This week, Buckley Space Force Base in Colorado held its annual remembrance ceremony to honor the service and sacrifice of prisoners of war and those still missing in action.
Locations where Americans listed as POW/MIA since WWII went missing.
Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency
According to the Defense Logistics Agency, more than 83,000 U.S. service members remain classified as either prisoners of war or missing in action. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency says 872 of the service members not accounted for were from Colorado.
Buckley’s 24-hour POW/MIA Remembrance Run/Walk took place on Sept. 18-19 in conjunction with National POW/MIA Recognition Day. The day serves as a reminder not to forget those who have served and have yet to return, base officials said. Remembrance ceremonies are held across the country each year on military installations, state capitols, schools, ships and veterans’ facilities.
U.S. Space Force
Veterans, and former prisoners of war, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Orson Swindle and retired U.S. Army Master Sgt. Edwin Beck shared their experiences at the closing ceremony on Friday morning.
“I was shot down the 11th of November, coming up on the 69th anniversary of that here in a few weeks. I just read a report by, I think, the Air Force and the Army that was estimating the duration of war to be a minimum of five or six years. I hit the ground knowing that, and it weighed on my mind quite a bit, as you might expect. I had the blessings of serving with some of the finest men I have ever known,” said Swindle.
U.S. Space Force
Base officials said, “Their stories of survival and resilience are a testament to the strength of the human spirit.”
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