The Vietnam Veterans of America (VVA) Chapter 1056 is hosting its annual Vietnam War Veterans Day celebration to recognize the men and women who served in the Vietnam War at 11 a.m. Friday at the Tinnin Fine Arts Center on the Three Rivers College (TRC) campus.
The 50th Anniversary of the Tet Offensive will be a major focus of this year's event, said organizer Wendy Spradling. The Tet Offensive was a coordinated series of attacks on South Vietnam, which changed the course of the war.
"Tet was a pivotal turning point in the Vietnam War, not only for the soldiers fighting in Vietnam, but for the American public and their perception of the Vietnam War and those participating in the conflict," Spradling said.
The event will include veteran Bob Lawson's remarks on the Tet Offensive, said VVA President Larry Kimbrow, who added that it was a goal to feature a veteran who served during the attacks. A salute to fallen veterans featuring the names of area vets killed in action, the Poplar Bluff High School Junior Reserve Officer's Training Corps (JROTC), TRC student Matthew Pickard's rendition of the national anthem, a Veterans Administration (VA) update from Dr. Patricia Hall, and the Southeast Missouri Honor Guard will follow.
Kimbrow said the event is free and open to the public and noted the event's name has changed due to President Donald Trump's designation of March 29 as National Vietnam Veterans Day.
"When we started this event, it was called Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans," Kimbrow said, "and that was to recognize them and give them the welcome they did not get when they came back from Vietnam. That's still the idea. We hope all the Vietnam veterans are able to come to this."
Spradling said Bread and Butter will provide sandwiches for approximately 150 people following the ceremony. Tea and cupcakes also will be available.
Kimbrow said VVA Chapter 1056 covers Southeast Missouri and Northeast Arkansas and has about 70 members. Monthly meetings are held in the basement of 502 Vine Street at 11:30 a.m. the second Thursday of each month.