OBSERVED ANNUALLY · THIRD FRIDAY OF SEPTEMBERPOW/MIA
RECOGNITION
DAY
The only official national day of observance dedicated entirely to honoring Americans who were prisoners of war or remain missing and unaccounted for - from all conflicts, in all theaters, and from every branch of service.
NEXT OBSERVANCESEPTEMBER 18
2026
HISTORY OF THE DAY
From its origins to a nationally codified annual observance now held worldwide, National POW/MIA Recognition Day has grown alongside the League's own five-decade effort to hold the country to its promise that none are forgotten or left behind.
PRECURSORS
Jimmy Carter - National Day of Prayer for those missing
The First National Commemoration
Until July 18, 1979, no special commemoration had been held to honor America's POW/MIAs — those returned and those still missing and unaccounted for. That first year, resolutions were passed in Congress and the national ceremony was held at the National Cathedral in Washington, DC. A Missing Man Formation was flown by the 1st Tactical Squadron, Langley AFB, Virginia. The Veterans Administration published a poster bearing the letters "POW/MIA."
A MORE URGENT SYMBOL
The simple "POW/MIA" text poster format was replaced with a black and white drawing of a POW in harsh captivity — designed to convey the urgency of the situation and the priority that President Ronald Reagan assigned to achieving the fullest possible accounting for Americans still missing from the Vietnam War. For the following decade, various renditions of the American Eagle by artist and Vietnam Veteran Tom Nielsen came to symbolize America's POW/MIAs and the nation's determination to account for them.
A White House Ceremony — and a Debate Over Dates
The 1984 National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony was held at the White House, hosted by President Reagan. It remains among the most impressive ceremonies in the observance's history — the Missing Man Formation flown up the Ellipse and directly over the White House was described by witnesses as perhaps the most remarkable ever. That year, the American Ex-POWs had advocated for April 9th — the date during World War II when the largest number of Americans were captured. Legislation covering both dates was passed: July 20, 1984 (as initially proposed) and April 9, 1985. The April ceremony had to be cancelled due to inclement weather — a concern that had been raised from the start about an April date.
Steps of the Capitol, Facing the National Mall
The September 19, 1986 national ceremony was held on the steps of the U.S. Capitol facing the National Mall — concluding with a flight of high-performance military aircraft in Missing Man Formation. The ceremony drew members of Congress, returned POWs, MIA families, and thousands of Americans who gathered on the Mall.
The Third Friday in September — A Permanent Date
In an effort to accommodate all returned POWs and all Americans still missing and unaccounted for from all wars, the League proposed the third Friday in September: a date not associated with any particular war, not tied to any organization's national convention, and a time of year when weather nationwide is generally moderate. The date was adopted and has been observed annually ever since. Most national ceremonies have been held at the Pentagon, though the observance now takes place in communities across the country and around the world.
From Legislation to Annual Presidential Proclamation
National POW/MIA Recognition Day legislation was introduced yearly until 1995, when Congress opted to discontinue considering legislation to designate special commemorative days. Since then, successive Presidents of both parties have signed an annual proclamation designating the third Friday in September as National POW/MIA Recognition Day — making it a permanent fixture of the national calendar without requiring annual legislation.
A Day Observed Around the World
National POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremonies are now held throughout the nation and around the world — on military installations, ships at sea, state capitols, at schools, churches, national veterans and civic organizations, police and fire departments, and fire stations. The League's POW/MIA flag is flown, and the focus is ensuring that America remembers its responsibility to stand behind those who serve and to do everything possible to account for those who do not return.
HOW TO OBSERVE
Recognition Day is not a passive observance. It is a call to action — an annual opportunity for every American community to renew the national commitment to account for those who did not come home.