Vigil keeps hope alive for missing fighters
Candlelight sparkled Friday evening in honor of American military personnel still unaccounted for in past wars.
More than two dozen veterans and family members came out to the first day of the Texarkana Area Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 278's 30th annual POWMIA Vigil.
“We want to remember and honor both those who have come back home as well as those who still need to be accounted for,” said Greg Beck, the chapter's president.
The event's organizers are presently spending one minute in honor of each American who remains unaccounted for from the Vietnam War (to date 1,604). They also will spend one minute in honor of each American unaccounted for from the Korean War, including the 37 local service members whose names are engraved on the memorial wall in downtown Texarkana. One minute also will be spent in honor of each American unaccounted for from the Gulf War of 1991, as well as from operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom.
“We want to honor those who came before us as well as those who came after us,” he said.
Beck also said that regardless of the war, those who enlisted need to be honored.
“A veteran is a veteran, regardless of which side he was on, even in the Civil War,” Beck said. “Those monuments don't need to be torn down.”
Beck said the work of service personnel, some of whom received lifelong injuries, even defended the rights of professional athletes who may “take a knee” during the national anthem.
Beck said the vigil lets the families of those missing in action know that they aren’t alone in their quest for answers and closure.
Today’s ceremony continues at the Korea-Vietnam Memorial, at West Seventh Street and North State Line Avenue. It will include the 23rd annual Ride to Remember, which traditionally features dozens of cars, motorcycles, pickups and big rigs. The VVA asks that there be no drug or alcohol use during the event.
The procession will leave the Arkansas Welcome Center at about 2:40 p.m. and proceed south down North State Line to the memorial site. Just as the procession arrives, about 174 balloons will be released—one for each American from Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas still unaccounted for from Vietnam.
The VVA will then conduct a POW-MIA remembrance service starting at 3:10 p.m., before holding another candlelight service at 8 p.m. The public is invited.
For more information, call 870-773-8279 or 903-824-2727 or 903-628-7216.