For the first time, National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29 will be recognized with a walk down Constitution Avenue in Washington, D.C. and a major concert on the National Mall dedicated specifically for Vietnam veterans.
Hosted by Veterans United Home Loans, the afternoon features a ceremonial Welcome Walk led by The Military District of Washington's Army Field Band, followed by a tribute concert near the Vietnam Veterans Memorial featuring Gary Sinise and The Lt. Dan Band. Actor and retired Marine Corps Reserve officer Rob Riggle will serve as master of ceremonies and country music artist and Army Reserve soldier Craig Morgan also will perform.
“We are welcoming home some folks who did not get the welcome home they deserved,” said Vice President of Military Relations and Business Development for Veterans United Home Loans, Pam Swan. “We are losing the opportunity to say this to the individuals.”
As part of the program, Veterans United will debut a trailer for an upcoming documentary about how it escorted 10 Vietnam veterans back to Vietnam for the first time since the war ended. The full film will be released later this year.
“It was really about taking Vietnam veterans back to a place where we could re-write and replace and do it with loving care,” said Swan.
The trip’s itinerary was based on where the veterans said they needed to go.
“We made sure that every single veteran on the trip at least got to see two locations that needed their attention,” she said.
The trip began in Ho Chi Minh City and included stops in Da Nang.
“We also built around being in the cities, in the villages, talking to the Vietnamese people,” Swan said. “That was a great healing for them as well.”
Among those who made the return trip was retired Navy Capt. Buddie Joe “B.J.” Penn, a former aviator who flew combat missions during the Vietnam War.
“In life, you seldom get a second chance,” he said. “I had a lot of baggage. This is the first time I had been in Hanoi and I hadn’t got shot at.”
Compared to those serving on the ground in Vietnam, Penn said he had it easy while serving there since he was aboard an aircraft carrier when not flying missions.
“If we were aboard the ship, we were fairly safe,” he said. “We had meals, we had a bed, we had a doctor. If something was wrong, we could get it corrected. Some of those on the trip had it really, really rough. I don’t know if I could have done that.”
Penn had two tours in Vietnam, in 1969-1970 and 1971-1972. While serving in Vietnam, he would fly over the prisons where American prisoners of war were being held. Penn called the return trip amazing.
“You just shake your head over how much things have changed,” he said. “It’s been 50 years. It’s just a totally different world.”
Penn said the trip helped to restore his humanity and find forgiveness.
“Being able to go there, you care even more now,” he said. “It’s hard to describe, but you do. The trip changed me. A lot.”
Penn later served as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Installations and Environment) from 2005 to 2009, including a period as Acting Secretary of the Navy.
To learn more about the event on Sunday, visit here.
Reach Jula LeDoux at Julia@connectingvets.com.
