POW/MIA Families Meet with Pentagon in Chicago

Chicago Public Radio - Chicago, IL, USA

POW/MIA Families Meet with Pentagon in Chicago
by Melissa Townsend on Saturday, July 26, 2008

Many local families of prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action are meeting in Chicago today with the U.S. Department of Defense. It's the first time in over a decade the agency is in the area to meet with families.

The Pentagon says 10,000 soldiers have gone missing since the Korean War. Nearly 500 of these POW/MIAs are from Illinois. At today's meeting, the Pentagon will update families on their efforts to find their loved ones. Naperville resident Curt Eilers is planning to attend. Eilers lost his father in 1965 when his plane was shot down in Vietnam. He's still hopeful his dad's remains will be found one day.

EILERS: I'm always open. You never know. Sometimes you have to be open and put yourself in positions where events can occur.

Department officials say the agency identifies the remains of about 100 MIA soldiers each year.