FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 09/12/2025
For further information, contact:
Susan Scully Petroni
City of Framingham Public Information Officer
spetroni@framinghamma.gov
508-782-8629
Framingham To Hold POW/MIA Ceremony on September 19
FRAMINGHAM - The Framingham Veterans Council, in partnership with the City of Framingham, will hold the City’s first-ever POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony on Friday, September 19, at 12:15 p.m. in the rotunda of the Memorial Building, 150 Concord Street.
The public is warmly invited to attend this important observance, which honors America’s prisoners of war (POWs) and those still missing in action (MIA).
National POW/MIA Recognition Day is observed annually on the third Friday in September. Established in 1979, the day serves as a solemn reminder of the nation’s commitment to account for those who sacrificed their freedom, and in many cases their lives, in service to the United States.
Facts about POW/MIA:
- According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), more than 81,000 American service members remain missing from conflicts dating back to World War II.
- This includes approximately 72,000 from World War II, 7,500 from the Korean War, 1,500 from the Vietnam War, and smaller numbers from the Cold War, Gulf Wars, and other conflicts.
- Of those unaccounted for, more than 41,000 are presumed lost at sea.
Massachusetts POW/MIA Facts:
- More than 1,000 Massachusetts service members are still unaccounted for from past conflicts.
- During the Vietnam War, 39 Massachusetts residents remain listed as missing in action.
- Massachusetts has long been active in POW/MIA recognition, with the POW/MIA flag flown over the Massachusetts State House each year on this national day of remembrance.
“Framingham is honored to host its first official POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony,” said Mayor Charlie Sisitsky. “This event is about remembering the heroes who never returned home and showing their families that they are not forgotten.”
“POW/MIA Recognition Day is not only about remembering those we lost, but also about renewing our promise that they will never be forgotten,” said Framingham Veterans Council Chair Robert Downing. “This ceremony reflects our community’s respect, gratitude, and unwavering commitment to all who served.”
Earlier this year, the Framingham Veterans Council installed a memorial for POW/MIA in the rotunda of the Memorial Building.
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