Sandpoint VFW honoring MIA veteran
Sgt. Bill Hunt is pictured in 1964 while working with South Vietnamese Rangers during his second tour of duty in Vietnam.
(Photo courtesy BILL HUNT)
In honor of National POW/MIA Recognition Day, the Sandpoint VFW is remembering Master Sergeant William B. Hunt, who went missing in action during a tour in Vietnam on Nov. 4, 1966.
A lifelong Sandpoint resident, William, was 31 years old when he went missing. He had a wife and two children at the time of his disappearance. William had been given multiple awards in his time of service, including the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, the Purple Heart, ABN Wings, and Vietnamese Jump Wings.
William will be honored by the VFW with a historical presentation of his loss and efforts to recover him.
“To my knowledge, MSG Hunt is the only North Idaho MIA, according to the Boise Valley POW/MIA Corporation — a non-profit dedicated to remembering all POW/MIAs lost from the state of Idaho,” said Sandpoint VFW post commander Ken Hunt, William Hunt’s son.
The presentation will start at 6 p.m. at the VFW Hall in Sandpoint on Sept. 15. The presentation is free, open to the public and will kick off with pulled pork, coleslaw and drinks at 5:30 p.m.
Ken is requesting that interested parties RSVP with the VFW so an accurate number of seats can be placed out for the event. Contact the Sandpoint VFW at 208-263-9613 or post2453vfw@gmail.com.
National POW/MIA Recognition Day was established by Congress in 1998 and is observed on the third Friday in September. It honors those who were prisoners of war (POW) and those who are still missing in action (MIA). It is one of six days that the POW/MIA Flag can be flown, including Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.