September 22, 2003
Lowndes County- Hundreds gathered at Moody Air Force Base Monday for a ceremony to remember troops missing in action and taken prisoner of war. "It's so important that we not let these troops be forgotten and we keep digging until we find out what happened," said JoAnne Shirley.
One of those still unaccounted for is Joanne Shirley's brother, Major Bobby Jones. "He was flying back seat logging flight hours, and suddenly his plane went off radar," said Shirley. "No human remains or sign of a crash were ever found."
November marks 31 years since Shirley's brother disappeared. "We have no closure at all, it's so hard to get over it," said Shirley.
She says not knowing what happened has been torture for her family. "I honestly think my brother's plane crashed that day, but the government hasn't given us any proof of that, so we don't know what to believe for sure," said Shirley.
When U.S. troops were taken hostage during Operation Iraqi Freedom, Shirley relived her brother's disappearance. "It just brings it all back home, and I knew just what those families were feeling," said Shirley. "That just proves that this isn't just a thing of the past and it's happening still today."
Now she serves as Chairman of the League of M.I.A's and P.O.W's, in hopes that her efforts will bring thousands of families the closure she never had.
posted at 2:15 by ashley.harper@walb.com
Major Bobby Jones
JoAnne Shirley
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