National League of POW/MIA Families facts for kids
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| Established | May 2, 1970 |
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| Founder | Sybil Stockdale |
| Founded at | Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C. |
| Type | 501(c)(3), humanitarian organization |
| Headquarters | 5673 Columbia Pike, Suite 100, Falls Church, Virginia |
The National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia, usually known as the National League of POW/MIA Families, is an American group that helps people. It's a humanitarian organization that focuses on the issue of American soldiers who went missing or were captured during the Vietnam War.
This group's main goal is to find out what happened to all American service members who were lost in Southeast Asia. This includes getting any prisoners released, finding out everything possible about those who went missing, and bringing home the remains of those who died. The League's most famous symbol is its flag, which you might have seen.
The League's main office is in Falls Church, Virginia. It has one full-time worker and many volunteers. More than 1,600 U.S. service members are still listed as missing from the Vietnam War. The U.S. government and the National League of Families are still working to find out what happened to them. The League keeps pushing both the U.S. and Vietnamese governments to solve this issue for every family with a loved one still missing.
History of the POW/MIA Families League
The National League of POW/MIA Families started with groups formed by Sybil Stockdale and other wives of missing soldiers in 1966. This was in Coronado, California. Sybil Stockdale's husband, Navy Commander James Stockdale, was shot down in 1965. She wanted Americans to know how U.S. prisoners of war (POWs) were being treated.
Later, Evelyn Grubb joined because she was frustrated by the lack of information from government officials. These groups finally convinced the U.S. government to change its official approach to the POW/MIA issue in 1969. The National League of Families became a national organization in 1967. It was officially set up in Washington, D.C., on May 28, 1970.
Another important member of the League during the war was Joe McCain. He is the brother of John McCain, who was a U.S. Navy pilot, a prisoner, and later a U.S. Senator. The League became more well-known around the world in 1972. This happened when Life Magazine published a big article about the group.
The article began with a full-page photo of Major Wilmer Newlin Grubb. He was an Air Force officer and the husband of Evelyn Grubb, who was then the League's President. The photo was taken after he was shot down in 1966 and captured by the North Vietnamese Army. Evelyn Grubb also worked as the League's representative to the White House, the United Nations, and the Paris Peace Talks. She pushed for better care, more information, and the quick return of American POWs and MIAs. She also worked for better policies for their families. Evelyn Grubb found out after the war that her husband had died soon after being shot down.
The Famous POW/MIA Flag
The League's President at the time, Evelyn Grubb, helped create the well-known National League of Families' POW/MIA flag. This happened in January 1972. The first design for the flag was made by an artist named Newt Heisley for Annin Flagmakers in 1971. This was after Mary Hoff, whose husband Lt. Commander Michael Hoff was missing, realized a symbol was needed for American POWs and MIAs.
Evelyn Grubb was also key in getting the flag adopted by the military and other government groups. Soon, the flag became very popular on its own. It became a national symbol to remember the Vietnam War. The flag has the words "You Are Not Forgotten, POW/MIA."
Today, this flag is still flown in front of all U.S. post offices and most major U.S. military bases. You can also see it at many fire stations, police stations, and veterans' organizations across the United States. It is almost always present at most veterans' events. Because of this, millions of Americans see the flag every day.
See also
- Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office
- Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command
- List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1961–65)
- List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1966–67)
- List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1968–69)
- List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1970–71)
- List of United States servicemembers and civilians missing in action during the Vietnam War (1972–75)
- Vietnam War POW/MIA issue
