National POW/MIA Recognition Day
The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency states that National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 and is observed annually on the third Friday of September to honor former POWs and those who remain missing in action.
Date and recurrence
Third Friday in September annually
This observance follows a reusable calendar rule rather than one fixed Gregorian date. The actual date can move from year to year. Rule: Third Friday in September
Scope and status
The verified scope stored for this record is United States / Department of Defense remembrance observance. The site preserves that boundary and does not infer broader government, global or public-holiday status from the observance name alone.
Topic and context
What this page does not assume
- Keep the source-defined country, community, organizer or institutional scope; do not silently broaden it.
- Do not treat the title alone as proof of government recognition or public-holiday status.
- Do not add a creator, founding story or origin claim unless the supporting evidence establishes it.
- Remembrance Civic Context Care.
Sources
- DPAA — 2026 National POW/MIA Recognition Day posterFederal Agency
Frequently asked questions
When is National POW/MIA Recognition Day?
Third Friday in September annually The stored recurrence guidance is: Third Friday in September.
Does National POW/MIA Recognition Day fall on the same date every year?
It follows a recurring calendar rule, so the Gregorian date can change from year to year.
Is National POW/MIA Recognition Day an official public holiday?
The authority record verifies it within this scope: United States / Department of Defense remembrance observance. That recognition does not by itself make it a statutory public holiday; the site only makes public-holiday claims when the supporting authority record explicitly does so.
Who established or recognizes National POW/MIA Recognition Day?
The stored designation basis is: The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency states that National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established in 1979 and is observed annually on the third Friday of September to honor former POWs and those who remain missing in action.. Supporting provenance includes DPAA — 2026 National POW/MIA Recognition Day poster. The site does not infer a separate creator or founder unless reviewed evidence establishes one.
Is National POW/MIA Recognition Day international or country-specific?
This authority record is country-scoped to United States. Its fuller verified scope is: United States / Department of Defense remembrance observance.
How is this page verified?
The factual layer is source-backed and keeps its date rule, scope, provenance and editorial guardrails attached to the authority record. This record was checked on 2026-09-07.
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