Goodfellow remembers, honors POWs/MIAs Published Sept. 25, 2009 By Cheri Dedrick 17th Training Wing Public Affairs GOODFELLOW AFB, Texas -- Prisoners of War/Missing in Action -- servicemembers who were tortured physically and mentally, suffered through beatings, starvation and broken bones; military who fought battles on foreign soil, who never returned home to their families and friends, leaving hundreds of families to find closure for their lost loved ones. How do we show our gratitude to those who gave and gave and gave? Nationwide, on military bases, ships at sea, state capitals, veterans' facilities and many other places, observed National POW/MIA Recognition Day honoring the prisoners and the missing. Goodfellow Air Force Base POW/MIA Day Sept. 18 at the POW/MIA Memorial sight on base. Over 100 volunteers, both military and civilians, in a group of 4, dedicated their time to stand for 1 hour during the 24-hour vigil reading the names of more than 1,737 military who are still unaccounted for. Col Thomas Geary, 17th Training Wing commander was the guest speaker for the event. "It is vital to our nation and to our humanity that we remember above all, that each of those unaccounted for is not just a statistic, but a father or a mother, a husband or a wife, a brother or sister, and a son or a daughter." He talked about the great strides being made to reduce the number of those still missing and ensuring the families that the job will not be complete until all have been accounted for. Today, military are engaged in combat around the world, and none who are currently fighting will ever be unaccounted for. Mr. Chad Dull, 17 TRW historian and event coordinator said, "It is vital not only that we demonstrate solidarity with those still missing or unaccounted for, and demonstrate our commitment to their repatriation, it is also vital that we show solidarity with their families and loved ones." The 24-hour vigil concluded on Saturday.
