Program and Event

U.S. Embassy Observes POW/MIA Day

Ambassador Huso Delivers Remarks on National POW/MIA Day

Ambassador Huso and JPAC Staff remember the Fallen

The U.S. Embassy observed National POW/MIA Recognition Day to honor and remember the Prisoners of War and Missing in Action from past American conflicts on September 21, 2007 with a ceremony held at the U.S. Ambassador's Residence. Honored guests included Lao government officials representing the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and National Defense.

This ceremony also served as an opportunity to recognize the strong cooperation between the United States and the Lao People's Democratic Republic's to account for and recover Americans missing in the Lao P.D.R. over the past 25 years. 

In addition to remarks made by Ambassador Ravic Huso and JPAC's Detachment Three Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Brandt Deck, the ceremony also included the reading of a letter written by the Executive Director of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia which was addressed to the Lao PDR Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs. In the letter, Executive Director Ann Mills Griffiths, on behalf of POW/MIA families, expressed thanks to the Lao Government and the Lao people for the many years of cooperation and support related to the search and recovery of unaccounted for Americans.

The ceremony concluded with a reading of the names of the 223 Americans who have been recovered from the Lao PDR, identified and returned to their families for final burial honors.