Empty Chair at Leopard Stadium Dedicated to Prisoners of War & Those Missing in Action

La Grange High School is honored to collaborate with the La Grange Independent School District, La Grange American Legion Post 102 and Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 5254 in launching a powerful initiative that pays tribute to our nations war heroes, those who were prisoners of war, missing in action, or have not returned home.

As the first high school in Fayette County to implement this unique tribute, Principal John Pineda, LGISD, and veterans Richard and Mary Gray have dedicated an empty seat at every La Grange ISD Varsity football home-game to honor these heroes. This reserved seat, featuring a POW/MIA flag and a single red rose, serves as a solemn reminder that while these veterans may not be with us physically, their spirits endure, and they will always have a seat in our stadium.

A Prisoner of War (POW) is a person who has been captured and detained during the time of war.

As of October 2025, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA), which oversees the identification and accounting of missing personnel, has reported a total of approximately 73,684 individuals classified as missing in action. 1,843 of those accounted for and 71,841 still unaccounted for. These numbers include missing persons from World War II, the Korean War, Vietnam War, the Cold War and other conflicts.