HILL AIR FORCE BASE — In honor of POW/MIA Recognition Day on Sept. 18, Airmen from Team Hill participated in a 24-hour vigil run and a commemoration ceremony.

Since 1979, POW/MIA Recognition Day is held the third Friday of September in order to recognize the nation’s prisoners of war and those service members who are still missing in action.

“We assemble and pay tribute to the tremendous sacrifice of the men and women who have served for our freedom and show reverence to those who have served before us, especially our prisoners of war and those missing in action,” said Col. Jenise Carroll, 75th Air Base Wing commander. “We vow to their families with America’s promise to never give up on the search for their return.”

According to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, there are still more than 81,900 Americans still missing from World II, the Korean War, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War. Visit www.dpaa.mil to learn more about the agency’s program to account for the nation’s missing personnel from past conflicts.

The Hill AFB commemoration ceremony featured guest speaker Mark Stephensen, National League of POW/MIA Families vice chairman. The ceremony can be viewed at www.facebook.com/hillairforcebase/live.