GREENVILLE – Greenville Veterans of Foreign Wars VFW Post 7262 hosted the “Ohio Wall,” bringing attention to P.O.W. and M.I.A.s still listed as missing and presumed to be alive.
“We have a lot of Veterans in Ohio who are still missing,” said Wapakoneta’s Ralph Reynolds, VFW Veterans of Foreign Wars Department of Ohio POW-MIA Chairman. “It’s our responsibility to reach out to the families of these missing and make sure they are still aware that we care and are here for them, and we are grateful to their sacrifice.”
The “Ohio Wall” originated and was built by an organization called “Chained Eagles of Ohio.” The organization consists of Veterans from Korea, Vietnam, the Gulf War, Iraq, Afghanistan, and concerned citizens.
“This wall is from the Ohio Vietnam era, all the prisoners of war or missing in action,” said Bill Ream, President of Chained Eagles of Ohio. “There are 138 on the wall, and 75 are still missing today.”
Their mission is to account for all men listed as missing and bring them home to their families. The organization also educates our youth about POW and MIA issues and ensures this does not happen to Americans again.
The Ohio Wall lists the names of POW/MIA servicemen who have not returned home. These individuals were reported missing between the years 1968 and 1976.
The Ohio Wall has 138 names of Ohio servicemen who served in Vietnam and are still listed as P.O.W.-M.I.A. Some have returned; however, most have not. Until all have returned, the Chained Eagles will continue their mission to get them home.
“It is endless what we need to do, what we can do,” Reynolds stated. “We have to educate our youth about what POW means and what this black flag represents. What we can do with the DPAA (Defense, POW-MIA, Accounting Agency) is endless.”
Following the viewing of the wall and a program, a dinner was open to the public at no charge.
Ohio has 290 VFW posts with 11 POW-MIA District Chairmen who assist Ralph Reynolds and the mission of returning our Brave American Heroes home.
