Carla Clark | For The Republic Honor Guard, provided by the American Legion Post 24, performs the Rifle Volley during the POW/MIA Recognition Day Ceremony at the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans, Columbus, Ind., Friday, September 20, 2024.
In 1979, the U.S. Congress declared the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day.
While the observance is often associated with the Vietnam War, Friday’s solemn ceremony at the Bartholomew County Memorial for Veterans honored those from every war who were imprisoned or unaccounted for as a result of their military service.
The event is especially important to family members and friends who are denied emotional closure because they have no idea what happened to their loved one, event organizer Bob Miller said.
This year’s guest speaker was Pat Downs McClintic. She is the widow of Sp4 Jerry Wayne Downs, who died on Sept. 19, 1966 in Vietnam after suffering a metal fragment wound when a Claymore mine detonated.
The couple had only been married 33 days when the husband, who was drafted, left for basic training. It was nine days after their first anniversary that Jerry Downs was killed in July, 1966 – just two months after starting his tour in southeast Asia. The 1963 graduate of Columbus High School was 21 years old.
Emcee Zack Ellison, a Marine veteran, explained why the Missing Man Table displayed at the event signifies those who are missing, but are not forgotten. Iraq War veteran Chris Fitzsimmons read the names and months in captivity of each of the 55 POW’s and MIA’s from our area.
Ringing the Honor Bell after each name was Gold Star mother Deb Kleinschmidt. Her son, Marine Sgt. Jeremy McQueary, was 27 when he lost his life on Feb. 10, 2010. It was during McQueary’s third tour of duty in Afghanistan that he was killed by an improvised explosive device.
Retired Navy chaplain E. Reeves Flint read the invocation and benediction, while solemn instrumental music was provided by the Southern Indiana Pipes and Drums. Vocal performances featured the Columbus Indiana Children’s Choir and Harvey Leggett, a pastor and former Marine.
The Bartholomew County Veterans Honor Guard provided the rifle volley, followed by Michael Schmelz of the Columbus City Band playing “Taps”.
The event is supported by the VFW Post 1987, the American Legion Post 24 and AMVETS Post 509.
