National Vietnam War Veterans Day is observed every year on March 29. It is an opportunity for all Americans to recognize, thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families for their service and sacrifice during one of the longest wars in our country's history. It is also an appropriate time to pay homage to those who returned from Vietnam and have died from causes connected to the war, such as Agent Orange.
March 29 was chosen as National Vietnam War Veterans Day because it was March 29, 1973, that the last U.S. combat troops departed the Republic of Vietnam. Though it has been 50-plus years, the similarity of our troops exit from Vietnam and Afghanistan has been a difficult time for many veterans.
Due to the poor reception given to Vietnam veterans upon their return to the states, it is still common to hear them greet each other with a "welcome home" acknowledgement.
Hats off to those who answered the call, when their country needed them, and fought bravely in a foreign land.
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