News

Situated between two taverns on Yaak Avenue in Troy is the Veterans of Foreign War Post #5514. On the sidewalk outside the open door to the dimly lit bar is a sign that reads: Music Tonight.

But the music playing on the afternoon of Saturday, Sept. 15 is a solemn anthem in honor of those Prisoners Of War/Missing In Action (POW/MIAs). A large group of individuals of varying ages stand with their right hand over their heart and one of the three flags in the center of the room is black with a profile silhouette in front of a prison tower, with words POW/MIA across the bottom. The Troy VFW have gathered to honor the service of those POW/MIAs and to fulfill their trust.

Sept. 21 is the National POW/MIA recognition day and similar gatherings will take place across the country. This year marks the 28th National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

The special guest speaker, QMCM(Ret.) Jim Johnson, from Medical Lake, Wash., reminded the group there have been POWs and MIAs for over 60 years and 88,000 Americans are still unaccounted for. Montana alone has 19 missing including U.S. Navy Lt. j.g. Edward Norman Letchworth of Libby, and U.S. Marine Corps Cpl. Victor J. Priker of Trout Creek, places too close to home.

Johnson acknowledged that our country is preoccupied with the global war on terror, but urged those in the gathering to set aside those concerns for this day and to remember and recommit to the POW/MIAs.

"This ceremony is to remind us of our grief and to know that is proper to go on remembering our brothers until the day they come home."

More than 8,100 from the Korean War are missing, more than 120 from the Cold War, more than 1,773 from the Vietnam War, three from the Desert Storm War and five from the current Global War on Terror.

Montanans are asked to remember a very special group of veterans on Friday, Sept. 21, specifically those Montana military personnel listed as Prisoners of War or Missing In Action eight from World War II, 28 from the Korean war, 19 of the original 23 from the Vietnam War and two from the Cold War.

After Billie Jo Brue closed the remembrance with a special prayer, the VFW Post 5514 auxiliary began setting out the prime rib dinner buffet and after dinner the "music tonight" will soothe the heavy hearts of the veterans in Troy.