POW/MIA Ceremony

Unveiling the plaque were its key contributors William Price and Art Starratt. The words were inspired by Mr. Price who recounted his feelings while serving in a Japanese POW camp. The image is of Mr. Starratt. "The Germans took a great portrait of me," laughed Mr. Starratt as he made comments to the audience. Starratt was a bombardier on a B-17 and was photographed by German soldiers after he regained consciousness and struggled away from his downed plane. Still in his flight gear, Mr. Starratt's image readily conveys the theme of the park relating to the anguish of prisoners.

Annual Tree Planting Ceremony expands to include plaque dedication

Published Oct. 31, 2006
By Courtney E. Franchio
Public Affairs

DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- The Dobbins POW/MIA Memorial Park took another small step toward its completion as the first of four memorial plaques was dedicated in September. The park is the site of the annual Living Memorial ceremony, but since its completion by the 94th Civil Engineer Squadron early last year, it's also becoming a memorial park with plaques honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action for major U.S. wars.

This year's plaque was dedicated to recognize those from World War II. The park decoration program is sponsored by the Dobbins Chiefs Group while the Air Force Sergeants Association Auxiliary, along with Dobbins Air Reserve Base units conducts the annual ceremony. This year's ceremony was the 22nd tree planting conducted by the Auxiliary, who also host the reception.

Six former World War II POWs, including Dr. Eugene Williams, who addressed the group with his recollections of the war and his capture, gathered for the unveiling of the memorial plaque.

"The POW/MIA ceremony was a renewed reminder to me that freedom is not free." Dr. Williams said. "No where during World War II was this more evident than in Hitler's devastating and massive counter-offensive in the Ardennes during December 1944, centered around Saint Vith and Bastogne, Belgium, where the Allied casualty count totaled 10,276 killed, 47,493 wounded and 23,278 missing-in-action."

"This was an awesome price to pay," added Dr. Williams. "And it was for an 83-mile stretch of frozen real estate to keep Hitler's panzer-led German forces from recapturing the strategic port city of Antwerp."

"Our efforts to make this park all it can be is one of our top priorities," said Betty Thomason, president of AFSA Auxiliary Chapter 452 who read the names of Georgia's missing in action during the ceremony. "We're so lucky that our trees have such a beautiful place to grow and be seen. I can see that we're truly creating something that's going to be good for servicemembers at Dobbins, for our community and for generations to come."

During the coming years, other memorials are planned for placement in the park. And, next year, the memorial plaque for Korean War POWs and MIAs will be dedicated.