For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
September 14, 2004
National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2004
By the President of the United States
A Proclamation
Throughout our history, when the enemies of freedom were on the
march and our country needed brave Americans to take up arms and stop
their advance, the members of our Armed Forces answered the call of
duty. These patriotic men and women defended our country in hours of
need and continue to stand watch for freedom. Many of these courageous
individuals risked capture, imprison-ment, and their lives to protect
our homeland. On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we honor the
sacrifices and remarkable determination of those captured as prisoners
of war. We also remember those who remain unaccounted for and ask for
God's special blessing on their families. Our Nation will not forget
these heroes, and we will not stop searching for our service members
who are missing in action.
On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the flag of the National
League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia
is flown over the White House, the Capitol, the Departments of State,
Defense, and Veterans Affairs, the Selective Service System
Headquarters, the National Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans
Memorials, U.S. military installations, national ceme-teries, and other
locations across our country. This flag serves as a reminder of our
continued commitment to those still missing and those imprisoned while
serving in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia,
Kosovo, Iraq, and other conflicts. We remain grateful for their
service and sacrifice and pledge to continue to achieve the fullest
possible accounting for all of our men and women in uniform still
missing.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States
of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution
and laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 14, 2004,
as National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I call upon the people of the
United States to join me in saluting all American POWs and those
missing in action who valiantly served our great country. I call upon
Federal, State, and local government officials and private
organizations to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and
activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day
of September, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and
twenty-ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH
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