Vance Airmen honor POW/MIA Day Published Sept. 20, 2013 71 Flying Training Wing Public Affairs VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The men and women of the 71st Flying Training Wing at Vance Air Force Base honored the American military members who were prisoners of war and those who are still missing in action with a special retreat ceremony Sept. 20. The third Friday of September is National POW/MIA Recognition Day in the United States. Formations of Airmen representing the units at Vance gathered at the base flag pole at 5 p.m. for a wreath-laying and flag-lowering ceremony. R.D. Bland, of Enid, Okla., was the guest of honor at the ceremony. He served as a waist gunner in a B-17 bomber during World War II. His aircraft was shot down in 1945 and he spent the rest of the war in a German prison camp. The wreath was placed at the base of the flag pole by Col. Darren James, the 71st FTW commander. The flag lowering was performed by Vance's Silver Talon Honor Guard.