A Tribute to National Veterans Day

Date: March 23, 2025

Sources Reviewed:

• "50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration | Vietnam War Commemoration"
• "In Country: Stories from the Vietnam War | Vietnam War (1961-1975) | Serving: Our Voices | Veterans History Project Collection | Digital Collections | Library of Congress"
• "NHHC" (Naval History and Heritage Command website)
• "National Vietnam War Veterans Day 2025 in the United States" (timeanddate.com)
• "VA News and Information"
• "VA.gov Home | Veterans Affairs"
• "Veterans Return Home | Oklahoma Historical Society"
• "Vietnam War 50th Year Commemoration | The United States Army"
• "Why Were Vietnam War Vets Treated Poorly When They Returned? | HISTORY"

Executive Summary:

This briefing document synthesizes information from multiple sources regarding the commemoration of the Vietnam War and the ongoing recognition of its veterans. Key themes include the historical context of the war and its impact, the often-negative reception Vietnam veterans initially faced upon returning home, the establishment and significance of National Vietnam War Veterans Day (March 29th), and the current efforts by various organizations, including the Department of Defense and the Department of Veterans Affairs, to honor and thank these veterans and their families. The 50th anniversary commemoration, launched in 2012 and continuing through Veterans Day 2025, serves as a focal point for these efforts.

Main Themes and Important Ideas/Facts:

1. The Vietnam War: A Divisive Conflict and its Lasting Impact:

• The Vietnam War (roughly 1955-1975 for the US involvement) was a prolonged and complex conflict with significant human cost in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. The US involvement escalated in the 1960s during the Cold War, driven by fears of communist expansion.
• The war became increasingly unpopular in the United States, dividing American society. As the Oklahoma Historical Society notes, "The Vietnam War divided American society. Those who served were often treated as traitors instead of heroes, and found it difficult to adjust to life back home."
• The "In Country: Stories from the Vietnam War" collection by the Library of Congress highlights the diverse and often difficult experiences of the 2.7 million Americans who served in Vietnam, recalling the "visceral experience of the places in which they spent their tours of duty, vividly recalling the sights, sounds, and smells of Vietnam a half-century after coming home." These personal narratives underscore the individual human impact of the war.

2. The Negative Reception of Returning Vietnam Veterans:

• Unlike veterans of previous wars, Vietnam veterans often did not receive a warm welcome home. As HISTORY states, "American soldiers returning home from Vietnam often faced scorn as the war they had fought in became increasingly unpopular."
• Several factors contributed to this, including the lack of clear victory, the divisiveness of the war, and a desire by some Americans to forget the conflict. Jerry Lembke, a Vietnam veteran and sociologist, explains, "Vietnam was a lost war, and it was the first major lost war abroad in American history. You don’t have parades for soldiers coming home from a war they lost."
• Veterans like Steven A. Wowwk recounted instances of direct hostility: "I remember feeling like, what could I do to acknowledge them, and I just gave the peace signal... And instead of getting return peace fingers, I got the middle finger."
• The lack of adequate GI benefits and institutional indifference further compounded the challenges faced by returning veterans, a

Chapters

• 0:37 Introduction to Vietnam War 50th Anniversary
• 1:12 Official Commemoration Efforts
• 2:39 Honoring Veterans Nationwide
• 5:27 Contrasting Homecomings After Vietnam
• 8:01 Looking Ahead to Final Events
• 10:50 Reflections on Historical Memory

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:19

Wow, you know, going through all this material for this deep dive on the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War, I mean, it's, it's a lot. You know what I mean.

Speaker 2: 0:28

It is, it really is.

Speaker 1: 0:29

There are official documents, personal stories from the Library of Congress, like these oral histories, historical society pages, news articles, and I mean it's all so powerful.

Speaker 2: 0:39

Yeah, and so much of it focuses on you know what it was like for those who served coming home.

Speaker 1: 0:45

Right.

Speaker 2: 0:45

And then you have all this material on how the nation's trying to remember and honor the war, and I think you know looking at both those things together is really interesting.

