After a 3-year hiatus, the Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day event will be held on Saturday, April 1, at the Chicken Ranch Casino Bingo Hall.
The State of California and, later, the U.S. government proclaimed March 29 as a day for the American public to say thank you to those men and women who fought the war and a day of Recognition and Remembrance.
March 29, 1973, is when all U.S. military combat and combat support troops were finally out of South Vietnam, effectively ending America’s more than 10-year involvement.
Military losses for the U.S. were 58,498 killed in action.
This year’s event will feature keynote speaker Roger Lutz, a two-tour Army Combat Medic who served with the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, of the famed First Cavalry Division (Airmobile) in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. Lutz left the military and returned to college and later joined the Air Force Reserve and eventually retired from that service.
The theme of his speech will be “It’s hard to be messed up when you are helping people.”
He is a Napa business owner and volunteers to perform medical clinics throughout the world including Vietnam.
There will be two special pinning ceremonies that night with Vietnam and Vietnam-Era veterans receiving a 50th anniversary lapel pin, which relates to the anniversary of the military withdrawal. Also, surviving spouses of Vietnam and Vietnam-era veterans will receive a specially designed pin honoring the service of their loved ones.
The DoD-sponsored Commemorative Partners program stated that “all were called to serve, none could self-determine where they were stationed, and all were seen in the same way by a country that could not separate the war from the warrior as we do today.”
The event will run from 4 to 7 p.m. and will offer substantial hors d’oeuvres and a no-host bar. Murphys comedian and illusionist Cecile Kaiser will be on hand to provide entertainment.
Tickets cost $20 per person and can be purchased in advance from certain Chapter 391 members or by contacting Frank M. Smart, chapter president, at fsmart@rocketmail.com or (209) 559-1908.
Location:
16929 Chicken Ranch Road
Jamestown , California 95327
Contact Information:
Frank Smart
fsmart@rocketmail.com(209) 559-1908