The POW-MIA Remembrance Flag

The POW-MIA Remembrance Flag

The POW-MIA remembrance flag is one of the most solemn and powerful symbols of American patriotism and remembrance. It stands for Prisoners of War (POWs) and those Missing in Action (MIAs) – service members who never came home.

The flag design, with its black background, represents the sorrow, grief, and somber nature of the cause. The white silhouette, a profile of a man facing left, symbolizing the missing. The guard tower & barbed wire: Evokes the reality of captivity and imprisonment. The words, "POW-MIA" at the top is a stark reminder of those unaccounted for. And finally, the words "You Are Not Forgotten" at the bottom is a promise from a grateful nation to never leave our missing behind – to never stop searching.

Created in 1971 by the National League of POW/MIA Families, artist Newton Heisley, a WWII pilot, designed it based on his own son who was ill at the time – capturing the look of suffering and loss. Officially recognized by Congress in 1990, it’s the only flag other than the American flag ever to fly over the White House, the U.S. Capitol and all other federal buildings.

But why does it matter? It matters because the flag is more than just cloth – it’s a sacred symbol of our national promise that: We will bring them home. Or we will never stop trying!

To display the POW-MIA flag is to honor the sacrifice of the forgotten, and to remind every American that freedom has a price – sometimes paid in silence, sometimes in captivity, and sometimes in eternal uncertainty.

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