September 16, 2016 - VFW Post 8904 & Auxiliary hosted a POW/MIA Recognition event Friday, September 16, 2016 in front of the Shelby County Veterans Memorial.
Larry Hume, Post Quartermaster, led the event and Addie Boyd, Post Chaplain, gave the opening prayer.
"This third Friday of September we solute the men and women who served to keep America free and in doing so, sacrificed their own freedom," said Hume. "To remember the families of the missing, we continue to hope and pray that their loved one will someday be accounted for."
Hume reported there are over 83,000 Americans listed as missing and unaccounted for going back to World War II.
Allison Harbison, Shelby County Judge, hung the memorial wreath in honor of those who are still sought after.
According to Hume, Shelby County has had 30 citizens held as prisoners of war and 26 World War II and two in Korea, "four died in captivity while 22 lived through a terrible ordeal that we cannot imagine and by the grace of God, somehow returned home. All but one has since passed from this life."
Mary Fausett, Auxiliary Senior Vice and Sandy Risinger, Auxiliary President, read the names of former prisoners of war and they are as follows: Harlan F. Adams, World War II - German POW; Thermon D. Brittain, Sr., World War II – Bataan Death March, Japanese POW; Frank M. Butler, World War II - German POW; Basil A. Coats, World War II - German POW; Sam Davis, Jr., World War II - German POW; Dr. Roy L. Emken, World War II - Bataan Death March, Japanese POW; Ray Emmons, World War II - German POW; Newell Evans, World War II - German POW; Clifford Gary, World War II - German POW; Calvin R. Hutto, World War II - JApanese POW; Audrey C. Jacobs, World War II - German POW; Jesse F. Kennedy, World War II - German POW; Johnnie M. Lee, World War II, Japanese POW - Died in Prison Camp; Paul D. Lucas, Korean War, North Korean POW; Dravis Massie, World War II - Japanese POW; Austin W. Mayes, World War II - German POW.
Phillip E. Murphree, World War II - German POW; James H. Myers, World War II - Japanese POW; R.B. Neal, World War II - German POW; Truman B. Owens, World War II - German POW; George O. Rivers, World War II - Bataan Death March, Died in Japanese Prison Camp; George B. Stutts, Jr., World War II - German POW; Vernon B. Walters, World War II - Bataan Death March, Died in Japanese Prison Camp; Henry L. Wilburn, World War II - German POW; Hulon Williams, World War II - German POW; Levi A. Williford, World War II - German POW; Marshall (Tex) Windham, World War II - German POW; John E. Woodfin, Sr., World War II - Japanese POW; Hubert L. Langford, Korean War - North Korean POW; Billy Lee Wescoat, Korean War - Chinese POW.
Sherry Riley, Veteran's Service Officer, and Addie Boyd, VFW Post 8904 Chaplain, read the names of those still missing in action and they are as follows: John C.B. Alford, Missing May 7, 1942, Pacific Theater; Lloyd L. Andrews, Missing December 25, 1944, European Theater; Lee O. Brunson, Missing December 8, 1944, European Theater; John B. Byrn, Missing August 24, 1943, European Theater; Philip H. Childs, Missing July 29, 1942; Pacific Theater; James A. Cleveland, Missing September 7, 1944, Pacific Theater; Lewis V. Dockens, Missing June 2, 1942, European Theater; Reed Dominy, Missing April 15, 1944, European Theater; Roy V. Duncan, Missing April 16, 1945, Pacific Theater.
Hubert Haley, Missing May 14, 1942, European Theater; Pershing H. Harvey, Missing October 24, 1944; Walter B. Henry, Missing August 7, 1943, European Theater; Curtis Jolley, Missing October 24, 1944, Pacific Theater; Willie E. Lathon, Missing December 12, 1943, Pacific Theater; James A. McDaniel, Missing April 20, 1944, Pacific Theater; William L. Meek Missing February 21, 1945, Pacific Theater; Kenneth N. Nicholson, Missing October 27, 1942; Darwin Risinger, Missing September 5, 1945, Pacific Theater; John C. Scott, Missing June 19, 1944, Pacific Theater.
Choron Smotherman, Missing November 27, 1943, European Theater; Johnny F. Stack, Missing November 30, 1942, Pacific Theater; Richard M. Wallace, Missing August 25, 2016, European Theater; Robert H. Wharton, Missing November 20, 1943, Pacific Theater; Marion B. Whiteside, Jr., Missing October 19, 1942; Claude M. Wilkerson, Missing May 8, 1942, Pacific Theater; Elgie P. Williams, Missing December 6, 1943, Pacific Theater; Elmer E. Williams, Missing November 8, 1942, Pacific Theater; Ray D. Williams, Missing July 11, 1944, European Theater; Willie E. Windham, Missing August 12, 1950, Korean War.
Following the reading of names, a ceremony was performed to replace the POW/MIA flag which has flown for a year beside the courthouse. The ceremony was completed with the playing of taps.
