The Charlotte County VFW Post 8902 will be holding a POW-MIA National Recognition Day on Friday, September 15, at 1 p.m. in the Town of Phenix at the intersection of Rt 40 and Rt 727, across from Dollar General and Dave Richmond’s service station.

VFW Post 8902 quartermaster Butch Hamlett said the event is open to the public and represents a day of remembrance to prisoners of war and those still missing in action today. According to Hamlett VFW Post 8902 will also hold a flagpole dedication.

According to the defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency as of the latest update on May 22, more than 81,000 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Gulf Wars/other conflicts.

Out of the total, approximately 75% of the losses are located in the Indo-Pacific region, and over 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea (such as ship losses and known aircraft water losses).