Members of American Legion Rose-Sheeley Post 1034 and Rolling Thunder Chapter 3 New York dedicated a POW/MIA Chair of Honor in the Shawangunk Town Hall on Saturday. The chair honors service members who are prisoners of war or missing in action and serves as a reminder that they and their sacrifices will never be forgotten.

The ceremony opened with the presentation of colors by the American Legion honor guard, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance. Ron Orts, president of Rolling Thunder Chapter 3 New York, and Sue Orts, a chapter member, then presented the Missing Man Table, a display adorned with items in remembrance of service members who never returned home to their families.

“This table is our way of symbolizing the fact that members of our Armed Forces are missing. They are commonly called POWs or MIAs,” Ron Orts said. “This table set for one is small and round; it symbolizes the frailty of one prisoner against their oppressors and shows our everlasting concern for our fallen and our missing. The tablecloth is white, symbolic of the purity of their intentions to respond to their country’s call to arms. The single red rose displayed in a vase reminds us of the families and friends who keep their faith awaiting answers. The red ribbon represents those who demand a final accounting of our missing and our continued determination to always remember.”

“The candle is lit, symbolizing the upward reach of their unconquerable spirit. A slice of lemon on the bread plate is to remind us of their bitter fate. There is salt upon the bread plate, symbolic of the tears endured by those missing and their families and friends, who seek answers as they wait,” he continued. “The glass is inverted because they cannot share the toast. The chair is empty, they are not there. The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us as we remember and never forget our POWs and MIAs. Let’s have a moment of silence to remember and never forget your sacrifice.”

Ron Orts then described the Chair of Honor and gave statistics on POWs and MIAs. He said 72,000 to 73,000 service members never returned from World War II, 7,500 to 7,800 from the Korean War, 1,500 to 1,800 from the Vietnam War, and 100 to 200 from the Cold War and recent conflicts. He said the chair will remain empty until all POWs and MIAs come home.

“This chair is a constant reminder that American Patriots have paid for our freedom, our rights, and our privileges with their freedom and their lives. Families of our POWs and MIAs constantly await and pray for word of their loved ones, for some small bit of closure to their loved ones’ fate,” Orts said. “This is a debt that we can never repay, but we can make sure that our fellow Americans do all in our power to bring our warriors home. This chair will remain empty until they all come home.”

Ken Trager, president of Rolling Thunder Chapter 3 New York, described the parent organization. Rolling Thunder Inc. was founded in 1987 and incorporated in 1995. The nonprofit has more than 90 chartered chapters in the United States. The groups raise awareness of POWs and MIAs and educate the public about the issues surrounding them.

“The major function of Rolling Thunder Inc. is to publicize the POW and MIA issues, educate the public how many American prisoners of war were left behind after all previous wars, and help protect future prisoners of war and missing in action,” Trager said. “We are also committed to helping American veterans of all wars, so we’ve publicized more than just POW and MIA issues. We help veterans from war on our flights whenever we can do it.”

Town Supervisor Ken Ronk Jr. thanked Rolling Thunder for donating and dedicating the chair, and the American Legion for providing the honor guard. He said he and Rolling Thunder members have discussed the chair since May 2025.

“I just want to say thank you to the Rolling Thunder Chapter 3, particularly Mary and Bob Lewis who brought this to me about a year and a half ago at our Memorial Day ceremony. Mary and I have been talking for some time about putting this together, and I’m really glad that it’s finally here,” Ronk said. “The Town of Shawangunk is really pleased to host their Chair of Honor. It’s going to be a consistent reminder that more than 80,000 Americans remain missing in action around the world … it will remain here in the town hall lobby until they all come home.”