McCaskill, Blunt Pass Bill to Help Kansas City World War I Memorial Honor POW/MIA Servicemembers

Legislation will include Kansas City Liberty Memorial among national memorials that fly POW/MIA flag

WASHINGTON – Missouri U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill and Roy Blunt passed legislation this week to add the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City—to the list of national memorials that fly the POW/MIA flag honoring American servicemembers who are prisoners of war or missing in action.

“The Kansas City Liberty Memorial is an important tribute for our nation in honoring all those who served in World War I, which is why it should hold all the same honors and distinctions as the other national memorials,” said McCaskill, a senior member of the Senate Armed Services Committee and the daughter of a World War II veteran. “Missourians take great pride in honoring and respecting those who gave their lives defending our nation—and this bill will help continue that tradition in our state.”

“The POW/MIA flag is a powerful reminder that we must never abandon our efforts to bring home our service members who are Prisoners of War or Missing in Action,” said Blunt. “There are unaccounted-for service members from every war, including thousands from World War I. It is only fitting that we honor them, and their families, at the Liberty Memorial in Kansas City. I urge my colleagues to join us in including the Liberty Memorial amongst the other national memorials flying the POW/MIA flag in tribute to all of our service members who will never be forgotten.”

“Nearly 5 million people bravely served in the United States military during the course of World War I and, unfortunately, many remain unaccounted for 100 years later,” said Dr. Matthew Naylor, President and CEO of the National WWI Museum and Memorial. “Those who gave the ultimate sacrifice—before, during and after World War I—deserve recognition at America’s official World War I museum and memorial and we’re wholly supportive of this effort by Senators Blunt and McCaskill.”

United States law outlines the manner and times in which the POW/MIA flag is to be displayed on federal installations, including the World War II Memorial, the Korean War Veterans Memorial, and the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. The Senator’s legislation would add the World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City to that list.

In 2014, McCaskill and Blunt successfully included a provision in the annual defense bill that designates Kansas City’s Liberty Memorial as the nation’s “World War I Museum and Memorial.”

###