Past District Commander Philip Baker the POW/MIA Chairman for the Department of Missouri and Post Vice Commander, along with members of Post 281 raised awareness of the 37 Missouri MIA's still remaining in Vietnam. “They all deserve to be brought home and the Piedmont American Legion will continue to work towards that goal,” concluded Cmdr.
Baker at a recent helmet drive conducted on Saturday, to help in the recovery efforts of MIA's in the Viet Nam theatre. With the Republic of Vietnam improvement of efforts in the recovery of bodies of U.S. soldiers missing in action they wanted to assure that U.S. teams be funded. The downside to this is the U.S. Government had yet to come up with resources to properly fund the repatriation of those remains still remaining in the Vietnam theater of operations.
The official POW/MIA recognition day is always the third Friday in September. Legion members worked in shifts to participate in the helmet drive that was held at the stop light in the center of town. Thanks to the generous community that was receptive to their impassioned plea they raised in one day over $2,222 which will be forwarded on to assist in recovering remains of MIA's in Vietnam. Last year they raised in two days over $4,600.00 and their efforts led to the recovery of one of our 38 Missouri MIA's earlier this year by the returning of the remains of a Missouri soldier killed more than four decades ago when his Army helicopter crashed in Cambodia during the Vietnam war. The remains of Rodney Griffin arrived April 23rd at St. Louis Lambert International Airport. Patriot Guard motorcyclists led the hearse to Griffin's native mid-Missouri home in Centralia, Mo.
Thursday 24 September 2015
http://www.waynecojournalbanner.com/news/city/article_65223b3c-6203-11e5-a650-d3fb0e9255ff.html
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