WHEREAS, 1,589 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, as well as 7,663 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, and 72,707 from World War II, though thousands from World War II are assessed as unrecoverable deep-sea losses; and

WHEREAS, the families and friends of unaccounted for Vietnam War Veterans, as well as countless fellow Veterans and other Americans, still await recovery and identification of their remains or clarity regarding their fates; and

WHEREAS, successive administrations have reinforced our commitment to accounting for our nation’s POW/MIAs as a high priority of the United States; and

WHEREAS, POW/MIA Recognition Day is a way to honor our prisoners of war and missing in action soldiers, especially by advocating for greater assistance from other countries in providing documents and answering questions about unaccounted for American soldiers; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine commends our nation’s commitment to account as fully as possible for Americans still missing from our nation’s wars; and

WHEREAS, the State of Maine and its citizens observe the third Friday in September as Prisoner of War – Missing in Action Recognition Day in accordance with Title 1, MRS § 136; 

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved that I, Janet T. Mills, Governor of the State of Maine, do hereby recognize September 16th, 2022 as 

POW/MIA Recognition Day

throughout the State of Maine in honor of all Americans still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, Korean War, Cold War, and World War II, and urge all citizens to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, honor, and respect.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the Great Seal of the State to be hereunto affixed GIVEN under my hand at Augusta this thirtieth day of September Two Thousand Twenty-Two