SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Natural Resources will host the annual Christmas Remembrance Ceremony for Illinois soldiers listed as prisoners of war or missing in action during the Vietnam War on Saturday at the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Oak Ridge Cemetery in Springfield. Family and friends of soldiers will have the opportunity to hang handmade, heart-shaped ornaments with the names of loved ones on a tree near the memorial. The Black Tiger Honor Guard will serve as the color guard. The names of the POW/MIA soldiers will be read aloud, and the ceremony will also include music courtesy of the Land of Lincoln Chorus. The ceremony will begin at 1 PM and is open to the public.
“The Illinois Vietnam Vigil Committee appreciates IDNR sponsoring the annual POW/MIA Christmas Remembrance Ceremony each year. There are still 63 men unaccounted for,” said committee spokesman Jim Mathes. “We always need to remember these men and the sacrifices of their families. They should never be forgotten.”
To learn more about the Illinois Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Oak Ridge Cemetery, visit https://www2.illinois.gov/veterans/features/memorials/Pages/vietnam-veterans-memorial.aspx
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