50th Anniversary of the Vietnam War Commemoration

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The Pentagon
Vietnam War
Exhibit

Gary Sinise Tribute

Gary Sinise's message on
the 5th Anniversary of
National Vietnam War
Veterans Day

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Lying in Honor Ceremony for
Medal of Honor recipient and Vietnam veteran,
Retired Army Col. Ralph Puckett, Jr. at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda.

View Puckett's full VWC Oral History Interview.

Message from the VWC Staff

On April 29, decorated U.S. Army Ranger, Vietnam veteran and the last living Korean War Medal of Honor recipient was laid in honor at the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in Washington, D.C. Retired United States Army Colonel Ralph Puckett, Jr., was formally honored by our Nation’s leaders last Monday, beginning with a distinguished observance at the Korean War Veterans Memorial, followed by an official procession to the U.S. Capitol and the Lying in Honor ceremony. Known for his be proud, but never satisfied mentality, his service and legacy is now forever enshrined in the halls of history. View the ceremony, and discover more about Puckett’s life from his Oral History Interview.

Approaching Memorial Day, the familiar phrase Freedom is Not Free is engraved in many of our Nation’s memorials and remains deeply inscribed in the hearts of those who understand the profound cost of liberty.

Photo of a Veterans Cemetery with small U.S. flags placed in front of the headstones.

As we pay tribute to those who paid the ultimate sacrifice and recognize our Gold Star families, remember also the families who continue awaiting news of their loved one … they are not forgotten. The Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) persists tirelessly in their mission of providing the fullest possible accounting for our missing personnel to their families and to the Nation. In fact, DPAA just announced last week the identification of another Vietnam War service member, reducing the number who remain missing from the Vietnam War to 1,548. Read more about this noteworthy discovery and the service of U.S. Air Force pilot, Major John Creighton Gillespie Kerr.

Photo of a rose left at The Wall of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.

As you gather for Memorial Day and host or attend commemorative events that thank and honor our Vietnam veterans and their families,
a couple of housekeeping items. First, as referenced in Issue 3, the shipping of our educational posters will be discontinued as of June 1, so submit your orders this month for any desired hard copy editions (online versions will still be available for printing). Second, as mentioned in Issue 2, next month we will be bringing you updates for the remainder of the year’s operations and materials available, as we begin to make our preparations for the Commemoration’s close on Veterans Day, 2025.

Finally, we remember all of our service members who sacrificed for the freedoms we enjoy today. In the words of 33rd U.S. President Harry S. Truman … Our debt to the heroic men and valiant women in the service of our country can never be repaid. They have earned our undying gratitude. America will never forget their sacrifices.

56 U.S. Proclamations

(States, Commonwealths, Territories & the District of Columbia)

Thank you for visiting our website. If you experience a problem while visiting this website, please call the Commemoration at 877-387-9951 or email us at whs.vnwar50th@mail.mil. Please let us know how we can help you thank Vietnam veterans!

Join the Nation … thank a Vietnam veteran!

*Click on the map below to see individual state, territory, and international totals of completed events and current number of partners.