53rd Vietnam War Commemoration Ceremony
Save the Date!
Monday, March 30, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PDT
USS Midway Museum, Flight Deck | Facebook Live
Free to attend (arrive by 10:20 a.m. PDT)
No RSVP or ticket required
On March 30, in commemoration of the 53rd anniversary of when the last U.S. troops left Vietnam and the final group of American prisoners of war (POWs) were freed and left Hanoi, the USS Midway Museum will pay tribute to all U.S. military veterans who served during the Vietnam War. This year’s ceremony will also emphasize the Vietnam War POW experience.
Ceremony will include:
- Special Guest Speaker – Capt. Jack Ensch, USN (Ret), who will speak to his experience as a Vietnam War POW and Kathy Ensch who will speak to her experience as the wife of a Vietnam War POW.
- Wreath-laying ceremony
- Missing-man flyover
- Live band performance
Unable to join us in person?
The commemoration will be streamed on Midway's Facebook Live starting at 10:00 a.m. PDT.
A first look at Captive Warriors: The Midway 11
Following the Commemoration Ceremony, guests will be able to join us for the grand opening of Midway's new exhibit - Captive Warriors: The Midway 11
This powerful new exhibition tells the story of 11 USS Midway aviators who were captured during the Vietnam War and endured captivity as prisoners of war in North Vietnam. Imprisoned in notorious camps such as the “Hanoi Hilton,” they endured harsh conditions, faced isolation and starvation, and brutal treatment.
Yet they found ways to resist, communicate and survive through unbreakable bonds of duty, faith and loyalty to one another.
Through personal accounts and historic artifacts, Captive Warriors: The Midway 11 honors their resilience, brotherhood and return home with honor in 1973. Their experiences would go on to shape survival training for future generations of service members — a legacy forged in the harshest of circumstances.
Content Advisory: This exhibit presents difficult personal experiences from wartime captivity. Viewer discretion is advised.
