Editor,
In December 1971 the National League of POW/MIA families recognized the need for a symbol of our POW/MIAs. An advertising agency employee designed a flag to represent our missing men.
On January 23, 1972, POW/MIA flags were manufactured for distribution, but no trademark or copyright was secured. As a result, widespread use of the flag was not restricted legally and was misused in some cases.
But on March 9, 1989, an official POW/MIA flag was flown over the White House on National POW/MIA Recognition Day. It was installed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation passed overwhelmingly during the 100th Congress.
The POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda where it stands as a powerful symbol of America’s determination to account for U.S. personnel still missing in action and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S. Public Law 101-355, which recognized the POW/MIA flag and designated it as the symbol of our nation’s concern and commitment to resolving, as fully as possible, the fates of Americans still being held prisoner, missing or unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the nation.
The importance of the POW/MIA flag lies in its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of America’s unreturned veterans. Other than Old Glory, the POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, being displayed there since 1982 in its own place of honor.
So there it is, the Congress’s passed law says, “Continued Visibility.” Last year the mayor contacted me and gave me his personal guarantee that the flag would not be taken down ever again and that taking down the flag last year was a misunderstanding. Well, it’s no misunderstanding this year because the word I got from the transit people atop Planer Hill was that, “It’s our property and our flagpole and we’ll do whatever we want to with it!”
Well, that’s a big “screw you” to the veterans if you ask me, and proves that the mayor’s word can’t be trusted. I was told I could put the flag back up after the holidays, because the POW/MIA flag was my project, but the flag has been disrespected twice now and I’m so angry over this mess I don’t care if it ever goes back up or not.
Tsk-tsk, Eureka.
POWs/MIAs, you are not forgotten at least not by me anyway.
Sonny Smith