Chicago Chapter 242
	Greenville, South Carolina, Chapter 523

Many VVA chapters commemorated March 29, National Vietnam War Veterans Day, taking part in and hosting a wide variety of events. What follows is a sampling from throughout the nation.

Five chapters in Texas came together for the first time for a joint March 29 commemoration at Ammannsville Hall south of Austin in an event hosted by Schulenberg, Texas, Chapter 870 and organized by the chapter’s vice president, Don Christen. The other chapters taking part were Hallettsville Lone Star Chapter 854, Crossroads Chapter 898 in Victoria, El Campo Chapter 1069, and Columbus Chapter 1127. The keynote speaker was Ret. Marine Lt. Gen. Joe Weber, a Fayette County judge and Chapter 870 member.

Daytona Beach, Florida, Chapter 1048 held a luncheon commemoration on Vietnam War Veterans Day catered by Sonny’s BBQ Port Orange. Retired Col. Kim Ramos was the guest speaker. Philadelphia Liberty Bell Chapter 266’s President Steve Uchniat was the keynote speaker for the ceremonies at the Philadelphia Vietnam Veterans Memorial sponsored by Defense Logistics Agency Troop Support.

Members of Concord, North Carolina, Chapter 909 held a March 29 event at the Vietnam Veterans Park in Kannapolis. Delaware, Ohio, Chapter 1095’s ceremonies took place at the town’s recently renovated 1868 Historic Courthouse. Northern Utah Chapter 1079’s ceremonies were held at Layton City Commons in Layton, Utah. The Angel Almedina Memorial Chapter 126 in Manhattan, N.Y., co-sponosored New York City’s official ceremonies, which included a reading of the names and a wreath laying at Vietnam Veterans Plaza.

Rochester, New York, Chapter 20, in conjunction with the city’s Veterans Outreach Center, held its March 29 event at the Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired building in Rochester. Las Cruces, New Mexico, Chapter 431 welcomed home Vietnam War veterans in ceremonies held at Veterans Memorial Park in Las Cruces.

Enterprise, Alabama, Chapter 373, in conjunction with the city of Enterprise, held its March 29 event at the Farmers Market on Main Street. The city’s mayor signed a proclamation recognizing Vietnam War Veterans Day in Enterprise; the ceremonies included a reading of the names of fifty local service members who died in the war.

Lebanon, Tennessee, AVVA Chapter 1004 organized a March 29 Breakfast Celebration at the Veterans Building at Fiddlers Grove Historic Village. Huntsville, Alabama, Chapter 1067 hosted its tenth annual Vietnam War Veterans Day commemoration  at the Huntsville-Madison County Veterans Memorial. Lt. Gen. Donnie Walker, the deputy commanding general of the Army Materiel Command and senior commander of Redstone Arsenal, was the keynote speaker.

Cincinnati Chapter 10 held an open house that included a catered lunch on March 29, inviting all members of the community, including veterans, to mark Vietnam War Veterans Day. Leominster, Massachusetts, Chapter 116 marked March 29 with a cer emony at the Leominster Veterans Center that featured the International Veterans Chorus. “On this Vietnam Veterans Day, in the midst of a pandemic, we will continue to re member the service of those who answered the call from 1965 to 1975,” said Chapter President Richard Earley.

Tampa, Florida, Chapter 787 joined forces with the Veterans Council of Hills borough County to host a Welcome Home ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in Tampa. Clinton Township, Michigan, Chapter 154, in conjunction with VFW Post 1146, held a March 29 event at the post. “We invite all of our members, associate members, and their friends to come down, enjoy some camaraderie and music, and commemorate the veterans of Vietnam,” Chapter 154 President Gary Purcell said before the event.

Williamsburg, Virginia, Chapter 957 held its Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony at Veterans Park in Williamsburg. The event, said Chapter President Tom Monahan, “is held to thank and honor veterans of the Vietnam War, including personnel who were held as prisoners of war or listed as missing in action, for their service and sacrifice on behalf of the United States and to thank and honor the families of these veterans.” 

Members of Jackson, Michigan, Chapter 109 were the honored guests on Vietnam War Veterans Day of the local Sarah Treat Prudden DAR chapter and the Pvt. Ephraim Wheaton SAR Chapter at Village Hope Church in Jackson. Sierra Vista, Arizona, Chapter 1093 commemorated March 29 with a short ceremony and flag wrap at the flagpole in Veterans Memorial Park in Sierra Vista. The ceremony included a wreath laying and comments by Sierra Vista Mayor Rick Mueller, along with the retirement and casing of two flags. “We case the American flag signifying our withdrawal [from Vietnam], and we case the POW/MIA flag because that chapter seems to have ended,” said Chapter President Bill Beecher.

Roanoke, Virginia, Chapter 81 held its Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremonies at Freedom Plaza in downtown Roanoke. The event featured the Virginia National Guard’s 29th Division Band, the awarding of 50th anniversary pins to Vietnam War veterans, and a wreath laying. Florida State Council President John McGinty attended the National Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony hosted by VVA at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

In Florida, St. Lucie County Chapter 566’s Color Guard took part in a pinning ceremony at Veterans Memorial Park in St. Lucie on Vietnam War Veterans Day. Yulee County Chapter 1088’s color guard did the honors at Clay County Chapter 1059’s TAPS Monument at the Clay County Courthouse in Green Cove Springs. St. Johns County Chapter 1084 held its Vietnam War Veterans Day ceremony at the American Legion post in St. Augustine. Florida State Council First Vice President Gary Newman was a guest speaker along with Duval County Vincent J. Cutinha Chapter 1046 President Tony D’Aleo. Alachua County Chapter 1092 held its commemoration, including a pinning ceremony, on March 26.

At its February meeting the members of Rutland, Vermont, Chapter 1 voted unanimously to donate $2,000 to Save the Children, earmarking the funds for Ukrainian relief. “Whether we served voluntarily or under duress, we served for the future,” said Chapter Treasurer Richard Reed. “And that’s what children are. They are letting the women and children out of [Ukraine] to save their future, and the least we can do is help them.”

Dover, Delaware, Chapter 850 pre sented a service dog to Retired USAF MSG Tim Hamilton on April 7 as part of the chapter’s Canines Assisting Service Heroes program. The dog, a Labrador Remington, was the fifth trained service dog the chapter has donated to a disabled veteran with PTSD or TBI in the last five years. The average training time for each dog is 18 months and costs about $10,000. 

Rockland County, New York, Chapter 333’s “Memories, Stories Left at The Wall” teaching program is going strong. With a March visit to Suffern High School, the chapter has now reached more than 85,000 students since the program began eighteen years ago.

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