POW/MIA Remembrance Day Ceremony
Friday, September 15, 2023
11:30 am: Pre-ceremonial concert
12:00 pm: Ceremony
Honoring former prisoners of war and those missing in action and unaccounted for, as well as their families.
Many service members suffered as prisoners of war during several decades of varying conflicts. Many others are missing in action and never made it home. Join us on Sept. 15, 2023, for POW/MIA Remembrance Day, as we come together as a nation to honor these individuals and their families who paid a cost that seems unimaginable still today.
With the support of the Indiana National Guard ceremonies team, representatives from all military service branches, the City of Indianapolis, and the State of Indiana, the ceremony was uniquely created for citizens of Indiana to honor, thank and recognize the sacrifices made by former Indiana Prisoners of War and their families, as well as the families of Indiana’s Missing in Action. The Council fully understands the importance of this remembrance to so many and feels strongly about our ongoing commitment to those who have gave so much.
For programs, photos and videos from our past ceremonies, please view the Archives or visit our Facebook page.
Keynote Speaker: Porter Halyburton
Porter Halyburton was trained as an F-4B Phantom II Radar Intercept Officer, and then joined VF-84 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, in April 1965. He began flying combat missions in Southeast Asia with VF-84 flying off the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVA-62) in May 1965 and was forced to eject over North Vietnam while flying his 75th combat mission on October 17, 1965. He was listed as Killed in Action. After spending 2,675 days in captivity, LCDR Halyburton was released during Operation Homecoming on February 12, 1973.
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
The Indianapolis POW/MIA Council, Inc. extends our gracious thanks to whose who made significant contributions to make today’s ceremony possible.
SPECIAL ACCOMMODATIONS
If you need to request special accommodations for the POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony, please email indy.pow.mia@gmail.com.
RESOURCES
Rolling Thunder®, Inc. Indiana Chapter One
Rolling Thunder® Inc. Indiana, is a non-profit advocacy organization that serves to educate the public that many American Prisoners of War were left behind after all previous wars and to help correct the past and to protect the future Veterans from being left behind should they become Prisoners Of War-Missing In Action. They are also committed to helping American Veterans from all wars.
Indianapolis War Memorials Foundation
The Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides financial support for the museum, memorials, monuments and parks that the Commission manages and operates. Together, we honor the valor, history and sacrifice of Hoosier veterans.
Mission: POW-MIA
We are pursuing our mission of achieving the fullest possible accounting of missing and unaccounted-for Americans from past conflicts through partnerships, research and outreach; by collaborating with like-minded organizations; advocating for our families as they S.E.A.R.C.H. for answers; conducting research and investigations to aid in case resolution to end uncertainty; informing and educating current and future generations; honoring the service and sacrifices made by past generations and their families and ensuring our Nation fulfills its promise to “leave no one behind.”
