US MIA/POW Flag

By Crusader1307

Iconic and World recognized, The US Missing in Action/Prisoner of War Flag (MIA/POW) is sometimes referred to as simply The ''POW Flag'', is the only ''civilian created Flag officially recognized by The US Government. The Flag was first created in 1971 during The (then still active) Vietnam War by a coalition of Military Families whose loved ones were reported as ''Captured'' or of an ''Unknown Status'' (dead or missing and presumed dead). The US Congress approved the initial Flag design. A Black Field, the Center of The Field features in-depth imagery – all in stark White color. A Center Circle features the profile of an assumed American Military Captive. To this images Left is a Black Prison Watch Tower – to the Right, a portion of Barbed Wire. Above the imagery is the phrase (in White) – which reads ''POW/MIA''. Below the image is the phrase ''You Are Not Forgotten''. The American Flag was used originally to shed light on the many hundreds of unaccounted US Military which never returned (or had yet to be) from The North Vietnamese Government. Later, The Flag was used to identify those Military Personnel who had yet to be accounted for in all US Conflicts since The Vietnam War of 1965 to 1975. The Flag is normally not flown on Military Installations or Federal Government Buildings, but can be found flying from State, County and City related structures. Additionally, private Veteran Organizations within The United States use The Flag along with The National Colors. The Flag also generally is flown from National Cemeteries.