Veterans from all around the Atmore area will come together at Atmore’s train station Friday morning, preparing to observe POW-MIA Day.

According to Veterans of Foreign Wars, Post 7016 Commander Billy Gates, the annual day of observance is meant to give Americans the chance to pause to remember the service of those United States soldiers who were prisoners of war, as well as to remember those soldiers who remain missing in action. Gates said all military installations fly the National League of Families’ POW-MIA flag each year.

This year members of the VFW and Atmore’s American Legion, Post 90 will gather at the train station at 9:30 a.m., after which they will line Atmore streets and spend the day waving the flags in order to remind passers by of the day’s importance.

National POW-MIA Day is celebrated on the third Friday of September and was established by an act of Congress as a part of the passage of Section 1082 of the 1998 Defense Authorization Act. It is one of six days during the year on which the POW-MIA Flag can be flown. The other days include Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day.