STATEN ISLAND, NY – Congresswoman Nicole Malliotakis (NY-11) on June 6, the anniversary of D-Day, received a POW-MIA Chair of Honor from Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 New York, to display in her Staten Island District Office as part of the organization’s National POW-MIA Chair of Honor Program. A POW-MIA chair in any location is to remain perpetually empty to remember the soldiers who are still missing in action or became prisoners of war and have yet to return home to their families.

“Right now, there are more than 81,000 missing brave Americans as a result of war and conflict around the world,” said Congresswoman Malliotakis. “I’m honored to display this chair in our office as a permanent tribute to the brave men and women who’ve honorably served our nation overseas but sadly never made it home. We must do more as a grateful nation to raise attention to this issue and work toward the repatriation of all our POW/MIA soldiers. Thank you Rolling Thunder for providing this chair to serve as a reminder to all who enter that freedom is not free.”

Last year, Malliotakis honored the life of Private First Class Raymond Smith, a Brooklyn native who went MIA during the Battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, one of the most brutal conflicts in modern history. In September 2021, after 71 years, Smith’s remains were identified and returned to New York City where he was welcomed home by his family, a full U.S. military honor guard, and the Port Authority Police.

“We thank Congresswoman Malliotakis for allowing us to place this POW Chair of Honor,” said Vinny Perno, President of Rolling Thunder Chapter 2 New York. “The POW Chair of Honor will sit empty in remembrance of all those brave men and women who never returned, and remain missing in action.”