As Delivered by Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel, The Pentagon, Friday, September 20, 2013Distinguished guests, General Dempsey, veterans, family members, representatives from veterans service organizations and the national POW/MIA community: it is an honor and a privilege to join all of you for this important observance.
Earlier this year we marked the 40th anniversary of Operation Homecoming, when hundreds of American prisoners of war were brought out of Vietnam to freedom. Many were aviators whose planes had been downed over North Vietnam, aviators such as Rear Admiral Bob Shumaker, who is with us here today.
He, along with hundreds of other service members and civilians, endured unspeakable cruelty, attempts at political exploitation, and years of confinement. But through courage, resilience, and determination, they survived to return home to a grateful nation.
Each POW/MIA Recognition Day, we reaffirm America’s gratitude to all service members throughout our history. These service members who experienced the horror of wartime captivity, and we stand with the families of all who remain missing in action.
We honor patriots like my friend Navy Commander Everett Alvarez, Jr., who was also on the airlift of prisoners out of Hanoi during Operation Homecoming. Commander Alvarez had been shot down while flying a mission after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident, and endured more than eight terrible years as a prisoner of war – virtually the entire length of the Vietnam conflict.
Like many of his fellow POWs, Commander Alvarez continued serving his nation after his return. As a Naval officer, Deputy Director of the Peace Corps, and Deputy Administrator of the Veterans Administration, he sustained his commitment to America’s service members, our country, veterans, their families, and all that he has held dear in his life. read more>>>
WASHINGTON, Sept. 20, 2013 – The Defense Department will never stop working to bring captured and missing service members home, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, pledged at a Pentagon ceremony today.That commitment extends to Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, who was captured by enemy forces in Afghanistan more than four years ago, Hagel said.
“Our hearts today are with the Bergdahl family. Using our military, intelligence, and diplomatic tools, the United States is continuing its strong efforts to secure Sergeant Bergdahl’s safe release,” he said.
DOD’s commitment to leave no service member behind also extends to the more than 80,000 Americans who remain missing in action, the secretary said. read more>>>
I did not sign the "national pow/mia recognition day"
ReplyDeleteIt seems that my account at "Care2" is hacked and
someone is signing on my behalf.
The logo has been hijacked by the Boeremag race terrorists
jailed for attempting to bomb Nelson Mandela,
drive all "non Whites" out of the country and
set up a White's only state in South Africa.
I have a petition against the Boeremag and Facebook's support of them.
People do not be fooled by these hateful nazis,
object to them using the pow/mia logo.
Sign the petition at
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/580/770/040/facebook-stop-hosting-terrorists/
and read more on the blog http://natturner1.wordpress.com/
This link is to the logo in case any may doubt what I've said http://sco.lt/51tW6b
and the poster https://a.disquscdn.com/uploads/mediaembed/images/1002/2566/original.jpg