HICKAM AFB, HAWAII -- Remains believed to be associated with missing Americans from three wars - World War II, the Cold and Korean Wars - will be honored in a repatriation ceremony, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. outside of the 15th Airlift Wing Base Operations Building, Hickam Air Force Base. Remains are from the Chosin and Unsan areas of North Korea, from Washington state and Greenland. A joint honor guard will memorialize the arrival of the remains returning to American soil. Following the arrival ceremony, remains will be transported to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command's Central Identification Laboratory where the forensic identification process begins. Brigadier General W. Montague Winfield, commanding general of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command, will be in attendence reminding participants that September 14 also marks National POW/MIA Recognition Day. National POW/MIA Recognition Day is traditionally set aside to commemorate the commitment and the sacrifices made by America's Prisoners of War and those who are still missing in action. In recognition of POW/MIA day, the Marine Forces Pacific Band, one of twelve field bands throughout the Corps, will provide music for the event. JPAC teams that deploy worldwide excavating sites associated with missing service members recovered the remains, and continue the effort to find Americans missing from our nation's previous wars. There are still more than 1,800 Americans missing from the Vietnam War, more than 8,100 missing from the Korean War, and more than 78,000 missing from World War II. More than 1,100 Americans missing from our nation's military campaigns have been accounted for since 1973. The U.S. government, the Department of Defense, and the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command are committed to scientific excellence and the fullest possible accounting of all Americans still missing as a result of our nation's conflicts. JPAC continues to fulfill our nation's promise to the POW/MIA families and those Americans still waiting to come home.
"Until they are home
"
|