"Missing POW/MIA Table and Honors Ceremony"
Today, we pay tribute to the men and women who have served our nation unselfishly. Within each of us lies the American spirit, a burning desire to dedicate and commit ourselves to the American ideals of freedom. This desire is deep within the heart and soul of each soldier, sailor, airman, marine and cost guardsman. It is undaunted by weather conditions, living conditions, or hardship of mission.
When the bells of freedom first rang out, we were there at Bunker Hill, Lexington and the brutal winter at Valley Forge. Thousands of us gave our lives at Bull Run, Manassas, Antietam and Gettysburg. We rode with Teddy Roosevelt and his rough riders up San Juan Hill. Whenever and wherever America called, we were there.
We fought battles of the Marne and Chateau Thierry in World War I.
We were at the Battle of the Bulge, the Ardennes Forest and all along the European front of World War II. We endured Corregidor. We survived the Batten Death March. We raised the Flag at Iwo Jima. We landed at Utah and Normandy on D-Day, 1944. We have never failed to answer our Country's call.
We fought the unrelenting fight a tithe 38th parallel, better known as Korea.
We trudged through the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos.
We were the 241 marines killed in Beirut.
We were the pilots who flew the daring mission against Libya and international terrorism.
American has always counted on us. We were the peacekeepers in Sinai; liberators of the tiny island nations of Grenade; restorers of democracy in Panama; victors in the sand of the Middle East. We are givers of hope in Somalia and Bosnia.
America's military has always been the beacon of freedom, shinning for all to see. We have marched with our heads held high and served with pride.
Through all these periods of war and American history, one question remains unanswered. Where are our brothers; our prisoners of war; our missing in action veterans?
This is not an absence of choice but rather one, which emulates duty, honor and Country. Let us remember their absence.
We call your attention to the small table, which occupies a place of dignity and honor. It is set for one symbolizing the fact that members of our armed forces are missing from our ranks. They are referred as POW's and MIA's. We call them comrades. They are unable to be with their loved ones and families, so we join together to pay humble tribute to them, and to bear witness to their continues absence.
The table is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone against his or her suppressors.
The table cloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intensions to respond to their Country's call to arms.
The single red rose in the vase signifies the blood they may have shed in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved United States of America. This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing comrades who keep faith, while awaiting their return.
The red ribbon on the vase represents the red ribbons worn on the lapels of the thousands who demand, with unyielding determination, a proper account of our comrades who are not among us.
A slice of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate.
The salt sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen hearts of families as they wait.
The glass is inverted, they cannot toast with us at this time.
The chair is empty. They are NOT here.
The candle is reminiscent of the light of hope, which lives in our hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors , to open arms of a grateful nation.
The American Flag reminds us that many of them may never return - and have paid the supreme sacrifice to insure our freedom.
In honor of the United States military, we place this cap.
Please observe one minute of silence to honor these missing Americans.
Remember them, for surely they remember you.
Let us now raise our water glasses in a toast to honor America's POW/MIAs and to the success of our efforts to account for them. May God forever watch over them and protect them and their families.
TABLE SET UP:
1. A small table
2. White tablecloth
3. Single place setting, preferably all white
4. Wine glass - inverted
5. Salt shaker
6. Slice of lemon on bread plate with a pile of spilled salt
7. Small bud vase with a single stem red rose
8. Red ribbon tied around the vase
9. Candle - lit
10. Empty chair
Artwork: AII POW-MIA