Nassau County Executive Edward Mangano recently hosted the Annual POW/MIA Candlelight Vigil in recognition of National POW/MIA Recognition Day in Eisenhower Park.
“We honor the sacrifice made by Prisoners of War and those who have gone Missing in Action while defending the freedoms here in the USA and around the world,” Mangano said.
Mangano was joined by representatives of veterans’ organizations from Nassau County, elected officials, clergy and American ex-prisoners of war. The ceremony featured the reading of the names of all POW/MIAs from Nassau and Suffolk counties.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day, which is observed the third Friday of September each year, was established by an Act of Congress in 1998 and is one of six days that the POW/MIA flag can be flown.
There are 74,074 unaccounted service members from World War II, 8,028 from Korea, 1,713 from Vietnam, 912 from the Gulf War and two from the War on Terror.
“As a country, we honor our commitment to never give up the search for those who are held as prisoners or have gone missing in action," Mangano said. "National POW/MIA Recognition Day is a symbol of keeping that promise alive.”
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