CORPUS CHRISTI, Tx — March 29th marks the 51st anniversary of the end of the United States involvement in the Vietnam War. March 29 was officially named Vietnam War Veterans Day, as part of the Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act, signed into law by former President Donald Trump in 2017.
Vietnam Veterans account for nearly 10 percent of their generation. Many of them are decorated with medals which can recognize their bravery, gallantry, or heroism. However, for some veterans the weight of the meaning behind some awards is heavy because it's a symbol of pain.
Corpus Christi local Robert Ewers is a Vietnam veteran with three Purple Heart medals. A Purple Heart is awarded to those wounded while serving.
"I was sent to Vietnam on my 16th birthday," he explained "I got shot a couple of times. It was just, uh, you live day-to-day."
The Vietnam War was long, costly and a divisive conflict. More than 58,000 Americans sacrificed their lives. Those who survived are burdened with grief. However, some choose to remember the sacrifices made to protect their country, as they believe the rest of the world will forget.
J.J. De La Cerda, the Veteran Services Officer for Nueces County said, "The Vietnam veterans were never welcomed home. In fact they were spat on. Their service was denigrated. They were never welcomed home. They didn't feel like they were welcomed home."
"The way they were treated and the way they came home is tragic. I understand the political atmosphere surrounding that war, but some of these guys didn't have a choice," Skyler Barker, the Commander for a local chapter of the Military Order of the Purple Hearts said.
The two veteran leaders recommend expressing gratitude towards veterans. The two said, they themselves owe a lot to those who served in Vietnam.
"The Iraq, Afghanistan, Persian Golf veterans, we really appreciate their service because where they weren't welcomed home, we were," De La Cerda said. "And they made sure that was changed and that the American public knew that service is something of value, and something that's earned and something that should be respected."
"From the Military of the Purple Heart to those Vietnam vets, thank you. We appreciate your service and we love you guys," Barker said
More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans.
Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Lorenzo at michelle.lorenzo@kristv.com
