MILFORD, PA — On March 29, 1973, the last combat troops were withdrawn from Vietnam. And in Milford on March 29, officers and members of veterans organizations, family, friends, veterans and local dignitaries gathered at the Soldiers and Sailors monument at Kiehl Park in commemoration of National Vietnam Veterans Day. 

Commander James Mulligan of American Legion Post 139 welcomed those in attendance. He said that from January 1,1965 to March 28, 1973, a total of 2,594,000 U.S. troops, including 7,484 women, served within the borders of South Vietnam. During that same period, a total of 3,403,100 U.S. troops, (including 514,300 offshore) served in the Southeast Asia Theater, which included Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and the South China Sea. According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation, a total of 58,281 U.S. troops were killed in the war.

Many veterans are still suffering from PTSD, exposure to toxic chemicals such as Agent Orange, and commit suicide, Mulligan said. He expressed gratitude for hearing five little words, “Thank you for your service,” and encouraged everyone to spread those words to police and first responders, as well as to veterans.

Chaplain John Kupillas, from American Legion Post 139, offered the devotion with words from his heart. “We pause to honor those who fought in the Vietnam War, which was a very complicated war that divided our nation. When we came home, we faced disrespect and hate. We now faced another war from within our nation. Many of us were just barely out of our teen years. We faced death and hardship. It was the elephant in the room for many of us. Even our own veteran organizations didn’t want us. This led to a new organization for us; it was how the Vietnam Veterans of America was founded. Our motto became ‘Never again will one generation of veterans abandon another.’ Most of us are now in our 60s and 70s, and are still a strong force, and now we’re a well respected force. We still wear the scars of war personally and mentally. We were tough back then, and we are tough now. We never give up.”

“It’s time for the nation to give our Vietnam veterans their due and thank them for their noble efforts and achievements,” said VFW Post 8612 Commander Gregory Protsko, the keynote speaker. “Making sure every veteran receives the benefits and entitlements they deserve is one way of maintaining a link to the thousands of men and women who helped secure so many blessings for us.”

A ceremony was held on March 29, in honor of Vietnam Veterans Day, at the Soldiers and Sailors monument on Broad Street in Milford. On the same March …

National recognition

A bill authorizing a national observance of the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War was authorized by Congress and signed by then-president George W. Bush in January of 2008; the actual day of commemoration occurred on May 28, 2012 under President Barack Obama. The Vietnam War Veterans Recognition Act of 2017 was signed into law by  President Donald Trump, designating every March 29 as National Vietnam War Veterans Day. This special day joins six other military-centric annual observances codified in Title 4 of the United States Code §6, among them Memorial Day, Independence Day and Veterans Day. 

The Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that there are more than seven million Vietnam veterans living in America and abroad, along with 10 million families of those who served during this timeframe. Many of those veterans are now eligible for additional benefits following the passage of the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics Act of 2022 (PACT Act), the most significant expansion of VA benefits in more than 30 years.

The PACT Act empowers the VA to provide much-needed benefits and expanded eligibility for health care to generations of veterans who were exposed to toxic fumes and other environmental hazards during their service, including many Vietnam War Veterans exposed to Agent Orange. Veterans can benefit from this extensive legislation by enrolling in VA care and, once enrolled, receiving a toxic exposure screening at their local VA medical center. Veterans and their survivors can learn more about PACT Act-related benefits by visiting www.va.gov/PACT or by calling 800/698-2411.

Pike County Commissioner Matt Osterberg presents a check from the American Recovery Account in the amount of $8,057 to James Mulligan, Commander of …