Suzanne Stewart
Staff Writer
After a 36-mile drive from the Mingo Saloon and Lodge to the Elkins City Park, more than 40 motorcyclists and their companions gathered at the park pavilion to participate in the POW/MIA Recognition Day ceremony.
Speaker Diane Simmons, of Reading, Pennsylvania, organized the program and information about the POW/MIA from West Virginia. Simmons, along with veteran Bernie Bigham have been doing an annual POW/ MIA motorcycle run and ceremony in Reading for the past 32 years.
They were asked to organize an event for West Virginia by Mingo Saloon and Lodge owner Joe Sells.
Simmons explained that the third Friday of September was set aside by Congress as Prisoner of War, Missing In Action Recognition Day.
“Our hope is that when you leave here today, you have learned something new, you’re motivated to keep others in your thoughts and your prayers – especially those who are missing,” she said.
Among those in attendance were family members of individuals classified as POW/MIA and Simmons invited them to speak.
Fred Pringle is the son of Sergeant Major Joe Pringle, who was born and raised in Lewis County. The elder Pringle joined the Army in 1946 at the age of 17 and was a truck driver and mechanic. In the 60s, he was selected to be a helicopter maintenance supervisor and was sent to Fort Rucker.
“He was sent to Vietnam and in the process, because of shortages of pilots, he was trained to be a pilot – or the pilots taught him OJT [on the job training] how to fly,” Pringle said of his father. “He was an unqualified pilot by standards. We found this out later, he racked up over 150 aerial combat missions. He was awarded seven air medals.”
On February 2, 1968, Pringle and his crew were on a routine maintenance mission when their helicopter went down. The crash site has yet to be found.
Nadine Dugan Venzke, of Reading, Pennsylvania, also shared her story about her older brother, Colonel Thomas Dugan, who has been missing since December 13, 1968.
Although the crash site of Dugan’s plane was found in 2014 and brought from Vietnam to Hawaii and then on to Reading, there has not been DNA proof that Dugan was among the remains.
Sometimes, when a soldier is classified as POW/ MIA, they are found and returned to American soil and their families.
That was the story of Staff Sergeant Gail Mason Kerns, who was from Randolph County. Kerns was captured by North Vietnamese soldiers on March 27, 1969 and was rescued on March 5, 1973.
Kerns was shot in the temple but survived his wounds.
He came home and wrote a book about his experience, sharing his harrowing story with the country.
Kerns’ great-nephew, Brody Vandevander, an eighth grade student at Elkins Middle School, shared his great-uncle’s story.
“He survived his injuries, writing ‘I regained consciousness,’” Vandevander said. “‘I was a prisoner of war. I lapsed in and out of consciousness for days. Other American prisoners of war in my camp took care of me and all my needs. I could never talk except for a few words. I could not walk and as a result of being shot, I developed epilepsy.’”
On Mach 8, 1973, Kerns returned to America and managed to walk off the plane, with help, and knelt to kiss the ground. His family was not aware he was alive until they were informed he was coming home.
Kerns passed away May 10, 2024 and is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Simmons also spoke about the successful return of POW Jessica Lynch, a West Virginian who was held captive for nine days after her convoy was ambushed by Iraqi troops in 2003.
In total, there are still 80,952 American POW/ MIA, 1,082 of those are West Virginians.
While that number is daunting, it did shrink in the past year. Remains have been found for 215 POW/ MIA – 153 from World War II, 54 from the Korean Conflict and eight from Vietnam.
“There are recovery efforts underway as we speak,” Simmons said. “There are teams stationed throughout the world and the Defense Prisoner of War Accounting Agency website shows how they are looking for them and posts those who have been identified.”
In remembrance of all the POW/MIA and those unaccounted for from West Virginia, a ceremony was performed in which each name was called and a volunteer placed a dog tag on a Soldier’s Cross. As each dog tag was placed, the collective said, “Still missing, sir.”
The ceremony began with the POW/MIA from each conflict.
The 71,854 missing and unaccounted for from World War II, including the 906 from West Virginia.
The 7,399 missing and unaccounted for during the Korean War including the 156 from West Virginia.
The 126 missing and unaccounted for during the Cold War, including the three from West Virginia.
The 1,566 missing and unaccounted for during the Vietnam War, including the 17 from West Virginia.
The seven missing and unaccounted for from Iraq and the Global War on Terror.
Next, they honored the 17 Vietnam era POW/MIA from West Virginia:
Major John Scott Albright, Air Force, unaccounted for on December 13, 1968, from Huntington, West Virginia.
