Veterans group honors those who served in Vietnam
By WVUA 23 News Reporter Valarie Bracken
March 29 marks National Vietnam War Veterans Day, and Cottondale’s Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 6022 was planning on celebrating a day later, on March 30. But the weather had other plans.
After heavy storms Wednesday, Thursday’s skies were bright and clear, so that’s when the VFW hosted its event honoring their local Vietnam veterans.
Post 6022 Vice Commander Walter Turner said the VFW is home to one of the largest combat veterans groups in the country.
Some Vietnam Veterans don’t want to be remembered, Turner said, so their focus is on ensuring they know how much they matter.
“A lot of them don’t want to come in public because they don’t want to remember what happened to them over there,” said Turner.
The VFW is a place veterans can hang out and feel at home with others who have gone through the same situations.
“A lot of them didn’t get the welcome home that they deserved,” And so now we celebrate that in here to observe that and honor them and make sure everybody understands that when you meet a Vietnam veteran, tell them ‘welcome home,’ ” said Post 6022 Commander Donnie Nelson.
