Dover International Speedway dedicate “One Empty Seat”

Prisoners of war and members of the military missing in action were honored at the Dover International Speedway Sunday morning with “One Empty Seat.”

The POW/MIA National Chair of Honor initiative was created to help recognize and honor the more than 92,000 American soldiers who have been unaccounted for since World War I.

A commemorative stand and plaque were mounted in Section 103 in Row 1 in the Dover grandstands just parallel to the racetrack’s starting point to honor those men and women.

Lt. Col. Len Gratteri with the Delaware National Guard unveiled the memorial in honor of his uncle, Private First Class John Straley who has been missing in action since January 1964.

Lt. Col. Len Gratteri says, “My family spent the last fifty years trying to bring him home and they haven’t been successful. Anytime we can pay tribute to my uncle and others who have never returned home is a great honor.”

The POW/MIA memorial chair will be on permanent display at the Dover International Speedway.