Good afternoon everyone. I am truly honored to join you again this year to deliver remarks.
To our distinguished guests, former Prisoners of War, our veterans and veteran advocates, and our families of our Prisoners of War and those still Missing in Action – I want to welcome you all.
I would like to thank the Vice Chairman for his remarks and our Protocol team for organizing today’s event.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day began in 1979 to honor those who were held captive and returned, as well as those who remain missing. They illustrate the commitment, courage, and resolve that makes our country stronger. Therefore, today, we reinforce our promise to them: we will never forget their sacrifices.
Since the Revolutionary War, more than 500,000 American Service members have been held as Prisoners of War. These are patriots include:
Colonel Michael Brazelton, USAF (Ret), who was shot down at Thai Nguyen on August 7, 1966, during his 120th combat mission. He was held captive for 6 ½ years.
Thank you for your sacrifice and service. Moreover, thank you for your resilience. You are an inspiration for all of us, and it is a privilege to have you here today.
Colonel Brazelton is joined by his wife, Gloria, and daughter, Adriana (an Army Major). Welcome and thank you for being here. We greatly appreciate your enormous sacrifice and support.
I want to thank Ms. Robin Davitt, who is representing the Coalition of Families of Korean & Cold War POW/MIAs, and Ms. Ann Mills Griffiths, who is CEO of the National League of Families of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from Southeast Asia. Your work is incredibly important and impacts countless lives.
Today, we remember Ms. Davitt’s uncle, Army Corporal William E. Douglas, who remains unaccounted for; and Ms. Mills Griffiths’ brother, Navy Commander James B. Mills, who was accounted for in 2018.
We are also here to acknowledge the many questions that have gone unanswered. We are joined by Mrs. Bahar Hess and Colonel Richard Dean II – both of whom have loved ones who remain unaccounted for. Know that no matter how much time has passed, we will not give up. Every day, our Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency works diligently to deliver answers to our families.
While we cannot imagine your grief, it is our relentless pursuit to offer you some consolation as we strive for closure. This is why we are still accounting for individuals from all recent conflicts dating back to World War II. For example, just over one week ago, we accounted for Navy Musician 1st Class Joseph W. Hoffman – a 24-year-old USS Oklahoma sailor. On December 7, 1941, he was one of 429 crewmen killed at Pearl Harbor, when Japanese aircraft attacked the ship with torpedoes. He may not be with us today, but his legacy lives on. Petty Officer Hoffman is just one of many Americans that were previously unaccounted for. Now, we are working to salvage the stories of almost 82,000 others. They are the brave men and women who shaped our Nation through some of its most defining moments – the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and the Gulf Wars, and other recent conflicts.
Underlying each of these 82,000 unique stories resonates a theme that transcends time: a conviction that something greater exists - and is worth protecting. This is America and her people. America is stronger when we know the individuals of our past; when we understand what compelled them to serve the country they felt was worth the fight. Only then can we carry character into our future.
Most importantly, it is our moral responsibility to our Prisoners of War, our Missing in Action, and their families. They did not stop fighting for us, and we will not stop fighting for them. From the Indo-Pacific to the soil beneath our feet, we are searching near and far – in more than 46 countries – to account for our country’s selfless souls.
The United States values the cooperation of our partner nations, and we are working closely with them in this humanitarian effort to identify as many as possible. Last year (FY2019), we accounted for 217 formerly missing persons – marking the highest yearly total on record. Of these, 140 were from World War II, 72 from the Korean War, and 5 from the Vietnam War.
In order to close cases like these, DPAA does a tremendous amount of work, using methods such as dental and anthropological analysis.
To give you a sense of what is involved, I want to share the story of First Lieutenant Alva Ray Krogman, who was recently accounted for. A member of the 504th Tactical Air Support Squadron, First Lieutenant Krogman was conducting a visual reconnaissance mission over Savannakhet Province, Laos, in 1967. During his mission, he was struck by enemy fire, causing him to crash. He was killed in the incident. Although a search and rescue team attempted to reach the crash site, they were met with resistance from enemy forces. Unfortunately, the team was forced to abort their attempt to recover the First Lieutenant. While this was the last time First Lieutenant Krogman was seen, this was not the last time someone thought of him. Last year, a DPAA Scientific Recovery Expert working at a crash site in Ban Kok Mak, Laos, reported something promising: the recovery of possible remains and material evidence of the First Lieutenant. Ultimately, these were confirmed. Now, First Lieutenant Krogman is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, in Honolulu, Hawaii. This instance reveals how we are a determined Nation. For us, “unrecoverable” is not synonymous with “impossible.”
We know that we have a long way to go. However, we are proud of DPAA for their passion and persistence to answer our unanswered questions, and to enshrine the stories of our fallen heroes – like Petty Officer Hoffman and First Lieutenant Krogman - forever. We appreciate your efforts immensely.
While we mark this third Friday in September each year to honor our Prisoners of War and those Missing in Action, we cannot confine our recognition to a single day. We should keep them at the front of our hearts and minds every day - just as they did for us.
Let today serve as an active reminder, rather than an observation, of our eternal commitment to “the fullest possible accounting”: welcoming back our most valiant to this land of the free.
Thank you.