Other views: A belated honor for Vietnam vets
Published 6:00 am Saturday, March 25, 2023
- Bates
The U.S. military members who came home and were greeted with rebuke and disdain have a special day. March 29 was set aside in 1974 as the one-year anniversary of the withdrawal of U.S. combat forces from Vietnam.
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But that day did not have any real meaning then. It was an empty gesture to those who served with dignity and pride. The homecoming of our Vietnam veterans was not good. Some were spit upon, called names and in some instances physically assaulted.
Our society treated our Vietnam veterans poorly. For years, our government failed to recognize their service and the physical and mental toll that the Vietnam War took on those who served.
There was substantial support of the Vietnam War effort at the beginning of the 1960s. That support had almost completely evaporated at the end of the decade. According to the Department of Defense Manpower Data Center, in 1968, there were over 536,000 U.S. military personnel in Vietnam.
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Long before the Paris Peace Accords were signed 50 years ago in January, the United States had started a draw-down of troops in Vietnam. In 1971, the troop count barely exceeded 156,000 U.S. military personnel deployed to Vietnam. In 1972, that number dwindled to 24,200 and 50 years ago, there were 50 U.S. military members in Vietnam.
Yes, 50 years ago the Vietnam War was conceivably over for the United States and its military. The tradition of celebrating March 29 never received prominence until recently, when the commemoration of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War was established in 2012 by President Barak Obama. This commemoration is scheduled to continue through Nov. 11, 2025.
We owe a debt of gratitude to all of those who served. Over the past 50 years the U.S. military Vietnam veterans have seen their standing elevated in our society. However, in some regards they are still overlooked. For example, in Oregon’s capital city of Salem, you can find memorials to every war, including the Civil War, with the exception of the Vietnam War.
Albeit decades late, the plans for a Vietnam War memorial on the Oregon Capitol grounds have been approved. Funding is the only limiting factor preventing these approved plans from coming to fruition.
You can help make this memorial a reality. The Vietnam War Memorial Fund, the recognized nonprofit for this project, is actively raising funds to construct this beautiful memorial on the Capitol grounds. Visit the website and see the plans and design of the memorial. You can send your contribution to Vietnam War Memorial Fund, PO Box 1448, Boring, OR 97009. Or you can donate by credit card at the website: ocvvm.com.
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