by Lela M.
Member since:
August 10, 2007

Remember This?

December 10, 2007 05:35 PM EST (Updated: December 10, 2007 07:37 PM EST)
views: 163 | comments: 35

     Do you remember the POW/MIA bracelets?  POW stood for Prisoner of War and MIA stood for Missing In Action.  The bracelet was a supportive action for those here in the US for our missing American soldiers that were in the Viet-Nam war.  They were worn in hopes of the person wearing the bracelet being able to meet or at least hear of the person named on the bracelet coming back home safely.

     I remember wanting one and my mom did not approve, so I never got to have one.  I always felt cheated out of the moment.  I know I was young but I never saw the harm that my mother potentially saw in owning one of those bracelets.

    I am sure if the Internet were around back then, it would have been much easier to check on your soldier.  I'm not sure how most people were able to connect with their soldier but I remember seeing it on the news.   Now I am curious to find out if anyone not only wore one but also ever got to meet or hear what happened to their soldier named on the bracelet.  If you have a story about the POW/MIA bracelet l would love to hear it.  I'm sure there are others who are curious to know as well.  Are you one of the soldiers named on the bracelets?
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Comments: 35

Kayleigh M. Dec 10, 2007, 5:37pm EST
Those are a great idea! They should come back!
JoAnne D. Dec 10, 2007, 5:38pm EST
That was some time ago and this is the first I have heard of it. I think it a nice idea.
Danielle P. Dec 10, 2007, 5:40pm EST
I never heard of it either, but they should do it for our soldiers now.
Rebekka S. Dec 10, 2007, 5:41pm EST
I remember these and in fact I have one, my husband has one too that he never takes off. :)
Deborah O. Dec 10, 2007, 5:42pm EST
oh wow, flash back, I remember them and had some. However, they are long gone now. That was a terrible time, friends of mine from highschool were killed in Vietnam, and other friends who came back were never the same again. War affects the soldier,the family,the community. the world in adverse ways. War never solves the problem just causes more problems.
Keep on going on ;-o
Heather C. Dec 10, 2007, 5:54pm EST
I remember them well. I wasn't allowed to wear on either. I don't think I was ever told why.
Trish A. Dec 10, 2007, 5:55pm EST
I always wanted one but money was too tight. It would be interesting to see if someone actually met their soldier. It did seem that if you thought about a person enough it might help them no matter what their situation might have been.
Tricia C. Dec 10, 2007, 5:55pm EST
I do not remember them, but i do think they should be brought back...
Lela M. Dec 10, 2007, 5:56pm EST
I do believe that the bracelets have made a comeback. Go to the website, americanpatriotonline.com and you can get your own bracelet. They have all kinds, from the Viet-Nam war to the present day war in Iraqi.
donna h. Dec 10, 2007, 6:30pm EST
I remember them
Lela M. Dec 10, 2007, 6:31pm EST
Adele, you can also go to the same website listed above and there is a way to find out more information now online about the soldiers.
Deb D. Dec 10, 2007, 6:52pm EST
I do remeber those! I agree with Kayleigh...we should bring those back!
Ang, wandering aimlessly, G. Dec 10, 2007, 6:59pm EST
I have never heard of these, I guess they were before my time or before a time I would remember them. It is a great idea though.
Dani B. Dec 10, 2007, 7:00pm EST
never heard of them but I believe I have seen them before at an antique shop
Beth - Doing God's work Daily J. Dec 10, 2007, 7:00pm EST
I have hear of these and never got one.
Vana R. Dec 10, 2007, 7:17pm EST
I had one in the mid-70's...The MIA's name is, Lt. Martin Massucci. He was from my home town in Royal Oak, Michigan. I was heart sick when it broke in half and couldn't afford to get it replaced. You can look up the Bio's of both POW's and Mia's at:

http://www.pownetwork.org/bios.htm

*********************************************

MASSUCCI, MARTIN JOHN

Name: Martin John Massucci
Rank/Branch: O2/US Air Force
Unit:
Date of Birth: 01 November 1939
Home City of Record: Royal Oak MI
Date of Loss: 01 October 1965
Country of Loss: North Vietnam
Loss Coordinates: 211000N 1043900E (VJ730340)
Status (in 1973): Missing In Action
Category: 2
Acft/Vehicle/Ground: F4C
Refno: 0158
Other Personnel In Incident: Charles J. Scharf (missing)

