WASHINGTON -- President Reagan presented prisoner of war medals Friday to six servicemen -- two each from World War II, Korea and Vietnam -- and declared 'our country has not forgotten' those still missing in action.
Speaking during a sunny South Lawn ceremony, Reagan told the Vietnam War veterans that they had fought 'a noble battle for freedom' but lost their victory on the battlefield 'by a failure of political will.'
All former prisoners of war are eligible for the POW Medal, which was authorized by Congress in 1986 and first awarded in April.
Hundreds of former members of the armed forces and prisoners of war were invited to the ceremony, and the president's remarks were greeted by enthusiastic applause. Standing on the platform with Reagan and his wife, Nancy, were Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci and Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., who had been a prisoner of war in Vietnam.
Despite the setback in Vietnam, Reagan said, 'You did honor to America.'
'Your resistance to the evil of communism forshadowed the growing movement toward democracy that we see today around the world,' he said. 'With your blood and valor you won time for the rest of Southeast Asia and for the rest of humanity.'
'In Vietnam, you fought a noble battle for freedom. On the battlefield, you knew only victory, only to have your victory lost by a failure of political will,' he said.
'Our country has not forgotten your former comrades who are still missing, those who fought in Korea and Vietnam and who have not returned home or been accounted for,' Reagan said.
'We must keep faith with them and their families and demand the fullest possible accunting of the fate of the Americans who are missing in action,' he added.
Carlucci told the audience, 'This is indeed a hard medal to earn. We hope in the future we won't have to give out any more prisoner of war medals.'
The six POWs given medals Friday were:
-Air Force Sgt. Albert J. Bland, who served in the Pacific in World War II.
-Air Force Lt. Charles M. Williams, European theater, World War II.
-Army Cpl. Charles A. Burton, Korean War.
-Marine Col. Jesse 'Davy' Booker, the first flier to be shot down in the Korean War.
-Army Col. Floyd James Thompson, Vietnam War.
-Navy Cmdr. Everett Alvarez, Vietnam War.
