Vietnam War veterans honored with 50th anniversary pin
ARLINGTON, Va. (DC News Now) — DC News Now joins the nation in honoring millions of Vietnam War veterans on the 50th anniversary of the end of the war — and National Vietnam War Veterans Day.
A national commemoration group is asking for the public's help to recognize these veterans and ensure they receive the gratitude they deserve.
The group is looking for Vietnam veterans across the country to receive Vietnam veteran lapel pins as a memento of the Nation's thanks for their service and their sacrifice.
'When I got home, other than my wife and my family, there was nobody there,' said Vietnam veteran William Tines.
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More than 50 years ago, the Vietnam War was surrounded by controversy.
The war broke out in 1955 between communist-backed North Vietnam and U.S.-backed South Vietnam.
'We still had this idea that we wanted to stop the spread of communism in Southeast Asia so we took over the mission,' said United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Branch Chief Mark Franklin.
The U.S. sent hundreds of thousands of troops, but after mounting casualties and widespread protests back home, the U.S. withdrew from the war and Saigon fell to North Vietnam in 1975.
'We just felt kind of like the black sheep of the family when we got out of the Vietnam War,' said Tines. 'It wasn't popular by no means.'
It took decades for the U.S. to formally recognize these men and women.
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Now, the United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration — enacted by Congress in 2012– seeks to make things right.
'They answered their nation's call,' said United States of America Vietnam War Commemoration Director Major General Ed Chrystal Jr. 'They returned. They expected to be — if not a parade, at least welcomed back, and that didn't happen. The community back then — the state — the country was in turmoil. Could not separate the war from the warrior. Now, what we try to do is right that wrong.'
Today, the Commemoration is honoring 7 million Vietnam veterans and 10 million families of all who served with a Vietnam veteran lapel pin.
Organizers are urging the entire nation to take a moment to thank a Vietnam veteran.
'At least they're acknowledging what we did, and I appreciate it,' said Tines.
Watch DC News Now's Vietnam War 50th anniversary special airing Saturday at 10 a.m.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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