October 22, 2012

A tribute to Vietnam servicemembers

By The American Legion
Veterans Day
A tribute to Vietnam servicemembers
A tribute to Vietnam servicemembers

Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund is reading the names of the fallen and missing in action at The Wall, and encouraging communities nationwide to do so as well.

November marks Veterans Day and the 30th anniversary of the completion of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. In commemoration, the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) is conducting a special 65-hour ceremony to recognize the fallen and missing in action.

From Nov. 7-10 at the memorial site, volunteers will read the names of the 52,282 servicemembers inscribed on The Wall. This will be only the fifth time in The Wall’s history that the reading of the names has occurred. And on Nov. 11, VVMF will conduct its annual Veterans Day ceremony at the memorial site. Visit www.vvmf.org/Ceremonies for more details.

Additionally, VVMF is conducting a nationwide "thank you" tribute to Vietnam veterans with its video project. It’s asking individuals and groups, such as Legion posts, to videotape themselves reading the names of servicemembers on The Wall who have local or personal ties to them. To find names on The Wall by state, visit www.vvmf.org/names-by-state.

VVMF is also expanding its video project to include the names of veterans who have died from Vietnam-related causes, such as Agent Orange, but do not meet the Department of Defense requirements for inclusion on The Wall.

Videos should be sent to vvmf_n6z3@sendtodropbox.com and will be posted on VVMF’s website and Facebook page. See more information here.

The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was established in 1979 and is dedicated to preserving the legacy of The Wall, keeping veterans’ stories alive and educating America on the impact the war had on servicemembers and their families. Meanwhile, this past Memorial Day during a ceremony at The Wall, President Obama proclaimed May 28, 2012, through Nov. 11, 2025, as the Commemoration of the 50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War.

 

  • Veterans Day