Peterson remembers POWs, MIAs Published Sept. 25, 2007 By Corey Dahl 21st Space Wing Public Affairs PETERSON AFB, Colo. -- Ed Beck knows there's nothing fun about being a prisoner of war. Held by the Germans during World War II, Mr. Beck, a retired Army master sergeant, was forced to walk for hours on end, work in a stone quarry and sleep on crowded floors, often with very little food. Though he eventually escaped to France and made it back to the United States, Mr. Beck said he still finds it hard to talk about his experience and he would never wish POW-status on anybody. "Being a POW, you're nobody," said Mr. Beck, who is now commander of the Rocky Mountain Chapter of the American Ex-Prisoners of War. "You're a number, and the enemy can do with you whatever they want. All of us ex-POWs wish there will never be another POW." But, unfortunately, POWs and MIAs still occur, so Mr. Beck joined members of Team Pete on Sept. 21 in honoring the 176,785 POWs and MIAs America has counted since World War I. The ceremony capped off five days of honoring POW/MIA Week here, with activities that included a vigil, a 24-hour run and two flag ceremonies. Peterson usually holds just a brief ceremony to recognize POW/MIA Week, but the Air Force First Sergeants Association, which planned the week's events, decided to do more this year in honor of the Air Force's 60th Birthday. Speaking at the ceremony on Friday, Col. Jay Raymond, commander of the 21st Space Wing, said the week is an important opportunity to recognize heroes both past and present. "Our nation can never forget the untold sacrifices our nation's POWs have made on behalf of America," Colonel Raymond said. "Although we stand here today as one small group on one small base, we also stand here united with the rest of the nation in honoring these people." Comment on this story