You are not forgotten

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt Bryon McGarry
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Cool September breezes and overcast skies set the somber tone for Friday afternoon, as the Iceman Team gathered to honor those servicemembers lost but not forgotten during National POW/MIA Recognition Day at Heritage Park here.

The 354th Fighter Wing assembled at the site for a recognition and retreat ceremony; the weather a subtle and fitting backdrop for tribute to lost brothers and sisters in arms and their families from American conflicts past, present and future.

"World War II officially ended 60-plus years ago - a war that for America lasted less than four years, but claimed 400,000 American lives and saw more than 100,000 Americans taken as prisoners of war, one of them my grandfather," said Brig. Gen. Dave Scott, 354th FW commander, "and one that continues to list more than 78,000 Americans as missing in action."

General Scott recounted comrades lost in wars and conflicts past and charged the wing to always remember their sacrifice with a quote from President Bush, "We re-affirm our commitment to those who have suffered the horrors of enemy captivity, to those who have yet to return from battle, and to their families. We remain dedicated to achieving the fullest possible accounting of our prisoners of war and missing in action and bringing them home with the honor and dignity they deserve."

General Scott stressed continual resolve and iron will as keys to both rescuing and recovering lost comrades and to staying the course in the Global War on Terrorism.

"Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks," General Scott said. "The tragedies of that day, as well as our ongoing combat operations in the war on terrorism, serve as a solemn reminder that service and sacrifice are really a part of our lives."

General Scott noted the giant flag that was unfurled following the 9/11 Pentagon attack as a symbol of the resolve and determination of the American spirit.

"That flag is a vivid testament to a greater truth - no one that comes into our house can destroy its foundation...the ideals upon which our military services, and indeed our nation, are built."

Airman 1st Class Ramsey Gardner, Eielson Honor Guard member, had the distinct honor of playing Taps following General Scott's words, a privilege he said he won't forget anytime soon.

"I think it's good that we take time out to honor those who've sacrificed much more than we have," he said. "The fact that I'm able to be a part of something so much bigger than myself is truly humbling."

If the POW/MIA Recognition ceremony served as a thoughtful and stoic message of remembrance to the wing, then the retreat ceremony immediately following was no doubt a purposeful and pointed reconstitution.

As the fleeting Alaskan sun shone through, dispersing the thinly veiled cloud shell above the park, flag bearers and Eielson Honor Guard members commenced with their duty - lowering the 50 state flags and Old Glory with renewed vigor.

And as the National Anthem played proudly, wing at attention and offering its sharpest salutes, a fitting final tribute flew overhead in the form of a three-ship A-10 formation - the fourth notably absent in honor of the occasion.

1st Lt. Jake Stevens, 355th Fighter Squadron Pilot and member of the formation, said participating in the event was more than a privilege...it was an obligation. "Getting picked to be part of the formation...it's a true honor," he said. "It's one of the most gratifying things we can do, especially as a pilot, and something I think we have to do to remind ourselves that they're still out there waiting to come home."

General Scott's final words perhaps best framed the occasion: "Let us remember those who put country before self and did not return home to their families," he said. "Let us remember the families of the missing who continue to burn the candle of hope. And let us continue to tell America that without the service and sacrifice of the American serviceman and woman, there would not be a United States of America."