Source: Compiled by Homecoming II Project 15 October 1990 from one or more
of the following: raw data from U.S. Government agency sources,
correspondence with POW/MIA families, published sources, interviews.
Updated by the P.O.W. NETWORK 1998.
Lela M. Dec 10, 2007, 7:27pm EST
Vana, thanks so much for posting the website to look up other POW's and MIA's. I would have been very upset about the broken bracelet too. I'm sorry that happened. It sounds like your soldier never came home. I'm sorry. I appreciate all the information you've submitted on him. I didn't know that they actually gave the coordinates of the missing or let you know that much information. That's awesome.
debra g. Dec 10, 2007, 7:47pm EST
Its been along time since I have thought of theses,I didn't have one either.
Bonnie S. Dec 10, 2007, 7:56pm EST
I remember seeing them, but I never had one.
Joan O. Dec 10, 2007, 8:21pm EST
I remember them too and I had one. Not sure where it went but I never found out anything about the soilder's name that was on mine.
Vana R. Dec 10, 2007, 9:01pm EST
If anyone is interested in obtaining a bracelet from more current wars/conflicts they can be found at:

http://www.powbracelets.com/
katherine b. Dec 10, 2007, 10:00pm EST
Lela,
Thank you for the article. It brought tears to my eyes as I thought of my Grandfather and Uncle both killed in Veitnam.
Lela M. Dec 11, 2007, 12:45am EST
Katherine, they were the unsung heroes. I just wish there was a better outcome for the conflict and the people that were sent to fight it. Thanks to your grandfather and uncle we have our freedom here in the good old USA.
Phyllis R. Dec 11, 2007, 5:24am EST
Yes I had one, but never heard anything about the soldier. Wearing one of these braclets while in high school made me feel so proud and honored. I really felt that I was in some small way helping that soldier. I remember praying for him to come home to be with his family! (Mine was a POW bracelet)
James C. Dec 11, 2007, 11:05am EST
I remember finding one in my mom's jewelry box when I was a kid. I asked her about it, and she wouldn't really talk too much. It was the first time I thought of my mom as a child if the sixties and a college kid in 1968, participating in the issues of the day rather than a middle-aged teacher. Tha fact that she still had it thirty years later meant to me, that there was still a connection to that time for her.
Cindie B. Dec 11, 2007, 11:10am EST
I never had one, and I agree, it would be a good thing to bring back.
Anne M. Dec 11, 2007, 3:11pm EST
I had one and my Colonel was the 2nd longest held POW in Viet Nam, and it was a priviledge to mail my bracelet to him after the war. We still write actual letters 3 times a year.

I saw a bronze worn by this guy recently on a plane. He said his bracelet was for a Korean War Vet.
Debra C. Dec 13, 2007, 10:01pm EST
I never had a bracelet (not allowed in my home) but I remember them well.

As an adult, if VietNam were happening today, there would be a number in my home. Support the war or not, we need to support the troops.
I do remember them but did not have one. I have heard of people who still wear their's because the person has never come home. There was a program on last year about the Viet Nam memorial in DC, I remember the program stating that many bracelets have been laid at the memorial.
Brenda Arlia Dec 17, 2007, 2:26pm EST
I had one of these bracelets. It was of the least expensive metal. It looked like steel. I don't remember the name of soldier's name that was printed on it. I do remember when the POW's were going to return to the United States, their names were published in the newpaper, and my soldier's name was in the list, but when they actually came, and the news on TV showed them getting off the planes, I don't think he was there. Either I missed him, or something happened, between the list and the news. I hope he did come home.
Jerri H. Jan 4, 2008, 9:32pm EST
I remember them!


I am behind in comments, but I wanted to let you know I stopped by to view your content and thank you for posting to I was bored :)
Beth L. Jan 12, 2008, 2:46pm EST
They are definitley a good idea and should come back!
Jeff Z. Jan 31, 2008, 7:38am EST
Yes, I remember them. A friend of mine was a Vietnam POW and had his bracelet mailed to him about five years after he returned home and corresponded with the girl who had been wearing it for several years.
oh what a post to blind pick and wind up at tonight! I do this every day usualy find interesting things but this is close to my heart.I wore several thqen later on had yellow ribbons every where I went

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