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Carrying the memory

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Destinee Sweeney
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. --  Two Airmen run in step around Memorial Lake. The lake is calm and the sky is overcast, threatening the flag-bearers with rain. The Prisoner of War/Missing in Action flag is carried from the early morning through the night until the sun rises again.

Since 1979, National POW/MIA Recognition Day has been a day to recognize service members who are still missing, support the ongoing search efforts, and honor those who have returned.

Team Shaw raised the POW/MIA flag Sept. 15 at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., and guided it for 24 hours to commemorate the sacrifices of those heroes.

“The whole point behind this is to remember those folks who really did give it all,” said Master Sgt. Terry Moore, 20th Equipment Maintenance Squadron munitions material section chief. “Whether they are MIA, they were killed like those in our fallen Airman memorial, or they were POWs and they endured and came back honorably.”

Airmen and Soldiers took part in the run, holding onto the flag until it was time to be passed off to the next set of runners. The runners, in teams of two or more, represented units and groups from around base such as the 20th Security Forces Squadron and the Chiefs.

“It’s not always easy to run for a half-hour or an hour, or longer,” said Chief Master Sgt. Tom Boslet, 20th Operations Group superintendent and one of the participating Chiefs. “But when you have a team out there supporting you, they’ll pull you through it and get you to the end.”

After the 24-hour run, service members and civilians gathered for the POW/MIA Remembrance ceremony. During the ceremony, William Pebley, guest speaker and former World War II prisoner of war, shared his story and gave some advice to current service members.

“We’re gathered here to honor the ex-POWs and MIAs,” said Pebley. “What is the best way we can do that? Let me suggest the best way you can honor the POWs and MIAs is community service and family service. Honor them with your lives because that’s what they suffered for, to make our lives better.”

According to the National League of POW/MIA Families, more than 87,000 Americans are still missing from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and Iraq. Team Shaw took this opportunity to show they will never forget or leave an Airman, or anyone else, behind.