POW-MIA Outdoor Polyester Flag

This POW-MIA flag is available in options suitable for outdoor display. Available in single reverse or double sided.

Outdoor Flags: Manufactured with Heavyweight Polyester which is designed for use in high wind areas. Durable and fast drying. Features a strong heading and two large brass grommets. 

*Made in the U.S.A. 
*Made to official United Nations specifications

"You Are Not Forgotten": The History and Origin of the POW-MIA Flag

At Gates Flag & Banner, we understand that some flags are more than national symbols—they are promises. The POW-MIA flag is one of the most powerful emblems of remembrance in American history. Simple in design, yet profound in meaning, this black-and-white flag serves as a solemn reminder that some of our heroes never made it home—and that we must never stop honoring their sacrifice.

The POW-MIA flag is more than cloth and ink. It's a national commitment to bring them all home.

The Origins: A Family’s Mission Becomes a National Symbol

The story of the POW-MIA flag begins not in the halls of Congress or a military base, but in the heart of a family.

In the late 1960s, as the Vietnam War raged on, American families became increasingly concerned about the rising number of U.S. service members listed as Prisoners of War (POWs) or Missing in Action (MIA). Many felt the government wasn’t doing enough to ensure their safe return—or even to acknowledge their plight.

Among those families was Mary Hoff, the wife of Navy pilot Lieutenant Commander Michael Hoff, who was shot down over Laos in 1970 and listed as MIA. In 1971, Mary contacted the National League of POW/MIA Families, an advocacy group formed by relatives of the missing. Together, they decided that what was missing was a visual symbol—a flag to give voice to the thousands left in limbo.

The Design: A Powerful Statement in Black and White

The League commissioned the design of the flag from Newt Heisley, a World War II veteran and graphic artist. Heisley’s son, who was serving in the Marines at the time and recovering from hepatitis, served as the model for the silhouette.

The flag Heisley created features:

• A stark black field, signifying mourning and solemnity.

• A white silhouette of a gaunt man’s head, with a watchtower and barbed wire in the background.

• The letters “POW-MIA” boldly printed above the image.

• Below it, the haunting words: “YOU ARE NOT FORGOTTEN.”

The design quickly resonated with the American public. Though unofficial at first, it began appearing at rallies, on government buildings, and in veterans’ organizations across the country.

From Symbol to Law: National Recognition

By the early 1980s, the POW-MIA flag had become a widely recognized emblem of concern and remembrance. In 1990, Congress officially designated the POW-MIA flag as a national symbol under Public Law 101-355. It remains the only flag, other than the American flag, to fly permanently over the White House, and is regularly displayed on:

• Military installations

• Federal buildings

• National cemeteries

• State capitols

Most notably, the flag is flown each year on National POW/MIA Recognition Day, observed on the third Friday in September.

At Gates Flag & Banner, we consider the crafting of the POW-MIA flag to be among our most meaningful work. Every time we print or sew that haunting silhouette, we think of the families still waiting for answers—and the commitment that America never forgets its own.

The Flag’s Legacy Today

As of today, over 81,000 American service members are still listed as missing from conflicts dating back to World War II. The POW-MIA flag remains a public reminder of this unfinished chapter in American history.

It is more than a relic of the Vietnam War. It’s a living, flying promise—a symbol of our nation's duty to account for those who served and sacrificed.

A Symbol that Must Endure

Flags like the POW-MIA banner don’t fade with history—they grow in relevance as long as even one family waits for closure. That’s why we at Gates Flag & Banner are committed to producing this flag with the care and reverence it deserves. For public buildings, veterans’ groups, and families across the country, we offer POW-MIA flags in a range of sizes and materials, all crafted to honor the memory behind the message: You Are Not Forgotten.