Never Forget! Honoring the Unseen Heroes: The POW/MIA and the Missing Man Table on Memorial Day.

Never Forget! Honoring the Unseen Heroes: The POW/MIA and the Missing Man Table on Memorial Day

This Memorial Day, as we honor those who have bravely served and sacrificed for our country, we also remember the heroes who are not with us today—the prisoners of war (POW), those missing in action (MIA), and all who have served and never returned. We recognize their absence and keep their memories alive with a poignant symbol of remembrance: the Missing Man Table.

Each element of the Missing Man Table is steeped in symbolism:

The Table: Small and set for one, symbolizing the frailty of one prisoner alone against his or her oppressors.
The White Cloth: Symbolizes the purity of their motives when answering the call to duty.
The Single Red Rose: Displayed in a vase reminds us of the life of each of the missing, and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith, awaiting answers.
The Yellow Ribbon: Tied around the vase represents our continued determination to account for our missing.
A Slice of Lemon: On the bread plate is to remind us of the bitter fate of those captured and missing in a foreign land.
A Pinch of Salt: Symbolizes the tears endured by those missing and their families who seek answers.
The Bible: Represents the strength gained through faith to sustain those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.
The Glass: Inverted, to symbolize their inability to share this evening's toast.
The Chair: Is empty, for they are not here.

On this day of remembrance, let the Missing Man Table serve as a reminder that we are never whole without our comrades who are POW/MIA—they are missed, they are loved, and they are never forgotten.

Our thoughts are with them, and our hearts are heavy with the hope that someday they will return home or be accounted for.

Today, as we enjoy the freedoms and peace they fought so bravely to secure, let us pause to reflect and honor these unseen heroes. Their sacrifice is a solemn reminder of the cost of liberty and the enduring spirit of those who serve.