- Executive Office of Veterans Services
Media Contact
Jacqueline Manning, Communications Director / Press Secretary
Boston, MA — The Executive Office of Veterans Services (EOVS) hosted a ceremony at the Massachusetts State House to commemorate National POW/MIA Recognition Day, paying tribute to America’s prisoners of war, those still missing in action, and the families who continue to carry the weight of uncertainty about their loved ones.
The program featured remarks by Secretary of Veterans Services Dr. Jon Santiago, elected officials, and Gold Star daughter Kim Benner, whose father, U.S. Air Force Capt. John W. “Sam” Carlson, was declared killed in action in Vietnam in 1966. Capt. Carlson’s remains have never been recovered.
“This day is not only about those who never came home, but also about the families who still wait and the survivors who endured captivity,” said Secretary Santiago. “The POW/MIA flag does not fly as a symbol of loss alone, but as a promise—that we will never forget and we will never give up.”
During the ceremony, Benner reflected on her decades-long journey to honor her father’s memory and her advocacy to fulfill the nation’s commitment to account for every missing service member. Through organizations like Sons and Daughters in Touch, Mission: POW-MIA, and the 2 Sides Project, she has helped build connections among families, veterans, and even former adversaries in Vietnam.
"For families like mine who work with equal parts hope and resilience to find and bring home loved ones who have been killed and captured, POW MIA Remembrance Day is a moment to both honor heroes like my dad, John Carlson, and to reaffirm our promise to bring him, and all those we've lost, home," said Kim Carlson Benner, Gold Star daughter; board member of Mission POW MIA and the Two Sides Project. "Accomplishing our mission requires both private and public sector support, and I'm proud to live in a Commonwealth that remembers who we've lost and is resolute in partnering with and pushing the federal government to account for our missing and captured heroes."
The ceremony also included the reading of the Missing Man Table script, the Governor’s POW/MIA Day proclamation, and the presentation of citations honoring families of the missing.
As part of the state’s observance, Governor Maura Healey has ordered both the United States and Massachusetts flags to be flown at half-staff on Friday, September 19. The order stems from the HERO Act, landmark veterans legislation signed in 2024. Last year marked the first time in state history that Massachusetts lowered its flag for POW/MIA Recognition Day.
“By lowering our flag, Massachusetts sends a clear message: we honor the sacrifice of our prisoners of war and those missing in action, and we stand in solidarity with their families,” Santiago added.
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Media Contact
Executive Office of Veterans Services
EOVS provides our veterans and their families with quality support services and directs an emergency financial assistance program for those veterans and their dependents who are in need.