Corporal Albert Harold Altizer, Army, unaccounted for October 8, 1969, from Squire, West Virginia.
Colonel Joseph Clair Austin, Air Force, unaccounted for March 19, 1967, from Moundsville.
Staff Sergeant Jerry Edward Auxier, Army, unaccounted for July 29, 1968, from Dixie.
Commander Keith Royal Wilson Curry, Navy, unaccounted for January 8, 1971, from Salem.
Sergeant First Class James Edward Duncan, Army, unaccounted for March 3, 1971, from Point Pleasant.
Master Sergeant William Robert Hunt, Army, unaccounted for February 28, 1968, from Beckley.
Lieutenant Colonel Carroll Baxter Lilly, Air Force, unaccounted for April 9, 1971, from Morgantown.
Private Danny Glen Marshall, Marine Corps, unaccounted for May 15, 1975, from Waverly.
Sergeant First Class Michael Robert Norton, Army, unaccounted for November 2, 1969, from Eskdale.
Chief Master Sergeant Marshall Irvin Pauley, Air Force, unaccounted for March 13, 1966, from Milton.
Lance Corporal Ronald Keith Pennington, Marine Corps, unaccounted for on April 27, 1967, from Hambleton.
Sergeant Major Joe Harold Pringle, Army, unaccounted from February 2, 1968, from Horner.
Specialist Four Hughie Franklin Snider, Army, unaccounted for April 28, 1970, from New Cumberland.
Specialist Four Dean Calvin Spencer, Army, unaccounted for June 7, 1968, from Morgantown.
Sergeant James Lawrence Taylor, Army, unaccounted for March 10, 1966, from Nitro.
Lieutenant David Wallace Wickham, II, Navy, unaccounted for December 16, 1965, from Wheeling.
Finally, the 12 POW/MIA from the Korean War from West Virginia were honored:
Corporal Joseph Serback, Army, unaccounted for November 27, 1950, from Barbour County.
Private first Class Herbert A. Moats, Army, unaccounted for October 15, 1952, from Pendleton County.
Sergeant First Class Paul Russell West, Army, unaccounted for November 27, 1950, from Upshur County.
From Grant County:
Sergeant Walter O. Borror, Army, unaccounted for December 12, 1950.
Corporal George E. Mayle, Army, unaccounted for December 2, 1950.
Sergeant Gerald Edwin Wotring, Army, unaccounted for November 26, 1950.
From Randolph County:
Sergeant James Shellace Armentrout, Army, unaccounted for May 18, 1951.
Lieutenant Junior Grade Boyers Morgan Clark, Navy, unaccounted for August 2, 1950.
From Webster County:
Corporal Reuban Richard Bragg, Army, unaccounted for April 25, 1951.
Corporal Robert G. Detamore, Army, unaccounted for July 20, 1950.
Sergeant Keith Lingle, Army, unaccounted for July 14, 1950.
To close the program, Simmons welcomed all in attendance to place a hand on a large POW/MIA flag which was unfurled and held aloft. As the group gathered around the flag, Simmons shared the story of the origin of the POW/MIA symbol and flag.
In 1971, Mary Hoff, the wife of MIA Lieutenant Commander Michael Hoff, wanted a symbol to remind more people of those who were still unaccounted for, specifically from the Vietnam War.
Hoff contacted the Annin Flag Company, and it accepted her challenge to create the flag. Designer Newt Heisley was given the task. He himself was a veteran of World War II and so he took great care in creating the design.
Heisley made a sketch of his son’s silhouette, accompanied by barbed wire and a watch tower. He submitted the design, and it immediately went into production. While Heisley initially planned to add color to the design, it seemed appropriate the flag was printed in a stark black and white composition.
“At this very moment, together we are holding the black and white flag that represents those who are missing and unaccounted for,” Simmons said. “Every thread used to weave this flag represents us. It bonds us together. It creates a visible reminder that there are just under 81,000 still missing and unaccounted for from all the wars or conflicts we have been involved in.
“It is a constant reminder for everyone to see and think about the missing and their families,” she continued.
“When you look at the design, it hauntingly reminds us of those we dare never, ever forget.”
As the collective continued to hold the flag aloft, National Chaplain for the 21 Brotherhood Motorcycle Club Paul “Chappie” Eledrige, gave a benediction and recordings of Amazing Grace on the bagpipe and Taps on a bugle were played.
