Though they live by the Warrior creed, swearing to always place mission first, to never accept defeat, never quit and to never leave a fallen comrade behind, many U.S. military members and civilians remain missing from past wars. The search continues each day to find those who are not accounted for. In Michigan we remember a special Army Reserve Soldier, Sgt. Ahmed K. Altaie, of Ann Arbor, who was listed as missing/captured in Iraq on Oct. 23, 2006.

In the past year, five Michigan servicemen listed below were identified and returned to their families.

• Staff Sgt. Walter Schlosser, U.S. Army Air Force (WWII) of Lake City
• Tech. Sgt. Robert C. Morgan, U.S. Army Air Force (WWII) of Flint
• Capt. Richard H. Simpson, U.S. Air Force (Korean War) of Fairhaven
• Pfc. Billy M. MacLeod, U.S. Army (Korean War) of Cheboygan
• Spc. Byron J. Fouty, U.S. Army (Iraqi Freedom) of Waterford

On this solemn day, the POW/MIA flag flies over the White House, the Michigan Capitol, and veteran's war memorials nationwide as a pledge to account for the missing U.S. servicemen.

By the end of the Vietnam War, more than 2,500 service members were listed by the Department of Defense as Prisoner of War or Missing in Action. In 1979, as families of the missing pressed for full accountability, Congress and the President proclaimed the first National POW/MIA Recognition Day to acknowledge the families' concerns and symbolize the steadfast resolve of the American people to never forget the men and women who gave up their freedom protecting ours.

The public is invited to attend the ceremony.

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