American Legion Post 5 and the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 1980 will be holding celebrations Tuesday in honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
The American Legion will be hosting a “Welcome Home” event open to all Vietnam veterans and legion members. Vice-Commander Clay Childs says while the event is not open to the public, he encourages everyone to thank a Vietnam vet for their service.
The Welcome Home celebration will run from 5 to 6 pm and will include hot dogs and drinks. Meanwhile, the VFW will be serving free hamburgers to the community from 4 to 7 pm or while supplies last.
VFW bar manager Karen Baker is encouraging the public to come out and interact with their members, many of whom are Vietnam veterans, to show them the support and gratitude they did not initially receive after returning home from the war.
Vietnam Veterans Day was first observed in 2012 following a proclamation by President Barack Obama.
President Donald Trump would go on to sign the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 which officially recognized Mar. 29 as National Vietnam Veterans Day and amended US flag code to include Mar. 29 as a day on which the US flag should be flown. Mar. 29 commemorates the last departure of remaining US troops from Vietnam in 1973.
Nearly three million American service members served in Vietnam.
