Commemorating Wyoming's Vietnam Veterans At Military Museum

When our brave men and women returned from Vietnam, they didn't get the love and admiration that they should have. In reality, they didn't get any love or respect at all. They were spat on, treated poorly, and called names. This piece of American history is one of the darkest, and thankfully, the Vietnam Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 shone a light on those who served during that time.

March 29th is now known as National Vietnam Veterans Day nationally, and March 30th has been designated as Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day. This year, both of those days will be celebrated on the same day, March 28th, at the incredible National Museum of Military Vehicles near Dubois, WY.

The museum has collaborated with the Wyoming Department of Education to create lesson plans on American military history for teachers throughout Wyoming to use during the current school year. A video from one of these lesson plans about the Vietnam War, entitled “Victory on the Battlefield and in Peace,” will be shown next. This 14-minute video provides a concise overview of the history of Vietnam, beginning with its becoming a French colony in 1858, through World War II, the First Indochina War, and the impact and consequences of the Vietnam War.

The day's event will kick off with a special tour of the museum's Vietnam War gallery at 10 am. I have toured multiple times, and it is absolutely incredible how much detail, time, and research went into the display to ensure the men and women who served during that time period are honored as accurately as possible.

A Wyoming Army National Guard Blackhawk helicopter will deliver the Governor and First Lady, the Adjutant General, and both the Chairman and Director of the Wyoming Veterans Commission at noon. The Blackhawk will remain on-site for the public throughout the afternoon. Then, at 1 pm, the forementioned honored guests will speak and recognize several of Wyoming's Vietnam veterans during a Wyoming Veterans Welcome Home Day ceremony.

There will also be a screening of the new documentary from Wyoming PBS, Home From The Vietnam War.

The day's events are open to the public, and everyone is encouraged to attend.