DALTON, Ga. — JoAnne Shirley, whose brother, Maj. Bobby M. Jones, went missing in action in 1972 during the Vietnam War, asked audience members at the Memorial Day Community Celebration on Monday to think about what they would do if they were in her position.

Shirley is a Prisoner of War (POW) and Missing in Action advocate, her brother was a flight surgeon in the Air Force.

“I learned quickly that the POW is not just about my brother, but it’s about all of our servicemen and women who are unaccounted for today,” she said.

Shirley was the keynote speaker at the ceremony which was moved from the Whitfield County Courthouse lawn to the downtown public parking deck due to rain on Memorial Day. She shared the story of her brother, who enlisted in the Air Force after graduating from the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta.

“He had a very low draft number so he was concerned that if he got into his residency program he would be drafted out,” she said.

Shirley said her brother was sent to Thailand in September 1972. Three months later on Nov. 28, 1972, her family was informed he was missing.

“Our prayers were that he would be recovered soon and brought home,” she said. “I promised him I would do all I could to bring him home and honor his service.”

Shirley said the last 45 years have been “quite an adventure.”

“I thank God every day that I have support from family and friends who knew Bobby and friends who are there to support our efforts even though they didn’t know him.”

Shirley said her family is grateful that after 36 years, Jones’ blood chit was found and delivered to them. A blood chit is an identification notice carried by some military personnel.

Dixcee Merritt, event chair, said that at the start of the planning stages she “had a problem” with the word celebration.

“I was raised in a house that said ‘respect your veterans on Memorial Day,’ she said. “It’s not a happy Memorial Day, it’s a day of reverence.”

Merritt said as committee members talked more about the word, she understood its significance.

“I realized we are celebrating our freedom and the courage and acts of service so many before us have taken,” she said. “Regardless if we wear bracelets for those who are not here or we carry them around in our hearts, let us please remember today as we choose what we want to do.”

Merritt said whether a person grills outdoors or orders a pizza to remember those who are no longer here.

“If someone chose not to do what we want to do, let us respect that as well,” she said. “Our county was based on freedom. I’m thankful everyone here decided to celebrate with us.”

The ceremony also included laying of wreaths, a multi-gun salute and the playing of “Taps,” plus patriotic songs and the reading of 169 names of people from Whitfield County who died while serving in the military.

Jean Manning, of Dalton, said Memorial Day services are necessary.

“It’s worthy and you have to do it,” she said. “It’s respectable to our military.”