UNCLASSIFIED
ROUTINE
R 171513Z AUG 15
FM CNO WASHINGTON DC
TO NAVADMIN
INFO CNO WASHINGTON DC
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NAVADMIN 194/15

MSGID/GENADMIN/CHNAVPERS WASHINGTON DC/00/AUG//

SUBJ/2015 NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY//

RMKS/1.  This NAVADMIN announces 18 September as the 2015 National Prisoner 
of War/Missing in Action (POW/MIA) Recognition Day. National POW/MIA 
Recognition Day is a national day of observance for Americans to offer 
remembrance, honor, and reverence to those who were prisoners of war and to 
those who remain missing from our nations wars.  It is also a day to remember 
the POW/MIA families and the sacrifices they have endured.

2.  To commemorate this event, the President of the United States is expected 
to issue a presidential proclamation designating 18 September 2015 as 
National POW/MIA Recognition Day.

3.  The Navy has over 33,000 unaccounted-for Sailors from past conflicts.  In 
2015, the Navy experienced a significant high-profile event concerning the 
World War II missing.  On 7 December 1941, the USS OKLAHOMA (BB 37) was lost 
at Pearl Harbor after sustaining multiple torpedo hits during the attack.  At 
the time 377 USS OKLAHOMA (BB 37) Sailors could not be identified and were 
subsequently buried as unknowns.  On 14 April 2015, the DOD authorized their 
disinterment with the intent to make as many individual identifications as 
scientifically practical.  Over the next several years, we anticipate the 
return of many USS OKLAHOMA (BB 37) Sailors remains to their families.

4.  The Department of Defense and the Navy remain committed to the fullest 
possible accounting of the missing from past conflicts.  The defense POW/MIA 
accounting agency (DPAA) is the U.S. government agency leading the effort to 
account for missing service members. For more information on this effort and 
national POW/MIA Recognition Day please visit the DPAA web site at 
http://www.dpaa.mil/home.aspx.

5.  Additionally, pursuant to section 902 of title 36 U.S. Code, National 
POW/MIA Recognition Day is 1 of 6 official days the POW/MIA flag is required 
to be publically displayed with the United States flag at federal facilities.

6.  Navy commands are encouraged to host or support local national POW/MIA 
Recognition Day activities.  Activities can range from displaying the missing 
man table in work spaces to more formal ceremonies where a former POW or a 
family member of a current MIA would be a guest speaker.

7.  For information on specific NAVY MIA loss incidents to highlight at 
command activities or other POW/MIA information to aid in hosting such 
activities please contact the Navy POW/MIA branch via e-mail at mill_navypow-
mia@navy.mil or 1-800-443-9298.

8.  Released by Vice Admiral W. F. Moran, N1.//

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