Speaker 1: 0:54

Yeah, so how about we start with the official commemoration efforts? So this whole thing, it wasn't just, you know, a one-off kind of thing. I mean, congress actually authorized it way back in 2012. And then President Obama, you know, he officially launched it.

Speaker 2: 1:08

Right and the purpose was to thank and honor Vietnam veterans and their families. You know for their service and their sacrifices and it's been going sustained national focus on the Vietnam War.

Speaker 1: 1:31

And it's not over yet.

Speaker 2: 1:32

Not until Veterans Day 2025.

Speaker 1: 1:34

Okay. So I have a question why March 29th?

Speaker 2: 1:38

Well, that date was chosen for National Vietnam War Veterans Day because it was the day in 1973 when the last US combat troops left Vietnam.

Speaker 1: 1:50

Oh OK.

Speaker 2: 1:50

And it also happened to be around the same time that Hanoi released the last known prisoners of war.

Speaker 1: 1:55

I see.

Speaker 2: 1:55

So it symbolizes kind of the end of US involvement in the war. And then, of course, the return of those who had been held captive, exactly, and then, of course, the return of those who had been held captive Exactly, and President Trump actually signed the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Acts in 2017, which officially designated March 29th as National Vietnam War Veterans Day every year.

Speaker 1: 2:12

So it's like a permanent reminder. Now it is. Veterans have been honored during this whole commemoration period. It sounds like they've done a lot Like, for example, over 3 million veterans have been publicly thanked at over 21,000 ceremonies. That's just amazing.

Speaker 2: 2:33

Yeah, and they've also been giving out these Vietnam veteran lapel pins.

Speaker 1: 2:37

Oh yeah, I've seen those.

Speaker 2: 2:38

The interesting thing is that any living US veteran who served on active duty between November 1st 1955 and May 15th 1975 is eligible to get one.

Speaker 1: 2:51

Really so it doesn't matter where they served.

Speaker 2: 2:54

It doesn't matter where they served Wow, which I think is really noteworthy.

Speaker 1: 2:57

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 2:57

And, you know, for veterans who can't make it to a ceremony for whatever reason, they can actually request a pin online.

Speaker 1: 3:04

Oh, that's nice so it's very inclusive. So inclusive. So I know that a lot of the events and stuff are going to be winding down soon.

Speaker 2: 3:10

Yeah, the commemoration will be ending its major event support on March 31st 2025.

Speaker 1: 3:16

Okay, but they will still be taking speaking requests.

Speaker 2: 3:18

They will, but it's going to be first come, first served.

Speaker 1: 3:21

Oh, okay, so, but it's going to be first come, first served. Oh, ok, so. It sounds like things are shifting a little bit as we get closer to the end of the commemoration period, but it's not like they're just going to completely stop everything.

Speaker 2: 3:31

Right, I mean, there are some things that will continue.

Speaker 1: 3:33

Right, and I mean there are some really cool things that they've done Right, like the Welcome Home Honor concert was nominated for an Emmy.

Speaker 2: 3:40

It was.

Speaker 1: 3:44

Which is pretty cool and anyone can download it if they want to watch it, which is nice.

Speaker 2: 3:46

Yeah, and it's not just the government doing all this, is it?

Speaker 1: 3:49

no, not at all I mean there are tons of commemorative partners involved like the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association right and there are collaborations with other organizations like the DAR.

Speaker 2: 4:01

You know the Daughters of the American Revolution so these partners are actually going out there and you know, presenting the lapel pins and making sure that veterans hear that welcome home, that maybe they didn't get back in the day Exactly. That's really special, it is.

Speaker 1: 4:16

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:16

And it's happening at a local level too, Like the DR has all these local chapters across the country and they're actually partnering with local chapters of the Vietnam Veterans of America.

Speaker 1: 4:24

Oh, wow.

Speaker 2: 4:25

And they're presenting them with this. You know, honorary partner recognition.

