09/19/2026
We were happy to welcome members of Rolling Thunder for our annual POW and MIA Recognition Day event Sept. 16. Rolling Thunder, Illinois, Chapter 2 has generously provided this ceremony for our staff and visitors for many years.
On National POW/MIA Recognition Day, officially recognized the third Friday in September, our nation takes a special moment to pay tribute to those who endured the horrors of enemy captivity and to those lost in service to our country. Our nation continues to be resolute in our relentless pursuit of those remains of service members who have yet to return home from war and our steadfast promise to their families that their loved ones will never be forgotten.
Today, more than 81,000 Americans remain missing from WWII, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Gulf Wars and other conflicts, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency.
The event includes the poignant Missing Man Table Ceremony, a dignified and solemn moment. Places are set for each branch of service but with in this case without chairs to signify missing comrades in arms will not be gathering.
The table is set with a white tablecloth, a single candle, a book of faith (optional), an inverted glass, and a single red rose in a vase, around which is tied a red or yellow ribbon. Also on the table is a plate containing a slice of lemon and a small amount of salt. The lemon is a reminder of the bitter fate of those who are missing, and the salt symbolizes their tears and those of their families. The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return. The inverted glass symbolizes the missing are not present to toast. Visitors to Lovell FHCC will see a permanent table display like this in the canteen.
Rolling Thunder’s mission is to educate the public that many American POWs were left behind after previous wars, help correct the past, and protect future Veterans from being left behind should they become POWs or MIA.
Across the nation, Rolling Thunder® Charities, Inc. spends hundreds of thousands of dollars each year to provide financial aid, food, clothing and other essentials to Veterans, homeless Veterans and Veterans’ families in need and women’s crisis centers. (Although they sponsor local motorcycle rides to raise awareness, owning a motorcycle isn’t a requirement to join.)
We thank Rolling Thunder for their ongoing support of our patients throughout the year.
