This year’s First District Silent March was in a beautiful place on a perfect day. We were joined by Local Police and the Elkhorn VFW. The following Posts participated in the march: 21, 24 45 135, 172, 183, 188, 327, Also participating were the Department ALA units 35 24 and 95, SAL Squadrons, and the Legion Rider Officers. Also participating were the Local VFW District officers. Commander Bond noted that Veterans from different organizations participating in events such as together is important to the Veteran Community.
Check out the “Media” menu above to get to a photo album of the event.
Commander Bond’s remarks follow:
There are One-thousand, five-hundred, four Wisconsinites unaccounted for from conflicts involving the United States since December 1941.
No group has invested more in The United States of America than her military veterans and their families. We are the ones who have risked life and limb. We are the ones who have given blood, sweat, and tears. We are the ones who have been witness to the sacrifices of our comrades, even the ultimate sacrifice. No one is more invested in America than we are.
We the members of The American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars are here today because of those 1,504 Wisconsinites and the other nearly 80,000 unaccounted for US military-service members. We are here to remember them. We are here to remember the families who do not know the fate of their Solider, Marine, Sailor, Airman, or Coast-Guardsman.
We are not just here to remember though. We are here to insist that the efforts for a full accounting of these individuals be continued; that these families receive the closure they deserve. We are here to insist that the efforts—both nationally and here in Wisconsin—to complete this noble effort, be fully funded. We call upon the candidates for the Wisconsin Legislature and Governor’s office to commit to fully funding The University of Wisconsin Missing-In-Action Recovery and Identification Project. The Project’s team members recover, identify, and repatriate the remains of U.S. service members by conducting annual field excavations and year-round research assistance to families of missing service members. The project consists of an interdisciplinary team of academic experts and student volunteers in the fields of history, archaeology, forensic anthropology, and biology, all collaborating to make the mission a success. Our Wisconsin Leaders must fully fund this project’s mission.
So, thank you all for being here today, and thank you in advance for calling your preferred candidate and asking for their commitment to funding the UW’s MIA Recovery and Identification Project.