In 1971, Mrs. Michael Hoff, an MIA wife and member
of the National League of Families, recognized the need for a symbol of
our POW/MIAs. Prompted by an article in the Jacksonville, Florida
Times-Union, Mrs. Hoff contacted Norman Rivkees, Vice President of
Annin & Company which had made a banner for the newest member of
the United Nations, the People's Republic of China, as a part of their
policy to provide flags to all United Nations members states. Mrs. Hoff
found Mr. Rivkees very sympathetic to the POW/MIA issue, and he, along
with Annin's advertising agency, designed a flag to represent our
missing men. Following League approval, the flags were manufactured for
distribution.
On March 9, 1989, an official League flag, which
flew over the White House on 1988 National POW/MIA Recognition Day, was
installed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda as a result of legislation passed
overwhelmingly during the 100th Congress. In a demonstration of
bipartisan Congressional support, the leadership of both Houses hosted
the installation ceremony.
The League's POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever
displayed in the U.S. Capitol Rotunda where it will stand as a powerful
symbol of national commitment to America's POW/MIAs until the fullest
possible accounting has been achieved for U.S. personnel still missing
and unaccounted for from the Vietnam War.
On August 10, 1990, the 101st Congress passed U.S.
Public Law 101-355, which recognized the League's POW/MIA flag and
designated it "as the symbol of our Nation's concern and
commitment to resolving as fully as possible the fates of Americans
still prisoner, missing and unaccounted for in Southeast Asia, thus
ending the uncertainty for their families and the Nation".
The importance of the League's POW/MIA flag lies in
its continued visibility, a constant reminder of the plight of
America's POW/MIAs. Other than "Old Glory", the League's
POW/MIA flag is the only flag ever to fly over the White House, having
been displayed in this place of honor on National POW/MIA Recognition
Day since 1982. With passage of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense
Authorization Act during the first term of the 105th Congress, the
League's POW/MIA flag will fly each year on Armed Forces Day, Memorial
Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, National POW/MIA Recognition Day and
Veterans Day on the grounds or in the public lobbies of major military
installations as designated by the Secretary of the Defense, all
Federal national cemeteries, the national Korean War Veterans Memorial,
the National Vietnam Veterans Memorial, the White House, the United
States Postal Service post offices and at the official offices of the
Secretaries of State, Defense and Veteran's Affairs, and Director of
the Selective Service System.
Protocol for flying the POW/MIA flag
• On one flagpole, the POW/MIA flag is flown
below the American flag and above any state flag
• On two flagpoles, the POW/MIA flag is flown
on the same pole as the American flag, below the American flag (this
pole should be to the flag’s own right of the second pole). Any
state flag should fly on the second pole.
• On three flagpoles, the American flag should
be flown on the pole located to the flag’s own right, the POW/MIA
flag should be flown on the middle pole, and any state flag should be
flown on the pole to the (flag’s own) left.
