News-Info-Alerts

To: ALL

From: Andi Wolos & Bob Necci
(POW-MIA InterNetwork)

Re: POW-MIA Remarks - Earl Pomeroy

Date: September 22, 1998

NATIONAL POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY
HON. EARL POMEROY
(Extension of Remarks - September 18, 1998)

[Page: E1757]

HON. EARL POMEROY

in the House of Representatives

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 18, 1998Mr. POMEROY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to call to the attention of my colleagues, the observance of the National POW /MIA Recognition Day. To commemorate this day, there will be an interservice flyover of the Pentagon & two of the four pilots hail from my state of North Dakota. Captain Jon Wutzke, and Major Michael Wobbema, will pilot two F-16s from the 199th Fighter Wing of the North Dakota Air National Guard.

Otherwise known as the `The Happy Hooligans', this wing is one of the most proficient and decorated units in the U.S. military. It was the first Air National Guard Unit to fly in a NATO operation in 1986. In 1994 this group entered and won the William Tell Air Competition against fighter squadrons from around the world. Captain `Moose' Wutzke and Major `Beamer` Wobbema, will help focus the attention of our nation on the over 85,000 military personnel who have been taken Prisoner of War or became Missing in Action since the beginning of World War II. I've included their call names because this identifies them as more than just military personnel with a rank, but individuals with personalities.

The flight formation used in this event is the `Missing Man' formation in which the number three position flown by our Major Wobbema draws attention to those who have not returned. Having said that, we must not forget those who cannot experience the things we take for granted every day, our lives, our homes, our families and our country. These pilots are trying to remind us of the risk all our military personnel take so that we may continue our daily lives with safety and without fear.