THE WALL OF FACES

Thank you for your service to our country so long ago sir. The remembrances from those who wear/wore your MIA bracelet are moving. It remains my fervent hope you will be returned home after the passage of so many years.

Never forget.

HOOAH

The Department of Defense conducted ceremonies at the Pentagon and at Hickam AFB on Friday, 18 September 2020 in recognition of POW/MIA Recognition Day. Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Nordquist remembered the 1,586 MIAs from the Vietnam War as well as all those still unaccounted for from WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War and other conflicts. Director (Maj. Gen, USAFR, ret) Kelly McKeague of the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) also recorded a separate video message to Gold Star MIA families. Additionally, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) produced a “virtual” event on 18 Sep. Since the 2019 Ceremony, DPAA has positively identified 1 Vietnam War MIA. Major Frederick William Hess Jr., USAFA class of 1966, is one of those 1,586 MIAs unaccounted for in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War. He is also one of 2 graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs class of 1966 who is still MIA. The other USAFA Class of 1966 MIA is Capt. John Bush. As of the date of the ceremony, there are 41 Air Force Academy graduates who are MIA.

This is the link to the DoD/DVIDS video for the Pentagon ceremony:
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/766486/defense-officials-recognize-prisoners-war-missing-service-members-ceremony

This is the link to the DoD/DVIDS video for the Hickam AFB ceremony:
https://www.dvidshub.net/video/766491/admiral-commemorates-prisoners-war-and-missing-service-members-ceremony

This is the link to DPAA Director McKeague’s video statement:
https://vimeo.com/454474340

This is the link to the VVMF virtual remembrance: https://www.vvmf.org/POWMIA-2020/

Remembered on what would've been his 73d birthday - 20 October 2020.

The Department of Defense conducted a ceremony at the Pentagon on Friday, 20 September 2019 in recognition of POW/MIA Recognition Day. Deputy Defense Secretary David L. Nordquist remembered the 1,587 MIAs from the Vietnam War as well as all those still unaccounted for from WWII, the Korean War, the Cold War and other conflicts. Since the 2018 Ceremony, DPAA has positively identified 7 Vietnam War MIAs. Major Frederick William Hess Jr., USAFA class of 1966, is one of those 1,587 MIAs unaccounted for in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War. He is also one of 2 graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs class of 1966 who is still MIA. The other USAFA Class of 1966 MIA is Capt. John Bush.

This is the link to the DoD story about the ceremony:

https://www.defense.gov/explore/story/Article/1967474/prisoners-of-war-missing-in-action-remembered-at-pentagon-ceremony/

This is the link to the C-Span video of the ceremony:

https://www.c-span.org/video/?464524-1/pentagon-hosts-national-powmia-recognition-day-ceremony

Dear Major Frederick Hess, Thank you for your service as a Tactical Fighter Pilot. You are still MIA. Please come home. It is almost Memorial Day when we honor you. Please watch over the USA, it still needs your courage. Be at peace.