American Legion Post 197 will conduct the Pike County National POW/MIA Recognition Day observance on Friday, Sept. 16 on the courthouse square. A POW/MIA Memorial will be on display from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. for the public to view.
“The National Prisoners of War (POW) and Missing in Action (MIA) Recognition Day Observance Program honors our current MIAs, and past and current POWs around the nation,” said Post 197’s Bryan Richardson.
Currently, Pike County has four known MIAs: Seaman 2nd Class David E. Ledford, Staff Sergeant Joel M. Matthews, and Private Marion B. Smoot from WWII, and Chief Petty Officer Willie L. King from the Vietnam War. Pike County has six known former POWs. Now deceased from WWII are Major Marvin H. Campbell, and Private James J. Dickerson from the Meansville area, Private Herman Nelson from Zebulon and Corporal John N. Scott and Private Marion B. Smoot from the Molena area; and former POW Specialist Sixth Class Lenard E. Daugherty from the Vietnam War who currently resides in Williamson.
A static POW/MIA table and chair memorial will be on display, as well as a POW/MIA fact sheet and the military biographies of the Pike County former POWs and current MIAs.
“Starting at 10:45 a.m. and on the hour until the last showing at 2:45 p.m., the Post 197 Honor Guard will physically set up the POW/MIA Table setting with an explanation of the significance of each item on the table,” said Richardson. “Post 197 will be manning an American Legion/Veteran information table. Concurrently, Post 197 will conduct an American Legion membership drive and voter registration. The public is invited to stop by the memorial and observe the setting of the formal POW/MIA table and chair.”
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