It’s been fifty years since the Viet Nam war. I grew up in those years, and even though I was a child, I clearly remember family discussions and the close watching of television news. Hanoi Jane was the subject of disgust (still is, in my opinion). The plight of POWs and those listed as MIA concerned us all; the war, although on the other side of the planet, seemed very close and personal. My brother was born in 1954, and drew a low lottery number. When the US finally withdrew, we all breathed a huge sigh of relief (and asked “WHY did it take so long for this to happen?” among other things).

On Memorial Day, we remember those in the armed forces who lost their lives in service to their country. There are some, though, who are classified as dead – but who are still Missing in Action.

We have gotten used to that black POW/MIA flag, but we should never take it for granted. One reminder that has fallen from the memory of most is the POW bracelet.

This bracelet, along with thousands of others, was sold in the early 1970s to draw attention to the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action personnel in the Viet Nam war. The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia has the history of the POW bracelet at https://www.pow-miafamilies.org/history-of-powmia-bracelets.html

I was thinking about these bracelets recently, and, curious, went digging in my memory banks (and the internet). I discovered that yes, there are still over 1,500 who served in that conflict who are still Missing In Action. Captain Donald Downing, named on the bracelet above, is one of them. I plan to leave this bracelet at the Wall when I am in Washington later this summer.

My brain stirs things up when I sleep, and I know I’d been thinking about our veterans, Memorial Day, and remembering those Viet Nam vets I’ve known. I woke up with a song in my head:

The Bracelet

There’s a bracelet in my jewelry box I’ve had for a long, long time
there’s a name engraved upon it, but that name isn’t mine.
This bracelet stands for so much more than just a date and name
it stands for a family that would never be the same.

This family was told back in 1964
what happened to their soldier, they may never know.
The man whose name’s upon this bracelet never came back home;
he’s one of the fallen still lost in Viet Nam

This bracelet says remember
this bracelet says I care
that there are the missing somewhere out there,
this bracelet says I’m sorry
our country let you down.
Still the search continues ‘til you are homeward bound.

In our nation’s capitol there stands a granite wall
58 thousand who sacrificed their all.
They all left behind families and friends
Pain of loss lingers on for all of them.

They wonder ‘bout the lives that they would never live
they wonder ‘bout the love that they would never give.
For some, their final resting places we can never say,
will they rest in peace half a world away?

This bracelet says remember
this bracelet says I care
that there are still missing somewhere out there,
this bracelet says I’m sorry
our country let you down.
Still the search continues ‘til you are homeward bound.

Every vet’ran knows about the highest price of all
A grateful nation thanks you for answering the call.
There are still the missing – and the search goes on
A promise made that will be kept to bring each lost one home…

Yes, this bracelet says remember
this bracelet says I care
that there are still missing somewhere out there,
this bracelet says I’m sorry
our country let you down.
Still the search continues ‘til you are homeward bound.

    B. D. Lowry copyright 2024

I’m presenting it for the first time on Memorial Day 2024, at the Memorial Day Remembrance Celebration with the Iberia Veterans’ Association. They ask me to participate in their events, and I am truly humbled and honored to do so.

To our Viet Nam Veterans: Welcome home. To all of our veterans: A grateful nation thanks you.