The City of Orlando held a solemn ceremony this week to honor United States military members who were prisoners of war or remain missing in action. Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer was at the forefront of this homage, gathered at Orlando City Hall alongside city commissioners and the Veterans Advisory Council to pay tribute to those lost but not forgotten, as reported by WFTV. The event serves as a prelude to the National Day of Remembrance, which is set for next week.
Emphasizing the city's dedication, Mayor Dyer stated, per the WFTV article, "Although times pass, we must do everything in our power to find them and fulfill our promise of bringing them home with honor and dignity." These words resonate especially as the number of service members still missing stands at a staggering 81,000, most of whom were lost during World War II. The ceremony serves as an annual tradition and a continued vow to recognize and return these individuals home.
The city's recognition ceremony also featured a poignant guest speaker, Keith Maupin, the father of Army Staff Sgt Matt Maupin, a serviceman who was declared missing in action during the Iraq War. As ClickOrlando detailed Keith Maupin's emotional recollection, "I've seen it on the news that a convoy got attacked, and when I saw that convoy, I just knew that was Matt," he said. "I remember when he was a little feller. I said, 'Matt, what you are you doing?' and he said, “I’m just doing a mission, dad.’ So when you think about way back when and today, he was just on a mission," highlighting the personal narratives behind the statistics.
Matt Maupin was captured in April 2004 when insurgents attacked his convoy south of Baghdad. His remains were found in 2008, bringing painful closure for his family and the nation. To honor him, the Maupin family created the Yellow Ribbon Support Center and Foundation, which helps other deployed service members with support and care packages.
