Thursday, February 15, 2007

For Veitnam POW SSGT David Demmon

My mother has been a scrap booker from the beginning. She has put together scrap books from the Depression, World War II, my tonsillectomy and my sister and I each have a scrap book which contains articles about our accomplishments, pictures, mementos, etc. It does make for some excellent history reading.

Recently I found the scrap book she kept of all of the letters I sent to her after I first joined the Navy in 1971. I ran across a letter I wrote in December of 1971:Dec 1971

Dear Dad, I am enclosing something you might be interested in, a POW bracelet card, I have bought one and it would really make me feel good if you would buy one also. It’s only $2.50 and the POW/MIA effort needs all they can get. Several members of my squadron have been in this predicament. Have you seen the article in January’s Reader’s Digest entitled, “Five Years to Freedom”? It is something to think about. If I were in that predicament I would appreciate all the help people were doing back home. The one I am wearing is for Sergeant David Demmon, who was captured in June 1965.

Love, Robert

PS I took the liberty of filling it out. Send it in if you desire.

I don’t know if my Dad ever did buy the bracelet, but after reading the letter yesterday I thought I’d look up Sgt Demmon on the Internet. I found a lot of information, including that his status was upgraded from MIA to POW. In April 1991, the US government released a list of Prisoners of War and Missing in Action who were known to be alive in enemy hands and for whom there is no evidence that he or she died in captivity. This list commonly referred to today as the USG's "Last Known Alive" list, included David Demmon.

I thought I see if there were still POW bracelets available and located a site where they can be purchased. Unfortunately, we have added conflicts and names to the list.

I will start wearing a POW Bracelet for David Demmon.

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

I began wearing a bracelet for David Demmon back in the day and I still have it. I have always wondered about him.

Anonymous said...

my husband and I both have a pow bracelet one is for David Demmon also and one for Sgt/Maj.Raymond Echevarria . We to have always wondered about these two men and would love to know anything we could find out about them !!We are praying that they are alive.......Lynn and Jim Green Concord N.C.

Jeryl Benway Stoltz said...

Today is June 9, 2009. It is David Demmon Day. He was my POW and I think of him on this day ... and hope to always do so.

Jeryl Benway Stoltz
Mooresville, NC

Anonymous said...

My husband and I both wore pow mia bracelets that we got in the very early 70's. Mine, too, was for David Demmon, my husbands was for Rick Medaris. I have prayed for them and wonder what ever happened to them. They are heros in my eyes. I will bookmark this page and hope someone will post if they find out. today is 11/15/2010 thanks.

Unknown said...

I also wore a mia bracelet for sgt david demmon and I still have it!!! I started wearing it when my pow came home, so I could take his off. I do wonder about him!!!! nice to know he was and is thought of!!!

terri gordon
clackamas oregon

when I wore the bracelet I lived in torrance calif. in the 70"s

today is april 20th 2011

Unknown said...

I have been wearing a bracelet for Sgt.David S. Demmon since January 21, 1973, my birthday, my senior year of high school. I also have wall rubbings of his name framed in my office. I am always hoping to find his family or friends.

He is remembered always in my heart and prayers. I honor his memory and cherish the freedoms I have because he gave ALL.
Contact me if you are his family. ahniahwi@gmail.com
Kathey Medlin Keller, Eugene, OR

Anonymous said...

I just got my mother's jewelry box. In it, I found a bracelet for SSgt David Demmon. I was compelled to put it on and now am having a hard time taking it off. As an American, I am so thankful for what he gave. As a military retiree, I am humbled to call him my brother.

Living or deceased, I pray he's found peace.

Carol
Dayton, OH

Anonymous said...

I found a metal bracelet w/ the inscription "S/SGT DAVID DEMMON 6-9-65" on it, in some of my great grandmothers things, I know nothing about it? Any thoughts?

Anonymous said...

March 25, 2013 - I no longer wear it, but I too have a POW bracelet with the name S/SGT David Demmon. I got mine way back in 1970 (I was 15 years old) and I wore it until 1995. Then I tucked it away in my jewelry box - If I ever have a grandchild, he or she will probably find it just like Anonymous did. I remember having some information sent to me about his family - his mother was from Playa Del Rey, California (I think her name was Margaret Hopper. I wrote to her, and got back a FORM letter - I remember how disappointed I was then that she didn't write to me personally, but seeing these names here that all had David's bracelet, it makes sense to me now. I don't know if he ever came home, but I do hope that his family got closure somehow.
Fran W. Manchester, NH

Unknown said...

I also still have my bracelet for SSgt David Demmon.I picked his name because the date is just after my birtrhday. I wore it for several years. I also received the form letter from his mother and was disappointed as well. I had no idea there would be so many bracelets bearing his name. I found one in a flea market years later, and purchased it also. I have thought about him so many times over the years. I thank him for his sacrifice and pray that if he lives, he is safe and well.
today is May 20, 2013
Cindy
Milledgeville, GA

Anonymous said...

I also have a bracelet with David Demmon on it. My father gave it to me to wear because he was going in for heart surgery. He wore it for a long time before that. He wrote to Davids mother as well and was basically told to leave her be to grieve. However, sitting in a dentist office one day, my dad was looking through a life magazine and found a picture of David before he went off to war. I have that life magazine with his bracelet. I hope someday someone figures out what finally happened to him but at least I have a face to go with the name. I now have a son in the Navy so this is one of his veteren brothers. God Bless you where ever you are.
Today is January 11, 2014
Melissa
Bolivar, MO

Unknown said...

Today is February 2, 2014. I also have a SGT David Demmon bracelet. I wore it when I was younger, and recently found it in my old jewelry box. In finding it again, I had the opportunity of explaining the meaning of the bracelet to my youngest son. I always wondered what happened to SGT Demmon. In keeping the bracelets that we all have, his legacy lives on. Thank you for your service SGT Demmon.
Brad Pinchot Solon, Ohio

Charlotte in Florida said...

I just found my David Demmon bracelet in my old college boxes and found this site while I was researching information about him. It is nice that so many people care. I just wish that his family could find out the truth about what happened

Dawn said...

I just recently remembered my bracelet, i think the bracelets were referred to in something i read. I knew exactly where mine was resting. I wore it when i was in high school back in the early 70's. I, too, was very surprised to see when i google his name today how many others wore his name. I, too, wanted to find out if he ever came home and this is the first link that i opened... I guess if anyone had learned anything of S/Sgt. David Demmon it would be known in this thread. It was heartwarming to see how many people wore his bracelet and wished for him to come home.
Dawn Ferratusco Sampson