SEASIDE HEIGHTS – Around 82,000 American servicemen and servicewomen remain missing in action since World War II to the present time.
Members of the American Legion, Sons of the American Legion, Ocean County Board of Chosen Freeholders and guests recently observed POW-MIA Day and recognized a local resident whose status was unknown for more than two decades.
The Sons of the American Legion Detachment of New Jersey hosted the 30th Annual Watchfire which drew a large crowd on the borough’s bayfront.
Chuck Robbins, the National Executive Committeeman from the American Legion Department of NJ made a posthumous medal presentation to the family of Air Force Major George J. Pollin of Lavallette.
Pollin’s aircraft was shot down on April 29, 1967. He was listed as “declared dead while missing in action.” His remains were recovered on September 30, 1990 and were identified on December 17, 1990.
“By conducting the watchfire here tonight, you are sending three messages – that being a message to MIA families that we care, a message to our elected officials to support legislation and policies that will make available use of all necessary resources to achieve the fullest possible accounting of our nation’s missing no matter what the cost, and a message to our military that we are with you and with your families and that God forbid any service members should be captured or missing in action that we want everything done immediately to secure your release and to account for you,” Robbins said.
Robbins stressed that efforts were needed to ensure that no one is left behind. Awareness efforts like this watchfire have helped the public and politicians be aware of their support for POW/MIAs.
Taking off his legion cap Robbins spoke in his other role, as an employee of the NJ Dept. of Military and Veterans Affairs. Here, he made the special presentation on behalf of Governor Phil Murphy and New Jersey Adjutant General, Major General Jemal J. Beale. He called forth George Pollin’s siblings Larry Pollin and Barbara Greger.
Robbins said George Pollin was born on February 5, 1942 in the town of Lavallette. “He was a typical all-American kid, according to his brother Larry. George was well known throughout the community and excelled at many things. After college he went to flight school and graduated at the top of his class. Knowing he would be going to Vietnam sooner or later and rather than going to Germany, he asked to be sent directly to Vietnam to complete the requirement of a 100 flight missions. By doing so he felt he could get his commitment done quicker. He committed 78 of those 100 missions.”
Pollin was assigned to the 389th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Being the person he was, he volunteered for a combat mission because another co-pilot was ill. This was on April 29, 1967. He called his brother back home before the mission telling him by doing this it would bring him that much closer to coming home.
Later that day in a F4 Phantom Jet Pollin and fellow pilot Loren Torkelson set out on their escort mission over North Vietnam and their aircraft was number two in a flight of four. The F105 fighter bomber they were escorting was assigned to take out a bridge. “Larry told me earlier today that the bridge was taken out,” Robbins said.
The flight took them over a missile site and fighter base and the squadron experienced fire from both and took a hit from the rear of the plane. It was seen to be hit rolled over, crashed and exploded. One parachute was seen leaving the aircraft but extreme enemy presence prevented any immediate rescue mission, Robbins noted.
It was later learned that Torkelson had ejected and had been taken captive by the North Vietnamese. He was released in 1973. “In his debrief he reported not having seen a second parachute and presumed Pollin had gone down with the plane,” Robbins said.
Defense Department records indicated Pollin’s ejector seat was seen at the crash site lending some hope that he had successfully left the plane. As he was not reported captured and his body was not found he was declared dead. In May of 1978 his status was changed to killed in action by the Department of the Air Force. His remains were later recovered and repatriated and during his missing status he was twice promoted to the eventual rank of major. His awards were numerous and included the Purple Heart and the United States Aviator Badge and the Vietnam Campaign medal.
Robbins said, “the Pollin family is fortunate to know their brother’s fate. They waited 23 years for an answer. Other families still wait.”
Larry Pollin said of his brother, “he really had the right stuff. He had told me ‘Larry (flight school) was the hardest thing I ever did in my life.’ He graduated number one in his class and he was awarded a plaque that I have standing by his shadowbox by his peers and his instructors.”
Robbins also introduced 3rd District Congressman Andy Kim and Ocean County Freeholder Director Joseph Vicari.
“This is bigger than all of us,” Kim said. “What we are doing is paying full tribute to those who have served our nation and those who are missing in action, and those who are prisoners of war. It is important for me to come here and meet with families that have lost loved ones and those who have served our country honorably and bravely and what I promise you is that I will do everything I humanly can to make sure we have that full accounting that our country and families deserve no matter what the cost.”
Vicari noted while the number of missing soldiers, sailors, marines and airmen continues to slowly decline, there are still more than 81,900 Americans listed as missing from World War II through to today’s ongoing War on Terror.
“Ocean County never forgets its veterans. We remember and thank those who sacrificed so much for their nation,” Vicari added.
During a recent meeting of the Board of Freeholders, Vicari called for a moment of silence to remember the nation’s POWs and MIAs. Freeholder Gerry P. Little said during that meeting that approximately 72,600 missing Americans to date are from World War II, 7,600 from Korea, 1,586 from Vietnam, 108 from the Cold War Era and five from the Gulf Wars.
Vicari said, “the fate of these valiant Americans remains unknown and the hunt for the remains of MIAs goes on and in recent years, several remains of U.S. servicemen were found in Cambodia and returned home for proper identification and burial.”
Other speakers included Gary P. Nelson, Sons of the American Legion National Vice Commander; Bob Newell, the Department Commander of the American Legion; and Ruby Cramer, the Department President of the American Legion Auxiliary.
