Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and Cook County Commissioners unveiled a memorial chair on April 11 to honor American prisoners of war and those missing in action. The POW/MIA Chair of Honor is now a permanent fixture in the Cook County Board Room, accompanied by a plaque that serves as a reminder of those who made sacrifices for their country.
The installation aims to ensure that the service and sacrifice of these individuals are not forgotten. Cook County partnered with Rolling Thunder, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to remembering prisoners of war and those missing in action.
“We must pay tribute to those who bravely served our country and remember those who never returned home,” said Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle. “The installation of the POW/MIA Chair of Honor will serve as a permanent reminder of the sacrifices that have been made in the fight for freedom and peace. Even though the soldiers are not here, they are remembered in Cook County.”
Commissioner John Daley, Chairman of the Board’s Finance Committee and sponsor of a resolution honoring POW/MIA service members, said, “We owe an incredible debt to those who have served, including the more than 720,000 veterans who live in Illinois, and I hope the presence of this chair inspires us to continue to work for solutions for problems that plague our veteran community here in Cook County.”
A plaque honoring prisoners of war and those missing in action is being installed above the chair. The Cook County Department of Veterans Affairs played an important role in bringing these permanent installations to the board room.
Preckwinkle established the county’s first Department of Veterans Affairs in 2013. The department works with employee-veterans and collaborates with veterans organizations to provide information about programs and benefits available based on military service.
