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Still missing...


This one goes out to all the men and women who are willing to sacrifice their lives, peace of mind, and whatever else is asked of them to maintain our way of life.

Walking up to the state capitol today, I could tell it was going to be different from the other times I attended the reading of the names to remember the men from North Carolina still unaccounted for from the war in Southeast Asia (better known to us as the Vietnam War).  A crowd of veterans was gathering on the lawn of the capitol as the area around the Vietnam War Memorial was prepared. Flags for the US, NC, NCVVI, and each of the military branches were placed in the ground. The sound system put in place. And the missing man table set for another month of remembrance. The lawn was abuzz with men and women sporting the patches of Rolling Thunder, American Legion Riders, and Combat Veterans.  All here to remember the 41 from North Carolina who have yet to come home.

The past few months I have attended, spectators stood in a line on the side. Everyone had a front row view. Today, I found myself in the middle of a crowd. My daughter on one side, a Vietnam Vet on the other, and veterans of Operation Freedom in front of me. I pledge the flag Monday through Friday. Always in the back of my mind are the men and women who are willing to fight for our freedom. I am proud that my son and so many that I call friend are among that group. Today, as my hand rested over my heart and those around me saluted, I had difficulty getting the words out past the lump in my throat as the magnitude of their sacrifice was evident.

41 men. Fathers. Brothers. Friends. Uncles. Sons. 41 from North Carolina who never returned home. (The Department of Defense reports that there are over 83,000 men and women still missing from all of our wars.) The reading of the names keeps their memory alive. After the reading of the names, the missing man table is presented. Forever in my memory will be the sight of the veteran saluting the empty table of his missing comrades before explaining the meaning of the items.

Today, the United States has one of its own being held as a prisoner of war. Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl has been in captivity since 2009. As far as we know, he is still alive. We need to speak up. Not only for Sgt. Bergdahl, but for all the men and women who have yet to return home. Whether they went off to war because they were drafted or whether it was their choice, as a country we asked them to put their lives on the line to defend our way of living. We have a responsibility to them.

The men of North Carolina yet to return home:

Avery, Robert  - USMC
Belknap, Harry – USN
Borden, Murrau – USAF
Brice, Eric – USN
Brown, Edward – USN
Canup, Franklin – USN
Clarke, Fred – USAF
Cook, Glenn – USAF
Craven, Andrew – USA
Crews, John – USAF
Cristman, Frederick – USA
Curlee, Robert – USA
Davis, Edgar – USAF
Gatwood, Robin – USAF
Gore, Paul – USN
Gravitte, Connie – USAF
Hall, Fredrick – USAF
Hargrove, Joseph – USMC
Harris, Harold – USA
Howard, Luther – USA
Howell, Carter – USAF
Huie, Litchfield – USN
Jamerson, Larry – USA
Johnson, William – USA
Lewis, Charlie – USA
Lewis, Larry – USN
Luttrell, James – USA
McDaniel, John – USAF
Moore, Jerry – USA
Morgan, Edwin – USAF
Morrow, Larry – USA
Omelia, Dennis – USA
Palmgren, Edwin – USAF
Price, Bunyan – USA
Staton, Robert – USA
Sutton, William – USAF
Watson, Jimmy – USA
Weaks, Melvin – USA
Wellons, Phillip – USAF
Wilson, Wayne – USMC
Wood, Walter - USN

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