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Photo by Lance Cpl. Antonio Rosas

First national commemoration held since July 1979 for POWs,MIAs

29 Sep 2005 | Lance Cpl. Antonio Rosas Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- “Once captured, there is no comprehending what goes through your head,” said former Marine and Vietnam prisoner of war, Walter W. Eckes, 59, who spoke at the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital’s 15th annual Prisoner of War/Missing in Action remembrance ceremony Sept 16.

The first national commemoration for POWs/MIAs was July 18, 1979. Since then, Congress has passed yearly resolutions for the tribute. But in 1996, a presidential proclamation designated the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

For the commemoration in 1991, the hospital planted a tree as a living memorial to the 10 Navy corpsmen still missing in action, some since 1963.

“It may only be a statistic for some, but it’s a terrible tragedy to someone who knows that individual (a prisoner of war),” said Navy Capt. James J. Ware, acting commanding officer, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.

Today, more than 25 feet tall, the tree serves as a reminder to the families and friends of those still unaccounted for that they are not forgotten. Families, retired servicemembers and current military leaders gathered for the event in order to acknowledge that those still unaccounted for will not be forgotten.

Eckes, one of a few servicemembers to successfully escape from a POW camp during the Vietnam War, described to the crowd of more than 100 teary-eyed people, his experiences at a POW camp.

“Every prisoner was treated differently. Fear is always in your mind. Basically they (the guards) could do anything they wanted to us, and that included torture,” said Eckes.

Although his hair has grown to a considerable length past his shoulders, Eckes continues to maintain the Marine spirit that helped keep him alive as a POW and speaks at colleges across the nation about his experiences.

“If there is something that I took from my experience it is that whatever you take on, don’t quit,” Eckes said.

In 1998, the Defense Auth-orization Act made it a law that the POW/MIA flag be flown on Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day, and POW and MIA Recognition Day.

Photo by Lance Cpl. Antonio Rosas

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First national commemoration held since July 1979 for POWs,MIAs

29 Sep 2005 | Lance Cpl. Antonio Rosas Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton

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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif. -- “Once captured, there is no comprehending what goes through your head,” said former Marine and Vietnam prisoner of war, Walter W. Eckes, 59, who spoke at the Camp Pendleton Naval Hospital’s 15th annual Prisoner of War/Missing in Action remembrance ceremony Sept 16.

The first national commemoration for POWs/MIAs was July 18, 1979. Since then, Congress has passed yearly resolutions for the tribute. But in 1996, a presidential proclamation designated the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

For the commemoration in 1991, the hospital planted a tree as a living memorial to the 10 Navy corpsmen still missing in action, some since 1963.

“It may only be a statistic for some, but it’s a terrible tragedy to someone who knows that individual (a prisoner of war),” said Navy Capt. James J. Ware, acting commanding officer, Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton.

Today, more than 25 feet tall, the tree serves as a reminder to the families and friends of those still unaccounted for that they are not forgotten. Families, retired servicemembers and current military leaders gathered for the event in order to acknowledge that those still unaccounted for will not be forgotten.

Eckes, one of a few servicemembers to successfully escape from a POW camp during the Vietnam War, described to the crowd of more than 100 teary-eyed people, his experiences at a POW camp.

“Every prisoner was treated differently. Fear is always in your mind. Basically they (the guards) could do anything they wanted to us, and that included torture,” said Eckes.

Although his hair has grown to a considerable length past his shoulders, Eckes continues to maintain the Marine spirit that helped keep him alive as a POW and speaks at colleges across the nation about his experiences.

“If there is something that I took from my experience it is that whatever you take on, don’t quit,” Eckes said.

In 1998, the Defense Auth-orization Act made it a law that the POW/MIA flag be flown on Memorial Day, Armed Forces Day, Flag Day, Veterans Day, Independence Day, and POW and MIA Recognition Day.