JAY – A ceremony was held at the Jay POW/MIA Remembrance Bridge as part of the area Memorial Day celebration Monday. A parade spanning Jay and Livermore Falls was also part of the festivities.
Participating in the bridge ceremony was the Jay Veterans of Foreign Wars, Livermore Falls American Legion and members of the Knights of Columbus.
The ceremony began with a VFW lineup and prayer led by VFW Chaplain Donald LeSuer. LeSuer is a World War II veteran who served in the Army Air Corps. A laying of wreaths at the monument was followed by a rifle salute and Taps, a military bugle call.
“The laying of the wreaths represents those who have fallen before us,” American Legion Commander Palmer Hebert said. Hebert said while many people think of only the Vietnam war when they think of prisoners of war and those missing in action, it is important to remember that it includes all wars.
“We had more MIAs in the Civil War and World War II,” Hebert said. “If we don’t start teaching our kids what this is all about it will be forgotten in years to come.”
The bridge was dedicated Aug. 25, 1992. A small monument and the names of those who are missing in action and those who have been repatriated are at the foot of the bridge.
VFW Honor Guard Capt. John Dube is caretaker of the site. Dube said his time there gives him solace and opportunity to reflect. “We were the fortunate ones who were able to come home,” he said. Dube is a Vietnam veteran who served 20 years in the U.S. Navy, retiring in 1982.
Dube said the search for missing soldiers took a back seat for many years, but in the late 1960s and early 1970s the issue was brought to the forefront by the families of those missing. “This is the grass roots of the POW/MIA issue. If we work together to keep this alive the government will continue to search,” Dube said.
The Jay monument originally contained 17 names of Maine soldiers missing in action. So far, three of those men have been repatriated, or brought home. A ceremony is also held at the bridge each September on POW/MIA Remembrance Day.
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