Local POW-MIA remembrance events slated for Sept. 1-2

Local efforts to remember American military servicemen and women still missing in action or being held as prisoners of war will go into a fourth decade in September.

Texarkana’s Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter #278 will hold their 30th annual Two-Day POW-MIA Vigil Sept. 1 and 2 at the Korean-Vietnam Memorial near West Seventh Street North State Line Avenue.

The vigil will honor and remember U.S. military service members still classified as either POWs or MIAs from all wars— both those returned as well as those still unaccounted for.

Besides bestowing honor and remembrance, the vigil also aims to raise public awareness of the POW-MIA issue as well as to let the families of these men and women know that they aren’t alone in their quest for answers and closure.

The event’s organizers will spend one minute in honor of each American who remains unaccounted for from the Vietnam War (to date 1,611). They will also spend one minute in honor of each American unaccounted for from the Korean War (locally 37 of them), whose names are engraved on the downtown Texarkana memorial wall. One minute will also be spent in honor of each American unaccounted for from the Persian Gulf War of 1991 as well as from Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The first day’s ceremonies on Sept. 1 will start just before 5 p.m. and continue until they close with a candlelight ceremony at 8 p.m.

The second day’s ceremony on Sept. 2 will include the 23rd annual “Ride to Remember.” This usually includes dozens of 100 street legal cars, motorcycles, pickups and big rigs. The VVA asks that there be no drug or alcohol usage 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 still unaccounted for from Vietnam and all of who are collectively from either Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas.

Following the caravan’s arrival and balloon release, the VVA will conduct a POW-MIA remembrance service starting at 3:10 p.m. The vigil will conclude at 8 p.m. with a closing candlelight service.

For more information, call 870773-8279 or 903-824-2727 or 903628-7216.