National Pow/Mia Recognition Day

Floor Speech

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Mr. CRAPO. Mr. President, in honor of the observation of National POW/MIA Recognition Day this September 17, 2021, I join in raising awareness about the more than 81,600 Americans the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, DPAA, reports remain missing from World War II, the Korean war, the Vietnam war, the Cold war, the gulf wars, and other conflicts. Thank you to the members of the POW*MIA Awareness Rally Corp. of Pocatello, ID, and other similar groups for their unwavering commitment to keeping the need to bring all missing American servicemembers home at the forefront of our national focus.

Etched on the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery are the words, ``Here Rests In Honored Glory An American Soldier Known But To God.'' The tribute prompts reflection on the American servicemembers, many also in graves known but to God, who have not yet been identified or returned home. This year marks 100 years since the first unknown soldier, a World War I veteran, was interred at the tomb. Over the century since, a World War II, a Korean war, and a Vietnam war veteran were also laid to rest in the tomb. Following the identification and exhumation of the interred Vietnam veteran Air Force First Lieutenant Michael Joseph Blassie, the empty crypt was rededicated to honor American servicemembers who remain missing in Southeast Asia.

The DPAA reports 75 percent of lost Americans are located in the Indo-Pacific, and more than 41,000 of the missing are presumed lost at sea. My heart remains with the families of the missing and those working tirelessly, often through significant challenges to get needed answers, to bring them home. Despite the difficulty, the DPAA has reported accounting for more than 100 of America's missing since the start of this year. This includes Navy Fireman 2nd Class Carl M. Bradley who was killed in action aboard the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941. He was returned to rest in his hometown of Shelley, ID, earlier this year.

To support these efforts, work continues toward reintroducing the Bring Our Heroes Home Act to provide a more efficient process for accessing records needed for recovery efforts of missing servicemembers. We can never let up in bringing home all our Nation's heroes, including the 358 Idahoans, who have yet to be returned. Our country's dedication to bringing our lost servicemembers home must mirror the precision, stamina, formality and respect with which The Old Guard unwaveringly protects the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. They resolutely honor our Nation's unidentified and missing servicemembers, as we must in steadily pressing forward to get answers for the families who await their return.

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