Veterans Day is not the only time for Americans to honor those who fought for their freedoms.
Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4833 in Milton and Pensacola officials hope Northwest Florida residents will join them Friday in observing National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
On Saturday, a candlelight vigil will be held at the post on Avalon Boulevard. Candles will be lighted to represent for each of the 50 states to represent the thousands of service members who still are missing.
.Lutz Gruse, chairman of the VFW post in Milton, said speakers will include Sam Houston, commander of the Sgt. Timothy Padgett Chapter 811 Military Order of the Purple Heart, and Santa Rosa County Commissioner Don Salter.
"Last year was our first time doing this, and more than 200 people were there," Gruse said.
That same day, the Vietnam Legacy Veterans Motorcycle Club will have a motorcycle run to raise awareness for prisoners of war and those missing in action.
Club President Dean Halstead, a 60-year-old Vietnam veteran and Pensacola resident, said the club has been involved in many events in Tallahassee, but last year was the first time there was a local event.
"So many POWs and MIAs live within 50 miles of our county," he said. "And we need to hold our government accountable for the men who are still missing."
The Defense Department's personnel office reports there are more than 73,000 soldiers missing from World War II; more than 8,000 from the Korean War; and 1,800 missing from Vietnam.
Halstead gets a lot of questions when people, especially children, see the POW flag or sticker on his bike.
"Our younger generations have no idea what it means."
http://www.pnj.com/article/20110914/NEWS01/109140327/Events-honor-POWs-MIAs?odyssey=mod|newswell|text|FRONTPAGE|s
