National Vietnam War Veterans Day
Author: Julianna Cooper, Challenge America Program Coordinator
Today is incredibly important to us here at Challenge America - March 29th is designated as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. A time to honor and pay tribute to the 9 million Americans who served during the Vietnam War era, the 58,000 names memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C., and those who never received the recognition they deserved when they returned to America from war.
On March 29, 1973, the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam was disestablished - and it was the day the last U.S. combat troops departed Vietnam. Also, on and around this same day, the U.S. Vietnam War Commemoration stated that the last acknowledged prisoners of war were released from Hanoi.
In 2012, the President of the United States declared March 29th as Vietnam Veterans Day, and this was signed into law in 2017. Now, National Vietnam War Veterans Day is set aside to honor the legacy of the millions who served our nation during the Vietnam war. Unfortunately, these commemorations were far too many years after service members returned home to a nation that was struggling to separate the war from the warrior - but on this day we honor those who, despite their family commitments or personal feelings, served our country selflessly on the battlefield when the nation called.
These words from the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund illuminate the multifaceted reality of this day and the recognition that our Vietnam Veterans so greatly deserve.
“More than 58,000 brave heroes paid the ultimate price for our freedoms, their names forever inscribed on the black granite panels of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.
When Vietnam veterans did return, it was often an unpleasant homecoming. Name calling, leering looks, and frequent mistreatment were part of the experience. The parades of their fathers’ generation seemed a thing of the past. This experience lit a spark among Vietnam veterans who worked together and made a commitment that the next generation of service members would receive the support and respect they deserved.
When it came time to send our next generation of men and women to war as part of Operation Desert Storm, it was the Vietnam veterans who stepped up to welcome them home; offering salutes, handshakes, and parades for those now returning home from conflict zones. Vietnam veterans were saying “thank you for your service” and teaching their children, the next generation, to say it too. Through this work Vietnam veterans taught us the right way to treat the men and women in uniform who represent our country.
National Vietnam War Veterans Day is an opportunity for national reconciliation. It offers a chance for a now grateful nation to recognize the fortitude and commitment that Vietnam veterans showed and continue to show every day. March 29th is an opportunity to thank and honor the 2.7 million service members who served in Vietnam. For Vietnam veterans, this is a day when they finally receive the recognition and respect that was missing so many years ago. For everyone else, while we cannot go back and fix the mistakes of the past, we can work towards ensuring that all Vietnam veterans receive the welcome home they truly deserve.”
To our Veterans who served during the Vietnam War: thank you for sacrificing so much to serve this nation, even when you were not treated with the respect you so fully deserved. We can never fully express the magnitude of what your service means to this country. We honor you today, and every day.
With great gratitude,
The Challenge America Team
Even after 50 years, the impact of the Vietnam War echoes across generations. Hear stories of service and sacrifice from people who are affected — Veterans, their families, and others who add perspective to those experiences. Brought to you by the nonprofit that built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, “The Wall,” in Washington, D.C, listen to the “Echoes of the Vietnam War” Podcast HERE.
