The POW/MIA Table By Ken Riege USAF 1985 – 1993 There are many different names for this table and what it represents, but for my story I am going to refer to it as “The POW/MIA Table.” This table honors all POW’s (Prisoners of War) and MIA’s (Missing in Action). This table holds a very special place in my heart as my dear friend and Gallup’s Favorite Son, Mr. Hershey Miyamura, was a POW for nearly 28 months during the Korean War and my grandfather Paul Emerson Riege was listed as Missing in Action during WW1. The first time I saw one of these tables and witnessed the ceremony of the POW/MIA Table, I was so moved that as soon as I got back home to Gallup I put one up at the Comfort Suites to honor all those who have been or are still listed as a POW/MIA.
This is a copy of the telegram that his mother (my great grandmother) received telling her that her son, Paul Emerson Riege, was listing as Missing in Action.
Symbolism and traditions are the backbone of our military and here is a breakdown of each item on the table:
white cloth to honor a service member’s pure heat when they answer their country’s call to duty.” “We place a lemon slice and grains of salt on a plate to show a captive “We cover a small round table with a service member’s bitter fate and tears of families waiting for loved ones to return.” This is the POW/MIA Table at the Comfort Suites in Gallup. The POW/MIA Flag “We push an empty chair to the table for the missing service members was donated by Hershey as he wanted to honor all of his fellow POW/MIA’s and who are not here.” “We lay a black napkin for the their families who stay at the hotel.
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September 2020
