Former prisoners of war honored
BUTLER TWP — John Durisko was a young Army medic tending to a wounded soldier near the end of World War II when he tried to reach the rest of the men in his outfit.
“I ran into a German machine gun,” said Durisko, now 97.
He was held for more than eight months in a small village near the Baltic Sea.
Asked the conditions of his internment, Durisko only looks into the distance and replies “Not too good.”
Hilles Miles, also of Mercer County, was a 19 year-old Marine when he was captured by the Viet Cong as he attempted to repair a military truck.
Miles spent 30 days as a captive, sleeping each night in a closed-in shelter the size of a portable restroom.
“I had to sleep sitting up,” he said. “It was rough.”
When his captors left the interment camp en masse to find more Americans, he and his six fellow prisoners killed the two Viet Cong guarding them and escaped.
“I’m the only one of those seven men left,” Miles said.
These were just two of the harrowing stories of bravery, resilience and survival among the six former POWs honored Friday at the Abie Abraham VA Medical Center during the annual POW/MIA Recognition Day Luncheon.
In addition to a plentiful midday meal, the four veterans able to attend, their guests and others enjoyed hearing officials praise the courage and sacrifice of the POWs.
After a posting of the colors by uniformed members of Bantam Marines of Butler, during which all rose and the four POWs raised their right arms in a stirring salute, Chaplain Edward Rogland lead the Pledge of Allegiance and gave an invocation.
Vincent D’Arcangelo, of the Disabled American Veterans POW/MIA committee, said his organization puts much emphasis on repatriating American men and women who were captured as they served their country during wartime.
“You should be honored for those sacrifices,” he said.
He said 81,000 military remain missing in action since World War II.
“We are working hard on this issue all over the world,” D’Arcangelo said.
He and Tim McGee, commander of the Mercer County DAV, then described the elements of the “MIA Empty Chair” that represents veterans who were never found — but who will never be forgotten.
Rebecca Wolfe, associate director at Abie Abraham VA Medical Center, said the familiar black-and-white MIA flag is as relevant now as ever.
“We are committed to doing all in our power to identify and recover all of America’s sons and daughters,” she said.
She also lauded the former POWs at the luncheon.
“We owe an eternal debt of gratitude to the members of our armed forces,” Wolfe said.
Sharon Coyle, director at the medical center, said many military men and women today are taking the same risks as the veterans being honored at the luncheon.
“No group of veterans have given more than those captured and held as prisoners of war,” she said.
Leslie Osche, Butler County Commissioners chairwoman, and County Commissioner Kim Geyer presented each of the four former POWs with a Certificate of Honor.
Geyer presented each former POW with a large gift bag and expressed the county’s undying gratitude for their sacrifices.
Leslie shared with each former POW the moving words imprinted on the red, white and blue certificates.
“We pay tribute to you for your unwavering and unrelenting spirit and are inspired by your fierce conviction, indomitable will and everlasting pride for our country,” she read.
Elements of a POW/MIA Table
• Small café table large enough for only 1-2 people
• White table cloth. Cotton usually looks the best.
• Distinctive dishes (a flat dinner plate and a smaller bread plate)
• A silverware setting for elegant dining (use your best. They earned it)
• A glass vase
• A red rose (real for special events, silk for permanent display) in the vase
• A red ribbon (tied at the base of the vase)
• Slice of lemon (real for special events, silk or plastic for permanent display) on the dinner plate
• A small pile of salt on the bread plate
• A nice-looking water glass (inverted).
• One chair ONLY (can be adorned with a POW/MIA draping available from many sources)
• Optional: Stands with red cordons, although not necessary, add an impressive touch of formality
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Wallace King , a POW with the Air Force, receives a gift from Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer. The Butler VA Health Care System held its annual POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon. The event recognizes veterans captured as prisoners of war and remembers the people still missing in action at Abie Abraham VA Clinic in Center Township on Friday, Sept. 15, 2022. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Wallace King , a POW with the Air Force, receives a gift from Butler County Commissioners Leslie Osche and Kim Geyer. The Butler VA Health Care System held its annual POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon. The event recognizes veterans captured as prisoners of war and remembers the people still missing in action at Abie Abraham VA Clinic in Center Township on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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Skip Hesidenz, with the Marine Corps League Bantam Marine Detachment #743, salutes the flag during the Pledge of Allegiance as the Butler VA Health Care System held its annual POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon. The event recognizes veterans captured and held as prisoners of war and remembers the people who are still missing in action at Abie Abraham VA Clinic in Center Township on Friday Sept. 16, 2022. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
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David Smith, with the Marine Corps League Bantam Marine Detachment #743, salutes the flag during the pledge of allegiance at the POW/MIA Recognition Ceremony and Luncheon on Friday, Sept. 16, 2022. Justin Guido/Special to the Eagle
