HISTORY
Motivated by the interest generated by the Missouri AMVET POW-MIA Traveling Museum, AMVET District Commander, Joe Grohs Jr., contacted U.S. Congressman Russ Carnahan about the possibility of a permanent POW-MIA Museum in Missouri. Congressman Carnahan began looking into it and in April of 2011 sent letters to Missouri’s Veterans Groups inviting them to join together in an effort to establish a permanent POW-MIA Museum in the Old 1898 Officers’ Quarters Building located at 16-18 Hancock Road, in the Jefferson Barracks Historic District. The structure, up until August 2008, had housed Missouri’s Civilian Conservation Corps Museum.
Answering the call to date, the Missouri AMVETS, the Missouri American Legion, the Missouri Veterans Commission, the Missouri Department of the American Ex-Prisoners of War, the Missouri AMVETS Ladies Auxiliary, the Missouri Air Force Association, and the Missouri Veterans of Foreign Wars, have joined together to form the Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA Museum, Inc.
The Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA Museum, Inc. is a 501C(3) non-profit, non-partisan, all volunteer organization with a Board of Directors, an Executive Committee, and an active Fundraising Committee in place. It is currently busy with raising funds for Museum design, repairs and renovations, as well as with meeting the necessary requirements and making the necessary preparations to enter into a long-term Lease Agreement with St. Louis County, owners of the Old 1898 Officers’ Quarters Building.
It is the hope that a Jefferson Barracks POW-MIA Museum will not only honor the service and tremendous sacrifices of our POW’s and MIA’s, but will also become a source of deep pride for Jefferson Barracks, St. Louis County, the State of Missouri, and indeed all Americans by staying true to the words of its motto: “No One Left Behind, No One Forgotten.”