POW-MIA Flag Designer Dies
The man who created the black and white POW-MIA flag, Newt Heisley, passed away Thursday morning at his home in Colorado Springs, according to a local paper. He was 88.
His fiancee, Donna Allison, said Heisley didn’t want any “hoopla,” just a celebration. So on Flag Day, this coming June 14, Heisley will be honored from 1-4 p.m. at the American Legion post 38 in Security, Colorado. The public is welcome to attend.
In 1971, Heisley sketched the silhouette of a man under a guard tower and behind barbed wire. Today, the image is reminder that not every soldier returned from the war in Vietnam. Heisley was a C-46 transport pilot in World War II in the Pacific and was proud of what the flag meant. He often sported the symbol on his hat and lapel. The flag is now legally required to be flown over federal buildings on days of observance like Memorial Day and the Fourth of July.
Heisley worked in advertising for 25 years in Manhattan before moving to Colorado Springs and starting his own agency. He is survived by two sons, two daughters-in-law, and a granddaughter.
[photo: ptelford]
Tags: 4th of July, Colorado, memorial day, Newt Heisley, Vietnam