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| Aroostook Republican Photo/Lisa Wilcox DAV Post Chaplain Craig Faye offers an invocation at the POW/MIA ceremony held at the Northern Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery in Caribou on Friday. In the background, from left, Sarah Graettinger of U.S. Senator Angus King’s office, Phil Bosse of U.S. Senator Susan Collins’ office, Larry Theriault of U.S. Congressman Michael Michaud’s office, NMVCC Chairman Harry Hafford and ceremony emcee Denis Madore join in the prayer. |
By Lisa Wilcox
Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Since 1970, the third Friday of September has been set aside in the United States as National POW/MIA Day to honor the 140,000 U.S. service members held in captivity as prisoners of war and the more than 83,000 who have been reported missing from conflicts dating as far back as World War II.
In Caribou, the Northern Maine Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery joined veterans organizations across the country in commemorating POW/MIA Day by conducting a service at the cemetery last Friday.
Denis Madore of the Disabled American Veterans organization was the emcee for the program, which featured the 2013 Junior Miss Potato Queen Chloe Wheeler singing the National Anthem and “Amazing Grace.” An invocation and benediction were given by DAV Post Chaplain Craig Faye and guest speakers were Phil Bosse of U.S. Senator Susan Collins’ office, Sarah Graettinger from U.S. Senator Angus King’s office and Larry Theriault from U.S. Representative Mike Michaud’s office.
“Throughout the state of the union, Americans fly the somber POW/MIA flag from federal, state and local government buildings,” Bosse read from a letter from Collins. “It flies at national cemeteries, veterans’ posts, schools, hospitals, businesses and on front lawns. Other than the American flag, it is the only flag ever to have flown over the United States Capitol and the White House. It is a powerful symbol of our real obligation to former prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action.”
King also wrote a letter, which stated, “Loved ones deserve closure as they cope with a missing seat at the table, a voice not heard or an embrace not felt.”
“It is because of the sacrifices of our service members and those of their families that we are able to be here today, enjoying the rights and freedoms we all have,” Theriault read from Michaud’s remarks. “Today we honor those who died for our country, those who suffered imprisonment, those who have come home and those we wait for. I want every service member and veteran to know that our country is proud of you. We appreciate your service and that we will never forget.”
The ceremony’s keynote speaker was DAV State Commander Richard Fournier, who spoke about the sacrifices made by service members and their families in numerous conflicts over the years. Fournier highlighted the United States’ many efforts to recover the remains of missing in action soldiers on foreign soil.
Fournier then focused his speech on more recent wars, telling the story of Lieutenant Commander Michael Scott Speicher, who was shot down over Iraq and was the first POW/MIA of the Persian Gulf War.
“We may never know what happened to him,” Fournier said about Speicher, “but we must never forget his sacrifice.”
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| Aroostook Republican Photo/Lisa Wilcox State DAV Commander Richard Fournier, left, and Northern Maine Veterans’ Cemetery Chairman Harry Hafford laid a wreath at the cemetery’s MIA Remember Wall during the POW/MIA services held at the Caribou facility on Friday. |
Fournier continued to speak about more recent U.S. service members who have gone missing in Middle East conflicts and the continued efforts of members of Congress to work on finding those missing in action.
Harry Hafford, chairman of the NMVCC, joined Fournier to lay a wreath at the cemetery’s POW/MIA memorial. “Taps” was played by NMVCC member Fred Ormezzani and the Legion Riders from Madawaska American Legion Post No. 147 performed a 21-gun salute.
The ceremony concluded with Faye’s benediction, in which he recited a poem written from a prisoner of war’s perspective.
“I was prepared to fight, I was prepared to be wounded, I was prepared to be captured, I was even prepared to die, but I wasn’t prepared to be abandoned,” Faye poignantly recited.
During his remarks, Hafford updated the audience on the recent activity taking place at the cemetery, including the construction of the new committal shelter, which is 99 percent complete, and work on the new parking lot to line the spaces and add handicapped spots.
Hafford advised that the long anticipated Walls of Honor have been put into place with 380 names adorning the structures. The Veterans Day service that will be conducted at the cemetery on Monday, Nov. 11, will also be a dedication of the project.
