Tyndall honors POW/MIA during 24-hour vigil

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Javier Cruz
  • 325th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Tyndall Airmen once again rose to the challenge of honoring the 81st Range Control Squadrons' annual Prisoners of War and Missing in Action vigil run here Sept. 20.

The vigil run consisted of Airmen from all over Tyndall running laps around Flag Park for 24-hours to honor POW/MIAs. The Airmen took turns and cheered each other on as the POW/MIA baton was passed to fresh runners.

Other POW/MIA events included a luncheon with guest speaker retired Col. Ron Webb, an F-4C Phantom pilot who spent six years as a POW in Vietnam, the completion of the 24-hour vigil run, a wreath-laying ceremony and a closing retreat ceremony held at Flag Park.

In 1989, retired Lt. Col. Allen Bazzel, 81st Range Control Squadron commander and Capt. Daniel Williams, planted the seed for an event to locally honor and keep the memory alive of all POW/ MIA. The event comprised entirely of a 24-hour vigil run on the Tyndall flight line. The tradition has been carried on over the past 24 years.

Since then the run location has changed to Flag Park, but the spirit of the vigil remains the same.

Keeping with tradition, Lt. Col. Bruce Bunce, 81st RCS commander, and Master Sgt. Sara Anema, 81st RCS superintendent, along with approximately 30 other Airmen from the 81st RCS, completed the final laps of the vigil ending with a baton hand off between Colonel Bunce and Mr. Bagett, the AmVets commander.

"To be involved in an event like this means so much to me," said Sergeant Anema. "First of all, I have several family members who have served our great nation in every military branch and in World War I and II. Their service has inspired me to be more grateful of what we have available to us. It humbles me to play a small part in this important tradition."

National POW/MIA Recognition Day is traditionally observed on the third Friday in September each year.

"Military traditions, like honoring POWs and MIAs, are what inspire us to continue to strive for excellence in all we do, service before self and above all integrity. Without these traditions we would not have the stories and reasons to carry on the legacies set before us," Sergeant Anema said.

As the retreat ceremony closed, the message written on the POW/MIA flag in bold white on black was clear for all to see: You Are Not Forgotten.