," Toliver said. "Forty two years ago I was blessed to be able to come home to my wife and my family. I will not forget that afternoon that I got on board that aircraft for the long journey home. As I settled into my seat, I closed my eyes, and I remembered the 58,000 young comrades who were never going to set foot on American soil again. It was a poignant moment, and I've never forgotten. Nor have I forgotten those who were at the time prisoners, missing in action or unaccounted for. I gain solace every day when I go out to put my flag up in remembrance of them."

Approximately 1,741 military members are currently on the list of missing or unaccounted for, Toliver said. There are more than 41 million men and women who have served in the military since the American Revolution. Of that number, nearly 93,000 are missing in action and over 100,042 are captured or imprisoned. Additionally, over 650,000 were killed in action and nearly 310,000 were lost in war. Over 17,000 men and women died while prisoners of war, and 1,155,000 were wounded in action.

"Now despite these statistics, I want to shout out to the young men and women, like many of you here today, 'When I look at you today, I'm proud to be a part of the legacy that you are a part of today,'" Toliver said. "The things that make me proud and hopeful are that you young people are still stepping forward to answer that call. You're standing shoulder-to-shoulder to get the job done. Men and women from every ethnic group, from every social background and more, are standing together to carry on the great legacy of those we honor here today. And despite the skeptics and the naysayers, I believe as a man of faith that God is still blessing America."

After Toliver made closing remarks, Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, 56th Fighter Wing commander, thanked Toliver and began by thanking the 72 Airmen who stood watch over the POW/MIA flag in the last 24 hours before the ceremony.

"I'd like to thank each and every one of them for the time and dedication that they showed standing out here all night long and in the heat to watch over our POW/MIA flag," Pleus said. "Today we pause to remember the sacrifices of those who have gone and didn't return. Also, we thank the families for those that didn't return or are unaccounted for, who are still holding the faith and keeping the candle burning. We say thank you to all the extraordinary folks who have come before us, who've endured unimaginable horrors at the hands of our enemies. Through courage, resilience and determination they returned home to be with their loved ones, but more importantly, they returned home to a grateful Nation. Today we reaffirm our gratitude to all of these folks and the extraordinary Americans that they are. As we reflect and honor these heroes today, it's most important that their sacrifices never be forgotten. They were imprisoned, lost their lives, and had experiences that we can only fathom. We are forever indebted to them for their service."