JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas –
His face was expressionless, a picture of solemnity that matched the occasion.
At times there would be just the slightest crack in his voice as he told his brother's story.
Gently holding the metal baton in his hands, James Lindsey's eyes started to well up when he described his brother, still listed as missing in action from the Vietnam War.
Col. Marvin Lindsey, an Air Force pilot and James' brother, was recognized during a somber outdoor ceremony the morning of Sept. 20 in front of the Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland Gateway Club at the conclusion of the Prisoners of War/Missing in Action 24-hour vigil run.
In addition to the Lindsey family, three POWs were presented relay batons at the ceremony: Jimmy Chavez, Joseph Milligan and Tillman Rutledge. Three other POWs who were unable to attend also received batons: Oscar Cortez, Tom McNish and Jack Ledford.
The Lindseys were the first MIA family to receive a baton since the annual remembrance run began five years ago, said Staff Sgt. Sean O'Keefe, 323rd Training Squadron run coordinator and NCO in charge.
"It has been emotional," said James Lindsey as he talked about his brother after the ceremony. "It's a solemn occasion and (remembering him) is very much appreciated."
Marvin Lindsey was an RF-101C pilot assigned to the 15th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron when he was shot down on a daytime photo reconnaissance mission June 29, 1965 over Son La province, North Vietnam.
According to examiner.com, in 1992 the North Vietnamese released photographs taken of eight Americans after they had been shot down, including Marvin Lindsey. At the same time, the North Vietnamese also released photos of their downed aircraft, their identification cards and their remains.
Yet Marvin Lindsey's remains were never located and have not been returned to the family.
"It would just about be a miracle," James Lindsey said. "They did find the remnants of his aircraft. It looks like his plane was hit with a surface-to-air missile. He did eject and he did reach the ground.
"There are photographs in the Son Ja museum that show him with the villagers propping him up with his uniform on, but they moved him around to different places for their propaganda. He didn't deserve that, he was only doing what his country called for."
To remember the MIAs and POWs, more than 8,000 JBSA-Lackland and JBSA-Fort Sam Houston runners ran with the seven batons over 21,000 miles on installation tracks.
Runners included Air Force Basic Military Training trainees who used the remembrance event as part of physical training during the early morning hours of Sept. 20.
One of the run participants with the trainees was Dr. Granville Coggs, a Tuskegee Airman. The 88-year-old Coggs addressed 323rd TRS trainees at 5 a.m., and then led the squadron's first lap.
Those details were not lost on James Lindsey as he held the baton remembering his brother.
"It does feel special (to have a baton) coming from all those young people that are serving," he said. "It lets you know they're (POWs/MIAs) are not forgotten."