Speaker 1: 4:29

That's fantastic.

Speaker 2: 4:30

And then they're actually going out and personally giving veterans those lapel pins with a welcome home.

Speaker 1: 4:36

I love that. I love that. So of course there's the National Joint Reflaying Ceremony at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC.

Speaker 2: 4:44

Right Every year on March 29th.

Speaker 1: 4:46

Very powerful, but, like you said, there's all this stuff happening at the local level too.

Speaker 2: 4:49

That event at the Mall of America in Minnesota.

Speaker 1: 4:52

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 4:52

And then all the ceremonies that are happening at VA facilities around the country.

Speaker 1: 4:56

Even President Biden posted something on X, you know, about honoring Vietnam veterans.

Speaker 2: 5:02

It's really happening on all these different levels, from very formal ceremonies to community events, and even you know things online.

Speaker 1: 5:09

It's amazing.

Speaker 2: 5:09

And then we can't forget about the work of the Defense POW and IAA Accounting Agency you know the DPAA, they're still working to identify missing US service members from past conflicts.

Speaker 1: 5:22

Including the Vietnam War.

Speaker 2: 5:23

Including the Vietnam War. Wow, and last year they actually announced several new identifications.

Speaker 1: 5:28

That's incredible.

Speaker 2: 5:29

Which I think you know, brings at least some measure of closure to those families.

Speaker 1: 5:34

Absolutely, and it's a reminder that the war, you know its legacy, continues. That the war, you know its legacy continues. But you know, speaking of all these efforts to honor veterans, it's really striking how different it was when they came home. I mean, the sources we have here, they really highlight this lack of welcome. You know, the ceremonies that veterans of other wars got just weren't there. It seems like a lot of people just wanted to forget about the whole thing.

Speaker 2: 5:58

It's really quite a contrast with the way veterans of World War II were greeted. You know they came home to parades and celebrations and you know a lot of Vietnam veterans faced indifference or even hostility.

Speaker 1: 6:10

Really.

Speaker 2: 6:11

Yeah, I mean there are documented instances of people you know yelling at them or making obscene gestures. I can't even imagine it really shows how divided the country was, you know.

Speaker 1: 6:20

And how much anger there was surrounding the war. Yeah, the sources actually have some pretty disturbing examples of this.

Speaker 2: 6:28

It was a really difficult time. And then there's the fact that a lot of Vietnam veterans came home individually after their tours. You know they weren't coming home in large units like in World War II.

Speaker 1: 6:39

Right.

Speaker 2: 6:40

So there weren't these huge welcome home events.

Speaker 1: 6:43

I see, so they were kind of coming back to this. You know the silence, or even worse.

Speaker 2: 6:47

Exactly, and the fact that the war was so unpopular, you know, and seen as a loss, I think that really contributed to the negative reception.

Speaker 1: 6:56

Right.

Speaker 2: 6:56

Some veterans felt like they were being blamed for the war. You know.

Speaker 1: 6:59

And they hadn't even started it.

Speaker 2: 7:01

Exactly. That's a lot to carry on your shoulders when you're trying to readjust to civilian life. And then there were the GI Bill benefits.

Speaker 1: 7:08

Yeah, they were really lacking compared to previous wars, weren't they?

Speaker 2: 7:11

Yeah, A lot of veterans had trouble accessing health care and, you know, getting back on their feet financially which, you know, just made the whole transition even harder. Exactly. It's like they were coming home from this traumatic experience to a society that just wasn't prepared to help them.

Speaker 1: 7:25

And that probably contributed to that stereotype of the you know broken Vietnam veteran.

Speaker 2: 7:31

It definitely played a role, yeah, which you know, unfortunately just added to the stigma, but thankfully things started to change.

Speaker 1: 7:37

It seems like the dedication of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 1982 was a real turning point.

Speaker 2: 7:43

Yeah, it created this space for the nation to start to, you know, really acknowledge the sacrifices that were made.

Speaker 1: 7:50

And then after that, you know the Gulf War. It was a whole different story.

