Yesterday, on the Pentagon River Terrace Parade Field a ceremony was held in recognition of the POW's once held over these many years and our wars from and the Missing, thousands still are MIA!
As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, Pentagon River Terrace Parade Field, Friday, September 19, 2014
Admiral Winnefeld, thank you.
And to our former POWs, families of former POWs, families our missing-in-action, we welcome you. We honor you. We thank you. And we are grateful that you are here to share a special day of recognition with us, with our country.
Yesterday afternoon, at Arlington National Cemetery, a soldier from the Korean War who for decades was listed as missing-in-action finally received the full honors he so richly deserved. His burial fulfilled a solemn pact – a solemn pact America makes with its each of its defenders and their families – that we will take care of them, and that however much time has passed, they will make it back home.
For the Department of Defense, this is a responsibility and an obligation that we are proud to shoulder. We do whatever it takes to recover every U.S. servicemember held in captivity; and do whatever it takes to find and recover and identify the remains of America’s missing from past conflicts.
Today, we are thankful that there are no U.S. troops being anywhere held in captivity. We know that there are still tens of thousands of fallen Americans who remain missing from many wars. We must continue to work hard – work hard to bring all of our missing Americans home. And we will. read more>>>
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