Vietnam Veterans Deservedly Honored

The Vietnam War was a twenty-year anguish that divided Americans like nothing before and a great deal since. Almost three-million U.S. Servicemen served—boots down—in the jungles, deltas, and mountains of the Southeast Asian nation: 58,148 of them were killed; 75,000 were severely disabled; 23,214 were 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; and 1,081 sustained multiple amputations.

The average age of the men killed was 23.1 years.

The war’s controversial nature and unfavorable media turned many Americans against the young men returning home from combat, and hearts on both sides of the issue were hardened.   

In time, however, the bravery and sacrifices of Vietnam Veterans were acknowledged, and among the more tangible and poignant expressions of that acknowledgement is the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight, which—on 29 July 2022–will transport Vietnam Veterans from the EAA’s 69th fly-in convention at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh to Washington D.C., where they will tour war memorials at no cost to themselves. The veterans will return to Oshkosh later the same day and be welcomed by thousands of people gathered to give them the recognition they so richly deserve.

American Airlines will conduct the flight in its Flagship Valor Airbus A321 aircraft, which is specially painted to recognize Medal of Honor recipients. The carrier donates the aircraft at no charge, and provides an all-volunteer crew of American Airlines pilots and cabin attendants to get the veterans safely to Washington and back.

2022 will be the eighth year the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight has originated at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh under the auspices of Old Glory Honor Flight of Appleton, Wisconsin. The non-profit organization has organized dozens of Honor Flights since 2009, including flights to Pearl Harbor and to Vietnam.

Rick Larsen, EAA’s vice president of communities and member programming, states: “We are proud to produce an event that honors what Vietnam veterans did for this country and be able to provide them an experience of a lifetime.”

Old Glory Honor Flight will invite veterans currently on its waitlist to partake in the Yellow Ribbon Honor Flight.

FMI: www.oldgloryhonorflight.org