POW/MIA Ceremony

On September 22^nd 2013 Detachment 415 took part in a ceremony that brought cadets, current service members and retired veterans, and friends and family together as one. The event that occurred that day was the Prisoner of War/Missing in Action vigil ceremony, a day when across the nation the POW/MIA flag is to be flown. The black flag serving as a reminder of those that served time as prisoners or that still are lost to us.

Leading the ceremony was Cadet Michael Krapf, the Arnold Air Society Commander. Cadet Krapf helped organize the ceremony with the help of the Jerry Kyser and the Minnesota Vietnam Veterans Charity organization. One of this year’s honored guests included Minnesota Secretary of State Mark Ritchie as well as the keynote speaker Sgt. Lester F. Schrenk (retired) who recounted his tour of duty as a ball turret gunner during World War II. The ceremony concluded with a wreath laying ceremony representing some of the major conflicts of the past century, honoring those who were prisoners of war during those conflicts or that are still lost to us today.

After the ceremony concluded members of Air Force Detachment 415 carried out a silent vigil for five hours. Every thirty minutes the guard would change and then carry on as before. Marching in front of the veteran wall located at TCF Bank stadium. While performing this task, the guard did not speak, and did not interact with anyone that passed by. Their silence was crucial in honoring those that suffered at the hands of their captors, or that still are missing today, remembering that they are not forgotten.

-Cadet Wells