Nearly 100 hospital staff members, former prisoners of war and other guests attended Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton's 25th Annual Prisoner of War/Missing in Action Remembrance Ceremony, Sept. 18.

The event was held at the new POW/MIA memorial site located on the south side of the hospital.

Former Navy Lt. Edward R. Murphy Jr. was the guest speaker for the event. Murphy is a nine-year veteran and author of the book "Second in Command" and was the executive officer of the USS Pueblo (AGER-2) when it was captured in international waters by North Korean in 1968.

The NHCP First Class Petty Officer's Association planned and hosted the ceremony which included the raising of the POW/MIA flag, the laying of a wreath in remembrance of the service members who were lost or are still missing in action, the reading of the litany of remembrance, a moment of silence and the playing of taps.

"I feel that this tradition of coming together should go on so that we can bring the history back and make sure that the former prisoners of war and those still missing in action stay in our memories," said Petty Officer 1st Class Ranit Kumar, a hospital corpsman in NHCP's Ambulatory Procedure Unit and the Master of Ceremonies.

Attending the ceremony was former U.S. Army Capt. Warren Sortomme, a former prisoner of war during World War II.

In 1944, while serving in the 485th Bomb Group, 55th Bomb Wing, 15th Air Force, his plane was shot down over Germany nine days after his 21st birthday. Today, Sortomme and other former POW service members meet twice a month at the VA center for a boost of morale and to remember those that have been lost.

"It's important that we have these kinds of events because POW's and MIA's should never be forgotten," said Sortomme.


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