PIERRE Multiple veterans groups from South Dakota have come together to honor the sacrifices of our prisoners of war and those missing in action with a Missing Man Table display, which will be unveiled March 4 at the Capitol Lake Visitors Center at noon in Pierre.
We are placing the display in the Visitors Center, close to the other war memorials, so that visitors can stop and take a moment to pay tribute to fallen, missing, or imprisoned U.S. military service members, said BHRA Commissioner Darin Seeley.
The Missing Man Table includes the following symbolism:
The table is round, to show our everlasting concern for our missing men
The cloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve
The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the lives of these Americans and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith while seeking answers
The red ribbon symbolizes our continued determination to account for our missing
A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured and missing in a foreign land
The salt symbolizes the tears of our missing soldiers and their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty
The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead
The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God
The glass is inverted, symbolizing their inability to share a toast
The chair is empty, the seat that remains unclaimed at the table
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