THE WALL OF FACES

Do not stand at my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not sleep.
I am a thousand winds that blow.
I am the diamond glints on snow.
I am the sunlight on ripened grain.
I am the gentle autumn rain.
When you awaken in the morning's hush
I am the swift uplifting rush
Of quiet birds in circled flight.
I am the soft stars that shine at night.
Do not stand at my grave and cry;
I am not there. I did not die.

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. On the date of the ceremony, former MIA Captain Thomas Edward Clark, USAFA Class of 1963, was one of 1,052 Americans accounted for in Southeast Asia (SEA) from the Vietnam War. Seven of his fellow graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy at Colorado Springs class of 1963 are still MIA. They are: (1) Capt. Park Bunker; (2) Maj. Robert Gilchrist; (3) Capt. Clarence Hemmel; (4) Capt. Wayne Newberry; (5) Capt. Joseph Pirruccello; (6) Maj. Frank Ralston; and (7) Capt. Robert Rex. There are 41 USAFA graduates still MIA in SEA from the Vietnam War. These USAFA MIAs account for 27% of the 151 graduates who made the ultimate sacrifice in Southeast Asia from the Vietnam War.

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/

Information about the military service of former MIA Major Thomas Edward Clark, USAFA Class of 1963, whose name is on the U.S. Air Force Academy Association of Graduates Memorial Wall which includes those USAFA graduates who died or are MIA in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, from the U.S. Air Force Academy Library is at this link/URL:

http://memwall.usafalibrary.com/#memwallhomepage

Then search, alphabetically, for the name of Thomas Clark, USAFA 1963, to access additional information about this Vietnam War former MIA. This link/URL is applicable for ALL graduates on the USAFA AoG Memorial Wall.

Information about the loss of an F-100D Super Sabre jet aircraft from the 416th Tactical Fighter Squadron piloted by former MIA Captain Thomas Edward Clark, USAFA Class of 1963, in Southeast Asia (SEA) (over Laos) on 8 February 1969 is available at this link/URL on the Vietnam Air Losses website:

https://vietnamairlosses.com/loss.php?id=1397

While in MIA status, the U.S. Air Force promoted Capt. Clark to the rank of Major along with his Air Force Academy classmates.

Information about former MIA Major Thomas Edward Clark, USAFA Class of 1963, from the POW Network website is at this link/URL:

https://www.pownetwork.org/bios/c/c033.htm