[United States Statutes at Large, Volume 118, 108th Congress, 2nd Session]
[From the U.S. Government Printing Office, www.gpo.gov]

Proclamation 7815 of September 14, 2004


 
National POW/MIA Recognition Day, 2004


By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Throughout our history, when the enemies of freedom were on the march
and our country needed brave Americans to take up arms and stop their
advance, the members of our Armed Forces answered the call of duty.
These patriotic men and women defended our country in hours of need and
continue to stand watch for freedom. Many of these courageous
individuals risked capture, imprisonment, and their lives to protect our
homeland. On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, we honor the sacrifices
and remarkable determination of those captured as prisoners of war. We
also remember those who remain unaccounted for and ask for God's special
blessing on their families. Our Nation will not forget these heroes, and
we will not stop searching for our service members who are missing in
action.
On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the flag of the National League of
Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia is flown
over the White House, the Capitol, the Departments of State, Defense,
and Veterans Affairs, the Selective Service System Headquarters, the
National Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans Memorials, U.S.
military installations, national cemeteries, and other locations across
our country. This flag serves as a reminder of our continued commitment
to those still missing and those imprisoned while serving in World War
II, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf, Somalia, Kosovo, Iraq, and other
conflicts. We remain grateful for their service and sacrifice and pledge
to continue to achieve the fullest possible accounting for all of our
men and women in uniform still missing.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the United States of
America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and
laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim September 14, 2004, as
National POW/MIA Recognition Day. I call upon the people of the United
States to join me in saluting all American POWs and those missing in
action who valiantly served our great country. I call upon Federal,
State, and local government officials and private organizations to
observe this day with appropriate ceremonies and activities.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this fourteenth day of
September, in the year of our Lord two thousand four, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and twenty-
ninth.
GEORGE W. BUSH

PROCLAMATION 7816--SEPT. 17, 2004

[[Page 4179]]

118 STAT. 4179