Speaker 2: 7:53

Yeah, people were a lot more supportive of the troops.

Speaker 1: 7:55

Thank goodness. But like you said earlier, you know, even though now we hear thank you for your service all the time, it's not always enough.

Speaker 2: 8:03

Right? Some veterans have pointed out that you know, even though now we hear thank you for your service all the time, it's not always enough, right? Some veterans have pointed out that you know words are important, but there needs to be action too, Like what kind of? Action Like making sure that veterans have access to quality health care, mental health services and, you know, job opportunities.

Speaker 1: 8:16

So really supporting them in concrete ways. Ok, so let's talk about the future. March 29th 2025, that's going to be National Vietnam War Veterans Day and the last of the 50th anniversary commemoration events. It sounds like there are going to be events all over the country.

Speaker 2: 8:33

Yeah, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in DC will be a big one.

Speaker 1: 8:36

Of course.

Speaker 2: 8:37

And then there will be events at VA medical facilities and military cemeteries.

Speaker 1: 8:41

Wow.

Speaker 2: 8:42

And they've created a special poster for the 2025 National Vietnam War Veterans Day.

Speaker 1: 8:48

Oh cool.

Speaker 2: 8:49

And the Naval History and Heritage Command actually has all these commemoration toolkits and resources online.

Speaker 1: 8:54

So if people want to participate or learn more, Exactly so.

Speaker 2: 8:58

as we're wrapping up this deep dive, it's clear that the 50th anniversary commemoration has been this, you know, this huge effort to honor and thank those who served during the Vietnam War. It was a really complicated and divisive time in our history.

Speaker 1: 9:10

It was, and we've learned so much about the war itself, and you know the challenges that veterans faced when they came home.

Speaker 2: 9:16

And I think the big takeaway is that, you know, the experience of individual veterans was often very different from the way the war was being remembered and commemorated on a national level and National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29th it's really an opportunity for the nation to, you know, collectively offer that welcome home that so many veterans didn't get.

Speaker 1: 9:38

To acknowledge their service and sacrifice.

Speaker 2: 9:41

Exactly.

Speaker 1: 9:42

So I don't know about you, but I feel like I've had a lot of those aha moments, you know, during this deep dive, like realizing you know just how complicated this whole period was and why it took so long for Vietnam veterans to get the recognition they deserved.

Speaker 2: 9:57

Right and the sources you provided. They really helped to paint a much more complete picture than you could ever get from just you know, reading a news article or something.

Speaker 1: 10:05

Especially those personal stories from veterans. So what's the thing that's really sticking with you?

Speaker 2: 10:10

I think. For me it's the resilience of the veterans themselves.

Speaker 1: 10:12

Yeah.

Speaker 2: 10:13

You know, and the fact that, even though it took way too long, attitudes towards them have really changed.

Speaker 1: 10:17

Couch glue.

Speaker 2: 10:18

It shows how important historical memory is. You know and learning from the past.

Speaker 1: 10:22

Right, so here, important historical memory is you know, and learning from the past, right? So here's something for everyone listening to think about. You know, we've seen how the way we welcome home our veterans has evolved through the better for the better. Yeah, definitely. But what are our responsibilities as a society? To make sure that all veterans, no matter what conflict they served in, you know, get the recognition and support they deserve, not just in words but, you know, in actions.

Speaker 2: 10:47

That's a great question, especially as we come to the end of this official 50th anniversary commemoration.

Speaker 1: 10:53

And, I think, those personal stories that we've been reading and hearing you know, they really make you think about what you can do in your own community to support Vietnam veterans.

Speaker 2: 11:01

Absolutely what you can do in your own community to support Vietnam veterans, absolutely, because their experiences, you know, and their service, they continue to shape our nation.

Speaker 1: 11:08

In ways that we're still learning about.

Speaker 2: 11:10

Absolutely.

Speaker 1: 11:11

So thank you all for listening.

Speaker 2: 11:12

Thank you.