TEMPLE – Community members formed two lines to make a walkway outside the Temple VA Hospital on Tuesday. Eagerly, they waved their American flags as Vietnam Veterans walked through the crowd. As each passed, they smiled and thanked them for their service and sacrifice.
It was the homecoming they never received when returning from war. Even though it was decades late, the VA wanted to make sure these veterans felt appreciated for serving their country.
“I felt we were finally welcomed home,” smiled Army Vietnam veteran Ernest Montgomery. “I feel so good. I'm on a high and I'm not coming down.”
This was just the start of the VA's 50th Commemoration of the Vietnam War and their ceremony to honor central Texas Vietnam veterans for National Vietnam Veteran Day.
For many of the veterans in attendance, they returned home to protestors who shamed and disgraced their service. Instead of receiving thanks, people spit and yelled at them.
“It was disheartening. Here I was proud to be in uniform,” said Retired Staff Sgt. Robert Carter. “When I came home from Desert Storm in the same airport they were standing up and applauding. A couple of us just broke down and cried. We couldn't believe the reception we got because we had not had that before.”
The past cannot be undone, but community members and the VA are trying to make up for those hurtful years. During the ceremony special pins were placed on each Vietnam veteran's collar to show the county's appreciation.
“It was America finally saying we honor you for what you did,” said Montgomery. “I'm proud. I'll honor this the rest of my life.”
“I just felt honored to be pinned today,” added Retired 1st Sgt. Chester Jordan, Jr. “I felt honored.”
There ceremony also honored former Prisoners of War, those still considered missing, and the more than 58,000 killed during the Vietnam War.
