Planning insight 1
POW/MIA Recognition Day 2026 is Friday, September 18, 2026.
POW/MIA Recognition Day 2026: Friday, September 18
National POW/MIA Recognition Day 2026 falls on Friday, September 18, 2026 — the third Friday of September. It honors former prisoners of war and those still missing in action, and renews the nation’s commitment to the fullest possible accounting of the more than 80,000 Americans still unaccounted for from past conflicts.
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Planning insight 2
2026 date: Friday, September 18.
Planning insight 3
Type: Military observance.
Planning insight 4
Always on: Third Friday of September.
Planning insight 5
First observed: 1979.
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Last reviewed: July 2026
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Frequently Asked Questions
When is POW/MIA Recognition Day 2026?
National POW/MIA Recognition Day 2026 is Friday, September 18, 2026. It is observed annually on the third Friday of September. In 2026 it coincides with the Air Force Birthday, which is fixed on September 18.
What does the POW/MIA flag mean?
The POW/MIA flag, created in 1972 for the National League of POW/MIA Families, shows a silhouetted serviceman, a watchtower, and the motto "You Are Not Forgotten." It symbolizes the nation’s commitment to accounting for prisoners of war and those missing in action.
What is the Missing Man Table?
The Missing Man Table (or "fallen comrade table") is a place setting left empty at military dining events. Each element is symbolic — the white cloth for purity of intention, the rose for families’ hope, the lemon for bitter fate, the salt for tears, the inverted glass for a toast that cannot be shared, and the empty chair for the missing.
How many Americans are still missing in action?
More than 80,000 Americans remain unaccounted for from World War II, the Korean War, the Cold War, the Vietnam War, and other conflicts. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency works year-round to recover and identify the missing, and families receive new answers every year.