'They are referred to as POWs and MIAs. We call them comrades.'

American Legion National Chaplain Edward Harris Jr., now fulfilling a second term as the top spiritual officer of the nation’s largest organization of wartime veterans, delivers a video recitation of the POW/MIA Prayer that is part of the opening of the organization’s official gatherings. The Indianapolis Army veteran served in the Korean War and Vietnam War before retiring from military service as a master sergeant in 1971.

The video is available on LegionTV and on The American’s YouTube channel.

Still missing from the Korean War are 7,841 U.S. servicemembers, according to the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency. An additional 1,626 remain missing from the Vietnam War. The estimated number of Americans unaccounted for from World War II is 73,515. Another 126 are listed as missing from the Cold War, along with six from armed conflicts since 1991.

Harris is a member of American Legion Post 711 in Indianapolis and has served as chaplain of the 11th District of the Department of Indiana for 18 years, as well as district commander for one term.

He was previously a member of Tillman H. Harpole Post 249 for more than 20 years, where he served as post chaplain for 12 years and post commander for one term. The post presented him with an honorary life membership.

National POW/MIA Recognition Day is Friday, Sept. 18.