American Ex-Prisoners of War is a service organization that aims to assist the surviving

U.S. military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is the ...

and Civilian

prisoner of war A prisoner of war (POW) is a person who is held captive by a belligerent power during or immediately after an armed conflict. The earliest recorded usage of the phrase "prisoner of war" dates back to 1610. Belligerents hold prisoners of wa ...

(POWs), particularly those who are elderly and those who have medical problems. Based in

Arlington, Texas Arlington is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, located in Tarrant County. It forms part of the Mid-Cities region of the Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and is a principal city of the metropolis and region. ...

, the American Ex–Prisoners of War was founded in 1942. It received a congressional charter under

Title 36 of the United States Code The United States Code is the official compilation of the Federal laws of a general and permanent nature that are currently in force. Title 36 cover, "Patriotic and National Observances, Ceremonies, and Organizations." Parts Subtitle I: Patrio ...

in 1982. The group claims a membership of 12,000 members nationwide. The group is open to former American POWs of all wars and their immediate families. Its service officers have assisted POW

veteran A veteran () is a person who has significant experience (and is usually adept and esteemed) and expertise in a particular occupation or field. A military veteran is a person who is no longer serving in a military. A military veteran that has ...

s in securing medical services and other

entitlement An entitlement is a provision made in accordance with a legal framework of a society. Typically, entitlements are based on concepts of principle ("rights") which are themselves based in concepts of social equality or enfranchisement. In psycholo ...

s. Former POWs may be eligible for special veterans benefits, including medical care in Veterans Affairs hospitals and disability compensation for injuries and diseases caused by internment. These benefits are in addition to regular veterans' benefits and services to which they are also entitled. Widows and minor children of former POWs may qualify for special benefits and compensation. Notable members include Wilburn Snyder, James C. Spencer, and D. C. Wimberly. File:Lest We Forget plaque, Lyons VA Medical Center, NJ.jpg, Lest We Forget plaque dedicated at Lyons VA Medical Center in

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...

File:21-01-219-ex-pow.jpg, Memorial Plaque at Andersonville NHS File:22-30-001-andersonville 01.jpg, Memorial at Andersonville NHS

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:American Ex-Prisoners of War 1942 establishments in the United States American veterans' organizations * Patriotic and national organizations chartered by the United States Congress