WHEREAS, 1,798 Americans are still missing and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War, including 10 from the state of Idaho, and their families, friends and fellow veterans still endure uncertainty concerning their fate; and

        WHEREAS, throughout our history, Americans held prisoners of war and those still listed as missing in action have been called upon to make uncommon sacrifices, enduring unimaginable suffering under the absolute control of the enemy; and

        WHEREAS, all Americans should recognize the special debt we owe to our fellow citizens who, in the act of serving our Nation, relinquished their freedom and selflessly sacrificed their lives so that we might enjoy the blessings of peace and liberty and personal safety; and

        WHEREAS, the pain and bitterness of war endures for families, relatives and friends of prisoners of war and those still listed as missing in action. Our State and our Nation will not rest in our efforts to seek answers to the many questions that remain about their fate, especially those last known alive in enemy hands or whose loss can be ascertained by the records of our former enemies; and

        WHEREAS, America’s POW/MIAs should be honored and recognized, instead of memorialized, causing all Idahoans to focus on the need to account for those still missing as much as possible; and

        WHEREAS, the State of Idaho commends the President for his recent recommitment to POW/MIA accounting as he affirmed to the families “to continuing the search for all military members missing in the line of duty….” as well as providing assurance “that this is an issue I will raise when I travel to Vietnam this fall.”;

        NOW, THEREFORE, I, James Risch, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim Friday, September 15, 2006, as

POW/MIA RECOGNITION DAY

in Idaho, a day dedicated to all former American prisoners of war, to those still missing, and urge all residents of the State of Idaho to join me in honoring these outstanding servicemen and their families with appropriate ceremonies and flying the POW/MIA Flag.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great Seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this 15th day of September in the year of our Lord two-thousand and six and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirty-first and of the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred seventeenth.

BEN YSURSA
SECRETARY OF STATE