I grew up in a military that was still full of Viet Nam Vets and the thought of American servicemen being left behind really meant a lot to us as a community. And, there was still hope that we might get some of those men back, alive. And while those hopes have gone for many, as a nation we still endeavor to recover the remains of our missing through the efforts of the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command which has gone through a variety of name changes over the years.
(US Army Photo of JPAC team in Laos)
While we’ve been fortunate to not have many POWs or MIAs in this conflict, please take some time to reflect on those over the years who didn’t make it back and must wander in our prayers and dreams until we can one day bring them home and unite them with their loved ones.
I had the honor of being chosen to assist a JPAC team from U of H with an OP in Viet Nam during the late 80’s.
We found the remains of 4 soldiers and brought them home to Hawai’i. it is one of the missions that i am most proud of during my term on active duty.