Fifteen Iowans who were held as prisoners of war will be honored with P-O-W medals in a ceremony this morning in northeast Iowa. Iowa Senator Chuck Grassley will present the medals to the veterans or surviving family members in the 9-45 service at Rose Hill Cemetery in Fredericksburg. Grassley says this is an important day. Today’s service in Fredericksburg will include a fly-over by Iowa Air National Guard F-16s in an aerial salute. Earlier this decade, Grassley served on the Senate Select Committee that investigated the P-O-W issue. More than a million Americans have died in the line of duty, serving this country. Grassley says Iowans should show respect on this holiday.The following is a list of the fifteen P-O-W’s being honored today, the wars they served in and their hometowns
Vietnam POW shares lessons in resiliency & leadership (Leon Ellis)
It was Nov. 7, 1967 and U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Leon Ellis was co-piloting an F-4C Phantom over North Vietnam when his aircraft was suddenly hit by enemy fire. It exploded into pieces and was quickly tumbling to the ground. He managed to eject safely, but found himself parachuting
