An empty chair sits in the center of the Peter J. Booras Museum at the Cathedral of the Pines in Rindge. Jeff Neipp, president of Rolling Thunder Vermont Chapter 1, said the empty chair represents the thousands of soldiers who are prisoners of war or missing in action. Rolling Thunder has worked to install these chairs in locations around the country.
“They signify the missing soldiers who have not been brought home, and the pain and the suffering their families go through without them here,” Neipp said at a dedication ceremony Sunday. “Those families continue to grieve until their loved ones are brought home.”
The ceremony was presided by several regional chapters of Rolling Thunder, an advocacy group whose main mission is to bring full accountability for prisoners of war and soldiers missing in action from all American wars.
Rolling Thunder advocated for legislation to include the POW/MIA flag at all federal properties where the American flag is prominently displayed. They also regularly participate in dedication ceremonies for POW/MIA chairs or tables at sports arenas and public facilities such as the State House.
And now, also the Cathedral of the Pines.
Patricia Vargas, executive director of Cathedral of the Pines, said the chair is just one more way the Cathedral – itself conceived specifically to honor veterans – to continue that mission.
“The Cathedral of the Pines tagline is ‘Honor, celebrate, reflect.’” Vargas said. “Today’s ceremony alighted with the ‘honor’ piece. This chair represents all those who have sacrificed their lives for this great country, made those sacrifices and never returned home. I’m humbled to have it here. It invites you to reflect, and think if it was your father or brother or sister.”
There are currently about 81,600 American missing personnel from World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf Wars, with the largest amount lost during World War II in the Indo-Pacific, and nearly half lost at sea. But, Neipp said, those numbers are added to each month. While POW/MIA chairs are one way to honor the missing, Neipp said it’s also to bring awareness to the ongoing search for those soldiers or their remains and bring them home.
“This is our main mission, and what we’re out here to educate the public about,” Neipp said.
The chair will remain permanently on display within the museum in the main hall at Cathedral of the Pines, except when it is included in major ceremonies. Vargas said the Cathedral plans to renew the dedication annually.
Ashley Saari can be reached at 924-7172 ext. 244 or asaari@ledgertranscript.com. She’s on Twitter @AshleySaariMLT.