1995 POW/MIA Coin First Day Cover

This cover pairs the 1995 32¢ POW & MIA commemorative stamp, U.S. #2966, with a silver medal honoring America's prisoners of war and those missing in action. In 1994, a former POW wrote to the Postmaster General calling for a stamp honoring POWs and MIAs, noting that the year marked both the 30th anniversary of the capture of the first American prisoner held in Vietnam and the 50th anniversary of the Normandy landings, an operation that eventually led to the release of hundreds of Allied prisoners. The Postal Service initially declined the request but ultimately reversed course, agreeing to produce the stamp the following year.

The stamp was officially unveiled during a special ceremony at the White House on Memorial Day, 1995, where President Bill Clinton spoke before a group of veteran prisoners from conflicts dating back to World War II, stating that millions of Americans would now be reminded daily of the extraordinary service rendered by former prisoners of war. The stamp was formally dedicated later that same day at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and this cover carries a first day postmark from that May 29, 1995 ceremony. The design features a set of military dog tags alongside the American flag, paired with the phrase "Never Forgotten."

This cover stands as the second United States stamp ever issued to honor prisoners of war and those missing in action, following an earlier issue decades before. Paired with its accompanying medal, the cover offers a lasting tribute to the men and women who endured captivity in service to their country, continuing a tradition of national recognition that includes both this 1995 stamp and the annual observance of National POW/MIA Recognition Day.