News

Museum of Aviation unveils POW/MIA memorial

  • Published
  • By Holly L. Birchfield
  • 78th ABW/PA
Robins Air Force Base, Ga. --  An 11-foot high granite memorial now stands on the grounds at the Museum of Aviation as a constant reminder of the sacrifice prisoners of war and military missing in action have made over the years.

The memorial, which is situated between the museum's Hangar One and the Century of Flight Hangar, was dedicated during a ceremony recognizing POW/MIAs at the museum Oct. 7 as about 500 people looked on.

The six-sided monument displays each of the armed forces branch emblems on 18-inch bronze plaques and the international POW/MIA symbol marks the sixth side.

David Cowles, project manager for the POW/MIA Memorial said the memorial is filled with symbolism.

"The medallions on all the faces represent all five of our uniformed services," he said. "They're placed in the sequence that they became actively involved under the United States of America as a service and finishes off with the international symbol of POW/MIA."

An eagle sits atop a platform at the head of the memorial with a broken chain around its foot to symbolize the freeing of POWs and their return home.

Retired Brig. Gen. James E. Sehorn, a former POW in Northern Vietnam from Dec. 14, 1967 to March 14, 1973, served as guest speaker at the ceremony. He said this portion of the memorial holds a special meaning for him.

"I am tremendously impressed with the way that the creators embodied the spirit of the prisoner into the eagle on top of that monument," he said. "The chain is broken, no longer tethered, free to climb and exercise the energies inherent to them and no longer subjected to an enemy's persecution, torture and abuse. I just think that picture with the chain flowing out behind that soaring eagle; I just think they did a beautiful job on it."

The American flag is nestled inside the memorial's columns underneath the top platform.

"The flag is in a granite enclosure and to us that signifies the protection of our freedom," Mr. Cowles said. "The unchained eagle is our hope that all POWs and MIAs would be released and returned back home."

Twelve years of fundraising by a committee of military members at Robins and community supporters made the memorial possible.

Ken Emery, Museum of Aviation director, said he's proud to have the memorial on display.

"The museum is honored to have this permanent memorial located on our museum grounds to recognize these heroes in a place that is available to the public and base personnel as a whole," he said.

The memorial features a granite base topped with a bronze eagle sculpted by Jon Hair, one of the most highly commissioned sculptors in the U.S.

Jim Balletto, former exhibit specialist at the museum, worked on the design of the memorial.

Danny Johnson, chairman for the 2008 POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony and Memorial Dedication, who has been involved in the recognition of POWs and MIAs for at least 10 years, said the memorial is a significant tribute for all service branches.

"It's significant for us because we wanted to do something that would encompass all of the services," he said. "You see a lot of memorials for the Vietnam era, and we felt that it should encompass all the wars that we have fought and give credit to all the services. We're doing that through the ceremony and memorial."

Mr. Johnson said there are at least 12 former POWs living in Middle Georgia.

On Tuesday, General Sehorn shared his memories of Navy Lt. Mike Christian, whom he said was 'an example of commitment in the face of adversity,' among other reflections of POWs.

"What I hope people take away is that the American warrior imprisoned and detained as a prisoner of war does not forget his fundamental duties and responsibilities to be a fighter and a warrior in the face of the enemy," he said. "Even though stripped of munitions and weapons and the ability to expend ordinance, the heart and the soul and the mind must continue to fight. I have been so blessed to have been able to serve with the men in the prison cells of Hanoi, to watch that commitment be held true."

General Sehorn said "even though POWs and MIAs are no longer physically engaged in combat, they're warriors in spirit."

The recognition ceremony also included music by the Heart of Middle Georgia Pipes and Drums and Master Sgt. Janis Thrift, who is in the Air Force Reserve Command, sang the national anthem, as well as presentation of the POW/MIA table.

JoAnne Shirley, sister of Maj. Bobby Jones, an Air Force flight surgeon who was declared MIA in Vietnam on Nov. 28, 1972, said it's important that people always remember POWs and MIAs and the sacrifices they've made.

"We have National POW/MIA Recognition Day in mid-September every year," she said. "That was instigated by the League of Families, and I believe that we, as a nation, have an obligation to those that serve that we never leave anyone behind on foreign soil and that we do everything we can to bring them home and to honor their service and everything they've done for us to live in a free world."