National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2004

Proclamation 7814 of September 14, 2004

National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2004

By the President of the United States of America

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,
imprisonment, 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 cemeteries, 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.

(Presidential Sig.)B