As the name of this holiday suggests, National Former Prisoner of War Recognition Day is a holiday that honors the men and women who were captured by the enemy and have become prisoners of war.

It’s a day that’s observed annually on April 9th and it’s a day that’s been observed since the late 1980s in an official capacity. Thanks to yearly Congressional and Presidential proclamations, this holiday has continued to be observed by anyone and everyone interested in remembering the sacrifices of POWs in the U.S.

The History Of National Former Prisoner Of War Recognition Day

During the 1980s, there was a movement started by former prisoners of war to recognize their POW brothers and sisters who have made enormous sacrifices for their country. The United States Congress approved legislation in 1988 that commemorated the captives of the Bataan by making April 9th an observational holiday. U.S President Ronald Reagan made an official proclamation for the 9th of April every year. The holiday has been observed ever since.

Facts About America’s POWs

Below are some facts about American prisoners of war.

• American prisoners of war were killed when Hiroshima had the atomic bomb dropped on it.
• Bill Nye, the Science Guy’s father was a prisoner of war in Japan during WWII.
• During the Vietnam War, more than 80% of POWs in North Vietnam were aircrew personnel.

Observing National Former Prisoner Of War Recognition Day

This holiday is observed by veterans, government officials, and civic leaders all over the U.S. It’s also celebrated by any private citizen who wants to honor and recognize the sacrifices of the nation’s POWs. People also use the hashtag #NationalFormerPrisonerOfWarRecognitionDay to spread the word about this holiday online.