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Montana, a Proud partner with The U.S.A. Vietnam War Commemoration, is commemorating Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day on March 29, 2024, throughout the State. In 2011 the 62nd Montana Legislature enacted into law House Bill 255, entitled, “Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day”. The act established that annually on March 30th that Montana should recognize and thank its Vietnam Veterans with appropriate tributes.
This date was chosen based on the language of the 1973 Vietnam Peace Accords; the United States agreed to remove the remaining military units from the Republic of Vietnam within 60 days of signing that document. Approximately 5,500 personnel remained in Vietnam on March 29th, 1973. Based on travel, March 30th was the arrival date in the US. See Enclosure 1 to this Media Advisory for the full Text of House Bill 255, (62nd Legislature, 2011).
Most Important!!! Public Law 115-15—March 28, 2017, amended title 4, United States Code, to encourage the display of flag on National Vietnam War Veterans Day. Be it enacted by the senate and the House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, Section 1, Short Title. This Act may be cited as the “Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017”. Sec. 2. Display of Flag on National Vietnam Veterans Day.
Section 6(d) of title 4, United States Code, is amended by inserting “National Vietnam Veterans Day, March 29;” after “third Monday in February;”. Approved March 28, 2017. Enclosure 2
This effectively moved the official date of Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day to March 29, 2021.
STATE-WIDE:
Montana state/community level event(s) are recommended to recognize the over 36,000 Montana men and women who served during the era many in the Republic of Vietnam from 1959-1975. 268 Montana men paid the ultimate price either killed in action (KIA) or died from non-hostile causes during this period. Twenty-two (22) Montanans were recognized as Prisoners of War (POW) and/or Missing in