09/18/2026
For Salinas, POW/MIA Recognition Day is part of our own history.
Today, we honor the Americans who endured captivity as prisoners of war, those who never returned home, and the families who waited for answers.
For Salinas, this history is deeply personal.
Company C, 194th Tank Battalion, was a Salinas-based unit sent to the Philippines during World War II. After months of fighting, the surviving men were captured, endured the Bataan Death March, and faced years as prisoners of war. Of the 105 men who left Salinas, only 47 returned home.
We also remember Hometown Heroes whose lives are connected to the POW experience:
Everett Alvarez Jr., A Salinas native and Naval aviator, Alvarez was shot down over North Vietnam in 1964 and became the first American aviator captured in North Vietnam. He endured more than eight years as a prisoner of war before returning home in 1973.
George Hepfl Sr., His profile tells us he was captured during the Battle of the Bulge and became a prisoner of war during World War II. He went on to serve through the Korean and Vietnam War eras and was also a Purple Heart recipient.
Casimir Gorczyca, An Army physician who cared for returning Vietnam War POWs at Valley Forge General Hospital. His family shared that he and his wife welcomed former POWs and their wives into their home, giving them an opportunity to spend time with a family outside the hospital as they adjusted to being home.
As you go about your day, keep an eye out for POW/MIA flags. Today is National POW/MIA Recognition Day. When you see one, take a moment to remember those who served our country and have yet to come home.
Today, we remember those who came home, those who did not, and the families who carried their memory forward.
For Salinas, their history is our history. You Are Not Forgotten.
