THE WALL OF FACES

I didn’t know you, but my heart and Great Respect go out to you. Thank you Brave Capt, and God Rest your soul.

Today, 29 October 2020, marks the 57th anniversary of the VC's capture of CPT Rocky Versace. * *

The Department of Defense conducted ceremonies at the Pentagon and at Hickam AFB on Friday, 18 September 2020 in commemoration 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. Captain Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace, USMA Class of 1959, is one of those 1,586 MIAs unaccounted for in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War. He is also one of 10 graduates from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who is still MIA. The other 9 USMA MIAs (rank, name & class) are: (1) Col. Wallace Hynds (1945); (2) Col. Herbert Brennan (1947); (3) Col. John Armstrong (1949); (4) Maj. Carl Mitchell (1950); (5) Col. Joseph Austin (1952); (6) Col. Lawrence Tatum (1953); (7) Col. Robert Stewart (1956); (8) Capt. James Dawson (1963); & (9) MAJ James “Cliff” McKittrick (1964). Additionally, CPT Versace is one of 7 MIAs whose name is chiseled into a stone bench beneath a Gold Star at the Captain Rocky Versace Plaza and Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Alexandria, VA. The other 6 MIAs (rank, name & service) are: (1) SFC Douglas Blodgett, USA; (2) Maj. Joe Davies, USAF; (3) Maj. Morgan Donahue, USAF; (4) 1LT Larry Lilly, USA; (5) 1LT Leland McCants, USA; & (6) Seaman Apprentice John Winkler, USN.

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/

* * Captured along with Rocky were 1LT James N. "Nick" Rowe, USMA 1960, XO SFODA-23 and SFC Daniel L. Pitzer, Senior Medical NCO, ODA-23.

The “Friends of Rocky Versace” remember Humbert R. "Rocky" Versace on what would’ve been his 83d birthday – 2 July 2020. As of this date, Rocky is one of 1,597 Americans who remain unaccounted for in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War. He is one of the USMA's 10 MIAs and the U.S. Army's only Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War whose remains have not been returned by the communists.

On the remembrance of your birthday, your sacrifice is not forgotten.

There is nothing that I can type or say that will do your legacy justice. Reading the posts from those who knew you...you were one Helluva soldier.

God Bless You.

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. Captain Humbert Roque "Rocky" Versace, USMA Class of 1959, is one of those 1,587 MIAs unaccounted for in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War. He is also one of 10 graduates from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point who is still MIA. The other 9 USMA MIAs (rank, name & class) are: (1) Col Wallace Hynds (1945); (2) Col Herbert Brennan (1947); (3) Col John Armstrong (1949); (4) Maj Carl Mitchell (1950); (5) Col Joseph Austin (1952); (6) Col Lawrence Tatum (1953); (7) Col Robert Stewart (1956); (8) Capt James Dawson (1963); & (9) MAJ James “Cliff” McKittrick (1964).

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

CPT Rocky Versace is the U.S. Army's ONLY Medal of Honor recipient from the Vietnam War whose remains have not been returned by the communists.