2006
Honor Their Service
Fulfill Their Trust
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National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2006
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 14, 2006
As a Nation, we look to our service men and women as
examples of courage and sacrifice. When our country and the world have needed brave Americans to advance the cause
of freedom, our men and women in uniform have proudly stepped forward and selflessly endured hardships to defend
liberty. We are grateful to all who have served, and on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we give special honor to
the extraordinary patriots who have been prisoners of war and to those who are still missing in action. We take
inspiration from their valor and loyalty and will not rest until we have accounted for them all.
On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the National League of
Families POW/MIA flag is flown over the White House, the Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense, and Veterans
Affairs, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Korean War Veterans Memorial, World War II Memorial, U.S. military
installations, national cemeteries, and other locations across our country. The POW/MIA flag is a symbol of our
Nation's resolve never to forget the service and great sacrifice of the heroes who have carried out liberty's urgent
and noble mission, even at the cost of their own freedom. On this day, we express our deep appreciation to each of
our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, and Marines and our enduring commitment to achieve the fullest possible accounting
for all of our men and women in uniform who have been prisoners of war or are missing in action.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United
States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and laws of the United States do
hereby proclaim Friday, September 15, 2006, as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I call upon the people of the
United States to join me in paying solemn tribute to all former American prisoners of war and those missing in
action who valiantly served our great country. I call upon Federal, State, and local government officials and
private organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of September, in the year of our Lord two
thousand six, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and thirty-first.
GEORGE W. BUSH
Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England and Chairman
of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Peter Pace, U. S. Marine Corps, will host the Pentagon ceremony for National
POW/MIA Recognition Day at the Mall Entrance Parade Field on Friday, Sept. 15, 2006, at 11 a.m. EDT. Congressman
Rob Simmons, Chairman of the Homeland Security Intelligence, Information Sharing, and Terrorism Risk Assessment
subcommittee, will be the guest speaker
Louis T. Dechert,
National President, KWVA/US
(Posted 9/14/06) |