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January 2005
"To preserve the memories and incidents of our
association in the Great Wars."
We also have another great responsibility – we
must maintain the memories and incidents of all that served in all
the Great Wars. One way we do this is by having a POW/MIA
Remembrance Service at every meeting that goes through the entire
list of items on a small table. Here is the ceremony:
POW/MIA
Remembrance Service
Members should remove their caps during this service.
“Those who have served, and those currently serving
in the uniformed services of the United States, are ever mindful
that the sweetness of enduring peace has always been tainted by the
bitterness of personal sacrifice. We are compelled to never forget
that while we enjoy our daily pleasures, there are others who have
endured and may still be enduring the agonies of pain, deprivation
and imprisonment.
“Before we begin our activities, we pause to
recognize our POWs and MIAs.
“We call your
attention to this small table which occupies a place of
dignity and honor. It is set for one, symbolizing the fact
that members of our armed forces are missing from our ranks. They
are referred to as POWs and MIAs.
“We call
them comrades.
They are unable to be with their loved ones and families, so we join
together to pay humble tribute to them, and to bear witness to their
continued absence.
“The table
is small, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner, alone against his
or her suppressors.
“The
tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions
to respond
to their Country’s call to arms.
“The
single rose in the vase signifies the blood they may have shed
in sacrifice to ensure the freedom of our beloved
United States
of America.
This rose also reminds us of the family and friends of our missing
comrades who keep faith, while awaiting their return.
“The red
ribbon on the vase represents the red ribbons worn on the lapels
of the thousands who demand, with unyielding determination, a proper
account of our comrades who are not among us.
“A slice
of lemon on the plate reminds us of their bitter fate.
“The salt
sprinkled on the plate reminds us of the countless fallen tears of
families as they wait.
“The glass
is inverted, they cannot toast with us at this time.
“The chair
is empty. They are NOT here.
“The
candle is reminiscent of the light of hope, which lives in our
hearts to illuminate their way home, away from their captors, to
open arms of a grateful nation.
“The
American flag reminds us that many of them may never return—and
have paid the supreme sacrifice to insure our freedom.
“Let us pray to the Supreme Commander that all of our
comrades will soon be back within our ranks.
“Let us remember—and never forget their sacrifice.
“May God forever watch over them and protect them and
their families.”
We also preserve the memories by participating in the
Memorial and Labor Day parades. We also participate in Grave
Visitation that we do semi-annually on Memorial and Labor Days in
which we place an American flag on the grave sites. We also do our
very best to take care of the widows and dependents of those that
serve the U.S. military in all of its functions. We have many
programs that we support. Blue Star Program for those dependents
left behind. Need a Lift, a scholarship program for college bound
students. And many other programs that we support through the BSB
community.
We also have many other programs that the Legion
participates in. Saint of Old, American Legion Endowment Fund, and
some other programs for veterans of all the wars. We also help with
veterans in filing and claiming VA benefits.
We must never forget those that have upheld our
freedom often with the highest price you can pay. Some still are in
harms way.
I would request that anyone reading this take a
little bit of time and say a small word for those still in harms
way.
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