SYLACAUGA, Ala. – Senate Bill 305 has passed through congress and now sits on the President’s desk. The bill is titled “Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017“. In summary the bill introduces the date March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
But what is special about the specific day of March 29? On that day in 1973 the last of the United States soldiers were pulled from Vietnam. The day was first recognized by President Obama in a Presidential Proclamation on March 29, 2012. In the proclamation Obama said “Yet, in one of the war’s most profound tragedies, many of these men and women came home to be shunned or neglected — to face treatment unbefitting their courage and a welcome unworthy of their example.”
President of the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 945, Jon Hall, agrees with Obama. “This is a day to commemorate and recognize the fact that someone made a mistake,” said Hall. “It’s a day to recognize that people forgot to welcome us all home when we came back from Vietnam.”
Today the unfriendly welcome home from the 1970s still sits with these veterans. “The fact is, from one veteran to another, we’ll still say ‘welcome home brother’ to this day because no one else did.” explained Hall.
On Wednesday, Hall said people will finally recognize, after all these years, the fact they have the privilege of living in freedom in The United States of America because many brave men went over to fight for freedom.
The City of Sylacauga will recognize its Vietnam Veterans at 1 p.m. Wednesday at the City Hall flag pole. Mayor Jim Heigl will give a brief proclamation followed by keynote speaker Mike Pearson of the United States Marine Corp.
After the speech at City Hall, there will be a social gathering hosted by American Legion Post 45 and the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 945 at the Legion Hall on Hammett Avenue. Refreshments will be provided by Curtis and Son Funeral Home and Hickory Street Cafe.
Jeremy Law for SylacaugaNews.com | © 2017, SylacaugaNews.com/Marble City Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.