CVHS Honors Memorial Day 2023 with Missing Man Table

We are humbled this Memorial Day weekend to join in honoring those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. One tradition we are proud to observe at our hospital is the “Missing Man Table,” sometimes referred to as the “Fallen Comrade Table” to remind all who view it of those fallen, missing, or imprisoned U.S. military service members.

Set up in our cafeteria, the Missing Man Table represents the emotions and feelings reserved for those who did not come home. The ceremony symbolizes that they are with us, here in spirit. All Americans should never forget the brave men and women who answered our nation’s call to serve and fought for our freedom with honor.

The symbolism of the Missing Man Table:

• The table is round, to show our everlasting concern for our missing men.
• The cloth is white, symbolizing the purity of their motives when answering the call to serve.
• The single red rose, displayed in a vase, reminds us of the lives of these Americans and their loved ones and friends who keep the faith while seeking answers.
• The red ribbon symbolizes our continued determination to account for our missing.
• A slice of lemon reminds us of their bitter fate, captured and missing in a foreign land.
• The salt symbolizes the tears of our missing soldiers and their families who long for answers after decades of uncertainty.
• The lighted candle reflects our hope for their return, alive or dead.
• The Bible represents the strength gained through faith to sustain us and those lost from our country, founded as one nation under God.
• The glass is inverted, symbolizing their inability to share a toast.
• The chair is empty, the seat that remains unclaimed at the table.

Please join us in taking this time to remember those for whom Memorial Day was created.