For more than a thousand families of servicemen still missing in action in Vietnam, the war never really ended.
“It’s still hard on them. They think about them every day,” said Tom Romzek, American Legion Post 63 member who served in the U.S. Army in Southeast Asia from 1966-1968. “I wish they were all accounted for. I have family in (the service) now, and I thank God none are missing.”
“It’s important to the families to get closure,” said Keith Marbutt, Post 63 commander.
The American Legion post hosts a ceremony led by the post Honor Guard to commemorate POW/MIA Recognition Day at the legion hall, 8047 Ortonville Road, at 6 p.m., Friday, Sept. 18.
“We would like to acknowledge any of our members or their family members who have been, or still are, a POW or MIA,” said Marbutt, who served in the Army in Europe during the Vietnam era.
At least three post members have been prisoners of war, one in Korea and two in Vietnam, he said.
“And we have at least two family members of POWs,” he said.
As of June 2015, 1,596 American servicemen were still missing in Vietnam, Marbutt said.
“The Army and Marines both have a saying, ‘Leave no one behind, no matter what,'” Romzek said.
‘We will never forget,” Marbutt said. “Even if one man is missing, we need to do everything possible to identify and bring back their remains.”
“Any chance we have to honor veterans is really important,” said Wayne Fisher, who served in the Army National Guard in the 1960s, including during the 1967 riots in Detroit.
“This has been near and dear to my heart ever since my boy went into the service,” Marbutt said. “That made it more important to me. I thought more about what would happen if he didn’t come back.”
Following the ceremony, the post will provide food and special drink prices in the clubroom and kickoff its annual Yellow Ribbon campaign.
“We accept any donation to put your name on a yellow POW ribbon and display it at our post between Sept. 18 and Veterans Day, Nov. 11,” Marbutt said. “Last year, we sent $1,000. We’d like to do that again this year.”
All proceeds along with a matching donation from Post 63 will be sent to the National League of Families to help with accounting for, and repatriation, of all recoverable remains of those who died serving our nation during the Vietnam War.
For ceremony recognition, send names, branch of service, and dates of captivity or MIA to kmarbutt@comcast.net, drop it off in the clubroom to the commander’s attention, or call 248 425-4410.