The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act was signed into law in 2017 and designates March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day (NVWVD), the day of the departure of the last American troops from Vietnam in 1973. Vietnam War Veterans Day is a day we honor and thank the 2,709,918 Americans and all who bravely served on active duty in the Vietnam War between Nov. 1, 1955 and May 15, 1975.
The Vietnam War was one of the longest wars in U.S. history lasting nearly 20 years and was originally started as a civil war between North Vietnam and the South Vietnam government. Of those who served in Vietnam, less than 850,000 are estimated to be alive today. Many Vietnam veterans call San Bernardino County home.
The names of over 58,000 veterans are memorialized on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C. and serve as a reminder of the veterans who sacrificed for our nation and never came home. As of April 14, 2017, over 1,600 American heroes remain missing and unaccounted for.
“It’s important that we always remember the heroism of the veterans who served honorably in Vietnam,” said First District Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.), a Marine Corps veteran of the Vietnam War. “Many of my fellow service members struggle to this day from the sacrifices they made more than 50 years ago. Our nation owes it to them to never forget and ensure their needs are met.”
The United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration – a national 50th anniversary commemoration, authorized by Congress and launched by President Barack Obama in 2012, will conduct a wreath laying ceremony at the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial in Washington D.C. on March 29 at approximately 9:45 a.m. You can watch the event streaming live on March 29 or via the NVWVD Facebook site.
San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs Director Ralph Duarte attended a commemoration ceremony on March 18 at the Colton Veterans of Foreign Wars hosted by Representative Pete Aguilar to honor 27 Inland Empire Vietnam War veterans with a commemorative pin. “Let us never forget the sacrifices of our Vietnam veterans, who served our country with selflessness,” said Duarte. “I was proud to witness them receive the recognition they rightfully deserve for their unwavering dedication and service to our nation.”
San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs is available to assist all veterans with filing for VA disability claims, pensions, education benefits, college fee waivers for dependents, veteran designation on driver’s license or ID, medical benefits, survivor and burial benefits, and more. For additional information, call San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs toll-free at 866-472-8387.
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