The third Friday in September has been designated as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
Have you noticed the black and white flag flying beneath the American Flag at the Roosevelt Island Blackwell Turnaround on Main Street
and wondered what it was about?
According to the National League of POW*MIA Families:
... The importance of the POW/MIA flag lies in its visibility as a constant reminder of America’s UNRETURNED VETERANS. Other than "Old Glory," our POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, first displayed in this place of honor by President Ronald Reagan on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 1982.
On March 9, 1989, an official League flag – flown over the White House on National POW/MIA Recognition Day 1988 – was installed in the US Capitol Rotunda after legislation passed overwhelmingly during the 100th Congress. In a demonstration of further bipartisan Congressional support, the leadership of both Houses hosted the installation ceremony, at which Ann Mills-Griffiths, then League Executive Director, now Chairman of the Board/CEO, delivered remarks representing the POW/MIA families.
The League’s POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever displayed in the US Capitol Rotunda where it stands as a powerful symbol of America’s determination to account for US personnel still missing and unaccounted-for from the Vietnam War. On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed bipartisan legislation and President George H.W. Bush signed PL 101-355, recognizing our POW/MIA flag and designating it “the symbol of our Nation’s concern and commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation”.
On November 7, 2019, President Donald J. Trump signed PL 116-67, amending Title 36, Section 2 (Days on Which the POW/MIA Flag is Displayed on Certain Federal Property), and Subsection 902(c) (Days for Flag Display). For the purposes of these sections, POW/MIA flag display days are all days on which the flag of the United States is displayed....
As reported in September 2017:
How did the POW/MIA Flag get raised on Roosevelt Island? It was on the
initiative of Roosevelt Island resident Ross Wollen with the assistance
of Roosevelt Island Operating Corp (RIOC) President Susan Rosenthal and Director of Transportation Cy Opperman.
Mr. Wollen, a resident of Rivercross for almost 40 years, graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point NY in 1965. Over
the years Mr. Wollen has hosted West Point Cadets and his Classmates
on Roosevelt Island as they visit NYC for various events and reunions.
Among his frequent guests is Robert Jones, a West Point Classmate and
good friend who joined the US Air Force as a Fighter Pilot upon
graduation, and like almost all of the members of the 1965 Class spent
time in the Viet Nam War several years after leaving the Academy. Mr.
Jones was shot down over North Viet Nam close to his final mission,
severely injured, captured and spent over five years in captivity, as a
POW at various prison camps including the infamous Hanoi Hilton. There
he was quartered, when not in solitary confinement or being privately
tortured, with the Navy pilot, now Senator, John McCain.
Mr. Wollen wished to recognize and honor the service of his friend and West Point classmate, Robert Jones.
According to Mr. Wollen:
