American Legion Cathay Post No. 186 will mark the nation’s 250th anniversary by carrying two historic 10-foot-by-15-foot flags during the Seattle Chinatown Seafair Parade this Sunday, July 19, including what organizers believe will be the first public parade appearance of the Kingdome POW/MIA flag.
Post members will carry both a giant U.S. flag and the historic POW/MIA flag through the Chinatown-International District alongside active-duty military personnel, veterans, first responders, family members and community volunteers. Before the parade begins, volunteers also plan to hand out more than 4,000 American flags to spectators.
The parade, organized by the Greater Seattle Chinese Chamber of Commerce, begins at 7 p.m. near Hing Hay Park in Seattle’s Chinatown-International District.
The Kingdome POW/MIA flag was purchased in the early 1990s through donations organized by the Washington State POW/MIA Concerned Citizens Association, led by Vietnam veteran Richard Keeton, along with veterans organizations and supporters across the state. The flag was dedicated during a ceremony at the Kingdome, where it served as a reminder of U.S. service members who remain prisoners of war or missing in action. Following the stadium’s demolition in 2000, the flag was preserved as a symbol of remembrance.
The flag is now cared for by Rick Holland, whose father, a U.S. Air Force serviceman, was killed in action during the Vietnam War and whose remains were never recovered.
“As America celebrates its 250th anniversary throughout 2026, we also remember those who never came home,” Cathay Post Adjutant Kent Wong said in a statement. “Our freedoms are not free. Carrying the Kingdome POW/MIA Flag honors those who remain unaccounted for and renews our commitment to never forget them.”
The POW/MIA flag bears the message, “You Are Not Forgotten.”
Leave a Reply