31st ANNUAL POW/MIA VIGIL ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 21 (National POW/MIA Recognition Day)& 22, 2018, THE TEXARKANA AREA CHAPTER # 278 OF THE VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA, INC. WILL STAGE THEIR 30th ANNUAL POW/MIA VIGIL AT THE KOREA/VIETNAM MEMORIAL AT 7tH STREET & STATE LINE AVENUE IN DOWNTOWN TEXARKANA. THIS VIGIL IS TO HONOR AND REMEMBER THOSE WHO ARE/WERE CLASSIFIED AS PRISONERS OF WAR/MISSING IN ACTION (POW/MIA), BOTH THOSE WHO RETURNED AND THOSE STILL UNACCOUNTED FOR, FROM ALL WARS, TO RAISE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THIS ISSUE AND TO LET THE FAMILIES OF THESE MEN AND WOMEN KNOW THEY ARE NOT ALONE IN THEIR QUEST OFR ANSWERS AND FOR CLOSURE. WE WILL SPEND ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN WHO IS UNNACOUNTED FOR FROM THE VIETNAM WAR (1597), AND ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN UNACCOUNTED FOR FROM THE KOREAN WAR WHOSE NAME IS ENGRAVED UPON THIS MEMORIAL (37) PLUS ONE MINUTE FOR EACH AMERICAN UNACCCOUNTED FOR FROM THE GULF WARS (3) AS OF NOW THIS IS 1637 MINUTES (27 HOURS AND 17 MINUTES). OUR TENATIVE SCHEDULE IS: FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21: OPENING CEREMONIES......5:13 PM CANDLELIGHT CERMONIES....8:00 PM SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22: POW MEAL...12 NOON "RIDE TO REMEMBER"....3:00 PM (LEAVES ARKANSAS WELCOME CENTER @ 2:40 PM) POW/MIA REMEMBRANCE SERVICE...3:10 PM CLOSING/CANDLELIGHT SERVICE...8:00 PM AT THE ARRIVAL OF "RIDE TO REMEMBER" AT THE MEMORIAL A BALLOON RELEASE OF 170 BALLOONS (ONE FOR EACH AMERICAN UNACCOUNTED FROM THE VIETNAM WAR FROM ARKANSAS, LOUISIANA, OKLAHOMA & TEXAS) WILL BE CONDUCTED. FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL: 870/773-8279, 903/628-7216 OR 903/824-2727 OR AT THE VVA # 278 WEBSITE AT www.vva278.org OR ON FACEBOOK @ VIETNAM VETERANS OF AMERICA # 278. AN EVENT OF THE 50th ANNIVERSARY OF THE VIETNAM WAR COMMEMORATION. (ARKANSAS WELCOME CENTER @ RED RIVER ON HWY 71 NORTH OF TEXARKANA)