Memorial flame will reach out to MIAs and POWs
By: Robyn Russo - Times Staff
BEAVER - Lloyd "Skip" Haswell hopes the flame that will burn at the Prisoner of War and Missing in Action memorial in Beaver's Quay Park from midnight today to midnight Saturday has a long reach.
"It's to light the way home for all POWs and MIAs," Haswell said.
Haswell, state chairman of the Vietnam Veterans of America's POW/MIA committee, said the local chapter will keep the flame lit for 24 hours this weekend to commemorate National POW/MIA Day, which is Sept. 16.
A motorcycle run will leave from the Rochester Veterans of Foreign Wars at 4 p.m. Saturday, arriving at the memorial for a service around 4:45 p.m. There will also be a reading of the names of all POWs and MIAs from Beaver County. According to Haswell, there are 14 from the Korean War, three from the Vietnam War and one each from Operation Desert Storm and the current war in Iraq.
Haswell said that the Quay Park memorial is one of only two in the United States dedicated to POWs and MIAs. Haswell said while there are still thousands of American POWs and MIAs from both the Korean and Vietnam wars, the military is able to locate more each year.
"These guys fought for America and they should be able to be brought home to America," Haswell said. "It just kind of eats at you, knowing there are families out there that can't bring their sons home."
Robyn Russo can be reached online at rrusso@timesonline.com.
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